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| Club information | |||
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| Full name | Halifax Rugby League Club | ||
| Website | www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk | ||
| Colours | Blue and White Hoops | ||
| Founded | 1873 | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) | Shay Stadium | ||
| Competition | Co-operative Championship | ||
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, hence the former nickname: The Blue Sox. They share The Shay stadium with football club Halifax Town. Halifax are also one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, making them one of the world's first rugby league clubs. They have rivalries with local neighbours Bradford Bulls and Huddersfield Giants.
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History
Early years
The club was founded as Halifax in 1873. After becoming the first ever winners of the Yorkshire Cup in 1878, the club went on to win it on another four occasions. Several players were supplied to the Yorkshire County side in these years, and five were picked for the full England rugby union team. In 1886, the club moved to their traditional home of Thrum Hall, this would be their home ground for the next 112 years. The first game was played on September 18, 1886 and drew 8,000 spectators.
The Halifax club were founding members of the breakaway Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895. In 1896, Halifax lost out on winning the first ever Rugby League Championship by a single point with Manningham FC becoming the inaugural champions. On-field success continued, producing one of their best ever teams in the early years of the 20th century. In 1902-03 they achieved the 'double' by winning the Challenge Cup and finishing top of Division One. They won the cup again the following season, and were the first ever Championship play-off winners in season 1906-07.
Under the disciplined leadership of Dan Jenkins, Halifax enjoyed their first Wembley Challenge Cup final victory; beating York in 1931. After trailing 8-5 at half time, 17 unanswered points in the second half led to a 22-8 victory, as the cup came to Thrum Hall for the first time since 1903. An estimated 100,000 people lined the route to a civic reception at the Town Hall.[1] But this victory was followed by four seasons of relative decline as Halifax drifted down the league.
Towards the end of the 1937 season, Streatham and Mitcham folded after just one full season in the league. The club had made a number of high profile signings from the New Zealand All Blacks, including George Nepia and Charlie Smith. The players now joined Halifax and the team building continued with the signings of more players.
In 1938, Halifax reached the semi-final of the Challenge Cup, after winning three replays in a row, before they were knocked out by Barrow at Fartown (Huddersfield) in the dying seconds of the game.
Success came in 1939 when Halifax became the last team to win the Challenge cup final before the war. Favourites Salford were beaten 20-3 in front of a record 55,453 spectators.
In 1947 Halifax's Hudson Irving died from a heart attack while playing at Dewsbury.[1]
Post Second World War
During the late 1940s and the 1950s Halifax were amongst the game’s strongest sides, pulling in average crowds of over 11,000.
In 1949 Halifax's David Craven dies after breaking his neck playing against Workington Town.[2]
The 1949 Challenge Cup final was sold out for first time as 95,050 spectators saw Bradford Northern beat Halifax.
During the 1950s they were Championship runners-up three times, two Yorkshire Cup final victories against Hull in 1954 and 1955, and Yorkshire League winners four times in 1950, 1953, 1954 and 1956. Halifax remained unbeaten at their home ground of Thrum Hall between December 1952 and November 1956. They played in a Wembley final of the 1954 Challenge Cup, featuring in the first ever drawn final against Warrington in 1954, losing in the replay at Odsal Stadium, Bradford in front of what was then a world record rugby league crowd officially given as 102,569, although estimates suggest another 20,000 plus entered unofficially.
After securing a Yorkshire league and cup double in 1955-56, the club was in sight of winning all four cups. Wembley was reached after a thrilling Challenge Cup 11-10 semi-final victory over Wigan at Odsal. Fax’s hopes of success were increased further by a 23-8 Championship success against Challenge Cup final opponents St Helens in the Championship semi final. However, St Helens ran out 13-2 winners in the Challenge Cup. A week later, Halifax came close to victory in the Championship match against Hull at Maine Road, Manchester but a last minute penalty goal secured a 10-9 victory for Hull.
In 1959 Halifax hosted Wigan before a club record 29,153 people in the third round of the Challenge Cup.
Halifax was hit hard by the financial situation of the late 1960s and 1970s. Fortunes on the pitch suffered as the shortfall was met by selling players. In 1970, a concert was held at Thrum Hall in an attempt to alleviate these financial troubles. Horrific weather conditions meant that only around 3,000 arrived to watch the 'Halifax Pop and Blues Concert' which made a loss of £6,000. [2]
Despite victory in the inaugural Regal Trophy final (then Players No. 6 Trophy) in 1971-72, financial problems continued for the next decade. In 1983, local businessman, David Brook provided much needed investment in the club. [3]
Chris Anderson was captain-coach of Halifax between 1985-88 where he enjoyed great success including the 1986-87 Challenge Cup victory against St Helens and a championship title in 1986. Halifax's last appearance in a Challenge Cup final was in 1988 when they lost to Wigan.
Peter Roe was in charge of Halifax from 1990-91. The club's record victory was set in October 1990 with an 82-8 win over Runcorn Highfield at Thrum Hall.
Summer era
In 1996, the first tier of British rugby league clubs played the inaugural Super League season and changed from a winter to a summer season.[3] In the lead-up, the Halifax chairman, Tony Gartland, resigned over plans to merge with rivals Bradford Northern and join the proposed Super League.[4]
Halifax joined the Super League in 1996 and became known as Halifax Blue Sox. However, this proved to be unpopular with most supporters who continued to refer to them as 'Fax'. Halifax finished third in Super League in 1998 under John Pendlebury.
Halifax sold Thrum Hall for £1.5 million Asda for a supermarket development in 1998, and moved across town to their present home, the Shay Stadium, which they share with FC Halifax Town. The proceeds from the sale were supposed to enable Halifax to complete a redevelopment of The Shay stadium, but the money was swallowed by debts.
Halifax went to Jacksonville University, Florida, to help develop American rugby league, along with Salford in 2000.
Steve Linnane joined the club as assistant coach from Rochdale Hornets and took full charge after Gary Mercer's resignation.[4]
With the club threatened by financial problems and the danger of relegation. Halifax sacked coach, Steve Linnane, in August 2002, a month after giving him a new contract. Replacement Tony Anderson signed a deal that covered the four remaining matches of this season.[5]
The club returned to the traditional Halifax R.L.F.C. at the start of 2003. At the end of the 2003 season they were relegated from Super League to National League one.
Halifax's financial troubles meant they were unable to retain a full-time team and they struggled in the new league. They narrowly avoided a second relegation to National League 2 in 2004, with a last-gasp victory over local rivals York.
Anthony Farrell was asked to become temporary coach until the end of the year following the sacking of Tony Anderson. After saving the club from relegation the following season and taking the club within a whisker of a place in the grand final where they lost out to Castleford. The year after was less successful and after a poor series of results including a club record loss to Hull KR, "Faz" eventually lost his job. Martin Hall took over the role of head coach from sacked coach Anthony Farrell in June 2006.[6]
In August 2006 Halifax RLFC was on the verge of going bust. The club announced that it needed to raise £90,000 otherwise it would go into liquidation. Rugby league fans nationwide rallied behind 'Fax', and through visits to the ground, during home fixtures, and other fund-raising events, were able to raise £55,000. Former Chairman Howard Posner then came forward and announced that he would loan the club the remaining £35,000 in order to keep Halifax RLFC alive. This ensured that Halifax RLFC would be playing in National League One during 2007.[7]
In the 2009 Challenge Cup Halifax came within moments of reaching the quarter-finals, losing by one point in extra time to Castleford.
2009 Club Staff
Backroom Staff
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Graham Clay | Chief Executive |
| Steven Bonfield | Director |
| Mike Riley | Director |
| Michael Steele | Director |
Coaching Team
| Nationality | Name | Position |
|---|---|---|
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Martin Hall | Director Of Football |
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Matt Calland | Head Coach |
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Karl Fairbank | Academy Head Coach |
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Martin Gonzalez | Player Performance Manager |
Squad 2009
Signings/Transfers
Gains
Losses
Youth And Community Development
Activities:
Blue Base Study Support Centre is a community sporting initiative sponsored by Halifax RLFC, and part of the national Playing For Success educational scheme launched for school pupils to interact with professional sports teams, to help provide motivation to young people. Locally, Blue Base is working with an initiative established by the DfES, in partnership with Calderdale Children and Young People's Services and Halifax RLFC.
The centre exists to support Calderdale schools in their drive to raise attainment levels with their pupils. This is achieved by developing young peoples levels of motivation, self esteem and helping them to have a more positive attitude towards learning by concentrating particularly upon literacy, numeracy and the use of ICT.
Mascots
Original Mascot: (100 years ago) Smut the Cat [8]
Recent Mascots: Billy & Bluey, Fat Cat, Bruno the Bear.
Present Mascots: Halicat.
Major Honours
- Championship: 1903, 1907, 1965, 1986 (4 times)
- Championship Finalists:1953, 1954, 1956, 1966 (4 times)
- Challenge Cup: 1903, 1904, 1931, 1939, 1987 (5 times)
- War Emergence League Finalists: 1943, 1945
- Challenge Cup Finalists: 1921, 1941, 1942, 1949, 1954, 1956, 1988 (7 times)
- Yorkshire Cup: 1909, 1945, 1955, 1956, 1964 (5 times)
- Yorkshire Cup Finalists: 1906, 1908, 1942, 1980 (4 times)
- Charity Shield Winners: Charity Shield Winners: 1986
- Charity Shield Finalists: 1987
- John Player Special/Regal Trophy Winners: 1972
- John Player Special/Regal Trophy Finalists: 1990
- Rugby League Premiership Trophy Finalists: 1986
- Second Division Premiership Finalists: 1991
- Northern Rail Nines Plate: 2009
All-Time Statistics
Match
- Goals: 14, Bruce Burton at Hunslet, 27th August 1972
- Tries: 8, Keith Williams v Dewsbury, 9th November 1957
- Points: 32, John Schuster at Doncaster, 9th October 1994
Season
- Goals: 156 Graham Holroyd 2008
- Tries: 48, Johnny Freeman 1956-57
- Points: 362, John Schuster 1994-95
Career
- Goals: 1,028, Ronald "Ronnie" James 1960-72
- Tries: 290, Johnny Freeman 1954-67
- Points: 2,191, Ronald "Ronnie" James 1960-72
Halifax Appearances
- Career: Stan Kielty 482 (1946-58)
- Season: John Thorley 48 (1956-57)
- Consecutive: Richard "Dick" Davies 108 (1925-28)
Representative Appearances
- Great Britain: Karl Harrison 11
- Great Britain: Kenneth "Ken" Roberts
- Great Britain: Terrence "Terry" Fogerty
- England: Alvin Ackerley 6
- Wales: Arthur Daniels 13
- Yorkshire: Archibald "Archie" Rigg 14
- Lancashire: Kenneth "Ken" Roberts 4
- Cumberland: Alvin Ackerley 13
Highest Score
- 88-6 v Workington Town - 1st March 2008
Biggest Loss
- 6-88 v Hull KR (Northern Rail Cup) 23rd April 2006
Record Crowd
- 29,153 v Wigan (Challenge Cup) at Thrum Hall 21st March 1959
All club statistics are courtesy of Andrew Hardcastle (Official Club Historian)(amendments required)
Players earning International Caps while at Halifax
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Halifax RLFC Hall Of Fame
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Other Players
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References
- ^ Baker, Andrew (1995-08-20). "100 years of rugby league: From the great divide to the Super era". Independent, The (independent.co.uk). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/100-years-of-rugby-league-from-the-great-divide-to-the-super-era-1597130.html. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
- ^ Baker, Andrew (1995-08-20). "100 years of rugby league: From the great divide to the Super era". Independent, The (independent.co.uk). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/100-years-of-rugby-league-from-the-great-divide-to-the-super-era-1597130.html. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
- ^ Dave Hadfield (1995-12-20). "Rugby's pounds 87m deal gives Murdoch transfer veto". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/rugbys-pounds-87m-deal-gives-murdoch-transfer-veto-1526582.html. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/british-tours-will-survive-the-super-league-fallout-1616669.html
External links
- Official Website
- Independent Halifax Supporters Website
- RLFax.com
- Shay Stadium Trust
- The Fax Trust
- Match DVDs Available
- Official Matchday Broadcasts by Phoenix FM
- Blue Base Learning Support Centre
- Halifax RLFC Virtual Stadium Webcam Tour
- Halifax RLFC forum on rlfans.com
- National League website
- Halifax RLFC Fans' Forums - RugbyLeague.org
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