1897 Challenge Cup
Duration6 Rounds
Number of teams52
WinnersBatley
Runners-upSt Helens

The 1897 Challenge Cup was the inaugural staging of the Northern Rugby Football Union's Challenge Cup and involved 52 clubs from across England from the 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season. The tournament was played over six rounds in March and April 1897, culminating in the final which was won by Batley.[1]

Background

The Northern Union decided to hold a cup competition called the Northern Rugby Football Union Challenge Cup in July 1896.[2] The cup was commissioned from Bradford silversmiths and jewellers, Fattorini and Sons. Fattorini's designed the trophy themselves and it cost the Northern Union £60.[3]

Draw

The draw for the competition was made on 3 September 1896 although the matches were not due to be played until March and April 1897 over six consecutive weekends commencing 20 March 1897. All rounds were drawn at the same time with matches in the second and subsequent rounds given an identification letter such that ties for later rounds were expressed as, for example, "Q. Winner of Round C. v. winner of Round N."[4]

The team drawn first had the option to play at home or could agree to play at the opponent's ground. The semi-finals and final were to be played at neutral venues.[5]

First round

The first round involved 20 matches and 40 clubs. 12 clubs (Batley, Bradford Church Hill, Brighouse Rangers, Crompton, Heckmondwike, Liversedge, St Helens Recs, Stockport, Swinton Church, Thornton Rangers, Tyldesley and Werneth) were given a bye to the next round.

All 20 ties were played on 20 March 1897.

Home Score Away
Bradford 7–3 Oldham
Bramley 8–8 Morecambe[lower-alpha 1]
Broughton Rangers 0–0 Warrington
Castleford 43–3 Allerton
Eastmoor 26–8 Oldham Juniors
Halifax 55–5 Stockport Rangers[lower-alpha 2]
Holbeck 38–3 Latchford Rangers
Hull 9–0 Walkden
Hunslet 75–5 Broughton Recreation
Leeds 11–0 Rochdale St Clements
Leeds Parish Church 42–0 Runcorn Recreation[lower-alpha 3]
Leigh 0–0 Wakefield Trinity
Manningham 31–3 Dukinfield
Rochdale Hornets 11–0 Waterhead Hornets
Runcorn 65–0 Warrington Loco
St Helens 66–0 Lees
Warrington St Mary's 0–28 Salford
Swinton 12–4 Huddersfield
Widnes 55–0 Atherton Hornets
Wigan 3–0 Radcliffe
Source:[6]
  1. Morecambe gave up home advantage
  2. Stockport Rangers gave up home advantage
  3. Runcorn Recreation gave up home advantage

First round replays

The three games requiring replays were all played on Wednesday 24 March

Home Score Away
Bramley 6–4 Morecambe
Warrington 3–0 Broughton Rangers
Wakefield Trinity 13–4 Leigh
Source:[7]

Second round

The second round of 16 ties was played on Saturday 27 March 1897.

Game no Home Score Away
A Liversedge 9–4 Heckmondwike
B St Helens 17–3 Castleford
C Bramley 0–11 Batley
D Wigan 7–0 Manningham
E Widnes 11–0 Hull
F Tyldesley 9–3 Leeds
G Rochdale Hornets 8–0 St Helens Recs
H Thornton Rangers 4–52 Runcorn
I Swinton 15–0 Hunslet
J Warrington 24–0 Holbeck
K Leeds Parish Church 0–11 Halifax
L Bradford 68–3 Swinton Church
M Eastmoor 3–3 Stockport
N Brighouse Rangers 13–4 Wakefield Trinity
O Salford 30–0 Werneth
P Crompton 26–0 Bradford Church Hill
Source:[8]

Second round replay

Stockport and Eastmoor replayed the tie on Wednesday 31 March.

Game no Home Score Away
M Stockport 28–8 Eastmoor
Source:[9]

Third round

The third round of eight games was played on Saturday 3 April.

Game no Drawn as Home Score Away
Q C v N Batley 6–3 Brighouse Rangers
R G v I Rochdale Hornets 3–3 Swinton
S J v A Warrington 6–0 Liversedge
T M v O Stockport 8–0 Salford
U L v F Bradford 4–8 Tyldesley
V P v K Halifax 50–0 Crompton
W E v H Widnes 14–6 Runcorn
X B v D St Helens 11–0 Wigan
Source:[10]

Third round replay

Swinton and Rochdale replayed the drawn game on Wednesday 7 April.

Game no Drawn as Home Score Away
R G v I Swinton 10–0 Rochdale Hornets
Source:[11]

Fourth round

The quarter finals were played on Saturday 10 April 1897.

Game no Drawn as Home Score Away
AA S v V Warrington 10–8 Halifax
BB Q v W Batley 10–0 Widnes
CC R v T Swinton 3–0 Stockport
DD X v U St Helens 12–0 Tyldesley
Source:[12]

Semi-finals

The semi-finals were scheduled for Saturday 17 April. However, due to a waterlogged pitch, the tie between St. Helens and Swinton, due to be played at Broughton Rangers ground - Wheater's Field - was postponed until Monday 19 April. The game between Batley and Warrington, played at Fartown, Huddersfield did go ahead on a very soft pitch.[13]

17 April 1897
3:00 pm
Batley 6–0 Warrington
Tries: Spurr (1), Davies (1) Report
Fartown, Huddersfield
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: J H Smith (Widnes)

After the game Warrington lodged a protest over the result, claiming that the game should have been postponed due to the state of the pitch and that the game having gone ahead, the referee allowed the game to end six minutes short. Both grounds of protest were dismissed by the Northern Union Committee.[14]

The rearranged game between St Helens and Swinton was played on Easter Monday, 19 April, watched by a crowd of 20,000 taking advantage of the bank holiday to attend.

19 April 1897
3:00 pm
St Helens 7–0 Swinton
Tries: Little (1)
Drop goals: Jacques (1)
Report
Wheater's Field, Broughton
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: E Holmes

Final

The teams and the Challenge Cup photographed before the kick-off: Batley Bulldogs vs. St Helens

The final took place on 24 April 1897 at Headingley, Leeds. The official attendance was 13,492, with gate receipts of £624.17s.7d.[15] Batley wore white shirts and black shorts and socks in place of their normal cerise and fawn colours. St Helens wore blue and white hooped shirts, white shorts and black socks.[16]

St Helens won the toss and elected to have Batley kick off. Despite playing into the wind in the first half, Batley took the lead after five minutes when stand-off Joe Oakland, kicked a drop goal to give Batley a 4–0 advantage. Batley extended their lead to 7–0 when centre John Goodall scored the first try of the game. These were the only scores of the first half. Early in the second half St Helens scored a try when centre David Traynor took the ball on the halfway line and beat four Batley players before touching down. The St Helens fightback did not last long as Batley flanker John T. 'Paudy' Munns scored Batley's second try to make the score 10–3 which remained the score at the final whistle.[17]

After the game the cup was presented by Mrs Louisa Waller, the wife of the president of the Northern Union, Henry Hirst Waller. Mrs Waller presented the Batley players with commemorative gold medals and the St Helens players with silver medals.[17]

24 April 1897
3:30 pm
Batley 10–3 St Helens
Try: Goodall, Munns
Drop goal: Oakland
Manchester Guardian report
Try: Traynor
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 13,492
Referee: J. H. Smith (Widnes)[18]
Touch Judges: H.H. Waller (Brighouse Rangers), J. P. Warren (Warrington)[17]

Squads

Batley Number St Helens
Name Height Weight Age Name Height Weight Age
Fullback
Arthur Garner5 ft 7 in (170 cm)10 st 7 lb (67 kg; 147 lb)261Tom Foulkes (c)5 ft 7 in (170 cm)11 st 10 lb (74 kg; 164 lb)25
Three-quarter backs
Wattie Davies5 ft 5 in (165 cm)11 st 6 lb (73 kg; 160 lb)232Bob Doherty5 ft 4 in (163 cm)10 st 6 lb (66 kg; 146 lb)28
Dai Fitzgerald5 ft 11 in (180 cm)12 st 0 lb (76 kg; 168 lb)243David Traynor5 ft 8 in (173 cm)12 st 4 lb (78 kg; 172 lb)22
John Goodall (c)5 ft 7 in (170 cm)11 st 4 lb (72 kg; 158 lb)224Jim Barnes5 ft 9 in (175 cm)10 st 10 lb (68 kg; 150 lb)21
Ike Shaw5 ft 6 in (168 cm)10 st 4 lb (65 kg; 144 lb)295 Billy Jacques5 ft 6 in (168 cm)10 st 10 lb (68 kg; 150 lb)22
Half-backs
Joe Oakland5 ft 8 in (173 cm)11 st 0 lb (70 kg; 154 lb)216 Richard O'Hara5 ft 5 in (165 cm)11 st 0 lb (70 kg; 154 lb)21
Harry Goodall5 ft 7+12 in (171 cm)11 st 7 lb (73 kg; 161 lb)237 Freddie Little5 ft 4+12 in (164 cm)10 st 11 lb (68 kg; 151 lb)26
Forwards
Mark Shackleton6 ft 0 in (183 cm)14 st 0 lb (89 kg; 196 lb)278Tom Winstanley5 ft 11 in (180 cm)14 st 1 lb (89 kg; 197 lb)26
Jim Gath5 ft 9 in (175 cm)11 st 7 lb (73 kg; 161 lb)219Billy Briers5 ft 6+12 in (169 cm)11 st 11 lb (75 kg; 165 lb)22
George Main5 ft 7+12 in (171 cm)10 st 11 lb (68 kg; 151 lb)2110William Winstanley5 ft 7 in (170 cm)12 st 8 lb (80 kg; 176 lb)28
Robert Spurr5 ft 11 in (180 cm)12 st 7 lb (79 kg; 175 lb)2311Tom Reynolds5 ft 10 in (178 cm)12 st 4 lb (78 kg; 172 lb)27
Fred Fisher5 ft 8 in (173 cm)12 st 8 lb (80 kg; 176 lb)2412Joe Thompson5 ft 8+12 in (174 cm)13 st 0 lb (83 kg; 182 lb)24
Charlie Stubley5 ft 7 in (170 cm)12 st 7 lb (79 kg; 175 lb)2713Peter Dale5 ft 7 in (170 cm)12 st 7 lb (79 kg; 175 lb)25
Jim Littlewood5 ft 9 in (175 cm)12 st 0 lb (76 kg; 168 lb)2314Sam Rimmer5 ft 7+12 in (171 cm)12 st 0 lb (76 kg; 168 lb)27
John Munns5 ft 9 in (175 cm)13 st 4 lb (84 kg; 186 lb)2215Bill Whiteley5 ft 9 in (175 cm)12 st 2 lb (77 kg; 170 lb)25
Source:[16]

References

  1. Huxley, John & Howes, David (1980). Encyclopedia of Rugby League Football. pp. 41–43. ISBN 0-7091-8133-7.
  2. "Northern Rugby Union. Competition and cup-tie rules". The Yorkshire Post. No. 15,294. 3 July 1896. p. 7 via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "Rugby League's precious metal". BBC Sport. 22 August 2007.
  4. "Northern Rugby Football Union: Draw for the Cup Competition". Huddersfield Chronicle. No. 9,080. 4 September 1896. p. 4 via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Northern Union Cup Ties". Hull Daily Mail. No. 3,415. 4 September 1896. p. 4 via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Northern Union Cup Competition. First Round". Yorkshire Evening Post. No. 2047. 20 March 1897. p. 6 via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Football". Gloucester Citizen. No. 71. 25 March 1897. p. 4 via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Northern Union Cup Competition. Second Round". Yorkshire Evening Post. No. 2053. 27 March 1897. p. 6 via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Northern Rugby Union". North-Eastern Daily Gazette. 1 April 1897. p. 3 via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Northern Union Cup Competition. Third round". Yorkshire Evening Post. No. 2059. 3 April 1897. p. 6 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Northern Union Cup". The Morning Post. No. 38,930. 8 April 1897. p. 3 via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Northern Union Challenge Cup. Fourth Round". The Sportsman. No. 8618. 12 April 1897. p. 2 via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "The Northern Union. Challenge Cup Competition (Semi-Final ties)". The Guardian. No. 13,813. 19 April 1897. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Football Notes. Rugby". Hull Daily Mail. No. 3,598. 20 April 1897. p. 5 via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. Fletcher, Raymond & Howes, David (1992). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991–1992. p. 136. ISBN 0-356-17852-8.
  16. 1 2 "The Northern Union Cup. Final Tie". Yorkshire Evening Post. No. 2077. 24 April 1897. p. 4 via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. 1 2 3 "Northern Union Challenge Cup. Final Tie". Liverpool Mercury. No. 15,388. 26 April 1897. p. 7 via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. Hoole, Les (2015). The Rugby League Challenge Cup An Illustrated History 1897-1998. DB Publishing. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-78091-462-6.
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