Following a break of more than 15 years Old Brodleians return to Milnthorpe Green to contest the quarter final of the Yorkshire Cup, following a walk-over against Middlesbrough in the previous round. So, we are pleased to welcome players, visiting officials and their supporters from Woodhead in Halifax.
Old Brodleians was founded in 1930 by former pupils of the Hipperholme Grammar School. As the school was endowed in the will of a local man, Matthew Brodley, the Old Brodleians was chosen as the Club’s name. With the introduction of leagues in 1987, the Club was placed in North East One, moving into Yorkshire One when the 1998 restructuring took place. Then followed a short spell in North 1 East after achieving promotion from Yorkshire One at the end of the 2008/09 season. The Club are now playing in Regional 2 North East following their promotion in 2019/20 and are currently holding third place in the league.
The Club is based at their Woodhead ground in Hipperholme, previously being a gas decontamination centre behind the Council offices, which was transformed into changing rooms and a clubhouse after the 2nd World War. Then in 1963 the Club purchased the 18-acre Woodhead ground on which “the old hut” was erected, being an old RAF hospital wooden structure which cost the princely sum of £700. For two years club members beavered away to convert the hut into a homely clubhouse with changing rooms which was revered by many but in April 2003 a new rebuilt clubhouse was opened which provides the club’s facilities today.
As far as records will allow the first game to be played against Sandal took place at Milnthorpe Green on 5th December 1970, which was won by the home side. Fixtures continued to be arranged each season on a home and away basis, with the last friendly fixture being contested again at Milnthorpe Green on 15th December 1990 with Sandal taking the honours with a 17-4 victory. During that 20-year period all fixtures were friendly except for one which was contested on 10th February 1973 being a Yorkshire Cup tie which today’s visitors won at home.
In respect of league rugby, the two clubs have only contested in the same league for two seasons. The first being during the 2006/07 league campaign following Sandal’s relegation to Yorkshire 1. The first meeting saw today’s visitors take the honours at home with a 21-5 victory but the Sandal XV took their revenge some five months later with a resounding 38-nil win at home, which contributed to Old Brods relegation to Yorkshire 2.
Then during 2007/08 the Club enjoyed the finest season in their history by winning all their league games to take the Yorkshire 2 title and progressed to the sixth round of the EDF National Senior Vase Competition. In May 2008 Sandal and Brods found themselves competing in the final of the Yorkshire Shield at Huddersfield YMCA. Winning this trophy would have put icing on the Old Brodleians cake, but for them, Sandal spoilt the party by posting a 22-5 victory.
A year later in 2008/09 the club became Yorkshire 1 champions to secure promotion to North 1 East, being quite an achievement with the side gaining promotion twice in consecutive years. As a result, this brought our two clubs together again playing league rugby, first on 28th November 2009 at Woodhead when Sandal registered a 12-3 victory, with the return game at Milnthorpe Green on 29th March 2010 when the home side ran out winners again with a 32-3 victory.
Currently Old Brodleians play in Regional 1 North East and are lying in the third league position and so the Sandal XV will need to be at the top of their game to proceed to the semi-final of the Yorkshire Cup Competition.
Howard Newton