Altrincham (rugby league) explained

Clubname:Altrincham RFC
Fullname:Altrincham RFC

Altrincham was a semi-professional rugby league club based in Altrincham, Cheshire, England.

They joined the Northern Union in 1901–02 and played for the single season in the Lancashire Senior Competition, which was effectively Division 2 (West). Although they were from Cheshire, they, like several other Cheshire clubs and some Cumberland clubs, participated in the Lancashire Competitions.

History

They joined the ranks of the semi-professionals when they became members of the Northern Union for the 1901–02 season finishing in 12th position out of 13 clubs (with an unenviable record of only one win and one draw).

At the end of the 1901–02 season, the County Leagues elected 18 teams to join the new Division 2 (7 from Lancashire and 10 from Yorkshire and new member South Shields) with the existing second competition scrapped.[1]

Altrincham were one of the 4 Yorkshire (Goole, Heckmondwike, Liversedge and Sowerby Bridge) and 2 Lancashire clubs (the other being Radcliffe) not elected to the new Division 2, but it is unknown as to which route the club followed.

Club League Record

In the single season in which Altrincham played semi-professional rugby league, 1901–02, there are few records readily available.[2]
Some of the achievements are as follows:-[3]

width=90 abbr="season" Seasonwidth=100 abbr="Competition"Competitionwidth=75 abbr="Position" Poswidth=200 abbr="Club" Team Name width 50 abbr="Pl" Plwidth 50 abbr="W" Wwidth 50 abbr="D" Dwidth 50 abbr="L" Lwidth 60 abbr="PF" PWwidth 60 abbr="PA" PAwidth 100 abbr="Diff" Diffwidth 60 abbr="Pts" Ptswidth 100 abbr="%" % Ptswidth 100 abbr="No of Teams" No of teams in leaguewidth=40 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=50 abbr="Ref" Ref
1901–02Lancs Senior12 Altrincham2 1 3 13
Altrincham had 2 points deducted.Only limited County League information is available for this season.

Heading Abbreviations
RL = Single division; Pl = Games played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose; PF = Points for; PA = Points against; Diff = Points difference (+ or -); Pts = League points
% Pts = A percentage system was used to determine league positions due to clubs playing varying number of fixtures and against different opponents
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.

Several fixtures & results

The following are just a few of Altrincham's fixtures during the sole season in which they played semi-professional rugby league:[2] [4]

width=90 abbr="season" Seasonwidth=120 abbr="Date" Datewidth=150 abbr="Competition"Competitionwidth=150 abbr="Opp" Opponent width 150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth 50 abbr="H/A" H/Awidth=75 abbr="Result" Result width 100 abbr="Score" Scorewidth 100 abbr=" Att " Attwidth=50 abbr="Ref" Ref
1901–0228 Sept 1901Lancs Senior WidnesA Lost 0–28 ? [5]
1901–02Sat 2 Nov 1901Lancs Senior WiganHome H Lost 2–28 ?
1901–0216 Nov 1901Lancs Senior WidnesHome H Lost 0–16 ? -1901–02Sat 14 Dec 1901 Lancs Senior WiganA Lost 0–38 ?
1901–02Sat 4 Jan 1902Lancs Senior St. HelensHome H Lost 0–11 ?
1901–02Sat 14 Dec 1901Lancs Senior St. HelensA Lost 0–35 ?

See also

References

  1. Book: J C Lindley with personal recollections by D W Armitage. 100 Years of Rugby - The History of Wakefield Trinity Football Club. 1973. The Wakefield Trinity Centenary Committee. 37 and 38.
  2. Web site: Wigan RL History - 1901-02 Season. Cherry and White. 4 August 2016.
  3. Book: Jack Winstanley & Malcolm Ryding. John Player Rugby League Yearbook 1975–76. 1975. Queen Anne Press.
  4. Web site: Saints Heritage Society.
  5. Web site: Widnes History.