After yesterday's sad news about Salford's winding up order I thought I would post an article I wrote in 2009 about happier times at the club. www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

After yesterday's sad news about Salford's winding up order I thought I would post an article I wrote in 2009 about happier times at the club. www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

Challenge Cup giant killers. In 1909 Ebbw Vale NUFC was knocked out of the Cup by Beverley Beavers. 86 years would elapse before another professional club was knocked out of the Challenge Cup by an amateur club. www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph... #rugby-league

Challenge Cup giant killers. In 1909 Ebbw Vale NUFC was knocked out of the Cup by Beverley Beavers. 86 years would elapse before another professional club was knocked out of the Challenge Cup by an amateur club. www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph... #rugby-league

The draw for the 1st Round of the Rugby League Challenge Cup takes place today. Uno's Dabs, Twelve Apostles & Healey Street Adults won't be in the draw, but were in the past. Read about the junior clubs that played in the Cup in 'Making Up The Numbers'. Available from dropkickbooks.com

The draw for the 1st Round of the Rugby League Challenge Cup takes place today. Uno's Dabs, Twelve Apostles & Healey Street Adults won't be in the draw, but were in the past. Read about the junior clubs that played in the Cup in 'Making Up The Numbers'. Available from dropkickbooks.com

Forty blog posts! Rugby league, rugby union, amateur, professional, England and France. Clubs, characters and events. Check out: www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/

The early 1960s were an awful time for Bradford Northern. In 1962 the club's long suffering supporters thought that they had found the new Odsal 'messiah' www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

The early 1960s were an awful time for Bradford Northern. In 1962 the club's long suffering supporters thought that they had found the new Odsal 'messiah' www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

Seven rugby books and a free download! www.dropkickbooks.com/books/

Seven rugby books and a free download! www.dropkickbooks.com/books/

Rugby Pioneers - Leeds University and General Accident www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

The SS Rohilla Disaster 🧵 31 October, Morning Further to my last post you may find this short Pathe film of locals rescuing survivors interesting. www.britishpathe.com/asset/105913/

Rugby Pioneers - Leeds University and General Accident www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

The 1920s 'rush to rugby' was followed by a decade when many of the new clubs became established and participation increased. Yorkshire rugby union in the 1930s www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

Puig Aubert's impressive statue has pride of place in the Stade Albert Domec in Carcassonne. A short blog about Puig Aubert is on dropkickbooks.com

Puig Aubert's impressive statue has pride of place in the Stade Albert Domec in Carcassonne. A short blog about Puig Aubert is on dropkickbooks.com

Leeds Chirons in the 1930s, all the players were teachers! The story of this unusual club is told in Leeds Who? The Story of a Forgotten Rugby Union Club. dropkickbooks.com/books/post.p...

In 1943 a Rugby Union XV played a Rugby League XV Was this the first cross code game? @neilormston.bsky.social @bloodandmud.bsky.social @rugbyunion.bsky.social www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

Lezignan Murals Recording significant events in the history of FC Lezignan. See: dropkickbooks.com

Who Was Britain’s First Black Professional Sports Coach? Sports writer @collinstony.bsky.social visits Airlie Street to discuss a Hull legend who revolutionised rugby. Supplementals: tinyurl.com/3yrpeazn @hulllibraries.bsky.social @hullfcofficial.bsky.social @hullkr.bsky.social

U S Quillan rugby club won the French Championship in 1928. To read more about U S Quillan go to: dropkickbooks.com

U S Quillan rugby club won the French Championship in 1928. To read more about U S Quillan go to: dropkickbooks.com

A small club that had a big impact on rugby in France. www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

A small club that had a big impact on rugby in France. www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

National Sporting Heritage Day. Books and blogs on rugby history and heritage at: dropkickbooks.com

Do you remember the Mansfield Marksman rugby league club? You can read about the club's short existence by going to: www.dropkickbooks.com

Do you remember the Mansfield Marksman rugby league club? You can read about the club's short existence by going to: www.dropkickbooks.com

On this day, 48 years ago, Rotherham Rangers amateur rugby league club played its first game. Check out my new website to read more. www.dropkickbooks.com

Heads Up! You can now listen to ‘Rugby Reloaded’ and its back catalogue via YouTube. Just search ‘Rugby Reloaded’ and every episode is available conveniently at your fingertips!

Massive thanks to Gavin Willacy for this review of ‘Roy Francis: Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader’ in @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/sport/no-hel...

Lend me your ears! The documentary 'Roy Francis: Wales' Black Leader in a White World' is on BBC Radio Wales tomorrow (Monday) at 6.30pm. t.co/7GzPOw94Kl

Listen Up! For a Super Deluxe Edition of 'Rugby Reloaded' I've uploaded my 2009 in-depth interview with Harry Jepson of Hunslet RLFC Leeds Rhinos and the RFL From life in the back streets of Hunslet in the 1920s to the birth of Super League, listen here: on.soundcloud.com/AJKPEGGz4XhT...

#Rugby people, @collinstony.bsky.social's forthcoming book, Roy Francis: Rugby's Forgotten Black Leader, is available to pre-order with 25% off until Monday at Waterstones! As I've already read it I can promise you it is SUPERB! #RugbyUnion www.waterstones.com/book/roy-fra...

A very entertaining afternoon at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds. Goole Vikings 26 North Wales Crusaders 18.

Hot off the presses! A fascinating story about a sporting village in South Yorkshire. Excellent value at £10 and available direct from the author via email [email protected]

Roy Francis, born on this day in 1919, the first black athlete to pay for Great Britain and the pioneer of modern rugby coaching. My biography of him 'Roy Francis: Rugby's Forgotten Black Leader' will be out on 5 June - for more info go to: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/roy-franc...

The story of rugby league in Rotherham is told in: 'The Other Rugby' available from: YorkbookShop.com

Rotherham Rangers, the first ever rugby league club in the town, played its first league game on Sunday 18th September 1977 against Sheffield Concord. Rangers won the game by 33 points to 25.

Oakwood RUFC was formed in 1988 following a merger between Leeds Chirons and Kitson College rugby clubs. Oakwood played on Soldiers Field, in Leeds, but unfortunately with very few victories the club only managed to remain in existence for less than two seasons.

How to buy a copy of my latest book.

A murky Boxing Day afternoon at Clifton Park. St Peter's Old Boys v York I've no idea what the score was!

Between 1946 and 1954 the Rugby League Challenge Cup 1st round ties were played over two legs. In 1948 Bramley's 1st round opponents were Vine Tavern from St Helens.

Between 1946 and 1954 the Rugby League Challenge Cup 1st round ties were played over two legs. In 1948 Bramley's 1st round opponents were Vine Tavern from St Helens.

Wakefield Trinity v Ackworth 1969 Rugby League Challenge Cup 1st Round. Before Super League and full time players, professional clubs usually fielded their strongest side in the Challenge Cup, even when they played an amateur club. Trinity won this tie by 50 points to 7. #Rugby

Fartown - August 2010.

The article below is taken from the chapter on the relationship with Rugby League in my book about Yorkshire Rugby Union in World War Two called ‘Let Them Play By All Means’.

Clarence Street - York Rugby League Ground 1989. Before the stands were demolished and flats built on the site.

Another ground that was difficult to find an old shot of is Parkside, home to Hunslet until 1973. Just a few years before the club moved out is this 1968 photo. (historicengland.org.uk/images-books...)