The 1987 programme from today congratulated the team and directors on achieving promotion under coaches David Ward and Peter Jarvis. It also reported that Phil Gibson broke the record for tackles in a game with 49 at Sheffield.
The first look at new players today included Colin Cooper in 1953 who had signed from Hunslet Supporters in 1951. A prop, he played 95 times for the Parksiders. He played in the 1956 Yorkshire Cup final and for the Services against France whilst doing his national service. He transferred to Bramley in 1960.
Steve Lay also made his bow in 1987 at home to York. Signed from Dewsbury Moor he played 92 games and scored 24 tries and 73 goals before moving to Halifax.
In 1935 it was back rower Colin Stansfield’s first game at home to Rochdale Hornets. He had signed from Barnsley RU and played in the 1938 Championship final and both legs of the Yorkshire Cup final in 1944 scoring one try. He played 175 games for Hunslet and represented England against Wales and scored two tries for a Rugby league XIII against Northern Command in the war.
The last game of 1979/80 against York was the last to be played at the Greyhound Stadium. Mick Parrish became only the second Hunslet player to play and score in every game in the season since Billy Langton in 1958/59. He kicked at least one goal in every match except against Widnes in March when he scored Hunslet’s only try. Tony Dean dropped his 17th goal of the season which is the record for the club. Unfortunately it also marked the club’s relegation exactly a year after being promoted.
Today in 1959 Martin Boland played against Halifax at Parkside. A second rower, he’d signed from Hunslet Supporters but it was not Martin’s rugby career for which he was known (50 first team games over 10 seasons). He was an accomplished clarinettist, well known on the West Yorkshire Trad-Jazz scene with the band The White Eagles
.At the end of 1911/12 Hunslet had finished 4th and played Huddersfield in the Championship semi-final at Fartown. Unfortunately there was no more progress as Huddersfield won 27-3.
In 1921 a benefit for Billy Eagers was played between teams selected by Billy Batten and Walter Guerin. Guerin’s team was comprised of all Hunslet players except Rees, Batley’s full-back, whereas Batten’s was more cosmopolitan, the most well known player being Wakefield’s future three time tourist Jonty Parkin. Batten’s team won 21-17.
Billy Batten was also on show in1908 in Tonypandy, Wales with the England team which lost 18-35. And in 1901 Harold Whiteley was on the wing for The Rest against Yorkshire Senior Competition champions Bradford in the end of season Challenge Match.
1953/54 ended with a match at home to Halifax, the win gaining Hunslet a 12th place finish. Alan Snowden (14) took the try scoring honours and Arthur Talbot the goal and points with 81 and 171. In 2008 Hunslet made an unceremonious exit from the Challenge Cup 16-48,
