In the programme for 1975 home cup tie win over highly fancied York, the editor discussed the problems with the newly introduced independent time keepers. Apparently, referees were not hearing the hooter and continuing to play. Hunslet said they had a loud hooter which would “wake someone in a cemetery”. However, in the previous game against Mayfield, Allan Agar, on hearing the hooter, casually dropped a goal to end proceedings only for the referee take the ball back to the centre for a re-start. The intervention of the touch judge finally ended the match. The editor, jokingly, suggested the hooter should be wired up to the referee who would get a shock when time was called! In the following home game’s programme it was noted that the referee had seen the comment and, with a smile on his face, suggested Hunslet should only provide one shock at a time and the York result had given the RL world a greater shock.
In 1997 the Rugby League introduced the concept of the Challenge Cup Plate. The 2nd round losers would play a separate knock out competition with a final played as a curtain raiser at Wembley. A week earlier, Huddersfield had visited the South Leeds Stadium and lost the first round game. It was now the turn of Workington Town to come south for the quarter-final. A hat-trick for Paul Mansson and one for Mick Coult eased Hunslet through to the semi-final 20-6. 80 minutes from Wembley, could it happen?
2020 saw the debut of our current prop Harvey Hallas away at North Wales Crusaders. This, of course, was the ‘covid’ season and Harvey played in four of the five fixtures. He has been a consistent performer in the four seasons since which culminated in the win at Swinton last October.
Back to the union days and in 1884 we made our first visit to a ground which would become our home and the scene of our momentous Championship final victory over Leeds, Holbeck’s Elland Road ground. The game ended as a draw, 1 try each.
Five years later and Hunslet were on the road again to make their first appearance at Belle Vue, Wakefield where Trinity recorded a 1 goal to nil victory.
