Liverpool City Rugby League [Archive] - Yo! Liverpool Community Forum

Georgec

07-14-2007, 09:16 PM

Anyone here who used to go and watch Liverpool City at Knotty Ash (come on, there were 250 of us). I was 12 at the time, and I remember an aunt knitting me a green and white scarf - because you obviously couldn't buy such a thing!

Better still - anyone any old photos of the ground?

Was it really as bad as I remember with the gravelled terraced embankment and the old rusty tin shelter behind the posts at the scoreboard end?

SteH

07-15-2007, 08:54 PM

Not old enough to remember Liverpool City, but did go to watch one of their descendants Prescot Panthers before they eventually gave up the ghost in 1997. When you say Knotty Ash do you mean Alt Park or was their anther ground somewhere?

Luke the Scouser

07-16-2007, 01:04 AM

I go and watch the Liverpool Buccaneers and St Helens RLFC. I'm too young to remember the other teams mentioned.

Georgec

07-16-2007, 07:49 PM

Hi guys.

Ste> Liverpool City moved from "Knotty Ash Stadium" (honestly - it was called that!!) to Alt Park when they changed their name from Liverpool City to Huyton, having spent one year in the wilderness playing home games at Widnes.

They were at Knotty Ash from about the early 1950s, if not earlier (before that they were Liverpool Stanley) until about 1968 or so.

And of course later they moved on to Runcorn and then Prescot before finally the Rugby League, I believe, didn't like the non-professional attitude being brought to the game, so "persuaded" them to fold.

I remember the first Sunday game at Alt Park - they couldn't charge admission, so gave free admission when you bought a programme - which was of course the normal price for admission.

I remember Knotty Ash being used for an epsiode of Z-Cars when one of the characters was a "rugby player" but photos are extremely hard to come by.

Knotty Ash was, let's be honest, a dump - but it was home! I'm not sure whether it was 100% true, but it was said that players and officials from away teams used to pay at the gate to help the club out. You wouldn't get that now! :)

Georgec

08-01-2007, 05:13 PM

Only me then! :rolleyes:

Did find this programme though.

Kev

08-01-2007, 05:22 PM

:handclap: Excellent George, was this the club that holds the title of the oldest in the world?

Georgec

08-01-2007, 05:27 PM

Never heard that before!

Kev

08-01-2007, 05:43 PM

1857 - World’s first Rugby Club (Liverpool Rugby Club).

Georgec

08-01-2007, 06:03 PM

Rugby Union that'll be.

Jimmy78

08-02-2007, 05:09 PM

1857 - World’s first Rugby Club (Liverpool Rugby Club).

Liverpool RU is worlds first open club, now called Liverpool St. Helens and its president is Ray French, the BBC Rugby League commentator and former cross-code international.

gregs dad

08-02-2007, 09:29 PM

Did Liverpool City evolve from Liverpool Stanley rugby club who played
in Church Road off Edge Lane.The stadium was also used for speedway
racing. I remember bunking in to watch them in my very younger days,
even though it was only threepence to get in
gregs dad

Georgec

08-03-2007, 02:48 PM

Yep!

They started lif, I think, as Wigan Highfield, and then became London Highfield, then Liverpool Stanley, Liverpool City, Huyton, Runcorn Highfield and Prescot.

scouse mouse

08-04-2007, 07:39 AM

I remember bunking in to see a couple of games when they played at Knotty Ash, I remember lot's of corrugated iron fencing and that the "terraces" were cinder and not concrete.

Georgec

08-04-2007, 09:23 PM

That's the place :)

bluesareus

02-26-2008, 05:45 PM

I remember bunking in to see a couple of games when they played at Knotty Ash, I remember lot's of corrugated iron fencing and that the "terraces" were cinder and not concrete.

That's it opposite the Swimming baths.

huytonrlfc

04-07-2008, 02:26 PM

huytonrlfc

04-07-2008, 02:50 PM

While i'm at it here are some pics of ALT PARK home of Huyton RLFC from 1968 to 1984

These pictures were from Huyton V Dewsbury in April 1980.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/huytonrlfc/huytonvdewsapril80L.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/huytonrlfc/huytonvdewsapril80D-1.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/huytonrlfc/huytonvdewsapril80A.jpg

If anyone has got any Liverpool Stanley/ Liverpool City or Huyton photos please please please get in touch, i would love to here from anyone who remembers the old club.

huytonrlfc

04-07-2008, 03:00 PM

Here's a picture of Liverpool Stanley RLFC who were the forerunners to Liverpool City and then Huyton.

This picture was taken around 1936/37. As far as i am aware the colours they were wearing in this pic were Yellow Jerseys with a Blue Band.http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/huytonrlfc/LiverpoolStanleyaround193637.jpg

Gnomie

04-07-2008, 03:16 PM

where was the ground in Huyton. Alt park? is that close to Alt Road? just before the High Rise Flats opposite Bluebell Lane?

huytonrlfc

04-07-2008, 07:07 PM

the ground was situated between Endmoor Road and Seth Powell way. If you look at the pictures, the one with the stand, behind that is the River Alt and then Seth Powell way.

The one where the players are in a scrum, the houses in the background are on Endmoor Road.

And the picture showing the clubhouse. On that now stands the River Alt Resource centre.

The outline of the ground is still there but it was all demolished in the late 90's

Gnomie

04-07-2008, 07:44 PM

I know where you mean now:PDT11

I may pop along to see if i can see the outline, interesting stuff this.

Kev

04-07-2008, 08:13 PM

Nice pics, where are they from?

huytonrlfc

04-07-2008, 11:04 PM

This is Alt Park now.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/huytonrlfc/AltParkEntrance2005.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/huytonrlfc/AltPark2008C-1.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/huytonrlfc/AltPark2008.jpg

The first one shows what would have been the Car Park entrance behind the clubhouse, but which is now the car park entrance to the resource centre. This pic was taken from Woolfall heath.

The second one was taken from Seth Powell way looking towards Endmoor Road, the resource centre is just out of shot on the right. You can make out the remains of the old stand.

The third one was taken from the same place. The brownish clump of undergrowth you can see to the left was once the spectator banking behind the posts at that end of the ground. Further beyond that is the main A57.

huytonrlfc

04-09-2008, 02:05 PM

Nice pics, where are they from?

The Liverpool City Pictures were featured in a Rugby League Magazine a couple of years back, the Liverpool Stanley pic was bought on ebay and the Alt Park Huyton Pictures were sent to me by a former supporter of club. He took the pictures in 1980 because it was the last game of the season and there were rumours that the club was about to fold. In actual fact they played on at Huyton until April 1984 and then they moved to Runcorn and became Runcorn Highfield.

Georgec

04-18-2008, 11:58 PM

I don't know how to embed video and I don't own the copyright anyway, so I'll let you download it (for free).

Go to http://www.britishpathe.com/ and type Liverpool Stanley rugby in the search box. You can download the preview for free, although you still have to go through the shopping cart and details malarkey, even though they're not charging you.

If you've not come across the site before masses of interetsing stuff for free.

prescot98

04-29-2008, 02:23 PM

There's a book coming out this summer to coincide with the 08 celebrations and the history of Liverpool City RL.
foreward by James Roby and authro Mike Brocken, due ot june / july.

apparantly, mike spent years trying to find another liverpool born n bred Rugby league player and that's how the book evolved.
I think he found one other player!!

my dad played for City from 1963 - 1968 (the glory years!!)
they were beating Wigan in 1966 and the ref played 8 minutes 'injury time', Boston going over to win the game late on.

some good pics earlier in the thread too.

cheer
Dave J

shoney

04-29-2008, 02:26 PM

I think Billy McGinty came from prescot ?, he played for wigan and gt britain

prescot98

04-29-2008, 05:50 PM

...meant scouser who had played for Liverpool City / Stanley. no-one ever did!
Len Ashby played for GB then for Liverpool City one and only international player!

it's always been a mystery (to me anyway) why RL has a massive following in St Helens but once you go 3 miles or inside the M57 hardly anyone follows the game?

remember filming prescot panthers game when they beat doncaster with a last minute try ending 48 games without a win (2 draws though!)

Waterways

04-29-2008, 06:54 PM

it's always been a mystery (to me anyway) why RL has a massive following in St Helens but once you go 3 miles or inside the M57 hardly anyone follows the game?

Liverpool RUFC is the oldest open rugby club in the world. Before football was introduced, rugby was very popular in Liverpool. Liverpool RUFC complained when Everton FC and Athletic Grounds Ltd applied to change its name to Liverpool. That is why AFC was put there to distinguish between the two.

prescot98

04-30-2008, 08:00 PM

does liverpool rufc have any early memorabilia?
Manchester (RU)FC claims to be one of the oldest RU clubs (typical manchester..always following never leading!!) and claims to be one of the original entrants into the new FA cup in 1874!

however, my point is more focussed on rugby league and the reasons why liverpool residents / people are not very interested in St Helens / RL in general?

maybe the Liverpool rugby league book will explain more

Georgec

05-05-2008, 03:44 PM

my dad played for City from 1963 - 1968 (the glory years!!)
they were beating Wigan in 1966 and the ref played 8 minutes 'injury time', Boston going over to win the game late on.

I was there - never felt so cheated in my life (I was 14 at the time)!!!

We were winning 12-10 and he went over in the corner to win 13-12.

huytonrlfc

05-06-2008, 02:47 PM

Great to here from you Prescot..

What is your dads name. Liverpool City was before my time (born in 70) although i have done a bit of research into the club.

My main knowledge of the club is as Huyton from about 78 to when they went to Runcorn in 84.

Have you any photos of the club(s) from any era, either team pics or ground photos, anything at all. It would be fantastic to see them.

Also i am not a native of Liverpool but would love to see the book you mentioned when it is released. Keep me up to date on that as i might miss it's release living over here in Wakefield.

All the best
Chris

shoney

05-06-2008, 02:58 PM

I live in NZ, explaining to kiwis why I only lived a stones throw from st helens ( stronghold of rugby league ) but it isn't followed in the city has always been met with disbelief, when I arrived here We would go to the video shop and you could rent videos of wigan V st helens on tapes, I thought it was all a bit mad on the absolute other side of the world when you can't rent them in huyton

prescot98

05-08-2008, 01:23 PM

Hi hUYTONRLFC,

Was talking to my dad about the games (Arthur Johnson) at Knotty Ash and then Alt Park. The team was 'half decent' for about 4 seasons as they stopped getting 30+ journeymen from Barrow and Widnes and started developing youth and signing players in their twenties.

Dad brought Jeff Heaton with him from Saints (his best mate and my godfather) after saints wanted to sell them both off to Widnes in 1963.
With Vollenhoven and Murphy at Saints their appearances would be limited so the chairman basically told them to sign for widnes. When they refused they were told 'you wont play for saints again'. So, they both decided to quit saints and move to City.

Another story from 1965 was a game City v Dewsbury (he thinks) and AJ was getting grief from a handful of away supporters...so hurdled the wall and laid into them!!!
Quite rightly sent off too...he kept quiet about that for 40 years!!

I'm trying to get a release date for the Liverpool City RL book from the author, so will keep everyone informed.

there's an interview with Ray Ashby on CodeXIII (on channel m Sky 203 or online at channelm.co.uk) Part of a tribute to Eric Ashton.

will try and scan some of Dad's scrapbooks and old programmes too.

cheers
Dave

prescot98

06-25-2008, 08:04 PM

Hi
the RL book will be out the week before the challenge Cup Final. title still TBC but it will be focussing mainly on Liverpool Stanley / Liverpool City era and a bit of history to the pre and post incarnations of the club.

I've seen a draft copy and there will be match stats, player stats, interviews, mini biographies and essential fact n figures on Liverpool City / Stanley.
very detailed and a real rugby league fans dream!

more nearer the date of publication - author is Mike Brocken.

cheers
DJ

huytonrlfc

06-27-2008, 11:48 PM

Cheers Prescot 98

I'll keep an eye out on here for more info when it's released.

johnboy88

07-25-2008, 08:21 PM

prescot98

07-30-2008, 09:50 PM

Hi
I've contacted the author and I'm waiting to hear back from the publishers.
The book is due out in 4 - 6 weeks, as yet I've had no confirmation on title or number of pages (or stockists).

hopefully, more info very soon

Paul D

07-30-2008, 10:52 PM

Here's a few links from a page marked as archives.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/davidbohl/lpoolrfc.html

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/davidbohl/LMercury1897.htm

From here.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/davidbohl/the_archives.html

I love Rugby League but only a couple of other people I know are interested in it,it's a shame really as the saints are so brilliant too watch.

prescot98

09-10-2008, 02:59 PM

For those interested a book on Liverpool City and the origins or rugby league in Liverpool will be published in mid october.
All the ex players will be contacted and a launch 'do' arranged - venue tbc

Once I have the exact date and publishers outlets I'll repost more info.

Pity it won;t be at the same time of the RL Premiership Final but it may launch week of the RL world cup in Oz.

cheers
Dave

huytonrlfc

09-13-2008, 12:25 AM

Thanks for the info. I look forward to it.

prescot98

10-13-2008, 02:40 PM

Liverpool City RLFC Mike Brocken | WHSmith (http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-Liverpool+City+RLFC+-9781903659403.html)

The book is due out 27th Oct ?14.95

also available at LLP, Amazon and other outlets.
cheers

huytonrlfc

10-14-2008, 06:03 PM

THANKS A LOT PRESCOT98!

You've been a great help keeping us posted.

I've got my copy on order and are very much looking forward to it arriving.

All the Best.

prescot98

10-29-2008, 12:29 PM

Hi
Has anyone had their copy yet?
Possible delay with the publishers - I ordered a copy due on 27th...still no sign!

Ken Berry

10-31-2008, 10:25 AM

Hi All,
I was a pupil at St.Margarets Belmont Road 1946-47.We had a teacher who played for Liverpool Stanley his name was Mr Hughes.I honestly can't remember them winning a game while I was at SMA.He was a pretty good guy Mr Hughes and we used to give him some real stick.He was 6ft at least but like a bean pole,but he was bloody fast off the mark and was fit.He made a big mistake for me I wanted to be a Marine Architect,Draughtsman.A scholarship came up for the School of Art and he recommended I should try for it as it would be good for my Drawing come Draughting.Waste of time all my important subjects Maths,Algebra,etc went backwards.It had advantages of course mixed class.I managed to get an aengineering Apprenticeship with Babcock and Wilcox,Bromborough Power Station 2 1/2 years then Main works Renfrew Scotland 2 1/2 years.So when I went to see the School of Art had helped as I became a pretty good P---- artist (joke).I met Mr Hughes about 1954 and we had Coffee at Kardomah Church Street.I told him the story and he really was apologetic.I told him straight it worked out pretty well and was getting ready to join a ship being built in Holland and for Delivery to NZ,where I was going to Marry a New Zealand girl.Her was a good guy he wasn't playing as he'd injured a knee but was still with the "Stanley"Watch some great League here Ozzie and Kiwis.But I'm really or was a kick it with your head man.Best Regards Ken B

huytonrlfc

11-01-2008, 12:28 PM

Ordered mine form WHSMITH and it was here on Tuesday 28th. Very well put together it is too.

prescot98

12-08-2008, 09:32 AM

Hi,
there was a full hour with former Liverpool City players and the author on Radio Merseyside last week - Thursday 4th Dec 7pm - 8pm Alan Jackson plus RL guests,
Did anyone record this? or know how to find it online as BBC radio Merseyside doesn't seem to have it available.

thanks
Dave

prescot98

11-24-2009, 01:40 PM

Hi all,
I've been looking through my dad's old programmes (he played for Liverpool City from 1963 - 1968) then one season for Huyton before retiring.
He played almost 100 games but only has around 65 programmes from the games he played.

Does anyone know where I can get these missing programmes? I scour ebay but would prefer to buy them from a collector or fan looking to offload them to a new home.

It would be great to hear from anyone with just one or a load of the programmes!

Liverpool City Aug 63 - May 68
Huyton Aug 68 - May 69

Obviously, I will buy thses and cover all postage costs.
Also, any RL programme websites or contacts would be useful.

regards
Dave Johnson

djohnsonmedia@blueyonder.co.uk