1902-1903

This was a critical season for the Leeds Club. The Northern Union had now decided in favour of having two divisions of eighteen clubs each, and there was a great deal of dissatisfaction amongst the Leeds members when it was learned that the Club would only be re-admitted to the Northern Union conditional upon joining the 2nd division. The team, however, rose to the occasion in fine style and solved all the worries and anxieties of the management and supporters. Their fine league record enabled them to finish as runners-up to Keighley and assured them of promotion into the 1st Division for the following season.

The players also showed commendable determination and spirit in the Northern Union Cup Competition. Drawn to play away from home on each occasion they gained splendid victories at Dewsbury and Wakefield, but finally went down to Hunslet at Parkside. The latter game attracted an enormous crowd, a crowd which exceeded all expectations and burst through several barriers on to the playing area.

There was a loss of ?794 on the season?s work, but it must be borne in mind that there had been some major expenditure in laying the foundations of the first big Leeds professional side. W. Evans had been joined by T. Llewellyn and J. P. Jenkins. This Welsh trio scored 67 tries in this promotion campaign and were obviously developing a good understanding with those two stalwarts at half back, G. Mosley and G. Grace. Another addition to the backs was Bob Ward, who had made five appearances in 1900-01 and had then returned to the Pontefract Club. He was now to establish himself at Headingley and to become a popular figure for over eight seasons. The pack, too, was greatly strengthened through the acquisition of E. Barnett, W. Woolf, J. W. Stead, from Broughton Rangers, and Fred Webster. Making his first appearance in the Leeds jersey on the eve of his twentieth birthday, Webster was to put in 543 appearances and was to be in his thirty-eighth year before he retired from the Headingley arena. A wonderful record! !

It is rather remarkable that the last match of the season, versus Wakefield Trinity on April 27th a match which followed a run of 13 Leeds victories in 14games-should draw the lowest recorded gate at Headingley: ?5-9s. paid by 712 enthusiasts. This was in a season when the attendances averaged 5,500.

A peculiar situation arose on the eve of the opening match of the season, as the following press report indicates: .. ?

The Management of the Leeds Club found themselves in a very awkward dilemma on Friday night, the blame for which presumably attaches to the Officials of the Northern League. It appears that according to a rule of that body, the existence of which was unknown to the Leeds officials, new players are required to sign a special form before they are allowed to play with the club of their choice. The rule was never brought to the notice of the Leeds club on joining the League, and they were not supplied with the necessary forms for that purpose. Only on Friday night, less than twenty-four hours before the first match of the season, against Morecambe at Headingley, did the Leeds officials learn of the requirements of the League. It was then too late to send to Mr. Platt, of Oldham, for a supply of forms but fortunately the Headingley people were able to borrow some from the Hunslet club. These were signed either that night or on Saturday morning by J. P. Jenkins, T. Llewellyn and E. Barnett, the three Welshmen who have recently joined the Club, but F. Webster, the recruit from Brotherton, was not of course in the city at the time and the club were unable to obtain his signature. A courier had to be despatched to Oldham on Saturday morning with the signed forms for Mr. Platt?s inspection, and not until noon, when a telegram arrived at Headingley to say that the forms were in order, was it known that the Welshmen could play. Webster, who had not signed the necessary form, was unable to play. There was one other hitch: the seven new players who should have turned out for the Leeds? A ? team against Saville Green, on the latter?s ground, were also ineligible and the game had to be cancelled.?