1908-1909

Although this season could in no way be regarded as successful from a playing point of view, there was cause for great satisfaction with the results of an extensive team building campaign. The efforts of the Committee were, however, not to meet with immediate reward.

No less than four new players turned out for the opening match of the season against Broughton Rangers: Ernest Ware, centre, from Taunton, who had represented his County on many occasions; Reg Jones, half-back, who in addition to having club experience at Tredegar and Cardiff had also been a regular member of the Monmouthshire County team; J. A. Lavery, winger from New Zealand, who was the first Colonial player to join the Leeds club; and S. Wildman, forward. The keenest Leeds partisan could hardly have hoped for a victory at Wheater?s Field, but the team surpassed all expectations and might well have won, the score of 13 points to 17 hardly doing justice to the Leeds players.

This promising start did, however, flatter to deceive and by mid-November things were at a low ebb once again: seven defeats had been sustained in the first thirteen league matches, and Thrum Hall, the venue of our 1st Round game, had proved the graveyard for all our hopes of that long delayed Yorkshire Cup triumph. But the tide turned on November 21st, with a victory over Bramley at Headingley, a victory which was inspired to a large extent by that old Hunslet stalwart, Walter Goldthorpe, who was making his second appearance for Leeds. Although Goldthorpe was to have only two seasons at Headingley he was to play a vital part in that first great Cup triumph.

The victory over Bramley was followed by four more, so that by Christmas Eve there was good reason for ?hanging up the stocking? as usual. But it was not a Merry Christmas!! Three matches, and three defeats!!

The Australian Touring team were Christmas Day visitors, and a splendid game was witnessed by more than 12,000 spectators. Within fifteen minutes the Tourists held an eight points lead through two tries by Devereux, one of which he converted. Then Leeds got into their stride, and following excellent passing Oliver scored well out on the left, for Young to convert with a magnificent kick. The game was now going from end to end at a tremendous pace. Unconverted tries by Walsh (Australia) and R.Ward made the interval score 11-8 in the Tourists? favour. Early in the second half Young kicked a penalty goal, but a determined Colonial forward rush led to a try by Pearce. In the last twenty minutes Leeds tried desperately hard but they were dogged by misfortune: on four occasions players scored but were called back for infringements. The teams were: Leeds ? Young; Oliver, Thomas, Ware, Desborough; R. Jones, R. Ward; Webster, Harrison, Whitaker, lbbltson, Jukes, Townend. Australia-Bolewski; Rosenfeld, Devereux, Deane, Heidke; Butler, Halloway; O?Malley, Bevidon, Pearce, Hennessey, Courtney, Walsh. (Messenger was unable to play because of injury).

Hunslet proved to be much too strong at Parkside, on Boxing Day, and the cup of sorrow was full when Wakefield Trinity romped to victory at Headingley two days later. But this latter defeat held some consolation in the fact that Jarman, who was to become a star, made his debut in the Leeds jersey. As fine a forward as ever played for Leeds, Billy Jarman was to pay the supreme sacrifice in the Great War, being called to the Colours immediately following his participation in the 1914 tour of Australasia.

Our victory over Warrington at Wilderspool in the 1st Round of the Northern Union Cup created a sensation, but Hunslet, as if by sheer habit, ended our Cup run with a defeat at Parkside. The It Terrible Six? (Wilson, Brookes, Jukes, Walsh, Higson, Randall) paved the way to victory, and Albert Goldthorpe, as usual, dropped a goal at a vital stage of the game.

There was obviously no possibility of the team gaining any League honours, and the Committee now wisely concentrated on their efforts to build up a strong team. C. L. Gillie, centre, made his debut against Barry, at Headingley on March 20th. He hailed from Melrose, was a Scottish Trialist, and one of the few players from Scotland ever to have donned a Leeds jersey. S. Hunter, an ex-Army centre, played in the same match but his career at Headingley was relatively short. Three weeks later W. Ward, from Egremont, turned out in the second row against Oldham at Headingley. Billy Ward, an extremely popular player, served the Leeds club with great distinction for sixteen seasons, playing at loose forward for the greater part of that time. He, too, was to tour Australasia, in 1910.

To the short sighted this must have been a bitterly disappointing season ? no cups, and only 15th In the league table but those with faith and vision, must have looked forward confidently to the start of the next campaign, knowing full well that those who were to wear the jersey were capable of great things that faith was not misplaced.