Football Pitches.

Off-topic discussions, musings and chat
volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Football Pitches.

Post by volvojack »

When we played Football for the School Team during the 1940s, in my case it was Mount St. Mary's, Richmond Hill and our Home games were played on East End Park. So that was a long trek to begin with. there was no problem regarding securing a pitch as there was about 5 or 6. all full size, all with just some grass in the corners and down the sides the rest was a mixture of soil and clay. We had to change into our Green and White Strip ( hand- me- down ) sizes too big and in many cases quite torn/worn as they belonged originally to the Seniors.
Then the actual game begin, we are 20 kids chasing a full size Leather panelled football around a pitch normally used by adults, the ball meanwhile being Leather becomes heavier and heavier if the ground was wet. Taking a corner kick was very difficult.
The only consolation was that win or lose, on the way home we cross the Allotments and drag up a Turnip/ Swede and after gnawing through the outer rind we would happily walk up York Road home. If we were lucky one of the lads would have a pen-knife and we could scrape off the earth and some of the outer.
The luxury was playing away games against Schools like Colton or some of the Schools that had grounds nearby, they had Goal nets, grassed pitches all marked out and changing rooms (hut)
Happy Days.
Last edited by volvojack on Sun 31 Dec, 2017 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Leodian
Posts: 6478
Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by Leodian »

Wearing a strip! When I played you were lucky (and a softie) if you had your granddad's worn long johns on. The ball was the turnip. The wash after was in a puddle and you ran home naked to dry off. ;)

Seriously though Jack I enjoyed your post :). As for non-school football having a kick about using coats as goalposts was the norm (if playing on an actual field that was a luxury!). Innocent fun times, except when taller/heavier/vicious lads chopped me down in the pretence of it being a fair tackle!
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by volvojack »

Good morning Leodian,
Any football we played at home was on "Monkey "Bridge" which was the stretch of land running parallel with Wyke Beck Valley Road, it was mainly Cinders and Piles of Ash but at least there was space to have a game. I wore Wellies and as you say Coats provided the goalposts. We never had a real football but used a rubber one. The only real leather football belonged to Clifford who lived with his Grandma and we used to sit around his back door begging him to come out and play up on Harehills Park,
Back at School the 12/13years old Team always had the Seniors kit left to them until one day we got a new Sports Teacher who got us on various money raising schemes to purchase our own new strip.When the day finally arrived and we had the money the Teacher took two of us down to Wainwrights Sports on Leeds Bridge. I was fortunate to be the Captain of the intermediates so was able to help choose. It had to be Green and White Hoops with matching stockings (Like Celtic) we had never ever had our own kit before. I rushed home and said to my Dad"Please come and see us tomorrow on E. E. Park" He said he would and i was so proud. He was off work with a damaged foot.
We were kicking a ball about in the Playground on the Wed. dinnertime when a Lad from the Gipton who went home for dinner came up to me and said "Do you want this afternoon off" I looked at him and he said it again "You can 'cos your Dad is dead". After speaking to the Headmaster I went home on the Tram in a daze and went i got off at South Farm Road and walked down i could see white sheets covering our windows. Inside was my Mother, Sister and brother Peter all more or less huddled together. So my Dad just aged 47 had died suddenly from a heart attack and i only got to wear the new Football outfit later

User avatar
Leodian
Posts: 6478
Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by Leodian »

Hi Jack :).

Sorry to hear about your dad. As a kid you would have been very happily looking forward for him to see you in your new kit.

Being an Osmondthorpe (Ossy) lad I went to Osmondthorpe Infants then Junior School but I never went to its Senior School as I passed my 11+ and went (with the few other lads that had passed) in 1955 to Cockburn High School. Oddly, I have though no recollection of ever playing football through Osmondthorpe School, so perhaps only seniors played it (or I've forgotten!). The non-school kickabouts I had as a lad on football pitches were those by Osmondthorpe Lane (near Neville Hill), those by York Road opposite the Shaftesbury Cinema and (like you) on East End Park.

Your mention of Wainwrights brought a memory back as I may have been unable to recall its name (Rawcliffes on Duncan Street for school wear is the one that I always remember).
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

User avatar
buffaloskinner
Posts: 1435
Joined: Sun 01 Apr, 2007 6:02 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by buffaloskinner »

When I was at Osmondthorpe School we played football on pitches at the back of the Baptist Church opposite Corpus Christi. Maybe Leo you are much older than me, but I am talking in the early 50s. I seem to recall there was a large shed where all the gear was kept at the side of the field.
Is this the end of the story ...or the beginning of a legend?

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by volvojack »

I was too thick and failed my 11+ miserably. My elder Brother passed a few years earlier and us being Catlit's he had to go to St. Michael's College over in Burley. As you say School wear had to be purchased at Rawcliffes and even though my Mother could get Navy Blazers through the Trade they would not let her buy the pocket Badge, so everything from that shop was top price.
After my Father died in Feb. 1948 my Mother got us moved to Beeston to be near her brothers and sisters. I played football on Cross Flatts Park and got to know quite a few lads who lived in that area and attended Cockburn. One was a Barry Evans who was quite good at football and had Trials with Leeds United.
( Most of the Lads i went to School with also had Trials, they were with Leeds Assizes)
Another Beeston Lad who went to Cockburn was a Chris Galloway. he would be about 70 years old now.

User avatar
tilly
Posts: 2209
Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by tilly »

Rugby was the main game played at my school Bewerley Street C P School two well known players who went on to play for Leeds Syd Hines also Barry Seaborn came from this school.I remember we would go up to miggy clearings to kick a football about with the class i remember once me and a mate had an idea we would kick the ball into the woods then do a runner down the tram track and home .Of course we were missed and next day it was the cane funny how things spring to mind.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

User avatar
Leodian
Posts: 6478
Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by Leodian »

buffaloskinner wrote:When I was at Osmondthorpe School we played football on pitches at the back of the Baptist Church opposite Corpus Christi. Maybe Leo you are much older than me, but I am talking in the early 50s. I seem to recall there was a large shed where all the gear was kept at the side of the field.
Hi buffaloskinner :).

It will be my poor memory recollection but I don't even recall those pitches never mind if I ever played on them!

I doubt I am much older than you and you may actually be older than me! ;). I was still 10 when I left Osmondthorpe School in 1955 and was only just 11 when I started at Cockburn. Being almost 1 year younger than most others in my classes I was always behind in physical/mental development. When the others hit puberty I must have still looked like a child and I was certainly uncompetitive in athletics and other sports!
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

User avatar
Leodian
Posts: 6478
Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by Leodian »

Hi Jack.

Your "( Most of the Lads i went to School with also had Trials, they were with Leeds Assizes)" made me :).
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Football Pitches.

Post by volvojack »

[quote="tilly"]Rugby was the main game played at my school Bewerley Street C P School two well known players who went on to play for Leeds Syd Hines also Barry Seaborn came from this school.I remember we would go up to miggy clearings to kick a football about with the class i remember once me and a mate had an idea we would kick the ball into the woods then do a runner down the tram track and home .Of course we were missed and next day it was the cane funny how things spring to mind

Though i never fancied playing Rugby (much too tough) living in South Leeds meant that there were quite a few lads that i mixed with in later years that did, play either for Hunslet or Leeds.
I remember that one of the Hunslet lads telling me that the basic pay was £8. £6. £4. win, lose.draw. This was in those days it was a part time job.Only lads like Barry Gabbitas and John Griffiths (Taffy) were Pro. and were paid more
Kenny Eyres, Arthur Render Barry Gabbita s etc. all were products of Hunslet School Rugby and i was glad i went to a Soccer School. Stan Dodds and Barry Sims were pals of mine who both played for Leeds.

Post Reply