Last season: 1st (Championship 1)
The Rams face an almighty task in 2010 if they have any hope of matching the achievements of the previous season. Warren Jowitt's men won all 18 league games, equalling a 33 year old record set by Hull FC, not dropping a single point on their way to the title and an immediate return to the Championship.
Championship 1 player of the year Liam Finn has joined rivals Featherstone but the bulk of the squad that swept all before them in 2009 have remained at the Tetley's Stadium, ready for their next challenge. Local lads Andy Bostock, Alex Bretherton and Pat Walker attracted the attention of clubs in the Championship and Super League last season and will be keen to enhance their reputations in an increasingly competitive division.
Jowitt has added real strength in depth to his squad who, it has to be said, were extremely fortunate with injuries in 2009. Scrum-half Dominic Brambani, who spent last season in Australia with Hinterland Storm, will fill the gap left by Finn, whilst Luke Menzies, Luke Stenchion and Anthony England will add aggression and size to the Rams pack. Much will be expected from Adyen Faal who has joined from Hunslet and the club will be keen to get the former Leeds academy centre back in action following a hernia operation.
The Rams learnt a harsh lesson about life at this level in 2008, finishing bottom of the pile, with only two wins to their name. However, Jowitt's appointment towards the end of that ill-fated campaign has breathed new life in to the club, with emphasis placed heavily on fitness, teamwork and workrate - a formula which paid dividends in Championship 1. If the partnership of Walker and Brambani at half-back clicks and if the side can find the right combination in the three-quarters, Dewsbury can feel quietly confident about their chances of competing in the Championship.
Prediction: 8th
Key-Player: Dominic Brambani
Tuesday 19 January 2010
The Super League Revolution (part 5)
Promotion and relgation to and from the Super League was still alive and kicking during the early to mid-noughties. As mentioned, Huddersfield spent a year outside the elite division following season after season at the bottom of the pile. Halifax were relegated at the end of 2003 after financial difficulties at the club began to take their toll on the team's results. They finished the season with just one victory and, to rub salt in the wounds, they were deducted the two points they earned for that win due to salary cap breaches, meaning they ended the campaign without a point.
In 2004, Castleford, who had featured in the play-offs earlier in the decade, were relegated, despite picking up 6 victories. The Tigers regained promotion the season after but were relegated again in 2006, condemning Terry Matterson and his men to another season in National League One.
In between all this, Leigh had gained promotion at the third attempt, following successive grand final defeats, and took their place in the 2005 Super League. The Centurions were way out of their depth though and looked dead-certs for the drop right from the opening round. Controversially, Widnes were relegated along with the Centurions to accomodate a newly formed side - Les Catalans Dragons.
The Dragons, based in Perpignan, represented a renewed effort to establish a Super League side in France. Where Paris had failed though, the Dragons prospered because, unlike Paris, Perpignan was a city in the middle of the French rugby league heartlands. The new team was given a three season exemption from relegation, a stipulation which resulted in the Tigers' relegation in 2006, despite finishing above Les Catalans in the table.
This episode signalled the end of promotion and relegation as we knew it. Hull KR and Castleford won places in Super League through the traditional method before, at the end of the 2007 season, it was announced that a licensing system was to be introduced. This meant that clubs applied for a place in the top division every three years on the back of their on and off-field strengths. The criteria any prospective applicant must meet concerns facilities, attendances, finances, player strength, salary cap breaches and geographical location. The first licenses were awarded at the end of the 2008 season. No teams were relegated and franchise places were awarded to Salford City Reds, who had been relegated a season earlier, and Welsh club Celtic Crusaders.
The next set of licenses will be awarded at the end of the 2011 season with Halifax, Leigh, Widnes, Barrow and Toulouse, now competing in the English Championship, all putting forward strong cases for their inclusion. The likes of Castleford, Wakefield and Salford, who were awarded places in 2008 on the strength of their plans to move to new stadia, are all behind schedule and yet to deliver on their promises. Their future at the top level will be under severe threat if evidence of progress isn't seen over the next twelve months.
The introduction of the licensing system has been met with fierce criticism from some quarters, with many suggesting that taking away traditional promotion and relegation is sanitising the sport and robbing it of the drama of 'beating the drop'. Others claim that it's merely a vehicle to allow the RFL to cherry-pick who it wants in it's premier competition and who it doesn't.
Advocates of the new system argue that traditional promotion and relegation is flawed as a concept, particularly when it comes to British rugby league. Indeed, many clubs have almost bankrupted themselves chasing the Super League dream. The new system, it's supporters say, allows these clubs to plan slowly and prepare more thoroughly - leaving them better-equipped for life at the top level.
Whichever way you look at it, the scrapping of relegation and promotion in our sport represents a major change in the psyche of the competition. Is it the right way to develop our game? Only time will tell.
In 2004, Castleford, who had featured in the play-offs earlier in the decade, were relegated, despite picking up 6 victories. The Tigers regained promotion the season after but were relegated again in 2006, condemning Terry Matterson and his men to another season in National League One.
In between all this, Leigh had gained promotion at the third attempt, following successive grand final defeats, and took their place in the 2005 Super League. The Centurions were way out of their depth though and looked dead-certs for the drop right from the opening round. Controversially, Widnes were relegated along with the Centurions to accomodate a newly formed side - Les Catalans Dragons.
The Dragons, based in Perpignan, represented a renewed effort to establish a Super League side in France. Where Paris had failed though, the Dragons prospered because, unlike Paris, Perpignan was a city in the middle of the French rugby league heartlands. The new team was given a three season exemption from relegation, a stipulation which resulted in the Tigers' relegation in 2006, despite finishing above Les Catalans in the table.
This episode signalled the end of promotion and relegation as we knew it. Hull KR and Castleford won places in Super League through the traditional method before, at the end of the 2007 season, it was announced that a licensing system was to be introduced. This meant that clubs applied for a place in the top division every three years on the back of their on and off-field strengths. The criteria any prospective applicant must meet concerns facilities, attendances, finances, player strength, salary cap breaches and geographical location. The first licenses were awarded at the end of the 2008 season. No teams were relegated and franchise places were awarded to Salford City Reds, who had been relegated a season earlier, and Welsh club Celtic Crusaders.
The next set of licenses will be awarded at the end of the 2011 season with Halifax, Leigh, Widnes, Barrow and Toulouse, now competing in the English Championship, all putting forward strong cases for their inclusion. The likes of Castleford, Wakefield and Salford, who were awarded places in 2008 on the strength of their plans to move to new stadia, are all behind schedule and yet to deliver on their promises. Their future at the top level will be under severe threat if evidence of progress isn't seen over the next twelve months.
The introduction of the licensing system has been met with fierce criticism from some quarters, with many suggesting that taking away traditional promotion and relegation is sanitising the sport and robbing it of the drama of 'beating the drop'. Others claim that it's merely a vehicle to allow the RFL to cherry-pick who it wants in it's premier competition and who it doesn't.
Advocates of the new system argue that traditional promotion and relegation is flawed as a concept, particularly when it comes to British rugby league. Indeed, many clubs have almost bankrupted themselves chasing the Super League dream. The new system, it's supporters say, allows these clubs to plan slowly and prepare more thoroughly - leaving them better-equipped for life at the top level.
Whichever way you look at it, the scrapping of relegation and promotion in our sport represents a major change in the psyche of the competition. Is it the right way to develop our game? Only time will tell.
Monday 18 January 2010
Pre-Season Friendly Round-up (15th to 17th January)
The snow had finally begun to melt and the rise in temperature allowed teams to continue their preparations for the season ahead with a round of pre-season friendlies.
York City Knights got things under way on Friday night with their traditional clash with Hull KR. The Rovers sent a very youthful looking side over to the Huntington Stadium that a near-full strength Knights squad disposed of 28-6. Danny Ratcliffe, Mike Mitchell, Kris Peacock, Wayne Reittie and exciting half-back prospect Jonathan Schofield, son of Gary, all crossed for the home side, with prop Dominic Dee powering over for a consolation try for the visitors.
Saturday saw Catalans Dragons and Castleford Tigers get their pre-season programmes underway, the Englishmen edging the contest 14-12 in Perpignan. Both coaches selected strong sides for the match with Kevin Walters taking the opportunity to give Tony Gigot, along with many others, his debut. Gigot spent 2009 with Harlequins and raised a few eyebrows with some livewire performances from stand-off. Could he be the man to partner Thomas Bosc at half-back for the French national side in the future? A try to James Evans and a brace from Dean Widders won the day for Cas with Kane Bentley and Cyril Stacul on the scoresheet for the Dragons.
Eleven more matches took place on Sunday and we start our round-up at Headingley with Matt Diskin's testimonial. Leeds Rhinos took on Bradford Bulls in the commemorative match honouring the long-serving hooker, with the boot of Kevin Sinfield proving the difference between the two rivals. Debutant Brett Delaney crossed for his new club after Scott Donald had opened the scoring. Paul Sykes had restored parity for Bradford in the first half but the former London Bronco was unable to convert Stuart Reardon's 56th minute try that would have tied the score going in to the final quarter. Leeds held on to record their second victory in as many pre-season games.
Richard Horne was the weekend's other subject of a testimonial match after Saints' Mike Bennett was unlucky to see his game fall foul of the lingering frost. The good news though is that Halifax have agreed to face St. Helens at short notice and give second rower Bennett the fundraiser he deserves. Back with Horne and a pre-season Hull derby though where over 16,000+ rugby starved supporters flocked to the KC. Hull FC triumphed over Hull KR with strong squads on duty for both sides. Mark Calderwood, Ewan Dowes, Jordan Turner, Tom Briscoe and Richard Whiting were Hull's try-scorers after Liam Colbon had given the reds an early lead. Clint Newton and Chaz I'Anson had kept the visitors in it before the black and whites killed the game off with two unanswered tries in the final quarter.
A late rally and a last-gasp try from George Carmont gave Wigan Warriors a dramatic victory against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats at Belle Vue. The home side looked to have the game sewn up, after tries from Sean Gleeson, Glen Morrison, Dale Morton, Shane Millard, Aaron Murphy and Kevin Henderson had given the Wildcats a 14-point lead with just 10 minutes remaining. 5 missed conversions by the home side proved crucial though after a Darrell Goulding double put Wigan back in it and set up the grandstand finish. Tries from Sean O' Loughlin, Mark Riddell, Eeamon O' Carroll and Pat Richards had kept the Warriors within touching distance earlier in the match.
The Huddersfield Giants academy side, who'd been taught a harsh lesson just two weeks earlier at Batley, put in a monumental effort at the Recreation Ground to edge Whitehaven 24-22. Two late tries from Greg Johnson and Jamie Shepherd were enough to give the young Giants a morale boosting win against a rusty looking Haven outfit. Gregg McNally had a great day with the boot against his old friends who registered tries through Ryan McDonald, Carl Rudd, Leroy Joe and Carl Sice. Elliot Hodgson and Joe Parkison had kept Huddersfield in it in the first half, setting the platform for a terrific comeback and a well-deserved win.
An equally youthful-looking Castleford Tigers side came up just short against York City Knights at the Huntington Stadium. The Tigers relinquished a 20 point lead going into the last quarter with the Knights crossing for five unanswered tries to snatch victory in a pulsating game. Nathan Chappell, Joe Picketts, Josh Nathaniel, Jacob Senior and Joe Arundel had given the visitors what looked to be a decisive lead but York had other ideas. Eddie Smith, Carl Barrow, Dan Wilson, Chris Clark and the impressive Brett Waller, with his second, blitzed over in twenty try-packed minutes after a try to Tom Lineham and Waller's first had got the home side on the board in the first half.
Big things are expected of Warrington Wolves this season after a thumping 60-16 victory over Leigh Centurions at Leigh Sports Village. The game was over by half-time with tries from Louis Anderson, Ryan Atkins, Kevin Penny and a sensational first-half hat-trick from debutant Richie Myler had given the visitors a 36-0 lead at the break. Leigh got on the scoresheet in the second half through Mike Morrison, Nicky Stanton and Ian Mort but were ultimately outclassed by a clinical Wolves performance. Myler got his 4th along with tries to Simon Grix, Lee Briers and Kevin King. Briers was faultless with the boot, kicking ten from ten to give Warrington a massive confidence boost heading into the new season.
Salford City Reds recorded a comfortable 50-12 victory over local rivals Swinton Lions, with nine different players crossing for the home side. Steve Tyrer, Ian Sibbit, Willie Talau and Karl Fitzpatrick gave the Reds a comfortable advantage at the break despite a battling performance by the visitors. Five further tries in the second half brought up the half-century for Salford with Jeremy Smith, Stefan Ratchford, Ray Cahsmere, Matty Smith and Luke Swain completing the rout. Barry Hamilton and Andrew Isherwood crossed for the Lions who can take a great deal of positivity out of their performance.
Sheffield Eagles faced Doncaster in the annual South Yorkshire cup clash, with the Eagles edging their rivals 24-16 at the Keepmoat Stadium. Dan Hawkswoth, Tangi Ropati, Sam Barlow and Corey Hanson were on the scoresheet for Sheffield, the two decisive final tries coming in the last ten minutes. Jack Ely, Grant Edwards and Scott Howlett responded for the hosts who were were competitive right to the end.
Jesse Joe Nandye made a try-scoring debut for Featherstone Rovers, who edged out out Blackpool Panthers 20-10 at the newly-named Big Fellas Stadium. Dane Manning opened the scoring for Rovers in the 5th minute before Liam Welham and Tom Lynch helped the Rovers to a 14-6 interval lead, Paul Ballard responding for the Panthers. Nandye's second half score was cancelled out by a Tom Woodcock try for the visitors but the Rovers held out for the victory.
The Batley Bulldogs rounded off their pre-season programme with a comprehensive 54-16 victory over Oldham. Jonny Campbell and Gareth Moore crossed for doubles with Byron Smith, Mark Barlow, Dave Tootill, John Gallagher and Lee Greenwood also registering points for Batley. Moore was impeccable with the boot and Karl Harrison's men have given the Bulldogs faithful plenty to look forward to this season. Oldham did threaten a comeback in the early stages of the second half with tries from Mick Fogerty (two) and Paul O'Connor, but the home side had too much firepower for the Roughyeds.
Our round-up concludes with a promising 36-24 victory for the new-look Hunslet Hawks over Rochdale Hornets at Spotland. The Hawks held a comfortable half-time advantage after following tries from Richard Chapman, David March and two to brother Paul. The Hawks points coming after Craig Ashall had given the hosts an early lead. Paul March completed his hat-trick in the second-half, Chapman bagged another and Wayne McHugh got over for what is likely to be the first of many tries in 2010. Two tries from Dean Hatton and a another from Danny Samuel had given the Hornets hope in the second forty but the valiant home effort came up just short.
York City Knights got things under way on Friday night with their traditional clash with Hull KR. The Rovers sent a very youthful looking side over to the Huntington Stadium that a near-full strength Knights squad disposed of 28-6. Danny Ratcliffe, Mike Mitchell, Kris Peacock, Wayne Reittie and exciting half-back prospect Jonathan Schofield, son of Gary, all crossed for the home side, with prop Dominic Dee powering over for a consolation try for the visitors.
Saturday saw Catalans Dragons and Castleford Tigers get their pre-season programmes underway, the Englishmen edging the contest 14-12 in Perpignan. Both coaches selected strong sides for the match with Kevin Walters taking the opportunity to give Tony Gigot, along with many others, his debut. Gigot spent 2009 with Harlequins and raised a few eyebrows with some livewire performances from stand-off. Could he be the man to partner Thomas Bosc at half-back for the French national side in the future? A try to James Evans and a brace from Dean Widders won the day for Cas with Kane Bentley and Cyril Stacul on the scoresheet for the Dragons.
Eleven more matches took place on Sunday and we start our round-up at Headingley with Matt Diskin's testimonial. Leeds Rhinos took on Bradford Bulls in the commemorative match honouring the long-serving hooker, with the boot of Kevin Sinfield proving the difference between the two rivals. Debutant Brett Delaney crossed for his new club after Scott Donald had opened the scoring. Paul Sykes had restored parity for Bradford in the first half but the former London Bronco was unable to convert Stuart Reardon's 56th minute try that would have tied the score going in to the final quarter. Leeds held on to record their second victory in as many pre-season games.
Richard Horne was the weekend's other subject of a testimonial match after Saints' Mike Bennett was unlucky to see his game fall foul of the lingering frost. The good news though is that Halifax have agreed to face St. Helens at short notice and give second rower Bennett the fundraiser he deserves. Back with Horne and a pre-season Hull derby though where over 16,000+ rugby starved supporters flocked to the KC. Hull FC triumphed over Hull KR with strong squads on duty for both sides. Mark Calderwood, Ewan Dowes, Jordan Turner, Tom Briscoe and Richard Whiting were Hull's try-scorers after Liam Colbon had given the reds an early lead. Clint Newton and Chaz I'Anson had kept the visitors in it before the black and whites killed the game off with two unanswered tries in the final quarter.
A late rally and a last-gasp try from George Carmont gave Wigan Warriors a dramatic victory against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats at Belle Vue. The home side looked to have the game sewn up, after tries from Sean Gleeson, Glen Morrison, Dale Morton, Shane Millard, Aaron Murphy and Kevin Henderson had given the Wildcats a 14-point lead with just 10 minutes remaining. 5 missed conversions by the home side proved crucial though after a Darrell Goulding double put Wigan back in it and set up the grandstand finish. Tries from Sean O' Loughlin, Mark Riddell, Eeamon O' Carroll and Pat Richards had kept the Warriors within touching distance earlier in the match.
The Huddersfield Giants academy side, who'd been taught a harsh lesson just two weeks earlier at Batley, put in a monumental effort at the Recreation Ground to edge Whitehaven 24-22. Two late tries from Greg Johnson and Jamie Shepherd were enough to give the young Giants a morale boosting win against a rusty looking Haven outfit. Gregg McNally had a great day with the boot against his old friends who registered tries through Ryan McDonald, Carl Rudd, Leroy Joe and Carl Sice. Elliot Hodgson and Joe Parkison had kept Huddersfield in it in the first half, setting the platform for a terrific comeback and a well-deserved win.
An equally youthful-looking Castleford Tigers side came up just short against York City Knights at the Huntington Stadium. The Tigers relinquished a 20 point lead going into the last quarter with the Knights crossing for five unanswered tries to snatch victory in a pulsating game. Nathan Chappell, Joe Picketts, Josh Nathaniel, Jacob Senior and Joe Arundel had given the visitors what looked to be a decisive lead but York had other ideas. Eddie Smith, Carl Barrow, Dan Wilson, Chris Clark and the impressive Brett Waller, with his second, blitzed over in twenty try-packed minutes after a try to Tom Lineham and Waller's first had got the home side on the board in the first half.
Big things are expected of Warrington Wolves this season after a thumping 60-16 victory over Leigh Centurions at Leigh Sports Village. The game was over by half-time with tries from Louis Anderson, Ryan Atkins, Kevin Penny and a sensational first-half hat-trick from debutant Richie Myler had given the visitors a 36-0 lead at the break. Leigh got on the scoresheet in the second half through Mike Morrison, Nicky Stanton and Ian Mort but were ultimately outclassed by a clinical Wolves performance. Myler got his 4th along with tries to Simon Grix, Lee Briers and Kevin King. Briers was faultless with the boot, kicking ten from ten to give Warrington a massive confidence boost heading into the new season.
Salford City Reds recorded a comfortable 50-12 victory over local rivals Swinton Lions, with nine different players crossing for the home side. Steve Tyrer, Ian Sibbit, Willie Talau and Karl Fitzpatrick gave the Reds a comfortable advantage at the break despite a battling performance by the visitors. Five further tries in the second half brought up the half-century for Salford with Jeremy Smith, Stefan Ratchford, Ray Cahsmere, Matty Smith and Luke Swain completing the rout. Barry Hamilton and Andrew Isherwood crossed for the Lions who can take a great deal of positivity out of their performance.
Sheffield Eagles faced Doncaster in the annual South Yorkshire cup clash, with the Eagles edging their rivals 24-16 at the Keepmoat Stadium. Dan Hawkswoth, Tangi Ropati, Sam Barlow and Corey Hanson were on the scoresheet for Sheffield, the two decisive final tries coming in the last ten minutes. Jack Ely, Grant Edwards and Scott Howlett responded for the hosts who were were competitive right to the end.
Jesse Joe Nandye made a try-scoring debut for Featherstone Rovers, who edged out out Blackpool Panthers 20-10 at the newly-named Big Fellas Stadium. Dane Manning opened the scoring for Rovers in the 5th minute before Liam Welham and Tom Lynch helped the Rovers to a 14-6 interval lead, Paul Ballard responding for the Panthers. Nandye's second half score was cancelled out by a Tom Woodcock try for the visitors but the Rovers held out for the victory.
The Batley Bulldogs rounded off their pre-season programme with a comprehensive 54-16 victory over Oldham. Jonny Campbell and Gareth Moore crossed for doubles with Byron Smith, Mark Barlow, Dave Tootill, John Gallagher and Lee Greenwood also registering points for Batley. Moore was impeccable with the boot and Karl Harrison's men have given the Bulldogs faithful plenty to look forward to this season. Oldham did threaten a comeback in the early stages of the second half with tries from Mick Fogerty (two) and Paul O'Connor, but the home side had too much firepower for the Roughyeds.
Our round-up concludes with a promising 36-24 victory for the new-look Hunslet Hawks over Rochdale Hornets at Spotland. The Hawks held a comfortable half-time advantage after following tries from Richard Chapman, David March and two to brother Paul. The Hawks points coming after Craig Ashall had given the hosts an early lead. Paul March completed his hat-trick in the second-half, Chapman bagged another and Wayne McHugh got over for what is likely to be the first of many tries in 2010. Two tries from Dean Hatton and a another from Danny Samuel had given the Hornets hope in the second forty but the valiant home effort came up just short.
Saturday 16 January 2010
The War on Drugs (part 1)
It's time for a change in the way we wage war on drugs. It's time for an open debate about whether the the money we're spending and the attention we're giving this issue is really worthwhile or even justified.
Cannabis, Heroin, Ecstasy, Cocaine and countless other substances are illegal in this country and have been for generations. Clearly the intention behind this prohibition is to eliminate or severely restrict their usage among citizens of the state. But how effective is this system? The harsh reality is that there are drug users in this country, there are drug dealers in this country and there are trade routes stretching from Bradford to Bogotá. Perhaps more significant is the cold hard fact that these illegal substances are easily obtained. There are no 'inner rings', you want drugs - you get drugs.
The availability of banned substances is something that became more and more apparent to me during my time at university in Manchester. The sheer ease in which they can be obtained in a city centre would shock many. Banned substances are freely available or made available to you, making an ass of the law which purports to stem their flow.
So who provides them? Clearly you don't pick them up over the counter at the Boots in Leeds railway station.
The people who make big money from their sale are the ones who control, oversee and secure their route in to the country. The more advanced our techniques in detecting possession at airports and checkpoints, the more shrewd and imaginative the smugglers become. We are failing to keep substances the government has abolished out of the country.
It's the lad in the gents toilet, it's the bloke stood outside the train station, it's the bouncers employed to keep it out of the clubs. Typecasting and piecing together a media-friendly picture of a dealer is impossible as their guises are numerous and varied. The one thing they do have in common? They have absolutely no regard for your well-being.
Another way to look at the current nonsensical legal model is through the cigarette analogy. If cigarettes were made illegal in the UK tomorrow, would the 12 million or so smokers that inhabit this island quit? Some might, sure, but what of those that don't want to quit? A black market would spring up overnight to meet their needs. Those trade routes that brought us the narcotic delights we know and love would now carry the finest cigarettes Colombia has to offer. After all, smokers are a captive market.
Once we acknowledge that the current method of controlling drug use in this country is fundamentally flawed, we can move forward with the debate. Namely, drug use as a civil right, the cash generated, the impact on communities, parity with alcohol and nicotine and the the common conceptions and misconceptions about their threat to our health.
Cannabis, Heroin, Ecstasy, Cocaine and countless other substances are illegal in this country and have been for generations. Clearly the intention behind this prohibition is to eliminate or severely restrict their usage among citizens of the state. But how effective is this system? The harsh reality is that there are drug users in this country, there are drug dealers in this country and there are trade routes stretching from Bradford to Bogotá. Perhaps more significant is the cold hard fact that these illegal substances are easily obtained. There are no 'inner rings', you want drugs - you get drugs.
The availability of banned substances is something that became more and more apparent to me during my time at university in Manchester. The sheer ease in which they can be obtained in a city centre would shock many. Banned substances are freely available or made available to you, making an ass of the law which purports to stem their flow.
So who provides them? Clearly you don't pick them up over the counter at the Boots in Leeds railway station.
The people who make big money from their sale are the ones who control, oversee and secure their route in to the country. The more advanced our techniques in detecting possession at airports and checkpoints, the more shrewd and imaginative the smugglers become. We are failing to keep substances the government has abolished out of the country.
It's the lad in the gents toilet, it's the bloke stood outside the train station, it's the bouncers employed to keep it out of the clubs. Typecasting and piecing together a media-friendly picture of a dealer is impossible as their guises are numerous and varied. The one thing they do have in common? They have absolutely no regard for your well-being.
Another way to look at the current nonsensical legal model is through the cigarette analogy. If cigarettes were made illegal in the UK tomorrow, would the 12 million or so smokers that inhabit this island quit? Some might, sure, but what of those that don't want to quit? A black market would spring up overnight to meet their needs. Those trade routes that brought us the narcotic delights we know and love would now carry the finest cigarettes Colombia has to offer. After all, smokers are a captive market.
Once we acknowledge that the current method of controlling drug use in this country is fundamentally flawed, we can move forward with the debate. Namely, drug use as a civil right, the cash generated, the impact on communities, parity with alcohol and nicotine and the the common conceptions and misconceptions about their threat to our health.
Championship Season in Preview: Batley Bulldogs
Last Season: 8th
One of the big stories of the second-half of the 2009 season was the resurgence of the Bulldogs under new coach Karl Harrison following the departure of Gary Thornton. Having guided Batley to Championship safety for 5 seasons, a heavy defeat at home to Toulouse in April spelt the end of Thornton's tenure at the Mount. Harrison, brother of Bulldogs general manager and former player Paul, was brought in on a temporary basis before committing himself to the Batley cause for the remainder of season.
The recovery that took place at Mount Pleasant under the guidance of the former England coach was nothing short of remarkable. Paul Handforth's arrival from Doncaster mid-way through the season gave the Bulldogs that extra dimension in attack they'd been lacking and, crucially, took pressure off the shoulders of the relatively inexperienced Paul Mennell. Their partnership developed in to one of the most potent half-back combinations in the division, with the experience and tactical prowess of Handforth complimenting Mennell's raw hunger and enthusiasm.
The Bulldogs will be without Mennell in 2010 though, the young scrum-half opting for a move to Australia and Queensland Cup outfit Ipswich Jets. His departure is a big blow to Batley, but one that has been cushioned by the arrival of half-backs Kyle Wood and Gareth Moore. Wood will join the club on a season long loan from parent club Huddersfield, after spending last season with Sheffield, while Moore arrives fresh from a spell with York during the second half of last season. Wood, in particular, will be out to impress after initially stating he didn't want to be loaned out to a lower-league side.
The left-flank partnership of Danny Maun and Jonny Campbell will be hoping to begin 2010 with a bang after bagging a hat-full of tries last season. The experienced Maun seems to get better with age and, with lightning quick wingman Campbell outside him, the former Featherstone and Dewsbury centre will be eager to utilise the offload at every opportunity.
Winger Eddie Kilroy has been brought in from Bradford's academy along with exciting young prop Sean Hesketh, who showed plenty of promise with some powerhouse displays for York last season. Dave Tootill, Byron Smith and Jon Simpson will, once again, provide the muscle up front with live wire utility man Ash Lindsay bringing tenacious enthusiasm to the Bulldogs' attack and defence.
The news that Karl Harrison has pledged his future to the club for the season ahead at least has given the loyal band of Batley supporters another reason to feel optimistic about the year ahead. If Harrison can find the right formula at half-back in the absence of Mennell, there'll be little to halt a Bulldogs charge for the play-offs in 2010.
Prediction: 6th
Key Player: Paul Handforth
One of the big stories of the second-half of the 2009 season was the resurgence of the Bulldogs under new coach Karl Harrison following the departure of Gary Thornton. Having guided Batley to Championship safety for 5 seasons, a heavy defeat at home to Toulouse in April spelt the end of Thornton's tenure at the Mount. Harrison, brother of Bulldogs general manager and former player Paul, was brought in on a temporary basis before committing himself to the Batley cause for the remainder of season.
The recovery that took place at Mount Pleasant under the guidance of the former England coach was nothing short of remarkable. Paul Handforth's arrival from Doncaster mid-way through the season gave the Bulldogs that extra dimension in attack they'd been lacking and, crucially, took pressure off the shoulders of the relatively inexperienced Paul Mennell. Their partnership developed in to one of the most potent half-back combinations in the division, with the experience and tactical prowess of Handforth complimenting Mennell's raw hunger and enthusiasm.
The Bulldogs will be without Mennell in 2010 though, the young scrum-half opting for a move to Australia and Queensland Cup outfit Ipswich Jets. His departure is a big blow to Batley, but one that has been cushioned by the arrival of half-backs Kyle Wood and Gareth Moore. Wood will join the club on a season long loan from parent club Huddersfield, after spending last season with Sheffield, while Moore arrives fresh from a spell with York during the second half of last season. Wood, in particular, will be out to impress after initially stating he didn't want to be loaned out to a lower-league side.
The left-flank partnership of Danny Maun and Jonny Campbell will be hoping to begin 2010 with a bang after bagging a hat-full of tries last season. The experienced Maun seems to get better with age and, with lightning quick wingman Campbell outside him, the former Featherstone and Dewsbury centre will be eager to utilise the offload at every opportunity.
Winger Eddie Kilroy has been brought in from Bradford's academy along with exciting young prop Sean Hesketh, who showed plenty of promise with some powerhouse displays for York last season. Dave Tootill, Byron Smith and Jon Simpson will, once again, provide the muscle up front with live wire utility man Ash Lindsay bringing tenacious enthusiasm to the Bulldogs' attack and defence.
The news that Karl Harrison has pledged his future to the club for the season ahead at least has given the loyal band of Batley supporters another reason to feel optimistic about the year ahead. If Harrison can find the right formula at half-back in the absence of Mennell, there'll be little to halt a Bulldogs charge for the play-offs in 2010.
Prediction: 6th
Key Player: Paul Handforth
Friday 15 January 2010
A Religion and a Town (Part 4)
Dewsbury is a changing town, it is changing as I write this and will continue to for many years to come. The migration, settlement and integration of a religion is a long process, particularly when it is happening against a backdrop of international political unrest and local misunderstanding.
The actions of a few on July 7th and September 11th damaged the name of Islam. In many aspects, the religion is still recovering from the abhorrent actions of Islamic fundamentalists who claimed to be acting on behalf of the people it, instead, would make life very difficult for. These atrocities provided ammunition for the right wing who have made enemies of moderate Muslims around the UK and in Dewsbury and, in doing so, fanned the flames of racism.
Dewsbury is not without problems. It struggles to find an identity much the same way as the Muslims who live in the town do. Whilst followers of Islam fight against racism and misrepresentation, Dewsbury struggles to answer the questions posed to it by 21st century capitalism.
Muslims and non-Muslims may live in isolated communities at the moment but share a myriad common values, some of which they're not yet aware of. We come together in the workplace without issue, laugh at the same things and express anger at the same things. Over the last ten years, the only acts of segregation have been perpetrated by extremist minorities on either side. On one we have radicalised Islam and, on the other, racism and hate politics. It is impossible for one of the two to dominate and the other to fade into obscurity - the more powerful one side becomes, the stronger the resistance will be from the other - the BNP, for example, will categorise Muslims as stubborn colonisers the same way they themselves are often categorised as a neo-Nazi party.
What is not up for debate, however, is that Dewsbury has gradually become a multi-cultural town with symbols of its recent Islamic influence apparent to any visitor. Often overlooked, however, is that beginning in the 1980s, aside from south Asian influence, the hallmarks of a town situated within a global market have become apparent. American companies WalMart (Asda), Clinton Cards, McDonalds, Subway and KFC all have bases in the town. Danish discount chain Netto opened a purpose built store in 2008 and German supermarket Lidl stands 200 yards from the train station. Electrical retailer Comet stocks televisions and electrical equipment made in China and Japan and Australian and Belgian beer flows from the taps of Dewsbury's pubs. Italian and Chinese takeaways line streets across the town, family run Woodkirk garage sells French cars and Cook Islanders play for the town's rugby team. The examples are poignant and numerous but this international dimension to the town is often missed.
Those critical of the South Asian influence over the town speak of an erosion of British values and culture whilst failing to recognise that the cultural shift commonly associated with Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Islam only tells half of Dewsbury's story as, fundamentally, a cog within the global machine. It is a story told in towns and cities up and down the country and a trend that shows no signs of deceleration.
Islam and the people who follow it have made several significant contributions to Dewsbury making it a town of 'firsts' for proud British Muslims. It is incredible, and perhaps crucial, though that it is the same town considered by many to be the UK's capital for Muslim terrorism and right wing extremism. It is because of this that the original question remains unanswered. Dewsbury is in a state of limbo, and will continue to be, for as long as the militant wings of the two communities are active. It is up to the majority of Muslims and non-Muslims living in the town who seek peaceful co-existence to realise their common goal by rejecting the poisonous elements, on their own sides, which stand in the way of unity.
The actions of a few on July 7th and September 11th damaged the name of Islam. In many aspects, the religion is still recovering from the abhorrent actions of Islamic fundamentalists who claimed to be acting on behalf of the people it, instead, would make life very difficult for. These atrocities provided ammunition for the right wing who have made enemies of moderate Muslims around the UK and in Dewsbury and, in doing so, fanned the flames of racism.
Dewsbury is not without problems. It struggles to find an identity much the same way as the Muslims who live in the town do. Whilst followers of Islam fight against racism and misrepresentation, Dewsbury struggles to answer the questions posed to it by 21st century capitalism.
Muslims and non-Muslims may live in isolated communities at the moment but share a myriad common values, some of which they're not yet aware of. We come together in the workplace without issue, laugh at the same things and express anger at the same things. Over the last ten years, the only acts of segregation have been perpetrated by extremist minorities on either side. On one we have radicalised Islam and, on the other, racism and hate politics. It is impossible for one of the two to dominate and the other to fade into obscurity - the more powerful one side becomes, the stronger the resistance will be from the other - the BNP, for example, will categorise Muslims as stubborn colonisers the same way they themselves are often categorised as a neo-Nazi party.
What is not up for debate, however, is that Dewsbury has gradually become a multi-cultural town with symbols of its recent Islamic influence apparent to any visitor. Often overlooked, however, is that beginning in the 1980s, aside from south Asian influence, the hallmarks of a town situated within a global market have become apparent. American companies WalMart (Asda), Clinton Cards, McDonalds, Subway and KFC all have bases in the town. Danish discount chain Netto opened a purpose built store in 2008 and German supermarket Lidl stands 200 yards from the train station. Electrical retailer Comet stocks televisions and electrical equipment made in China and Japan and Australian and Belgian beer flows from the taps of Dewsbury's pubs. Italian and Chinese takeaways line streets across the town, family run Woodkirk garage sells French cars and Cook Islanders play for the town's rugby team. The examples are poignant and numerous but this international dimension to the town is often missed.
Those critical of the South Asian influence over the town speak of an erosion of British values and culture whilst failing to recognise that the cultural shift commonly associated with Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Islam only tells half of Dewsbury's story as, fundamentally, a cog within the global machine. It is a story told in towns and cities up and down the country and a trend that shows no signs of deceleration.
Islam and the people who follow it have made several significant contributions to Dewsbury making it a town of 'firsts' for proud British Muslims. It is incredible, and perhaps crucial, though that it is the same town considered by many to be the UK's capital for Muslim terrorism and right wing extremism. It is because of this that the original question remains unanswered. Dewsbury is in a state of limbo, and will continue to be, for as long as the militant wings of the two communities are active. It is up to the majority of Muslims and non-Muslims living in the town who seek peaceful co-existence to realise their common goal by rejecting the poisonous elements, on their own sides, which stand in the way of unity.
The Super League Revolution (part 4)
The inception of Super League had brought with it a flurry of changes and improvements off the pitch, as we have seen. What of the product on the field though?
Many had suggested that the increased TV coverage, and the sport's growing dependence on the revenue this generated, would result in matches being divided into four 20-minute quarters, a concept which looks likely to be introduced in the USA's embryonic AMNRL competition. Other proposals included the introduction of a 'golden point' period of extra-time if the two teams are level after 80 minutes, a system which has been adopted by the Australian NRL.
Neither of these ideas have attracted the support required for them to be given serious consideration on these shores though.
One innovation that has been implemented during the Super League era, however, is the 40/20. The 40/20 gives the attacking team the opportunity to earn a repeat set in opposition territory if they can successfully find touch inside their opponent's 20 metre zone with a punt from inside their own 40. The rule gives teams the chance to turn the momentum of a game on its head and adds that element of unpredictability to matches which makes compelling viewing.
Another rule change brought about by Super League dictates that the team conceding a try restarts the game, a rule which favours teams attempting to mount a comeback. The zero tackle rule was also introduced in '98 and grants the the team in possession an extra tackle following an opponent's handling error.
Whist it was a change in the rules that brought about the introduction of the 40/20 and zero tackle, the decline of the competitive scrum has been a by-product of the sport's evolution during the summer era. Gone are the days of a scramble in the ruck to win possession for your side that characterised forward play right up until to the mid-nineties. By the turn of the century, scrums involved little more than a touching of shoulders whilst the ball was whipped around the loose forward's legs and out to the wings in a matter of seconds. Many argue that the concept of the scrum is now redundant and the game should instead be restarted with a tap, it's difficult to reason otherwise.
Globally, Rugby League has become known for it's willingness to innovate if it feels a change would benefit the sport. Barely a year goes by without the RFL attempting to evolve and modernise the sport and it's this willingness to evolve that has helped turn Rugby League into a dynamic, unpredictable spectacle that's tailor-made made for TV. We shouldn't forget this.
By 2002, Super League crowds were around the 7,000 mark with the likes of Leeds, Bradford and Wigan continuing to lead the way. Perennial strugglers Huddersfield, whose place in Super League had only been preserved by the RFL's desire to keep their state of the art stadium in the elite division, were relegated at the end of 2001 and took their place in the NFP. The men from the McAlpine had won just 17 matches in 4 Super League years, but a season in the wilderness did them the world of good. They remained full-time and finished the campaign unbeaten to seal an immediate return to the top flight. Since rejoining Super League in 2003, the Giants have improved year on year and have reached 2 out of the last 4 Challenge Cup finals.
Super League VII was won by St. Helens, who also topped the division following the regular season. The men from Knowsley road were edged out in the Cup final though by arch-rivals Wigan, who have yet to appear in the cup final since. 2003 was the year of the Bull with Brian Noble's Bradford becoming the first ever side to complete the double and clinch both the Super League Trophy and Challenge Cup.
Many had suggested that the increased TV coverage, and the sport's growing dependence on the revenue this generated, would result in matches being divided into four 20-minute quarters, a concept which looks likely to be introduced in the USA's embryonic AMNRL competition. Other proposals included the introduction of a 'golden point' period of extra-time if the two teams are level after 80 minutes, a system which has been adopted by the Australian NRL.
Neither of these ideas have attracted the support required for them to be given serious consideration on these shores though.
One innovation that has been implemented during the Super League era, however, is the 40/20. The 40/20 gives the attacking team the opportunity to earn a repeat set in opposition territory if they can successfully find touch inside their opponent's 20 metre zone with a punt from inside their own 40. The rule gives teams the chance to turn the momentum of a game on its head and adds that element of unpredictability to matches which makes compelling viewing.
Another rule change brought about by Super League dictates that the team conceding a try restarts the game, a rule which favours teams attempting to mount a comeback. The zero tackle rule was also introduced in '98 and grants the the team in possession an extra tackle following an opponent's handling error.
Whist it was a change in the rules that brought about the introduction of the 40/20 and zero tackle, the decline of the competitive scrum has been a by-product of the sport's evolution during the summer era. Gone are the days of a scramble in the ruck to win possession for your side that characterised forward play right up until to the mid-nineties. By the turn of the century, scrums involved little more than a touching of shoulders whilst the ball was whipped around the loose forward's legs and out to the wings in a matter of seconds. Many argue that the concept of the scrum is now redundant and the game should instead be restarted with a tap, it's difficult to reason otherwise.
Globally, Rugby League has become known for it's willingness to innovate if it feels a change would benefit the sport. Barely a year goes by without the RFL attempting to evolve and modernise the sport and it's this willingness to evolve that has helped turn Rugby League into a dynamic, unpredictable spectacle that's tailor-made made for TV. We shouldn't forget this.
By 2002, Super League crowds were around the 7,000 mark with the likes of Leeds, Bradford and Wigan continuing to lead the way. Perennial strugglers Huddersfield, whose place in Super League had only been preserved by the RFL's desire to keep their state of the art stadium in the elite division, were relegated at the end of 2001 and took their place in the NFP. The men from the McAlpine had won just 17 matches in 4 Super League years, but a season in the wilderness did them the world of good. They remained full-time and finished the campaign unbeaten to seal an immediate return to the top flight. Since rejoining Super League in 2003, the Giants have improved year on year and have reached 2 out of the last 4 Challenge Cup finals.
Super League VII was won by St. Helens, who also topped the division following the regular season. The men from Knowsley road were edged out in the Cup final though by arch-rivals Wigan, who have yet to appear in the cup final since. 2003 was the year of the Bull with Brian Noble's Bradford becoming the first ever side to complete the double and clinch both the Super League Trophy and Challenge Cup.
Tuesday 12 January 2010
Championship Season in Preview: Barrow Raiders
Last Season: 1st, Champions
Last season the Raiders became the first team in recent to history to win two league titles, in two competitions, two years in a row. The disappointment of coming up just short in the Northern Rail Cup was banished with a thrilling grand final victory over early-season favourites Halifax, just 12 months after sealing promotion from National League Two.
Dave Clark has overseen both title triumphs, despite being temporarily replaced by Steve Deakin in a bizarre mid-season twist. Clark was demoted to the role of assistant coach and replaced by Deakin in June, only for the ex-Oldham boss to leave club after just six weeks in charge.
Clark, who's the first to admit his inexperience as a head coach, will make way for a new name at the helm in 2010. Steve McCormack, who has enjoyed successful spells with Whitehaven and Gateshead in recent years, will take responsibility for delivering the third consecutive season of success at Craven Park that club chairman and benefactor Des Johnston will expect.
The uncertainty over the coaching position at Craven Park during 2009 did little to derail the Barrow bandwagon. Mid-season recruit Jamie Rooney guided his new team-mates around the park brilliantly during the latter stages of the league season and into the play-offs - his experience and tactical awareness giving the Raiders the slight edge over their title rivals in the big games.
Andy Ellis was another player in exhilarating form for Barrow last season and the wily hooker will be a huge loss to the club, having been snapped up for 2010 by Harlequins. Despite spending just three seasons with the club, Ellis' role in the Raiders' resurgence will live long in the memories of supporters. The former Hull KR man was named Championship player of the year and has every chance of making the grade in Super League this season.
Gateshead's Andrew Henderson is the player charged with filling Ellis' number 9 jersey, after following coach McCormack, and fellow Thunder star Michael Knowles, to Craven Park. The vastly experienced Richard Fletcher has also been brought in from Widnes to strengthen an already formidable looking Barrow pack, led heroically in 2009 by club stalwart Brett McDermott.
The club's biggest signing for 2010, however, is undoubtedly Jamie Rooney. The ex-Wakefield star has signed a two year contract with the club and will be the player around which the Raiders will build their bid for a Super League spot in 2012.
With the lethal left-flank combination of Liam Harrison and James Nixon providing the finishing touch, and the likes of Andreas Bauer and Paul Broadbent giving the Raiders a further attacking dimension, Barrow will be aiming to hit the ground running and show the rest of the division that they're not going to give up their trophy without a fight.
Key-Man: Jamie Rooney
2010 Prediction: 2nd, GF Runners-Up
Last season the Raiders became the first team in recent to history to win two league titles, in two competitions, two years in a row. The disappointment of coming up just short in the Northern Rail Cup was banished with a thrilling grand final victory over early-season favourites Halifax, just 12 months after sealing promotion from National League Two.
Dave Clark has overseen both title triumphs, despite being temporarily replaced by Steve Deakin in a bizarre mid-season twist. Clark was demoted to the role of assistant coach and replaced by Deakin in June, only for the ex-Oldham boss to leave club after just six weeks in charge.
Clark, who's the first to admit his inexperience as a head coach, will make way for a new name at the helm in 2010. Steve McCormack, who has enjoyed successful spells with Whitehaven and Gateshead in recent years, will take responsibility for delivering the third consecutive season of success at Craven Park that club chairman and benefactor Des Johnston will expect.
The uncertainty over the coaching position at Craven Park during 2009 did little to derail the Barrow bandwagon. Mid-season recruit Jamie Rooney guided his new team-mates around the park brilliantly during the latter stages of the league season and into the play-offs - his experience and tactical awareness giving the Raiders the slight edge over their title rivals in the big games.
Andy Ellis was another player in exhilarating form for Barrow last season and the wily hooker will be a huge loss to the club, having been snapped up for 2010 by Harlequins. Despite spending just three seasons with the club, Ellis' role in the Raiders' resurgence will live long in the memories of supporters. The former Hull KR man was named Championship player of the year and has every chance of making the grade in Super League this season.
Gateshead's Andrew Henderson is the player charged with filling Ellis' number 9 jersey, after following coach McCormack, and fellow Thunder star Michael Knowles, to Craven Park. The vastly experienced Richard Fletcher has also been brought in from Widnes to strengthen an already formidable looking Barrow pack, led heroically in 2009 by club stalwart Brett McDermott.
The club's biggest signing for 2010, however, is undoubtedly Jamie Rooney. The ex-Wakefield star has signed a two year contract with the club and will be the player around which the Raiders will build their bid for a Super League spot in 2012.
With the lethal left-flank combination of Liam Harrison and James Nixon providing the finishing touch, and the likes of Andreas Bauer and Paul Broadbent giving the Raiders a further attacking dimension, Barrow will be aiming to hit the ground running and show the rest of the division that they're not going to give up their trophy without a fight.
Key-Man: Jamie Rooney
2010 Prediction: 2nd, GF Runners-Up
Monday 11 January 2010
A Religion and a Town (Part 3)
The issue of Islam in Dewsbury is one which inspires debate around every corner. The recurring presence of these two words, a religion and a town, alongside each other in national newspaper articles, blogs and political propaganda is testament to the significance the issue will play in the future. With incident comes opinion, analysis, new ideas and sometimes the re-enforcement of old ones.
Danny Lockwood was one of the founders of 'The Press', a newspaper which covers Dewsbury, Batley and the other districts sandwiched between Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford. His weekly column 'Ed Lines: Life in Black and White' frequently addresses the role Islam plays in the town and indeed the country. In the 12/09/08 edition, Lockwood expresses his frustration at exceptions made for Muslims who "go to school looking like Zorro" in response to news that a local alopecia sufferer was told to remove his baseball cap by teachers. The guidelines an alopecia suffering student was made to adhere to and the wearing of the hijab by Muslim women are not related in any way but it is comparisons like this one that are made around the town by non-Muslims who are displeased with the "special treatment" local followers of Islam are said to receive.
The common theme with many of these opinions is that, conversely, the local non-Muslim British population are treated like second class citizens. When examples of religious dispensation are brought to light, the stories are often inter-laced with tales of the local white population suffering a perceived injustice - even if it isn't necessarily related to, or the fault of, the religion in question, as seen above.
The wearing of the hijab, particularly in instances when only the eyes or less are visible, is probably, along with the town's iconic Mosque minarets, one of the most recognised symbols of Islam on a local scale. MP for Dewsbury Shahid Malik advised Aisha Azmi, the hijab-wearing teaching assistant who was sacked, to simply "leave it alone and get on with life". An acknowledgement by the Muslim politician perhaps, that the wearing of the veil can and will, on occasion, conflict with life amongst non-Muslims and that, in such instances, the needs of the many outweigh the customs of the few.
There are, considering the diversity of Dewsbury, very few examples of culture clashes of this nature. This can be explained, in part, by the isolated nature of the Muslim and non-Muslim communities. The concentration in population of both races is a result, according to many, of the 'ghettoisation' of several of the town's sub-districts. Ghettoisation refers to the idea that social groups, particularly ethnic minorities, take residence in sub-dstricts as a result of social, religious or economic pressure. As identified, much of the Muslim population of Dewsbury live alongside each other in Savile Town, Ravensthorpe and parts of Thornhill.
Don Pryke, 51, is a local self-employed businessman who was brought up in Ravensthorpe, he recalls the initial years of Muslim settlement in his locality:
"The general feeling was 'blimey! who are these People? and why have they come to Ravensthorpe?'
"In the early days, the two communities never mixed or talked at all so one side's knoweldge of the other came from within their own community"
The council houses of Chickenley, Dewsbury Moor and Thornhill were built to accomodate the 'baby-boom' post-WWII generation but the "homes for heroes" scheme failed to foresee the demographic shift about to change the face of much of the nation. What resulted was Muslim families moving in to the cheapest houses available to them, local jornalist Danny Lockwood adds:
"It's normal for any migrant community to gather together for lots of understandable social, family and cultural reasons. People of any relgion are generally motivated by the same human needs. This is a social phenomenon, not a religious one"
Carl Morphett is a member of Kirklees Unity, a group founded to oppose the BNP on a local level. He belives that there are more serious contributory factors:
"Islamophobia, intolerance and ignorance on both sides of one another's lifestyle and culture contribute to the trend of ghettoisation. With Islamophobia in particular on the rise, the pattern will continue, which can only be a bad thing"
Yakub Sultan is a Muslim working part-time in Dewsbury and studying at the University of Huddersfield. The lifestyle of a typical university student, many would say, is not compatible with the lifestyle of a follower of Islam:
"Religion very much plays a major part in my life but I don't feel the two conflict with one another. This is because as a Muslim, my faith guides me through many of the choices I make"
It's clear from what Yakub is saying, that the society he lives in presents few obstacles for him to overcome as a practicing Muslim:
"I feel very comfortable as a Muslim in the area I live in, the common traits of Muslims and non-Muslims away from religion are becoming more similar making life for everyone easier".
It is the common ground shared between the religiously devout and apathetic, those optimistic of true integration and co-operation believe, upon which we can lay the foundations of a truly diverse and peaceful community.
This is a view also held by the Bishop Anthony Robinson who has been the co-chairman of Kirklees Inter-Faith for over a decade:
"Great strides have been made over the last five years between Christianity and Islam, based primarily on values the two religions share.
"The Muslims of the local area need friends from across the community and the religious buildings of both faiths are shared for community projects"
Kirklees Inter-faith, although independent from Kirklees council, serves as a key component of the area's strategy to build bridges between religions. The group meets and discusses issues concerning all religions and organises projects involving local mosques, churches and synagogues. Kaushar Tai was the founding chairman of the group:
"We are a voluntary organisation which promotes harmony between faiths. One idea which was put into practice was to take religious learning out of the classroom and into the places of worship themselves".
We have seen evidence that compatibility, despite the cohesive setbacks the town endures, is possible and already a reality for many. But what can Dewsbury, as a diverse town, do to develop this ideal? We have already examined the isolated nature of Muslim and non-Muslim communities and what led to their being but, like the Irish migrants of over a century ago, what hope is there of future generations of communities living in harmony with each other?
Kirklees Unity's Carl Morphett suggests:
"As I grew older and wiser I realised that the local Asians were no different from me. I am keen to learn about cultures other than my own and believe that the school curriculum should encourage this from an early age"
The idea that progress relies heavily upon knowledge of the beliefs of one another is shared by local businessman Don Prkye, who despite rating his current knowledge of Islam as '4/10', has a desire to learn more:
"Incidents like 9/11 can create a lot of distrust between communities which often manifests itself as resentment on a local level.
"A Q&A column in the local newspapers, for example, would be of interest to many people and would help those outside the Muslim community learn more about their neighbours"
Local journalist Danny Lockwood is optimistic about the future:
"History shows us that in time these communities disperse gradually into the mainstream and there is already evidence of that happening in Dewsbury.
"Progress is not helped though by international political pressure between Islam and western democracies"
Clearly, the international turmoil Muslims around the world find themselves in, not least of all its conflict with the west, do little for towns like Dewsbury. But what of the obstacles that exist on a local level? Are there people in the town who don't want multi-culturalism or integration? A song entitled "Savile Town: Where's it Gone?", penned by then-BNP candidate Colin Auty, alleges that the Asian sub-district is rife with drug dealers and paedophiles and decries the closure of churches, pubs and butchers in the area. Fellow BNP counillor Nick Cass defended these sentiments:
"We make no apologies for this song as every word is true"
The BNP's popularity hinges on the level of conflict between religious communities. The closer Dewsbury gets to being a peaceful, religiously tolerant town, the less votes the party will receive. So, naturally, its in the interests of BNP members to associate society's ills with the ethnic minority community, usually without any consideration of contributory factors or statistics. If one of the mainstream parties expresses its displeasure at the lack of something, it will look at how to correct the problem. In the case of the British National Party however, its displeasure at the alleged lack of religious understanding is supplemented not by a desire to build bridges between faiths, but to heighten tension at every opportunity. Dewsbury is home to the highest BNP vote in the country, a sign perhaps that not everyone within the town is comfortable with the idea of sharing their neighbourhoods with, or eager to learn about, other races, religions and cultures.
Danny Lockwood was one of the founders of 'The Press', a newspaper which covers Dewsbury, Batley and the other districts sandwiched between Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford. His weekly column 'Ed Lines: Life in Black and White' frequently addresses the role Islam plays in the town and indeed the country. In the 12/09/08 edition, Lockwood expresses his frustration at exceptions made for Muslims who "go to school looking like Zorro" in response to news that a local alopecia sufferer was told to remove his baseball cap by teachers. The guidelines an alopecia suffering student was made to adhere to and the wearing of the hijab by Muslim women are not related in any way but it is comparisons like this one that are made around the town by non-Muslims who are displeased with the "special treatment" local followers of Islam are said to receive.
The common theme with many of these opinions is that, conversely, the local non-Muslim British population are treated like second class citizens. When examples of religious dispensation are brought to light, the stories are often inter-laced with tales of the local white population suffering a perceived injustice - even if it isn't necessarily related to, or the fault of, the religion in question, as seen above.
The wearing of the hijab, particularly in instances when only the eyes or less are visible, is probably, along with the town's iconic Mosque minarets, one of the most recognised symbols of Islam on a local scale. MP for Dewsbury Shahid Malik advised Aisha Azmi, the hijab-wearing teaching assistant who was sacked, to simply "leave it alone and get on with life". An acknowledgement by the Muslim politician perhaps, that the wearing of the veil can and will, on occasion, conflict with life amongst non-Muslims and that, in such instances, the needs of the many outweigh the customs of the few.
There are, considering the diversity of Dewsbury, very few examples of culture clashes of this nature. This can be explained, in part, by the isolated nature of the Muslim and non-Muslim communities. The concentration in population of both races is a result, according to many, of the 'ghettoisation' of several of the town's sub-districts. Ghettoisation refers to the idea that social groups, particularly ethnic minorities, take residence in sub-dstricts as a result of social, religious or economic pressure. As identified, much of the Muslim population of Dewsbury live alongside each other in Savile Town, Ravensthorpe and parts of Thornhill.
Don Pryke, 51, is a local self-employed businessman who was brought up in Ravensthorpe, he recalls the initial years of Muslim settlement in his locality:
"The general feeling was 'blimey! who are these People? and why have they come to Ravensthorpe?'
"In the early days, the two communities never mixed or talked at all so one side's knoweldge of the other came from within their own community"
The council houses of Chickenley, Dewsbury Moor and Thornhill were built to accomodate the 'baby-boom' post-WWII generation but the "homes for heroes" scheme failed to foresee the demographic shift about to change the face of much of the nation. What resulted was Muslim families moving in to the cheapest houses available to them, local jornalist Danny Lockwood adds:
"It's normal for any migrant community to gather together for lots of understandable social, family and cultural reasons. People of any relgion are generally motivated by the same human needs. This is a social phenomenon, not a religious one"
Carl Morphett is a member of Kirklees Unity, a group founded to oppose the BNP on a local level. He belives that there are more serious contributory factors:
"Islamophobia, intolerance and ignorance on both sides of one another's lifestyle and culture contribute to the trend of ghettoisation. With Islamophobia in particular on the rise, the pattern will continue, which can only be a bad thing"
Yakub Sultan is a Muslim working part-time in Dewsbury and studying at the University of Huddersfield. The lifestyle of a typical university student, many would say, is not compatible with the lifestyle of a follower of Islam:
"Religion very much plays a major part in my life but I don't feel the two conflict with one another. This is because as a Muslim, my faith guides me through many of the choices I make"
It's clear from what Yakub is saying, that the society he lives in presents few obstacles for him to overcome as a practicing Muslim:
"I feel very comfortable as a Muslim in the area I live in, the common traits of Muslims and non-Muslims away from religion are becoming more similar making life for everyone easier".
It is the common ground shared between the religiously devout and apathetic, those optimistic of true integration and co-operation believe, upon which we can lay the foundations of a truly diverse and peaceful community.
This is a view also held by the Bishop Anthony Robinson who has been the co-chairman of Kirklees Inter-Faith for over a decade:
"Great strides have been made over the last five years between Christianity and Islam, based primarily on values the two religions share.
"The Muslims of the local area need friends from across the community and the religious buildings of both faiths are shared for community projects"
Kirklees Inter-faith, although independent from Kirklees council, serves as a key component of the area's strategy to build bridges between religions. The group meets and discusses issues concerning all religions and organises projects involving local mosques, churches and synagogues. Kaushar Tai was the founding chairman of the group:
"We are a voluntary organisation which promotes harmony between faiths. One idea which was put into practice was to take religious learning out of the classroom and into the places of worship themselves".
We have seen evidence that compatibility, despite the cohesive setbacks the town endures, is possible and already a reality for many. But what can Dewsbury, as a diverse town, do to develop this ideal? We have already examined the isolated nature of Muslim and non-Muslim communities and what led to their being but, like the Irish migrants of over a century ago, what hope is there of future generations of communities living in harmony with each other?
Kirklees Unity's Carl Morphett suggests:
"As I grew older and wiser I realised that the local Asians were no different from me. I am keen to learn about cultures other than my own and believe that the school curriculum should encourage this from an early age"
The idea that progress relies heavily upon knowledge of the beliefs of one another is shared by local businessman Don Prkye, who despite rating his current knowledge of Islam as '4/10', has a desire to learn more:
"Incidents like 9/11 can create a lot of distrust between communities which often manifests itself as resentment on a local level.
"A Q&A column in the local newspapers, for example, would be of interest to many people and would help those outside the Muslim community learn more about their neighbours"
Local journalist Danny Lockwood is optimistic about the future:
"History shows us that in time these communities disperse gradually into the mainstream and there is already evidence of that happening in Dewsbury.
"Progress is not helped though by international political pressure between Islam and western democracies"
Clearly, the international turmoil Muslims around the world find themselves in, not least of all its conflict with the west, do little for towns like Dewsbury. But what of the obstacles that exist on a local level? Are there people in the town who don't want multi-culturalism or integration? A song entitled "Savile Town: Where's it Gone?", penned by then-BNP candidate Colin Auty, alleges that the Asian sub-district is rife with drug dealers and paedophiles and decries the closure of churches, pubs and butchers in the area. Fellow BNP counillor Nick Cass defended these sentiments:
"We make no apologies for this song as every word is true"
The BNP's popularity hinges on the level of conflict between religious communities. The closer Dewsbury gets to being a peaceful, religiously tolerant town, the less votes the party will receive. So, naturally, its in the interests of BNP members to associate society's ills with the ethnic minority community, usually without any consideration of contributory factors or statistics. If one of the mainstream parties expresses its displeasure at the lack of something, it will look at how to correct the problem. In the case of the British National Party however, its displeasure at the alleged lack of religious understanding is supplemented not by a desire to build bridges between faiths, but to heighten tension at every opportunity. Dewsbury is home to the highest BNP vote in the country, a sign perhaps that not everyone within the town is comfortable with the idea of sharing their neighbourhoods with, or eager to learn about, other races, religions and cultures.
The Super League Revolution (part 3)
The new millennium brought with it renewed hope for the RFL of spreading the rugby league gospel. Paris St. Germain and Gateshead Thunder were fast being forgotten (although the latter would re-launch as a Northern Ford Premiership club in 2001), and the sport's governing body was again eager to break new ground wherever it could.
Positive news on the expansion front was being written every day in the fledgling summer conference. Many of the teams relied heavily on union players turning out during their first XV's close season but, for the first time in the sport's history, the greatest game was being played in such exotic destinations as Devon, Ipswich, Coventry and St. Ives. The conference had founded as a 10-team competition in 1997 but had gone from strength to strength over the seasons that followed and continues to grow to this day.
Back in the heartlands, the Sheffield Eagles, who had hoped to capitalise on their recent cup success, 'merged' with Huddersfield to form the 'Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants'. Unsurprisingly, with a vast majority of home games taking place in Huddersfield, the Eagles fans did not embrace the new franchise. By 2001, 'Sheffield' had been dropped from the name and the Eagles re-launched thanks to the efforts of disenchanted supporters in 2002.
The eve of the century also saw one of the sport's most famous names drop out of the professional ranks. Bramley, who, by the end of their existence were sharing Headingley with their more illustrious neighbours and fielding sides made of local amateurs and half-fit Leeds players, dropped out of the Northern Ford Premiership in 1999. Those resourceful, determined, passionate people who follow our game though were, once again, ready to strike back. Three short years later, Bramley, now carrying the 'Buffaloes' monicker, were back in action and have been knocking on the door of the semi-pro hierarchy ever since.
It was an unpredictable time for lower league clubs with many clearly struggling to keep up with the pace of change in the sport. Super League clubs, on the other hand, were growing in stature on and off the pitch, thanks in no small part to the money generated by Sky television's extensive coverage of the elite division.
It was because of this coverage that many clubs abandoned the traditional 3.00pm Sunday slot, seen by many, as part of rugby league's heritage. Since Super League's inception, Friday and Saturday evening matches are becoming more and more commonplace with Sky keen to provide their subscribers with live sporting action in the evenings to compliment the weekend's soccer.
On the field meanwhile, the big four of St. Helens, Wigan, Bradford and Leeds competed for the sport's silverware. St. Helens' Super League title win in 2000 was made even sweeter by the fact they beat bitter rivals Wigan in the Grand Final to claim it. The Challenge Cup, on the road at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, was contested by the sport's other big-time rivalry - the Bulls eventually edging out the Rhinos in front of 67,000 people.
2001 saw the Warriors fall at the final hurdle for the second consecutive year, beaten emphatically, this time by Bradford, with Aussie-cum-Irish international Michael Withers blazing over for a hat-trick. The Bulls were not able to complete the double however with St. Helens lifting the famous old cup in the first ever Challenge Cup final to be held on enemy soil at Twickenham.
New Wembley was still like 6 years away but the RFL ceased the opportunity to take the final on the road and showcase the sport to new audiences. Following the success of the Murrayfield and Twickenham finals, the Challenge Cup was taken to Wales and the recently completed Millennium Stadium. The final remained in Cardiff for 3 years before a one-year stop back at Twickenham in 2006. The closure of old Wembley had presented a challenge to the sport's oldest competition, one that it passed with flying colours.
Positive news on the expansion front was being written every day in the fledgling summer conference. Many of the teams relied heavily on union players turning out during their first XV's close season but, for the first time in the sport's history, the greatest game was being played in such exotic destinations as Devon, Ipswich, Coventry and St. Ives. The conference had founded as a 10-team competition in 1997 but had gone from strength to strength over the seasons that followed and continues to grow to this day.
Back in the heartlands, the Sheffield Eagles, who had hoped to capitalise on their recent cup success, 'merged' with Huddersfield to form the 'Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants'. Unsurprisingly, with a vast majority of home games taking place in Huddersfield, the Eagles fans did not embrace the new franchise. By 2001, 'Sheffield' had been dropped from the name and the Eagles re-launched thanks to the efforts of disenchanted supporters in 2002.
The eve of the century also saw one of the sport's most famous names drop out of the professional ranks. Bramley, who, by the end of their existence were sharing Headingley with their more illustrious neighbours and fielding sides made of local amateurs and half-fit Leeds players, dropped out of the Northern Ford Premiership in 1999. Those resourceful, determined, passionate people who follow our game though were, once again, ready to strike back. Three short years later, Bramley, now carrying the 'Buffaloes' monicker, were back in action and have been knocking on the door of the semi-pro hierarchy ever since.
It was an unpredictable time for lower league clubs with many clearly struggling to keep up with the pace of change in the sport. Super League clubs, on the other hand, were growing in stature on and off the pitch, thanks in no small part to the money generated by Sky television's extensive coverage of the elite division.
It was because of this coverage that many clubs abandoned the traditional 3.00pm Sunday slot, seen by many, as part of rugby league's heritage. Since Super League's inception, Friday and Saturday evening matches are becoming more and more commonplace with Sky keen to provide their subscribers with live sporting action in the evenings to compliment the weekend's soccer.
On the field meanwhile, the big four of St. Helens, Wigan, Bradford and Leeds competed for the sport's silverware. St. Helens' Super League title win in 2000 was made even sweeter by the fact they beat bitter rivals Wigan in the Grand Final to claim it. The Challenge Cup, on the road at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, was contested by the sport's other big-time rivalry - the Bulls eventually edging out the Rhinos in front of 67,000 people.
2001 saw the Warriors fall at the final hurdle for the second consecutive year, beaten emphatically, this time by Bradford, with Aussie-cum-Irish international Michael Withers blazing over for a hat-trick. The Bulls were not able to complete the double however with St. Helens lifting the famous old cup in the first ever Challenge Cup final to be held on enemy soil at Twickenham.
New Wembley was still like 6 years away but the RFL ceased the opportunity to take the final on the road and showcase the sport to new audiences. Following the success of the Murrayfield and Twickenham finals, the Challenge Cup was taken to Wales and the recently completed Millennium Stadium. The final remained in Cardiff for 3 years before a one-year stop back at Twickenham in 2006. The closure of old Wembley had presented a challenge to the sport's oldest competition, one that it passed with flying colours.
Featured Player: Austin Buchanan
Profile
DATE OF BIRTH: 22nd May 1984
POSITION: Winger
CLUBS: Leeds Rhinos (academy), London Broncos, York City Knights, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Dewsbury Rams.
"I want to get back in to Super League, I think I'm good enough". That's the ambition of Rams winger Austin Buchanan who, at 25, clearly believes his best years are still to come. The former Rhinos academy starlet, currently on the rehabilitation trail following knee surgery, does have experience at the top level, scoring 4 tries in 12 Super League appearances - first with London Broncos and then at Wakefield.
"It's the speed of the game that's hard to adjust to" admits Buchanan, who is now in his third season with Dewsbury after joining in 2007, following a prolific try-scoring spell with York City Knights.
Austin's brother Jamie Jones-Buchanan is the trail blazer within the family, having won 4 super league titles with Leeds and international honours with England and Great Britain. Younger sibling Jodie Broughton who, like Austin, plays on the wing, is one of many emerging names within the sport. The 22-year-old impressed whilst on loan at Hull last season and has earned a contract with Salford for 2010.
Buchanan counts the likes of Ryan Bailey and Chev Walker as friends, players who he grew up with as a schoolboy in Leeds. It's thanks to Bailey and Walker that Austin took up rugby league after initially showing promise as a soccer player. He was snapped up as a 17 year old by Leeds Rhinos before moving on to London who gave him his first taste of Super League in 2003
Austin's short term goal, naturally, is to get back on the field and scoring tries as soon as possible. Recovery is ahead of schedule and he hopes to be back in action for the Rams in May. Although, he admits the side will find it difficult to top last season - The Rams won every league game in 2009, winning Championship 1 at a canter and sealing an immediate return to the Championship.
"I don't think there are going to many teams that'll do what we did last year, it's going to stand out in history". The last team to do have completed such a feat was Hull over 30 years ago, although the NFP title winning Huddersfield side of 2002 came close, drawing just one match.
Dewsbury's last season at this level ended in relegation after the side recorded just 2 league wins. Buchanan is optimistic about the Rams' prospects this time around though.
"A lot of people would say survival is the aim for 2010, but we've got the belief we can do a bit better than that".
Super League ambitions aside, Austin is clearly enjoying his time at the Tetley's Stadium and had the dubious honour of catering for his team-mates at the club's gruelling pre-season camp last month.
"After the flogging they got, they'd have eaten anything!" joked Austin, who attracted comparisons from his team-mates with Ainsley Harriot!
"It's a tough camp but I'd have definitely preferred to be doing it than watching so I tried to get involved as much as I could".
Buchanan is easing his way back in to full-training but will be watching from the sidelines when the Rams' Northern Rail Cup campaign gets under way at home to London in just under three weeks time.
Click below for Buchanan's career stats:
DATE OF BIRTH: 22nd May 1984
POSITION: Winger
CLUBS: Leeds Rhinos (academy), London Broncos, York City Knights, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Dewsbury Rams.
"I want to get back in to Super League, I think I'm good enough". That's the ambition of Rams winger Austin Buchanan who, at 25, clearly believes his best years are still to come. The former Rhinos academy starlet, currently on the rehabilitation trail following knee surgery, does have experience at the top level, scoring 4 tries in 12 Super League appearances - first with London Broncos and then at Wakefield.
"It's the speed of the game that's hard to adjust to" admits Buchanan, who is now in his third season with Dewsbury after joining in 2007, following a prolific try-scoring spell with York City Knights.
Austin's brother Jamie Jones-Buchanan is the trail blazer within the family, having won 4 super league titles with Leeds and international honours with England and Great Britain. Younger sibling Jodie Broughton who, like Austin, plays on the wing, is one of many emerging names within the sport. The 22-year-old impressed whilst on loan at Hull last season and has earned a contract with Salford for 2010.
Buchanan counts the likes of Ryan Bailey and Chev Walker as friends, players who he grew up with as a schoolboy in Leeds. It's thanks to Bailey and Walker that Austin took up rugby league after initially showing promise as a soccer player. He was snapped up as a 17 year old by Leeds Rhinos before moving on to London who gave him his first taste of Super League in 2003
Austin's short term goal, naturally, is to get back on the field and scoring tries as soon as possible. Recovery is ahead of schedule and he hopes to be back in action for the Rams in May. Although, he admits the side will find it difficult to top last season - The Rams won every league game in 2009, winning Championship 1 at a canter and sealing an immediate return to the Championship.
"I don't think there are going to many teams that'll do what we did last year, it's going to stand out in history". The last team to do have completed such a feat was Hull over 30 years ago, although the NFP title winning Huddersfield side of 2002 came close, drawing just one match.
Dewsbury's last season at this level ended in relegation after the side recorded just 2 league wins. Buchanan is optimistic about the Rams' prospects this time around though.
"A lot of people would say survival is the aim for 2010, but we've got the belief we can do a bit better than that".
Super League ambitions aside, Austin is clearly enjoying his time at the Tetley's Stadium and had the dubious honour of catering for his team-mates at the club's gruelling pre-season camp last month.
"After the flogging they got, they'd have eaten anything!" joked Austin, who attracted comparisons from his team-mates with Ainsley Harriot!
"It's a tough camp but I'd have definitely preferred to be doing it than watching so I tried to get involved as much as I could".
Buchanan is easing his way back in to full-training but will be watching from the sidelines when the Rams' Northern Rail Cup campaign gets under way at home to London in just under three weeks time.
Click below for Buchanan's career stats:
Saturday 9 January 2010
INTERVIEW: Dewsbury Rams Winger Austin Buchanan
On Friday I spoke with Dewsbury Rams winger Austin Buchanan about when we can hope to see him back on the field, what his hopes for the side in 2010 are and what life as a semi-pro rugby league player is like.
Click here to listen.
Exerts from this interview were used by BBC Radio Leeds during the sports bulletins three days later.
Click here to listen.
Exerts from this interview were used by BBC Radio Leeds during the sports bulletins three days later.
A Religion and a Town (Part 2)
Liverpudlian solicitor W.H.Quilliam converted to Islam in 1887 after returning from a trip to Morocco. He was made Shaykh al-Islam for the United Kingdom by the Sultan of the Ottoman empire and converted roughly 150 British people to the faith. There is earlier evidence of an Islamic presence in the UK and whilst this particular chapter of history is not directly linked to the Muslims of Dewsbury, I feel it's important to recognise that the migrancy trend of the mid-twentieth century is not the first example of South Asian culture in England.
The vast majority of the Muslims who arrived in Dewsbury in the 1950s, 60s and 70s were Sunni Muslims. The Deobandi-Tablighi Muslims arrived from the Punjabi region of India, whilst the Barelwi are originally from Pakistan and Bangladesh. The differences between the two groups within Islam are established but largely irrelevant in the modern day and based primarily on geography. Much of the modern symptoms of confict between the two sides is little more than ‘mud slinging’ between elder members, passing judgement on the cultural traits and habits of each other.
The first significant example of tension between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities came in 1978. A decaying building had been purchased by a group of local Muslims and converted in to a Mosque. Opposite the Dar Ul Ilm, however, stood The Albion, a well established pub. One early evening, a pig's head was thrown through the mosque door and into the presence of the people assembled inside. 'The siege of the Albion' was the first manifestation of the underlying tension and resentment felt by the indigenous population towards their newly settled neighbours. What followed was a confrontation between the two sides. On one was alcohol fuelled disdain and on the other, a religion just finding its feet. The aftermath would see a slight swell in support for the National Front but also resistance to this act in the form of a protest organised by students, both Muslim and non-Muslim, at Dewsbury College.
The jobs that the Muslims did during the 60s, 70s and 80s a were predominantly the ones that were not being filled by the indigenous population. Many left skilled employment in their home countries to take up unskilled jobs in the UK. Clearly, the citizens of the south Asia saw a greater quality of life for their families and children in western Europe. Muslims practicing their religion at this time did so the humble form of a prayer mat in their bedrooms. As the number of Muslims in Dewsbury grew though, there was enough concentrated support in areas like Savile Town and Ravensthorpe for the first Mosques to be built. As we have seen, the first attempt at this was met with hostility but that didn't alter the fact that progress had been made and the followers of Islam in Dewsbury had somewhere to congrergate and practice their faith.
In 1982, the Markazi Mosque was established in Savile Town. It can accommodate 4,000 worshippers and is the European headquarters for the Islamic organisation Tablighi Jamaat, a movement centred around the Deobandi tradition. Coverage of the organisation in the national press alleges links with terrorism and, in particular, Wahabism (the central Islamic ideology of Saudi Arabia) which is acknowledged by British Muslims and non-Muslims alike as a dangerous and warped interpretation of the Muslim faith. The organisation defends against accusations of this nature, stating that it is a spiritual organisation with the aim of uniting Muslims around the world spiritually.
1987 saw a further sign of defiance from the white European population against what they saw as 'enforced multi-racialism'. During the school summer holidays of that year, 26 children were withdrawn from the application process for their new school. Their parents refusing to allow their children to attend a school whose intake was now overwhelmingly Muslim. What resulted was the 26 kids at the centre of the row receiving school lessons in a local pub, ironically now a madrassa, from sympathetic retired teachers.
The accusation leveled at the council from the parents was that they were attempting to artificially redress the racial imbalance in the school. This was denied strongly by the council. The fact of the matter was, however, that the parents of these children weren't prepared to send their children to a school attended by a large percentage of Muslims.
By now, the presence of Islam in Dewsbury was apparent not only by the Muslim people but also by the specialist shops, tcurry houses, madrassas and mosques that had sprung up around the town. Of these shops, the most prominent was, and still is, Mullaco. Salim Mulla opened his first shop in Savile Town in 1981, it sold halal meat and other asian products that the local Muslim population found hard to come by in England.
The shop still exists today but the bulk of the operation has been moved to a large stock warehouse and a newly opened Supermarket in Thornhill Lees. The sign on the building, previously occupied by Kwik Save proudly states "Mullaco of Dewsbury" and Mulla's business competes admirably with nearby supermarket giants Asda, Lidl, Netto, Tesco and Sainsbury. Mullaco's strength is in the specialist product it offers but, where previously it attracted a clientele made up primarily of local Muslims, much of it's custom now comes in the form of curry fanatics, both Muslim and non-Muslim from all over West Yorkshire.
Of course, there are dozens of other shops and mini-markets around Dewsbury run by Muslims selling anything from Carling lager and con-doms to parathas and henna. One of the larger companies operating here is Appna. Appna is not a local firm but sells a similar range of asian ingredients and foods from a large retail unit on the outskirts of the town centre. Many of the businesses operating within the town centre and on the market are run by Muslims - these include shops selling traditional clothing, Bollywood DVDs, jewelery, gifts and western fashion.
The entrepreneurship of the Asian shopkeepers led to a fundamental shift in how the neighbourhood store was run. For the first time, local shops, albeit with reduced hours, would remain open on a Sunday. The view held by the English shopkeepers was that Sunday is traditionally a day of rest but this a sentiment not recognised by followers of Islam. Nevertheless, the non-Muslims of Dewsbury and indeed the rest of the country took advantage of the stores' extended opening hours and these days the practice of opening for long hours and on Sundays has been adopted by shops, large and small, around the UK.
In 1989, what is remembered by some as a race riot took place in Dewsbury. The confrontation was a result of a clash between Asian youths and BNP supporters. The BNP had organised a "rights for whites" march and attempted to continue activity in Savile Town, well aware of the fact that Savile Town was a predominantly Asian community. There were met by Asian youths and the violent conflict that followed was dealt with by Police.
As the Islamic population of Dewsbury grew, the ethnic make-up of some of Dewsbury's sub-districts began to change. The overwhelming majority of Muslims arriving in the town found homes in close proximity to one another. This resulted in Savile Town becoming an area where over 95% of the residents are Muslim. High concentrations of Muslim households also appear in parts of Thornhill and Ravensthorpe.
The decline of employment in the mills, and of the mills themselves, meant that it was less of a necessity for the people of Dewsbury to live in the ageing, cramped neighbourhoods built originally for workers. This mass upheaval left homes empty and, with council houses unavailable to migrants, the white working class community was gradually replaced by the Muslim community. The houses the Muslims moved into were cheap and, due to their close proximity with one another, a new community was quickly established.
Islam was slowly developing a presence in Dewsbury. internationally however, the religion was becoming entrenched in a battle between the oil rich states of the middle east and the neo-imperialist west, this conflict landed on the town's doorstep on July 7th 2005, when Mohammed Siddique Kahn, who lived and worked in the town, led a group of 4 radicalised Muslims in an attack on a London underground train and a bus in an act of terrorism, blowing themselves up and killing 52. Naturally, an incident of this magnitude shocked the world and many in Dewsbury who'd worked hard to bring communities together were fearful of the impact it would have on relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims in the town. The men who carried out these atrocities claimed to be acting on behalf of Islam as well as in protest against "Injustices perpetrated by the British against Muslims across the world". Kahn, a "quiet" teaching assistant in Thornhill left behind him a wife and child who were forced into hiding following these events*.
Later that year, in November, news broke of the sale and free availability of DVDs and video cassettes promoting terrorism and opposing integration outside the Markazi Mosque - a story which put Dewsbury in the national news again. Thankfully, vigilant residents, who purchased the offending material under the impression it featured prayer citations, informed the police.
Less than 12 months later though, the town became the home of the youngest ever terrorist suspect. Hammaad Munshi, then 16, was returning home following a GCSE exam when he was arrested on suspicion of posessing material linked with an online terrorist network. It emerged that Munshi, whose grandfather is one of the town's religious leaders, had been groomed by two other men, both 21 and of Bradford, Aaabid Kahn and Sultan Muhammad. All three men were sentenced to imprisonment.
2006 saw teaching assistant Aisha Azmi sacked from her job at Headfield Church of England School for refusing to remove her veil. This was a story that captured the attention of the country and the name 'Dewsbury' was once again on the lips of every journalist in England. The school claimed that, whilst ever she wore the veil, which left only her eyes visible, the children could not understand her. The decision went to the Employment Appeals Tribunal which found in favour of the school and Kirklees council, albeit with Ms. Azmi receiving "victimisation" compensation of £1,100, in what many consider to be a "trade-off" to end the saga quickly.
By now the media, and particularly newspapers like the Daily Mail and Express, saw Dewsbury as a reservoir filled with newspaper selling stories of religious turbulence and Islamic 'colonisation'. When the big stories dried up however, efforts were made to find controversy at any cost. This would ultimately result in a story claiming that NHS nurses were being forced to pander to the wishes of Muslim patients and carry out duties including providing fresh bathing water and turning beds towards Makkah five times a day. The story, carried in the Daily Express, was challenged by Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik and it emerged that the wishes of Muslims were only fulfilled if they were terminally ill and close to death.
Another example came earlier that year, a story also published in the Daily Express, this time expressing its outrage at a Sharia Court operating "above British law" in Dewsbury. The article told of the "wail of the Mosque signalling the end of British justice". The 'court' is based at a former pub, which perhaps helped to fan the flames of sensationalism even more furiously. The reality of the matter was, and remains, that the Sharee council which operated from within the building welcomed local Muslims who wished to settle civil disputes such as martial seperation, child custody issues and other civil squabbles in a manner morally compliant with Islam. It has no jurisdiction over British law and instead provides an alternative to often lengthy and expensive court battles. Despite there being very little factual substance to these stories, the influence they can have on non-Muslims living amongst or alongside Muslims and, subsequently, the detrimental effect they have on community cohesion should not be overlooked.
As stated, the MP for Dewsbury and Mirfield is Burnley born Muslim Shahid Malik, a member of the Labour party. He was elected representative of the constituency in 2005 with 41% of the vote. As we have seen, Mr. Malik has been quick to defend the town when it has received the wrong sort of media attention but has himself attracted negative media attention, particularly from local newspaper 'The Press', the MP even took the newspaper to court in 2005 over letters the paper published which alleged that one of his campaign team had racially intimidated a rival election candidate. The case was settled out of court but Malik's rough ride with the that particular newspaper continues. Shahid is also the Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice making him the first Muslim to be made a minister under any British government.
Malik's closest rival for the Dewsbury seat in the general election of four years ago was Sayeeda Warsi. Despite missing out by 12% of the vote, Warsi has since risen through the ranks of the Conservative party to become Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion. Sayeeda was born and brought up in Dewsbury, attending Birkdale High School, and was the first Muslim woman selected to represent the Conservative party in a parliamentary election. In 2007, she was made a working a peer, becoming Baroness Sayeeda Warsi of Dewsbury as well as the youngest member of the House of Lords.
The vast majority of the Muslims who arrived in Dewsbury in the 1950s, 60s and 70s were Sunni Muslims. The Deobandi-Tablighi Muslims arrived from the Punjabi region of India, whilst the Barelwi are originally from Pakistan and Bangladesh. The differences between the two groups within Islam are established but largely irrelevant in the modern day and based primarily on geography. Much of the modern symptoms of confict between the two sides is little more than ‘mud slinging’ between elder members, passing judgement on the cultural traits and habits of each other.
The first significant example of tension between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities came in 1978. A decaying building had been purchased by a group of local Muslims and converted in to a Mosque. Opposite the Dar Ul Ilm, however, stood The Albion, a well established pub. One early evening, a pig's head was thrown through the mosque door and into the presence of the people assembled inside. 'The siege of the Albion' was the first manifestation of the underlying tension and resentment felt by the indigenous population towards their newly settled neighbours. What followed was a confrontation between the two sides. On one was alcohol fuelled disdain and on the other, a religion just finding its feet. The aftermath would see a slight swell in support for the National Front but also resistance to this act in the form of a protest organised by students, both Muslim and non-Muslim, at Dewsbury College.
The jobs that the Muslims did during the 60s, 70s and 80s a were predominantly the ones that were not being filled by the indigenous population. Many left skilled employment in their home countries to take up unskilled jobs in the UK. Clearly, the citizens of the south Asia saw a greater quality of life for their families and children in western Europe. Muslims practicing their religion at this time did so the humble form of a prayer mat in their bedrooms. As the number of Muslims in Dewsbury grew though, there was enough concentrated support in areas like Savile Town and Ravensthorpe for the first Mosques to be built. As we have seen, the first attempt at this was met with hostility but that didn't alter the fact that progress had been made and the followers of Islam in Dewsbury had somewhere to congrergate and practice their faith.
In 1982, the Markazi Mosque was established in Savile Town. It can accommodate 4,000 worshippers and is the European headquarters for the Islamic organisation Tablighi Jamaat, a movement centred around the Deobandi tradition. Coverage of the organisation in the national press alleges links with terrorism and, in particular, Wahabism (the central Islamic ideology of Saudi Arabia) which is acknowledged by British Muslims and non-Muslims alike as a dangerous and warped interpretation of the Muslim faith. The organisation defends against accusations of this nature, stating that it is a spiritual organisation with the aim of uniting Muslims around the world spiritually.
1987 saw a further sign of defiance from the white European population against what they saw as 'enforced multi-racialism'. During the school summer holidays of that year, 26 children were withdrawn from the application process for their new school. Their parents refusing to allow their children to attend a school whose intake was now overwhelmingly Muslim. What resulted was the 26 kids at the centre of the row receiving school lessons in a local pub, ironically now a madrassa, from sympathetic retired teachers.
The accusation leveled at the council from the parents was that they were attempting to artificially redress the racial imbalance in the school. This was denied strongly by the council. The fact of the matter was, however, that the parents of these children weren't prepared to send their children to a school attended by a large percentage of Muslims.
By now, the presence of Islam in Dewsbury was apparent not only by the Muslim people but also by the specialist shops, tcurry houses, madrassas and mosques that had sprung up around the town. Of these shops, the most prominent was, and still is, Mullaco. Salim Mulla opened his first shop in Savile Town in 1981, it sold halal meat and other asian products that the local Muslim population found hard to come by in England.
The shop still exists today but the bulk of the operation has been moved to a large stock warehouse and a newly opened Supermarket in Thornhill Lees. The sign on the building, previously occupied by Kwik Save proudly states "Mullaco of Dewsbury" and Mulla's business competes admirably with nearby supermarket giants Asda, Lidl, Netto, Tesco and Sainsbury. Mullaco's strength is in the specialist product it offers but, where previously it attracted a clientele made up primarily of local Muslims, much of it's custom now comes in the form of curry fanatics, both Muslim and non-Muslim from all over West Yorkshire.
Of course, there are dozens of other shops and mini-markets around Dewsbury run by Muslims selling anything from Carling lager and con-doms to parathas and henna. One of the larger companies operating here is Appna. Appna is not a local firm but sells a similar range of asian ingredients and foods from a large retail unit on the outskirts of the town centre. Many of the businesses operating within the town centre and on the market are run by Muslims - these include shops selling traditional clothing, Bollywood DVDs, jewelery, gifts and western fashion.
The entrepreneurship of the Asian shopkeepers led to a fundamental shift in how the neighbourhood store was run. For the first time, local shops, albeit with reduced hours, would remain open on a Sunday. The view held by the English shopkeepers was that Sunday is traditionally a day of rest but this a sentiment not recognised by followers of Islam. Nevertheless, the non-Muslims of Dewsbury and indeed the rest of the country took advantage of the stores' extended opening hours and these days the practice of opening for long hours and on Sundays has been adopted by shops, large and small, around the UK.
In 1989, what is remembered by some as a race riot took place in Dewsbury. The confrontation was a result of a clash between Asian youths and BNP supporters. The BNP had organised a "rights for whites" march and attempted to continue activity in Savile Town, well aware of the fact that Savile Town was a predominantly Asian community. There were met by Asian youths and the violent conflict that followed was dealt with by Police.
As the Islamic population of Dewsbury grew, the ethnic make-up of some of Dewsbury's sub-districts began to change. The overwhelming majority of Muslims arriving in the town found homes in close proximity to one another. This resulted in Savile Town becoming an area where over 95% of the residents are Muslim. High concentrations of Muslim households also appear in parts of Thornhill and Ravensthorpe.
The decline of employment in the mills, and of the mills themselves, meant that it was less of a necessity for the people of Dewsbury to live in the ageing, cramped neighbourhoods built originally for workers. This mass upheaval left homes empty and, with council houses unavailable to migrants, the white working class community was gradually replaced by the Muslim community. The houses the Muslims moved into were cheap and, due to their close proximity with one another, a new community was quickly established.
Islam was slowly developing a presence in Dewsbury. internationally however, the religion was becoming entrenched in a battle between the oil rich states of the middle east and the neo-imperialist west, this conflict landed on the town's doorstep on July 7th 2005, when Mohammed Siddique Kahn, who lived and worked in the town, led a group of 4 radicalised Muslims in an attack on a London underground train and a bus in an act of terrorism, blowing themselves up and killing 52. Naturally, an incident of this magnitude shocked the world and many in Dewsbury who'd worked hard to bring communities together were fearful of the impact it would have on relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims in the town. The men who carried out these atrocities claimed to be acting on behalf of Islam as well as in protest against "Injustices perpetrated by the British against Muslims across the world". Kahn, a "quiet" teaching assistant in Thornhill left behind him a wife and child who were forced into hiding following these events*.
Later that year, in November, news broke of the sale and free availability of DVDs and video cassettes promoting terrorism and opposing integration outside the Markazi Mosque - a story which put Dewsbury in the national news again. Thankfully, vigilant residents, who purchased the offending material under the impression it featured prayer citations, informed the police.
Less than 12 months later though, the town became the home of the youngest ever terrorist suspect. Hammaad Munshi, then 16, was returning home following a GCSE exam when he was arrested on suspicion of posessing material linked with an online terrorist network. It emerged that Munshi, whose grandfather is one of the town's religious leaders, had been groomed by two other men, both 21 and of Bradford, Aaabid Kahn and Sultan Muhammad. All three men were sentenced to imprisonment.
2006 saw teaching assistant Aisha Azmi sacked from her job at Headfield Church of England School for refusing to remove her veil. This was a story that captured the attention of the country and the name 'Dewsbury' was once again on the lips of every journalist in England. The school claimed that, whilst ever she wore the veil, which left only her eyes visible, the children could not understand her. The decision went to the Employment Appeals Tribunal which found in favour of the school and Kirklees council, albeit with Ms. Azmi receiving "victimisation" compensation of £1,100, in what many consider to be a "trade-off" to end the saga quickly.
By now the media, and particularly newspapers like the Daily Mail and Express, saw Dewsbury as a reservoir filled with newspaper selling stories of religious turbulence and Islamic 'colonisation'. When the big stories dried up however, efforts were made to find controversy at any cost. This would ultimately result in a story claiming that NHS nurses were being forced to pander to the wishes of Muslim patients and carry out duties including providing fresh bathing water and turning beds towards Makkah five times a day. The story, carried in the Daily Express, was challenged by Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik and it emerged that the wishes of Muslims were only fulfilled if they were terminally ill and close to death.
Another example came earlier that year, a story also published in the Daily Express, this time expressing its outrage at a Sharia Court operating "above British law" in Dewsbury. The article told of the "wail of the Mosque signalling the end of British justice". The 'court' is based at a former pub, which perhaps helped to fan the flames of sensationalism even more furiously. The reality of the matter was, and remains, that the Sharee council which operated from within the building welcomed local Muslims who wished to settle civil disputes such as martial seperation, child custody issues and other civil squabbles in a manner morally compliant with Islam. It has no jurisdiction over British law and instead provides an alternative to often lengthy and expensive court battles. Despite there being very little factual substance to these stories, the influence they can have on non-Muslims living amongst or alongside Muslims and, subsequently, the detrimental effect they have on community cohesion should not be overlooked.
As stated, the MP for Dewsbury and Mirfield is Burnley born Muslim Shahid Malik, a member of the Labour party. He was elected representative of the constituency in 2005 with 41% of the vote. As we have seen, Mr. Malik has been quick to defend the town when it has received the wrong sort of media attention but has himself attracted negative media attention, particularly from local newspaper 'The Press', the MP even took the newspaper to court in 2005 over letters the paper published which alleged that one of his campaign team had racially intimidated a rival election candidate. The case was settled out of court but Malik's rough ride with the that particular newspaper continues. Shahid is also the Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice making him the first Muslim to be made a minister under any British government.
Malik's closest rival for the Dewsbury seat in the general election of four years ago was Sayeeda Warsi. Despite missing out by 12% of the vote, Warsi has since risen through the ranks of the Conservative party to become Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion. Sayeeda was born and brought up in Dewsbury, attending Birkdale High School, and was the first Muslim woman selected to represent the Conservative party in a parliamentary election. In 2007, she was made a working a peer, becoming Baroness Sayeeda Warsi of Dewsbury as well as the youngest member of the House of Lords.
Friday 8 January 2010
The Super League Revolution (Part 2)
1997 was also the year of the World Club Championship. It involved all twelve European Super League clubs and all ten Australian Super League clubs, with matches taking place in both hemispheres. No European teams made it past the quarter finals, illustrating the gulf between the two competitions and, such was the format of the championship, the Bulls managed to qualify for the second stage despite losing every match in the group round. Brisbane eventually lifted the cup, triumphing over Hunter Mariners in front of 12,000 people. The concept has not been repeated since and is generally regarded as an over ambitious and poorly executed idea.
Back in Britain, the Super League was still pulling in the crowds with the Bulls, Rhinos and Warriors regularly topping the 10,000 mark at home games. The 1998 season was also the year of the inaugural Super League Grand Final, which took place at Old Trafford. Leeds and Wigan emerged from the end of season play-off series as finalists, with Andy Farrell guiding his Warriors side to a second Super League title in three years. It was the first time in 25 years that domestic honours would be decided through a play-off and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
1998 was also the season of the greatest shock in Challenge Cup history. In old Wembley's penultimate final, Mark Aston's Sheffield Eagles stood in the way of Wigan's 17th Challenge Cup victory. The rank outsiders from South Yorkshire were not given a sniff by bookmakers with the in-form Warriors expected to record a comfortable win. John Kear's men, led around the park by Mark Aston, had other ideas though. Tries from Nick Pinkney, Matt Crowther and Darren 'Rocky' Turner were enough to give Sheffield a 17-8 win and bring the famous old cup to the Steel City. Ironically, the Eagles faced Wigan in their next league home game and the visitors romped home 36-6 victors, a scoreline many had predicted seven days earlier!
With Paris St. Germain's appearance in the opening seasons of summer rugby now a fading memory, the RFL sought to break new ground at the turn of the millennium with the founding of a new team based in the North East. Gateshead Thunder, playing out of the city's Athletics Stadium, fielded a side made up predominantly of Australian veterans and Super League journeymen. They finished 6th in their first, and what would prove to be their final season in Super League - they were subsequently 'swallowed' by cash-strapped Hull Sharks. We hadn't seen the last of their iconic mascot Captain Thunder though!
Trophy honours in 1999 went to the Rhinos and the Saints. At Wembley, Leroy Rivett's four tries in the last ever cup final at the famous old stadium helped his side to an emphatic victory over London Broncos. The Broncos had broken the hearts of Castleford fans in the semi-final with a last gasp victory over the Tigers at Headingley. St. Helens triumphed in Super League's second grand final with over 50,000 packing into Old Trafford. The event was growing in stature by the season and would continue to do so for years to come. A solitary Iro try and two Sean Long kicks were enough to win the day for Saints and bring the curtain down on a stormy year at Knowsley Road, during which coach Ellery Hanley was suspended by the club following an internal dispute.
The sun set on the 20th century with Rugby League in a healthier state domestically than ever. Great Britain and England still toiled without success on the international scene but the country's elite division had never looked stronger - on or off the pitch.
Back in Britain, the Super League was still pulling in the crowds with the Bulls, Rhinos and Warriors regularly topping the 10,000 mark at home games. The 1998 season was also the year of the inaugural Super League Grand Final, which took place at Old Trafford. Leeds and Wigan emerged from the end of season play-off series as finalists, with Andy Farrell guiding his Warriors side to a second Super League title in three years. It was the first time in 25 years that domestic honours would be decided through a play-off and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
1998 was also the season of the greatest shock in Challenge Cup history. In old Wembley's penultimate final, Mark Aston's Sheffield Eagles stood in the way of Wigan's 17th Challenge Cup victory. The rank outsiders from South Yorkshire were not given a sniff by bookmakers with the in-form Warriors expected to record a comfortable win. John Kear's men, led around the park by Mark Aston, had other ideas though. Tries from Nick Pinkney, Matt Crowther and Darren 'Rocky' Turner were enough to give Sheffield a 17-8 win and bring the famous old cup to the Steel City. Ironically, the Eagles faced Wigan in their next league home game and the visitors romped home 36-6 victors, a scoreline many had predicted seven days earlier!
With Paris St. Germain's appearance in the opening seasons of summer rugby now a fading memory, the RFL sought to break new ground at the turn of the millennium with the founding of a new team based in the North East. Gateshead Thunder, playing out of the city's Athletics Stadium, fielded a side made up predominantly of Australian veterans and Super League journeymen. They finished 6th in their first, and what would prove to be their final season in Super League - they were subsequently 'swallowed' by cash-strapped Hull Sharks. We hadn't seen the last of their iconic mascot Captain Thunder though!
Trophy honours in 1999 went to the Rhinos and the Saints. At Wembley, Leroy Rivett's four tries in the last ever cup final at the famous old stadium helped his side to an emphatic victory over London Broncos. The Broncos had broken the hearts of Castleford fans in the semi-final with a last gasp victory over the Tigers at Headingley. St. Helens triumphed in Super League's second grand final with over 50,000 packing into Old Trafford. The event was growing in stature by the season and would continue to do so for years to come. A solitary Iro try and two Sean Long kicks were enough to win the day for Saints and bring the curtain down on a stormy year at Knowsley Road, during which coach Ellery Hanley was suspended by the club following an internal dispute.
The sun set on the 20th century with Rugby League in a healthier state domestically than ever. Great Britain and England still toiled without success on the international scene but the country's elite division had never looked stronger - on or off the pitch.
Thursday 7 January 2010
The best of 2009
For LastTackle.com:
Coach of the Year: Nathan Brown.
He’s made an impact at the Galpharm only matched in recent times by fellow-countryman Tony Smith. For the first time in decades, the Giants look capable of mounting a serious challenge for silverware.
Player of the Year: Brett Hodgson.
Like many before him, he arrived in the country with great things expected of him. Few have lived up to the hype as emphatically as the former Wests Tigers man though.
Young Player of the Year: Kyle Eastmond.
Many questioned the wisdom of allowing the tallismanic Sean Long to leave Knowsley Road. Question answered.
Club of the Year: Leeds Rhinos.
Three Super League grand final wins on the bounce, the Rhinos have re-written the history books and cemented their position as Britain’s premier rugby league team.
Team of the Year:
1. Brett Hodgson
2. Ryan Halll
3. George Carmont
4. Keith Senior
5. Peter Fox
6. Sam Tomkins
7. Kyle Eastmond
8. James Graham
9. Scott Moore
10. Adrian Morley
11. Ben Galea
12. Sam Burgess
13. Kevin Sinfield
Coach of the Year: Nathan Brown.
He’s made an impact at the Galpharm only matched in recent times by fellow-countryman Tony Smith. For the first time in decades, the Giants look capable of mounting a serious challenge for silverware.
Player of the Year: Brett Hodgson.
Like many before him, he arrived in the country with great things expected of him. Few have lived up to the hype as emphatically as the former Wests Tigers man though.
Young Player of the Year: Kyle Eastmond.
Many questioned the wisdom of allowing the tallismanic Sean Long to leave Knowsley Road. Question answered.
Club of the Year: Leeds Rhinos.
Three Super League grand final wins on the bounce, the Rhinos have re-written the history books and cemented their position as Britain’s premier rugby league team.
Team of the Year:
1. Brett Hodgson
2. Ryan Halll
3. George Carmont
4. Keith Senior
5. Peter Fox
6. Sam Tomkins
7. Kyle Eastmond
8. James Graham
9. Scott Moore
10. Adrian Morley
11. Ben Galea
12. Sam Burgess
13. Kevin Sinfield
A Religion and a Town (Part 1)
Part 1: A shoddy town
The town of Dewsbury has a population of 56,030, with the figure remaining steady over the last forty years. It sits on the trans-pennine rail link that travels between Newcastle and Manchester, a ten minute journey west takes citizens to Leeds, whilst to the East there is Huddersfield and, to the north, Bradford. Dewsbury's prominent location on within the rail network had traditionally been acknowledged as an important tool to attract trade and commece. Those who dwelled outside the town centre in one of the town's sub-districts would rarely have to venture more than a mile to pick up anything they needed. It's a memory shared by many across the country who grew up during the early to mid-twentieth century.
The town was founded on its manufacture of heavy woollen materials and was very much the centre of the nation's "shoddy" and fine "worsted" cloth industry. The hope and feeling was that this would continue to be the case and safeguard the future of Dewsbury. Forty years later, the onset of globalisation has well and truly put paid to this optimistic, yet perhaps understanable, prophecy. By 1968, a developing economy based around a number of new industrial fields would presumably steer towns like Dewsbury in the right direction. Predictably though, the international economic system within which the town, like every other in the western world, now resides uprooted the defining industries of the country's manufacturing centres and planted the seeds where labour was cheap and workers were less unionised.
The trains which brought visitors to Dewsbury now take workers and shoppers out. One of the defining symbols of 21st century Dewsbury, and the various other satellite towns of Leeds, Huddersfield and Bradford are the mill-conversion flats dotted within a mile radius of its railway station. The premises where the men and women once toiled at the loom to cement Dewsbury's reputation as one of the manufacturing capitals of Europe are now little more than sleeping quarters for white collar commuters.
The retail and leisure distractions of Huddersfield and Leeds would strangle the life out of the comparably meagre and humble offerings of Dewsbury. Most consider the final nail in the coffin within which Dewsbury as a retail destination now lies was hammered in by WalMart Stores, Inc. In 2002 it paid for the construction of an Asda supermarket which churns out clothes, televisions, CDs, DVDs, stationary, books, jewellry, mobile phones, home appliances and all manner of consumables at a price that the likes of Jack Senior's sweet shop and Gerald Lee's gent's outfitter could not get anywhere near. The rhythm may be bleak but it's the beat that the earners and spenders of Dewsbury all dance to.
The town is still famous for its market, with coach trips arriving from across the north of England for the second hand sellers on a Wednesday and almost 300 stalls which open on a Saturday. Major retailers like Marks & Spencer and Woolworths which were once considered part of the furniture in the town centre for decades have closed over the last couple of years along with a worrying amount of local retailers. Other household names including WH Smith and Argos do maintain a presence in the town centre against a retail backdrop which is, these days, dominated by discount stores, takeaway food outlets, cafes and the odd specialist hobby shop which fight through every month against the trend of dwindling trade.
Like many towns across the United Kingdom, much of the industrial, retail and residential regeneration has taken place on the outskirts. Matalan, JJB Sports, Next, Sainsbury's and Halford's occupy large units with ample car parking space whilst the aformentioned mill-conversion flats continue to sprout. Even further afield, on the border Dewsbury shares with Leeds, lies a recently built business park with over a dozen units occupied by national and international manufacturing and service corporations. Similar estates of a smaller scale have also sprung up on various plots of land dotted about the town previously occupied by the heavy woollen mills of the town's heyday. It is these units along with Asda and the town's biggest employer, Carlton Cards, which provide a large percentage of jobs in the town.
In the gap left by the shoddy and worsted cloth industry, there developed a new industry which today, despite not enjoying the same reputation as the woollen trade did, generates jobs and industry in the area. That field is bed manufacturing, a market spearheaded by the local Muslim population. Firms like Kozee Sleep and Highgate Beds have been established for over twenty years and are based in an area which has been aptly nicknamed "The Sleepy Valley".
This trend of trade and commerce being pulled away from the town centre has been apparent for some years now, the latest example being the construction of a shopping park in Ravensthorpe dominated by national discount chains which target the demographic of low-income families inhabiting the surrounding community. As mentioned, this is a pattern recognisable across the UK but with Dewsbury being within striking distance of Huddersfield and Leeds, the challenges it faces as a retail destination are greater than most.
One of the more postive aspects of the town's reputation comes in the form of its Rugby League tradition. In 1973, Dewsbury was the home of the best rugby league team in the country and, whilst the Rams, as they are now known, have yet to recapture this glory, the area remains a hotbed for the sport and a conveyer belt of talent churning out elite athletes and national stars. There are five well established clubs in the town, four of which have teams at almost every age group from seven years old upwards.
The town is divided into several regions. To the north there is Dewsbury Moor, Crackenedge and Staincliffe. To the east there is Eastborough, Chickenley, Shaw Cross and Hanging Heaton. South is Thornhill, Thornhill Lees, Savile Town and Whitley and west, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury Moor, Westtown and Scout Hill. Most of the residents of Ravensthorpe and Savile Town live in the Victorian terraced houses built around the mills of industrial Dewsbury whereas the population of the other suburban districts live in a combination of those terraces, c1960s semi-detached homes and the council estates built in the post-WWII years.
There are four high schools in Dewsbury: Earlsheaton, St. John Fisher, Thornhill, Westborough and Birkdale. All of which, are non-selective, and attract a cross section of students from across the town. The latter two, by virtue their location, are attended by a high percentage of students of Asian origin. The percentage of students achieveing at least 5 A*-C GCSEs (including English and Maths) at each respective school is 42%, 39%, 34%, 28% and 20%e. These figures compare less than favourably with the national average of 47.6%.
Dewsbury is divided into three constituency regions: Dewsbury West, Dewsbury South and Dewsbury East. Dewsbury South and Dewsbury West are home to the majority of town's Muslim population whilst Dewsbury East, somewhat isolated from the other residential districts is almost exclusively populated by the mostly religiously apathetic white Europeans.
Voter turnout at the last council elections in Dewsbury East was 40% (14th out of the 23 wards in Kirklees council area), In Dewsbury West it was 48% and 51% in Dewsbury East (The 2nd and highest voter turnout percentages overall). Dewsbury West is in Kirklees' highest population density category (31.6 - 41.2 persons per hectare) whilst East and South are placed in the 2nd and 3rd categories, out of four, with 21.9 to 31.6 and 12.2 to 21.9 persons per hectare respectively.
Whilst unemployment figures are difficult to calculate, the percentage of citizens claiming job seekers allowance (based on the median figures of each designated category) for Dewsbury East, South and West are 2.25%, 3.2% and 4.1% respectively. Just over a third of citizens in Dewsbury West and South receive council tax benefit while just over a quarter do in Dewsbury East. This compares starkly with nearby Mirfield where the figure is just 13.9%.
Dewsbury's infant mortality rate is more than double the national average, a statistic attributed to smoking and alcohol consumption whilst pregnant and the general ill health of the women carrying the baby. There are also links to this statistic with the conception of a child between first cousins. A child brought up in Dewsbury is also twice as likely, on average, to have rotten teeth as any other child in the country.
Politically, Dewsbury is hard to define. I have only ever lived to see a Labour MP representing the constituency of "Dewsbury and Mirfield". Ann Taylor was in parliament from from 1987 to 2005 before Burnley born Shahid Malik won enough votes to become the area's first Muslim MP. Dewsbury East, West and South are all represented by Labour councillors as well but the area is also recognised as a key region for the British National Party with Colin Auty elected councillor of Dewsbury East in 2006 before leaving the party two years later.
The ethnic and cultural make-up of the town has changed dramatically over the last few hundred years. In the early part of the nineteenth century, Dewsbury welcomed migrants from Ireland who came looking for work. They initially settled in the north west of the town before dispersing into the rest of the community over the next half century.
Later, during the 1950s, 60s and 70s, migrants from Southern Asia would arrive in the former industrial towns of England also looking for work. Like the Catholic Irish migrants who sought to create a microcosm of their homeland, the Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi Muslims, finding residence in the terraced houses of Ravensthorpe and Savile Town, would also bring aspects of their "old" life with them. Initially this took the humble form of a prayer mat in over crowded bedrooms but, as the Muslim community grew, it would lead to the foundation of mosques and madrassas, many of which exist in their original form today.
The town of Dewsbury has a population of 56,030, with the figure remaining steady over the last forty years. It sits on the trans-pennine rail link that travels between Newcastle and Manchester, a ten minute journey west takes citizens to Leeds, whilst to the East there is Huddersfield and, to the north, Bradford. Dewsbury's prominent location on within the rail network had traditionally been acknowledged as an important tool to attract trade and commece. Those who dwelled outside the town centre in one of the town's sub-districts would rarely have to venture more than a mile to pick up anything they needed. It's a memory shared by many across the country who grew up during the early to mid-twentieth century.
The town was founded on its manufacture of heavy woollen materials and was very much the centre of the nation's "shoddy" and fine "worsted" cloth industry. The hope and feeling was that this would continue to be the case and safeguard the future of Dewsbury. Forty years later, the onset of globalisation has well and truly put paid to this optimistic, yet perhaps understanable, prophecy. By 1968, a developing economy based around a number of new industrial fields would presumably steer towns like Dewsbury in the right direction. Predictably though, the international economic system within which the town, like every other in the western world, now resides uprooted the defining industries of the country's manufacturing centres and planted the seeds where labour was cheap and workers were less unionised.
The trains which brought visitors to Dewsbury now take workers and shoppers out. One of the defining symbols of 21st century Dewsbury, and the various other satellite towns of Leeds, Huddersfield and Bradford are the mill-conversion flats dotted within a mile radius of its railway station. The premises where the men and women once toiled at the loom to cement Dewsbury's reputation as one of the manufacturing capitals of Europe are now little more than sleeping quarters for white collar commuters.
The retail and leisure distractions of Huddersfield and Leeds would strangle the life out of the comparably meagre and humble offerings of Dewsbury. Most consider the final nail in the coffin within which Dewsbury as a retail destination now lies was hammered in by WalMart Stores, Inc. In 2002 it paid for the construction of an Asda supermarket which churns out clothes, televisions, CDs, DVDs, stationary, books, jewellry, mobile phones, home appliances and all manner of consumables at a price that the likes of Jack Senior's sweet shop and Gerald Lee's gent's outfitter could not get anywhere near. The rhythm may be bleak but it's the beat that the earners and spenders of Dewsbury all dance to.
The town is still famous for its market, with coach trips arriving from across the north of England for the second hand sellers on a Wednesday and almost 300 stalls which open on a Saturday. Major retailers like Marks & Spencer and Woolworths which were once considered part of the furniture in the town centre for decades have closed over the last couple of years along with a worrying amount of local retailers. Other household names including WH Smith and Argos do maintain a presence in the town centre against a retail backdrop which is, these days, dominated by discount stores, takeaway food outlets, cafes and the odd specialist hobby shop which fight through every month against the trend of dwindling trade.
Like many towns across the United Kingdom, much of the industrial, retail and residential regeneration has taken place on the outskirts. Matalan, JJB Sports, Next, Sainsbury's and Halford's occupy large units with ample car parking space whilst the aformentioned mill-conversion flats continue to sprout. Even further afield, on the border Dewsbury shares with Leeds, lies a recently built business park with over a dozen units occupied by national and international manufacturing and service corporations. Similar estates of a smaller scale have also sprung up on various plots of land dotted about the town previously occupied by the heavy woollen mills of the town's heyday. It is these units along with Asda and the town's biggest employer, Carlton Cards, which provide a large percentage of jobs in the town.
In the gap left by the shoddy and worsted cloth industry, there developed a new industry which today, despite not enjoying the same reputation as the woollen trade did, generates jobs and industry in the area. That field is bed manufacturing, a market spearheaded by the local Muslim population. Firms like Kozee Sleep and Highgate Beds have been established for over twenty years and are based in an area which has been aptly nicknamed "The Sleepy Valley".
This trend of trade and commerce being pulled away from the town centre has been apparent for some years now, the latest example being the construction of a shopping park in Ravensthorpe dominated by national discount chains which target the demographic of low-income families inhabiting the surrounding community. As mentioned, this is a pattern recognisable across the UK but with Dewsbury being within striking distance of Huddersfield and Leeds, the challenges it faces as a retail destination are greater than most.
One of the more postive aspects of the town's reputation comes in the form of its Rugby League tradition. In 1973, Dewsbury was the home of the best rugby league team in the country and, whilst the Rams, as they are now known, have yet to recapture this glory, the area remains a hotbed for the sport and a conveyer belt of talent churning out elite athletes and national stars. There are five well established clubs in the town, four of which have teams at almost every age group from seven years old upwards.
The town is divided into several regions. To the north there is Dewsbury Moor, Crackenedge and Staincliffe. To the east there is Eastborough, Chickenley, Shaw Cross and Hanging Heaton. South is Thornhill, Thornhill Lees, Savile Town and Whitley and west, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury Moor, Westtown and Scout Hill. Most of the residents of Ravensthorpe and Savile Town live in the Victorian terraced houses built around the mills of industrial Dewsbury whereas the population of the other suburban districts live in a combination of those terraces, c1960s semi-detached homes and the council estates built in the post-WWII years.
There are four high schools in Dewsbury: Earlsheaton, St. John Fisher, Thornhill, Westborough and Birkdale. All of which, are non-selective, and attract a cross section of students from across the town. The latter two, by virtue their location, are attended by a high percentage of students of Asian origin. The percentage of students achieveing at least 5 A*-C GCSEs (including English and Maths) at each respective school is 42%, 39%, 34%, 28% and 20%e. These figures compare less than favourably with the national average of 47.6%.
Dewsbury is divided into three constituency regions: Dewsbury West, Dewsbury South and Dewsbury East. Dewsbury South and Dewsbury West are home to the majority of town's Muslim population whilst Dewsbury East, somewhat isolated from the other residential districts is almost exclusively populated by the mostly religiously apathetic white Europeans.
Voter turnout at the last council elections in Dewsbury East was 40% (14th out of the 23 wards in Kirklees council area), In Dewsbury West it was 48% and 51% in Dewsbury East (The 2nd and highest voter turnout percentages overall). Dewsbury West is in Kirklees' highest population density category (31.6 - 41.2 persons per hectare) whilst East and South are placed in the 2nd and 3rd categories, out of four, with 21.9 to 31.6 and 12.2 to 21.9 persons per hectare respectively.
Whilst unemployment figures are difficult to calculate, the percentage of citizens claiming job seekers allowance (based on the median figures of each designated category) for Dewsbury East, South and West are 2.25%, 3.2% and 4.1% respectively. Just over a third of citizens in Dewsbury West and South receive council tax benefit while just over a quarter do in Dewsbury East. This compares starkly with nearby Mirfield where the figure is just 13.9%.
Dewsbury's infant mortality rate is more than double the national average, a statistic attributed to smoking and alcohol consumption whilst pregnant and the general ill health of the women carrying the baby. There are also links to this statistic with the conception of a child between first cousins. A child brought up in Dewsbury is also twice as likely, on average, to have rotten teeth as any other child in the country.
Politically, Dewsbury is hard to define. I have only ever lived to see a Labour MP representing the constituency of "Dewsbury and Mirfield". Ann Taylor was in parliament from from 1987 to 2005 before Burnley born Shahid Malik won enough votes to become the area's first Muslim MP. Dewsbury East, West and South are all represented by Labour councillors as well but the area is also recognised as a key region for the British National Party with Colin Auty elected councillor of Dewsbury East in 2006 before leaving the party two years later.
The ethnic and cultural make-up of the town has changed dramatically over the last few hundred years. In the early part of the nineteenth century, Dewsbury welcomed migrants from Ireland who came looking for work. They initially settled in the north west of the town before dispersing into the rest of the community over the next half century.
Later, during the 1950s, 60s and 70s, migrants from Southern Asia would arrive in the former industrial towns of England also looking for work. Like the Catholic Irish migrants who sought to create a microcosm of their homeland, the Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi Muslims, finding residence in the terraced houses of Ravensthorpe and Savile Town, would also bring aspects of their "old" life with them. Initially this took the humble form of a prayer mat in over crowded bedrooms but, as the Muslim community grew, it would lead to the foundation of mosques and madrassas, many of which exist in their original form today.
Wednesday 6 January 2010
The Super League Revolution (Part 1)
The turn of the century signalled the end of a decade which brought about a monumental shift in the sport’s direction. The 1990s will long be remembered in the game’s history as an era that oversaw the closing of one chapter and the opening of another, namely, the transition from winter to summer and the ditching of the Loiners, the Wire and Northern in favour of the Rhinos, the Wolves and the Bulls. Super League had arrived.
The advent of this new competition meant the sport left the 90s in a much healthier state than it had entered it. Crowds were up almost 50%, the standard of stadia had improved dramatically and Wigan’s trophy monopoly had been broken by the growing number of full-time professional clubs.
It wasn’t only the net increase in punters coming through our gates that the sport had to celebrate though, Bullmania and Cougarmania led the way in opening the sport up to a wider demographic than ever previously thought possible. For the first time in our great game’s history, women and children were now attending matches in their thousands and forcing clubs to re-evaluate their marketing philosophies or risk being left behind.
A stormy winter prior to the inaugural season of summer Super League had many long-standing supporters questioning the merits of Maurice Lindsay and News Corporation’s new competition. The famous Widnes club had been denied a place in the new division in favour of a new club from Paris and some of the sport’s other notable names like Salford, Swinton, Featherstone, Wakefield and Castleford were forced to contemplate merging with their local rivals to cement their future at the game’s highest level.
Sky Sports spearheaded many of these changes, hoping to create a more far-reaching competition and extinguish the tired image of Rugby League as a working man’s game played on the M62 corridor. There was talk of Scottish, Irish, Welsh and even Spanish clubs taking their place among the game’s more unfashionable and longer established sides which sparked feelings of excitement and outrage depending on who you spoke to.
It was one of the old guard that clinched the inaugural Super League trophy though with Wigan finishing top of the division on points. For the first time in eight years, however, the Challenge Cup had a new name on it. St. Helens triumphed over the exciting Bradford Bulls in a record breaking final with 72 points scored and a hat-trick for prodigal 19-year-old Kiwi Robbie Paul. His side may have lost but we had certainly not heard the last of Robbie and the Bulls.
Workington, hoped by many to provide a cornerstone from which Cumbrian rugby league could thrive, had a disastrous campaign, winning just two just two games all season. Their tired old ground and dwindling attendances did not fit in with the sport’s new vision and the men from Derwent Park were relegated.
The new Paris club, playing out of the famous old Charlety Stadium, competed admirably in their first ever season but ultimately finished 11th, one place above Workington. The highlight of the year was an inspirational win over Sheffield Eagles in front of over 17,000 people in what was the club’s first ever competitive match. Hope faded though and attendances dropped dramatically when the wins stopped coming. More worryingly, the smattering of Australian talent brought in to compliment and develop the French contingent now formed the backbone of the team. Just 500 people watched PSG host Salford the season after and the club was eventually wound up and is looked back on today as a major failure.
The plight of Paris and Wokington and the bleak picture it paints of the sport following its dramatic U-turn does not, however, tell the whole story.
Back in Bradford, business was booming. On the pitch, the Bulls had a side sweeping all before them, winning all but one Super League game to clinch the ’97 title at a canter. It was off the pitch though where the big changes were taking place. Bull-man and Bull-boy were moon-walking and quad-biking their way into young supporters’ hearts after ticket giveaways along with school and city-wide promotions had made the Odsal bowl the place to be on matchdays.
All around the Super League, half-time flasks of Bovril had been replaced with ice cold cans of beer and pop. Flags and banners were now a mainstay on the terrace and face-painted children with drums along with in-play brass bands had turned matches from a scrap in the freezing mud to a party the whole family were invited to.
The introduction of the ‘video ref’ to televised games had brought with it controversy, uncertainty and sensationalism. It was an instant hit. There are few things in modern sport that can match the excitement of ‘the square in the air’ with the outcome of a game resting on a decision flashed up on a ten-foot square monitor. Critics of the ‘big screen’ claim it delays the action unnecessarily and takes responsibility away from referees. What cannot be ignored though is the pageantry it brings and the talking points it creates – Those worried that this technology would sanitise the sport by removing all doubt were way off. The man in the television truck, it would appear, gets it wrong as often as the man on the pitch does, much to the delight of the commentary teams.
The advent of this new competition meant the sport left the 90s in a much healthier state than it had entered it. Crowds were up almost 50%, the standard of stadia had improved dramatically and Wigan’s trophy monopoly had been broken by the growing number of full-time professional clubs.
It wasn’t only the net increase in punters coming through our gates that the sport had to celebrate though, Bullmania and Cougarmania led the way in opening the sport up to a wider demographic than ever previously thought possible. For the first time in our great game’s history, women and children were now attending matches in their thousands and forcing clubs to re-evaluate their marketing philosophies or risk being left behind.
A stormy winter prior to the inaugural season of summer Super League had many long-standing supporters questioning the merits of Maurice Lindsay and News Corporation’s new competition. The famous Widnes club had been denied a place in the new division in favour of a new club from Paris and some of the sport’s other notable names like Salford, Swinton, Featherstone, Wakefield and Castleford were forced to contemplate merging with their local rivals to cement their future at the game’s highest level.
Sky Sports spearheaded many of these changes, hoping to create a more far-reaching competition and extinguish the tired image of Rugby League as a working man’s game played on the M62 corridor. There was talk of Scottish, Irish, Welsh and even Spanish clubs taking their place among the game’s more unfashionable and longer established sides which sparked feelings of excitement and outrage depending on who you spoke to.
It was one of the old guard that clinched the inaugural Super League trophy though with Wigan finishing top of the division on points. For the first time in eight years, however, the Challenge Cup had a new name on it. St. Helens triumphed over the exciting Bradford Bulls in a record breaking final with 72 points scored and a hat-trick for prodigal 19-year-old Kiwi Robbie Paul. His side may have lost but we had certainly not heard the last of Robbie and the Bulls.
Workington, hoped by many to provide a cornerstone from which Cumbrian rugby league could thrive, had a disastrous campaign, winning just two just two games all season. Their tired old ground and dwindling attendances did not fit in with the sport’s new vision and the men from Derwent Park were relegated.
The new Paris club, playing out of the famous old Charlety Stadium, competed admirably in their first ever season but ultimately finished 11th, one place above Workington. The highlight of the year was an inspirational win over Sheffield Eagles in front of over 17,000 people in what was the club’s first ever competitive match. Hope faded though and attendances dropped dramatically when the wins stopped coming. More worryingly, the smattering of Australian talent brought in to compliment and develop the French contingent now formed the backbone of the team. Just 500 people watched PSG host Salford the season after and the club was eventually wound up and is looked back on today as a major failure.
The plight of Paris and Wokington and the bleak picture it paints of the sport following its dramatic U-turn does not, however, tell the whole story.
Back in Bradford, business was booming. On the pitch, the Bulls had a side sweeping all before them, winning all but one Super League game to clinch the ’97 title at a canter. It was off the pitch though where the big changes were taking place. Bull-man and Bull-boy were moon-walking and quad-biking their way into young supporters’ hearts after ticket giveaways along with school and city-wide promotions had made the Odsal bowl the place to be on matchdays.
All around the Super League, half-time flasks of Bovril had been replaced with ice cold cans of beer and pop. Flags and banners were now a mainstay on the terrace and face-painted children with drums along with in-play brass bands had turned matches from a scrap in the freezing mud to a party the whole family were invited to.
The introduction of the ‘video ref’ to televised games had brought with it controversy, uncertainty and sensationalism. It was an instant hit. There are few things in modern sport that can match the excitement of ‘the square in the air’ with the outcome of a game resting on a decision flashed up on a ten-foot square monitor. Critics of the ‘big screen’ claim it delays the action unnecessarily and takes responsibility away from referees. What cannot be ignored though is the pageantry it brings and the talking points it creates – Those worried that this technology would sanitise the sport by removing all doubt were way off. The man in the television truck, it would appear, gets it wrong as often as the man on the pitch does, much to the delight of the commentary teams.
Monday 4 January 2010
02.01.10: INTERVIEW: Batley Bulldogs 40 - 12 Huddersfield Giants
Click here to listen to an interview I conducted on behalf of BBC Radio Leeds following Batley's 40-12 victory over the giants with Bulldogs coach Karl Harrison. The piece was used by the station during their afternoon sports bulletins two days later.
Sunday 3 January 2010
02.01.10: Batley Bulldogs 40 - 12 Huddersfield Giants
A clinical final quarter from the Bulldogs, during which they scored over a point a minute, gave the home side a comfortable pre-season victory over a young Giants squad littered with players who undoubtedly have a big future in the game.
It wasn't until the 62nd minute, when Lee Greenwood crossed for his first try in Batley colours, that the result was sealed. The former England international winger nipping in out wide following a sweeping move to give Batley breathing space for the first time.
The Bulldogs dominated the early exchanges and when Danny Maun powered up the slope and over the line with only two minutes played, it looked as though Giants assistant Paul Anderson and his young charges were in for a long afternoon.
Batley continued to pile on the pressure and a further score looked inevitable with centre Maun and his wing partner Johnny Campell looking dangerous every time the ball reached the left flank.
The visitors held the floodgates closed though and a superb try saving tackle from full-back Elliot Hodgson, who many will remember for his performance on debut for Huddersfield against St. Helens in Super League XIV, gave his team the confidence boost they needed to begin to ask questions of their hosts.
With time on the ball, the Giants were able to mount some pressure on the home side and, more importantly, turn that pressure in to points. 19 minutes in, Kieran Murphy nipped over next to the posts before Greg McNally, who was showing why he is so highly thought of in the game with some neat touches, added the extras. The visitors were up and running.
Both sides were then temporarily reduced to 12 men 5 minutes later following a scuffle on the half-way line. Alex Brown, ironically due to join the Bulldogs for the 2010 season on a dual-registration arrangement, took exception to a high-shot from his future team-mate Kris Lythe. The ensuing scuffle resulted in referee Jamie Leahy brandishing the yellow card to Brown and Batley's Ian Preece, who should probably count himself lucky not to have been dismissed, after running in to deliver some punches of his own.
It was Huddersfield who controlled the momentum of the game following the stoppage, taking the lead on 29 minutes. Joe Parkinson's probing runs from acting half were carrying his out-muscled side up field throughout the game and, when the defending markers were slow to their feet ten metres from their own line, the young hooker took advantage to crash over under the posts. This was after Greg McNally's clever cross-field grubber had forced the error deep in home territory and given the Giants possession.
Their lead lasted just three minutes however, when another Maun break and offload from just over half way sent winger Campbell racing up the touchline, stepping Elliot Hodgson and narrowing the angle for a great home score. Gareth Moore kicked the conversion to make it 12-12 and it looked as though it would remain that way going in to the interval.
The Bulldogs had other ideas though and, with only seconds of the first-half remaining, Paul Handforth's clever cut-out pass found Campbell in acres of space. The ex-Thornhill Trojan crossed for his second and Moore's third goal of the afternoon gave Batley an 18-12 advantage at half-time.
The second-half began much the same as the first, with Karl Harrison's men keen to put the game to bed and take the sting out of an enthusiastic Giants challenge. With Byron Smith and Craig Potter smashing holes in the defence down the slope, many expected the young visitors to collapse.
Huddersfield had not read the script though and showed why competition for places in 2010 will be hotter than ever at the Galpharm Stadium. Jamie Cording, Iain Davies and Jacob Fairbank were getting through a mountain of work in defence and keeping the frustrated Bulldogs at bay.
But several handling errors in their own third and what seemed like a never ending wave of repeat sets in Giants territory eventually told and the valiant defensive guard eventually broke. Greenwood's try just after the hour settled the game as a contest before he grabbed his 2nd 5 minutes later after getting on the end of a teasing Handforth grubber. Moore missed his first conversion of the day but at 28-12 the match was won.
The Bulldogs weren't finished though. With 9 minutes remaining Mark Cunningham got his second try in as many pre-season games before Jonny Campbell completed his hat-trick with the try of the match. A move taken straight from the training ground culminated in a superb short inside-ball from prop Byron Smith that Campbell gleefully snapped up to stream through unopposed to round off the scoring.
The twenty eight point margin tells the story of a chasm in experience between the two teams. It does not, however, do justice to the spirit and promise shown by the youthful Huddersfield Giants squad that received rave reviews from both sets of coaching staff following the game.
Batley Bulldogs: Ian Preece, Lee Greenwood, Mark Barlow, Danny Maun, Johnny Campbell, Paul Handforth, Gareth Moore, Byron Smith, Kris Lythe, Sean Hesketh, Craig Potter, Jason Walton, Ash Lindsay. Subs: John Gallagher, Tommy Gallagher, David Toothill, Jack Watson, Mark Cunningham, James Martin, Chris Buttery, Jon Simpson, Eddie Kilroy.
Huddersfield Giants: Elliot Hodgson, Alex Brown, Kris Harrop, Sam Hendricks, Jamine Akadare, Greg Worthington, Greg McNally, Jamie Milburne, Joe Parkinson, Iain Davies, Jamie Cording, Shane Tasker-Howard, Jacob Fairbank. Subs: Sam Fletcher, Zak Johnson, Jamie Shepeard, Joe Fox, Aaron Briggs
It wasn't until the 62nd minute, when Lee Greenwood crossed for his first try in Batley colours, that the result was sealed. The former England international winger nipping in out wide following a sweeping move to give Batley breathing space for the first time.
The Bulldogs dominated the early exchanges and when Danny Maun powered up the slope and over the line with only two minutes played, it looked as though Giants assistant Paul Anderson and his young charges were in for a long afternoon.
Batley continued to pile on the pressure and a further score looked inevitable with centre Maun and his wing partner Johnny Campell looking dangerous every time the ball reached the left flank.
The visitors held the floodgates closed though and a superb try saving tackle from full-back Elliot Hodgson, who many will remember for his performance on debut for Huddersfield against St. Helens in Super League XIV, gave his team the confidence boost they needed to begin to ask questions of their hosts.
With time on the ball, the Giants were able to mount some pressure on the home side and, more importantly, turn that pressure in to points. 19 minutes in, Kieran Murphy nipped over next to the posts before Greg McNally, who was showing why he is so highly thought of in the game with some neat touches, added the extras. The visitors were up and running.
Both sides were then temporarily reduced to 12 men 5 minutes later following a scuffle on the half-way line. Alex Brown, ironically due to join the Bulldogs for the 2010 season on a dual-registration arrangement, took exception to a high-shot from his future team-mate Kris Lythe. The ensuing scuffle resulted in referee Jamie Leahy brandishing the yellow card to Brown and Batley's Ian Preece, who should probably count himself lucky not to have been dismissed, after running in to deliver some punches of his own.
It was Huddersfield who controlled the momentum of the game following the stoppage, taking the lead on 29 minutes. Joe Parkinson's probing runs from acting half were carrying his out-muscled side up field throughout the game and, when the defending markers were slow to their feet ten metres from their own line, the young hooker took advantage to crash over under the posts. This was after Greg McNally's clever cross-field grubber had forced the error deep in home territory and given the Giants possession.
Their lead lasted just three minutes however, when another Maun break and offload from just over half way sent winger Campbell racing up the touchline, stepping Elliot Hodgson and narrowing the angle for a great home score. Gareth Moore kicked the conversion to make it 12-12 and it looked as though it would remain that way going in to the interval.
The Bulldogs had other ideas though and, with only seconds of the first-half remaining, Paul Handforth's clever cut-out pass found Campbell in acres of space. The ex-Thornhill Trojan crossed for his second and Moore's third goal of the afternoon gave Batley an 18-12 advantage at half-time.
The second-half began much the same as the first, with Karl Harrison's men keen to put the game to bed and take the sting out of an enthusiastic Giants challenge. With Byron Smith and Craig Potter smashing holes in the defence down the slope, many expected the young visitors to collapse.
Huddersfield had not read the script though and showed why competition for places in 2010 will be hotter than ever at the Galpharm Stadium. Jamie Cording, Iain Davies and Jacob Fairbank were getting through a mountain of work in defence and keeping the frustrated Bulldogs at bay.
But several handling errors in their own third and what seemed like a never ending wave of repeat sets in Giants territory eventually told and the valiant defensive guard eventually broke. Greenwood's try just after the hour settled the game as a contest before he grabbed his 2nd 5 minutes later after getting on the end of a teasing Handforth grubber. Moore missed his first conversion of the day but at 28-12 the match was won.
The Bulldogs weren't finished though. With 9 minutes remaining Mark Cunningham got his second try in as many pre-season games before Jonny Campbell completed his hat-trick with the try of the match. A move taken straight from the training ground culminated in a superb short inside-ball from prop Byron Smith that Campbell gleefully snapped up to stream through unopposed to round off the scoring.
The twenty eight point margin tells the story of a chasm in experience between the two teams. It does not, however, do justice to the spirit and promise shown by the youthful Huddersfield Giants squad that received rave reviews from both sets of coaching staff following the game.
Batley Bulldogs: Ian Preece, Lee Greenwood, Mark Barlow, Danny Maun, Johnny Campbell, Paul Handforth, Gareth Moore, Byron Smith, Kris Lythe, Sean Hesketh, Craig Potter, Jason Walton, Ash Lindsay. Subs: John Gallagher, Tommy Gallagher, David Toothill, Jack Watson, Mark Cunningham, James Martin, Chris Buttery, Jon Simpson, Eddie Kilroy.
Huddersfield Giants: Elliot Hodgson, Alex Brown, Kris Harrop, Sam Hendricks, Jamine Akadare, Greg Worthington, Greg McNally, Jamie Milburne, Joe Parkinson, Iain Davies, Jamie Cording, Shane Tasker-Howard, Jacob Fairbank. Subs: Sam Fletcher, Zak Johnson, Jamie Shepeard, Joe Fox, Aaron Briggs
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
