Newsome Panthers
Encyclopedia
Newsome Panthers ARLFC is an amateur rugby league
club based in Newsome
, Huddersfield
. The club was founded with only two junior teams in 1995 and has since grown into one of the largest clubs in Yorkshire with teams for children of all ages. More recently the club founded an open-age team into which the junior players could progress. The club has eleven junior teams playing the West Riding League and Yorkshire Combination League. The open age team currently play in division 2 of the Pennine League
.
area was the Newsome Magpies open age team. The team played Newsome High School and Sports College in the village with their home being the Fountain Inn on Towngate in Newsome. The club was established in 1989 by founder members Andy Brewster, Paul Brick, John Taylor and Sue Taylor. The club consisted of one open age team coached by Bryan Ward.
After a period of success during which the club reached Division 1 in the Pennine League
, won the Huddersfield Supplementary cup twice and were losing finalists in the LB Holiday Cup once, the club was unfortunately disbanded in 1994/95 due a struggle to find new players.
In 1995, as the Newsome Magpies open age team disbanded, Paul and Gail Brick with the help of a number of willing parents launched a junior section that once up and running would provide a regular supply of able players to the open age team. Due to league rules the name 'Magpies' could not be used. The first official committee meeting was held on Monday 23 October 1995 and the name Panthers was adopted, and the club was born.
The new junior club was still to be based at the Fountain Inn and with home games played at Newsome High School and Sports College. The first season saw an under 9 and an under 11 team enter the West Riding league. As the players in these initial teams got older and the teams moved up through the age groups they were replaced by a steady stream of younger players to the point where the Panthers now have a team for children of all ages above 7 years old in one of their eleven junior teams. In the 2006-2007 season the Panthers had over 180 junior members.
The club hope to add a new age group every season with the aim to be the strongest club in the West Riding league.
under the banner of Newsome Panthers. The first squad was made up of some ex Magpie players, ex Almondbury
Lions players and some new players to the game who together gained promotion to division 5 for the 2000/01 season.
The 2000/01 season was a testing time for the Newsome Panthers, losing a number of the founder member players and also suffering through a number of injuries. Through this period the team still held its own in division 5. In the 2001/02 season, five ex-junior players from the successful under 16s squad took their places in the open age squad, helping them to promotion to division 4. In the 2002/03 Season, promotion from division 4 as champions, success in the Huddersfield Supplementary Cup and a place in the final of the Huddersfield Holiday Cup Final cememeted the squad together. In the league the team had a 100% record.
The 2003/04 season brought together a genuine championship team with the squad winning every competition that they were able to take part in. The team achieved promotion to division 2 of the Pennine League
and won the Shipley Cup, Holiday Cup and Supplementary Cup. This was achieved under the leadership of Bob Linford & Andy Bainbridge.
The 2004/05 season saw successful retention of the Huddersfield Holiday Cup and Supplementary Cup. A third place finish in division 2 behind Kippax and New Earswick All Blacks saw the team promoted into the 1st division, the division the Magpies had played in all those years ago.
The 2006/07 season saw the beginning of the transition period where players retired or moved on and the introduction of further players from the junior ranks. After a poor start, where they lost their first 5 games away, the team turned the season around. The introduction of Phil Joseph
as head coach with Andy Boothroyd as his assistant and further coaching assistance from Anthony Farrell
has ensured that the foundations are now in place going forward.
Clubmark award.
It also became evident that as the club grew, the two fields at Newsome High School and Sports College alone would not be enough to stage the number of games required each weekend. Therefore in 2003 the club took a 30 year lease on the playing fields at Hall Bower
Lane. Games were first played on the fields in September 2004 with the club now splitting games between these fields and the fields at the high school.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based in Newsome
Newsome
Newsome is a village situated approximately 1 mile south of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees. The village lies at the centre of Newsome Ward to which it gives its name.-Geography:...
, Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
. The club was founded with only two junior teams in 1995 and has since grown into one of the largest clubs in Yorkshire with teams for children of all ages. More recently the club founded an open-age team into which the junior players could progress. The club has eleven junior teams playing the West Riding League and Yorkshire Combination League. The open age team currently play in division 2 of the Pennine League
Pennine League
The Pennine Amateur Rugby League, or Pennine League is a rugby league competition for amateur open-age clubs that runs from September to April. The clubs are drawn from West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the east of Lancashire....
.
Newsome Magpies
The first ever club to play rugby league in the NewsomeNewsome
Newsome is a village situated approximately 1 mile south of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees. The village lies at the centre of Newsome Ward to which it gives its name.-Geography:...
area was the Newsome Magpies open age team. The team played Newsome High School and Sports College in the village with their home being the Fountain Inn on Towngate in Newsome. The club was established in 1989 by founder members Andy Brewster, Paul Brick, John Taylor and Sue Taylor. The club consisted of one open age team coached by Bryan Ward.
After a period of success during which the club reached Division 1 in the Pennine League
Pennine League
The Pennine Amateur Rugby League, or Pennine League is a rugby league competition for amateur open-age clubs that runs from September to April. The clubs are drawn from West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the east of Lancashire....
, won the Huddersfield Supplementary cup twice and were losing finalists in the LB Holiday Cup once, the club was unfortunately disbanded in 1994/95 due a struggle to find new players.
Birth of the Panthers
The new junior club was still to be based at the Fountain Inn and with home games played at Newsome High School and Sports College. The first season saw an under 9 and an under 11 team enter the West Riding league. As the players in these initial teams got older and the teams moved up through the age groups they were replaced by a steady stream of younger players to the point where the Panthers now have a team for children of all ages above 7 years old in one of their eleven junior teams. In the 2006-2007 season the Panthers had over 180 junior members.
The club hope to add a new age group every season with the aim to be the strongest club in the West Riding league.
Open Age
With the original purpose of the junior club in mind, the Panthers founded an open age team in 1999 and entered division 6 of the Pennine LeaguePennine League
The Pennine Amateur Rugby League, or Pennine League is a rugby league competition for amateur open-age clubs that runs from September to April. The clubs are drawn from West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the east of Lancashire....
under the banner of Newsome Panthers. The first squad was made up of some ex Magpie players, ex Almondbury
Almondbury
Almondbury is a district 2 miles south east of Huddersfield town centre in West Yorkshire, England. The population of Almondbury in 2001 was 7,368Almondbury appears in the Domesday Book as "Almondeberie"...
Lions players and some new players to the game who together gained promotion to division 5 for the 2000/01 season.
The 2000/01 season was a testing time for the Newsome Panthers, losing a number of the founder member players and also suffering through a number of injuries. Through this period the team still held its own in division 5. In the 2001/02 season, five ex-junior players from the successful under 16s squad took their places in the open age squad, helping them to promotion to division 4. In the 2002/03 Season, promotion from division 4 as champions, success in the Huddersfield Supplementary Cup and a place in the final of the Huddersfield Holiday Cup Final cememeted the squad together. In the league the team had a 100% record.
The 2003/04 season brought together a genuine championship team with the squad winning every competition that they were able to take part in. The team achieved promotion to division 2 of the Pennine League
Pennine League
The Pennine Amateur Rugby League, or Pennine League is a rugby league competition for amateur open-age clubs that runs from September to April. The clubs are drawn from West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the east of Lancashire....
and won the Shipley Cup, Holiday Cup and Supplementary Cup. This was achieved under the leadership of Bob Linford & Andy Bainbridge.
The 2004/05 season saw successful retention of the Huddersfield Holiday Cup and Supplementary Cup. A third place finish in division 2 behind Kippax and New Earswick All Blacks saw the team promoted into the 1st division, the division the Magpies had played in all those years ago.
The 2006/07 season saw the beginning of the transition period where players retired or moved on and the introduction of further players from the junior ranks. After a poor start, where they lost their first 5 games away, the team turned the season around. The introduction of Phil Joseph
Philip Joseph
Philip Joseph is a Canadian-born physician and a cardiologist.-Biography:Philip Joseph studied medicine at the University of Western Ontario from where he was inspired to study internal medicine. From he completed a residency in Internal Medicine where his passion for studying coronary artery...
as head coach with Andy Boothroyd as his assistant and further coaching assistance from Anthony Farrell
Anthony Farrell
Anthony Farrell was an English/Welsh rugby league player. He played for England, Wales, Huddersfield Giants, Sheffield Eagles, Leeds Rhinos, Widnes Vikings and Halifax, playing at , or ....
has ensured that the foundations are now in place going forward.
Clubmark Award and Hall Bower
In 2003, through the hard work of the management committee, the club were awarded the Sport EnglandSport England
Sport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Clubmark award.
It also became evident that as the club grew, the two fields at Newsome High School and Sports College alone would not be enough to stage the number of games required each weekend. Therefore in 2003 the club took a 30 year lease on the playing fields at Hall Bower
Hall Bower
Hall Bower is a small hamlet lying 2 miles south of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It sits in the shadow of Castle Hill, just above the village of Newsome. Fields in the village next to Hall Bower CC were recently converted into rugby league pitches for use by Newsome Panthers ARLFC.....
Lane. Games were first played on the fields in September 2004 with the club now splitting games between these fields and the fields at the high school.
West Riding League
- U16 League Winners: 2000-2001.
- U15 League Winners: 1999-2000, 2006-2007.
- U14 League Winners: 1998-1999, 2004-2005, 2006-2007.
- U13 League Winners: 1997-1998, 2001-2002.
- U13 League Division 1 Winners: 2006-2007.
- U12 League Winners: 2000-2001, 2002-2003
West Riding League Challenge Cup
- U16 Cup Winners: 2000-2001.
- U15 Cup Winners: 1999-2000, 2006-2007.
- U14 Cup Winners: 1998-1999, 2004-2005, 2006-2007.
- U13 Cup Winners: 1997-1998.
- U12 Cup Winners: 2000-2001, 2002-2003.
Huddersfield Cup
- U16 Cup Winners: 2006-2007.
- U15 Cup Winners: 2001-2002.
- U13 Cup Winners: 1997-1998.
- U14 Cup Winners: 1998-1999, 2006-2007.
- U12 Cup Winners: 2002-2003.
- U13 Cup Winners: 2006-2007.
Yorkshire Cup
- U16 - Quarterfinalists 2000-2001.
- U14 - Semifinalists 1998 - 1999.
- U14 - Finalists 2004-2005.
- U14 - Winners 2006-2007.
- U12 - Semifinalists 2000-2001.
- U12 - Finalists 2002-2003.
Open Age Honours
- Pennine Shipley Challenge Cup Winners: 2003-2004.
- Holiday Cup Winners: 2003-2004, 2004-2005.
- Huddersfield Supplementary Cup Winners: 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2006-2007.
- Division 3 Pennine League Winners: 2003-2004.
- Division 4 Pennine League Winners: 2002-2003.
- Huddersfield Holiday Cup Runners Up: 2002-2003.
- Division 5 Pennine League Winners: 2001-2002.
- Division 6 Pennine League Winners: 2000-2001.
Notable former players
In its short history the club has already produced a number of players that have received representative honours or earned academy contracts with professional clubs. The following players have turned full professional.- Philip JosephPhilip JosephPhilip Joseph is a Canadian-born physician and a cardiologist.-Biography:Philip Joseph studied medicine at the University of Western Ontario from where he was inspired to study internal medicine. From he completed a residency in Internal Medicine where his passion for studying coronary artery...
: Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
, Swinton LionsSwinton LionsSwinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
, Hull KRHull Kingston RoversHull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
, Halifax Blue SoxHalifax RLFCHalifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town... - Simon GeorgeSimon GeorgeSimon George is an English professional rugby league player with the Huddersfield Giants. Simon's previous club was the Newsome Panthers....
: Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C.... - Jason CrookesJason CrookesJason Crookes is a rugby league player for Bradford Bulls. His position is outside back.-Bradford Bulls:Jason Crookes signed for the Bulls in 2007 from Newsome Panthers...
: Bradford BullsBradford BullsBradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... - Leroy CudjoeLeroy CudjoeLeroy Cudjoe is an English professional rugby league footballer with the Huddersfield Giants of Super League.Leroy attended Newsome High School and Sports College. Leroy's previous club is the Newsome Panthers...
: Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C.... - James Martin: Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
- Michael Lawrence: Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....