Main menu:
The History of the Southport and District Amateur Cricket League (1898-2008)
By the last decade of the 19th century cricket in Southport had developed sufficiently for the formation of a local league to be considered amongst the many smaller clubs in the town. Cricket in those days was divided along strict social class lines with the upper and middle classes in two or three large clubs, such as Southport, Birkdale and Southport Alexandra. A league had already operated for one season in 1895 when Sandhurst (winners) were joined by Derby Road P.M, Y.M.C.A, Rufford, Southport Central and Working Lads but this only lasted for one season.
On Friday 18th February,1898 they met to try again. The minute book records,"for the purpose of discussing the advisability of forming a cricket league for Southport and District". It was "resolved that a league so called be formed". In that first season 15 clubs established two divisions - one of eight and one of seven. Division 1 consisted of Birkdale Athletic, Derby Road P.M,Hesketh Bank, North Meols,Parbold,St.Pauls,Sandhurst and Y.M.C.A and Division 2 - All Saints, Chapel Street,High Park Wesleyans,Mornington Juniors, Southbank, Trafalgar and West End.Of the pioneers only Hesketh Bank and West End (as part of Halsall/West End) still exist (2008)
The league has traditionally covered an area of about twenty miles radius from Southport Town centre.
From its early years the distinction was made between the 'town' teams - often church based and playing on public parks - and the 'country' teams from the rural towns and villages inland across the flat West Lancashire Plain. In the town the church teams were to the fore - Derby Road Primitive Methodists,St.Pauls, All Saints, St.Phillip's , High Park Wesleyans and Holy Trinity . Later came Leyland Road Wesleyans, Blowick Wesleyans ,Burscough St.Johns etc.
The spread of the railways into Southport helped to develop the geographical area of the league and their employees also provided teams such as Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, L.M.S Motive Power and Aintree Loco. Before the days of mass car ownership many teams travelled together by train or hired a 'charabanc' to get to the more remote country grounds. The league handbooks show directions to grounds in Southport using the urban electric tramway routes which had also developed.
The expansion also encouraged country teams such as Mawdesley ,Eccleston and Croston to join up. Mawdesley have won the First Division Championship fourteen times. The flavour of the country clubs is described by Mawdesley stalwarts Hughie Hunter and Albert Yates in "Village Cricket" by Tim Heald, with the influence of village church, pub and many generations of the same families.
The League grew ,up to the 1st World War, with the addition of a third division in 1909. The 1920's saw further divisions added in 1925 (4th Division) and 1928 (Reserve Divisions 1 & 2) to bring the total to six. In 1975 a 5th Division was formed and a 6th Division in 1996.In the early years Southport town teams dominated the 1st Division but after 1928 country teams prevailed in most seasons. Only during the 2nd War years, when the divisions combined, and up to 1952 with Crossens, were the town clubs successful. Crossens won again in 1962 but this was the only town success until 1982 and 1983 when Fleetwood Hesketh finished top. Since then only Southport Trinity in 1999 has been the only town success.
The premier cup competition is called the 'Sandhurst Shield' which takes it's name from the founder member club of the same name, whose committee donated funds to the league when their club folded.
Mawdesley were the first winners in 1913 but Derby Road won it 6 years in succession between 1919 and 1924 and 9 years in all. Only Mawdesley with 11 wins have overtaken them. The A.H.Pochin Cup for 2nd Division teams was donated by a long standing league official in 1929 and has been won by Skelmersdale 2nds 15 times. Our former League President and umpires secretary Ken Hampson presented a trophy in 1998 and the Bill Leyland Trophy was donated by Mawdesley in 1983 in honour of one of their members.These two have been played by 3rd and 4th division clubs respectively.
The league has not always been harmonious though with altercations over various issues. From time to time the religious influence predominated and for fifty years the league was chaired by the indomitable Clem Blake, a Rechabite Methodist, who stood no nonsense. In 1958 the religious element insisted on the withdrawal of Holy Trinity because they had opened a bar at their ground. They had to spend twenty two years in the West Lancashire League before being readmitted as Southport Trinity in 1980.Their inclusion signaled another era of geographical expansion with clubs from the Wigan area such as Orrell Red Triangle, Norley Hall and Winstanley Park and Maghull and Litherland from the Liverpool suburbs joining. By the celebration of it's centenary in 1998 the league was back to six divisions.
One of the great achievements has been the development of the Southport Junior League, which began in 1961 as two small divisions of under 17 players but which has expanded into separate age groups for Under 18's, 15's, 13's, 11's and recently under 9's. As well as providing positive recreation for the young players it provides a ready supply of recruits for the senior teams.
In recent years the number of clubs and divisions has changed for various reasons.Some teams with a long history have finished , some due to lack of players and others through poor park facilities. The sight of five simultaneous matches on the 'savannah' of Meols Cop Park is a thing of the past. The churches no longer have the social influence they once had and St.Simon's, St.Philip's, Holy Family, St.Pauls etc have all fallen by the wayside. Three teams , New Victoria (the remaining team with a church history) on Crossens Rec and Churchtown and Southport College on Ferryside Lane, now play on park pitches.
By the Millenium Fleetwood Hesketh, Maghull and Orrell Red Triangle had achieved ambitions to join a reorganized and expanded Liverpool Competition. The local equilibrium was upset by the politics surrounding the E.C.B Premier League. The necessity of a 'pyramid' system below Premier level caused maneuvering by some ambitious clubs who were attracted by opportunities for promotion. This alienated other clubs for whom a Merseyside based pyramid was not attractive. The formation of the Merseyside and Southport Cricket Alliance was an attempt to guarantee a two way flow in the pyramid.
There has been some new blood in recent years in the shape of Earlestown , Chorley St.James, Goose Green, Hindley St.Peter's 3rds ,Leyland and Farrington 3rds and Darwen 3rds. Bedford Park are due to move to play on their park, which is one more park team. Goose Green are also about to move to a new ground and aim to introduce a 2nd Xl. A 'self-starter' team in the Ormskirk area is also anticipated.
The adoption of a Development Plan in 2009 will certainly help to revamp the senior league in future years.We hope to encourage the formation of new teams, given the publicity cricket has gained from Sky and 20/20 cricket. Greater publicity will also make everyone aware of the leagues' existence and the opportunities it affords for sociable but competitive cricket. Applications from teams wishing to be part of such a league are always welcome.
Thanks are due to Hughie Hunter for access to the league records and minute books.