THE RUGBY FOOTBALL CRISIS

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTHERN FOOTBALL UNION

A meeting of the representatives of 20 important Rugby Union Football Clubs in Yorkshire and Lancashire was held at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, on Thursday evening, for the purpose of formally establishing the Northern Rugby Football Union. There were present Messrs. H. H. Waller (Brighouse), J. Platt (Oldham), J. Nicholl (Halifax), H. Sewell (Leeds), F. Lister (Bradford), C. A. Brewer (Hull), J. Clifford (Huddersfield), J. L. Whittaker (Hunslet), J. H. Fallas (Wakefield), T. Wright (Widnes), E. Gresty (Broughton Rangers), J. Goodall (Batley), F. Dunnett (St Helen’s), J. Quirk (Leigh), J. E. Warren (Warrington), George Taylor (Tyldesley), E. Wardle (Wigan), A. Fattorini (Manningham), W. Brewer (Rochdale Hornets), J. A. Hampshire (Liversedge), and C. Holdsworth (Dewsbury). Mr H. H. Waller was voted to the chair, and Mr J. Platt was elected secretary pro tem. After full discussion, which took place in private, it was decided to form a Northern Rugby Football Union on the principle of payment for bona fide broken time only. Stockport were admitted members of the union. The resignation from the English Rugby Union was handed in from 20 clubs, Dewsbury being the exception. It was resolved that each club represented at the meeting should sign a membership list, with the exception of Dewsbury, who were given till Tuesday to decide. A sub-committee of 10 were appointed to consider the bye-laws and rules of the union, consisting of Messrs. Wardle, Platt, Smith (Widnes), Gresty, Quirk, Waller, Nicholl, Sewell, Fattorini, and Clifford. The same committee were appointed to act as an emergency committee. It was decided that the meetings of the committee should be held alternately in Huddersfield and Manchester. It was further resolved that there should be a Yorkshire Senior Competition, a Lancashire Senior Competition, and a Northern Rugby League consisting of the 22 clubs, providing that Dewsbury agrees to join. A meeting of secretaries was fixed to be held at the Spread Eagle Hotel, Manchester, at five o’clock at Tuesday next for the purpose of arranging matches.

HUDDERSFIELD DAILY CHRONICLE, 30 August 1895