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Into the Lions den
THERE
have been several outstanding works of historical rugby league research in
recent years - and a book marking a century and a half of Swinton Lions
deserves to stand alongside any of them.
“Swinton Lions Rugby
League Football Club - 150 years” charts the history of the famous old club in
remarkable detail.
Largely written, compiled and edited
by respected club historian Stephen Wild, the book is a celebration of the rich
history of the club and the players that helped to shape it.
Founded in 1866, Swinton fielded one
of the strongest union teams of the Victoria era before making what was a
controversial defection to the sport they still compete in.
In rugby league, Swinton would go onto
win six championships and enjoyed eras of dominance few other clubs can boast.
All of this is charting in an
historical narrative that starts the book, along with the club’s
nomadic existence after it left its spiritual home of Station Road in 1992.
Then the club’s players take
centre stage, with 150 of the greatest servants of the club afforded their own
page and potted history.
It starts with a non-player - Reverend
Henry Robinson Heywood, the vicar who was chairman of the Swinton cricket club
that decided to play “football” through the winter months in
1866, leading to the birth of the club.
The most recent entry is Stuart
Littler, the recently retired centre who proved such a favourite with
supporters in the closing days of his extensive career.
In between there are many characters,
stars and unsung heroes.
There’s Ken Gowers, who
made a staggering 601 appearances for the club, kicking 970 goals and playing
14 times for Great Britain. Gowers won four major honours with the club
including two championships, before his career finished with a testimonial that
was kicked off by Bobby Charlton.
Snippets like that are found
throughout the book - a memory of cult hero Danny Wilson is a cup game at
Keighley when he “started a brawl which soon involved every player on
the pitch apart from himself”.
Statistically the book is absolutely
superb.
Not only are heritage numbers awarded
to each player to represent the club - including those from the union days -
but a full career record.
Editor Wild, along with contributors Martin
McDonough, Ian Jackson, Stephen Johnson
and
photographer Peter Green deserve considerable credit for a superb achievement.
So too do Les Smith
and John Edwards, who were largely responsible for the painstaking research
involved in compiling the stats section of the book.
*
“Swinton Lions Rugby League Football Club - 150 Years”, published by Swinton
Lions Community Sports Foundation, is available now through the club
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