LANCASHIRE SENIOR CUP
09 October 1911
The Lancashire Senior Cup was a knock-out competition held between clubs within the county of Lancashire. Rochdale Hornets were winners in 1911, 1914 and 1919.
THE GREAT WAR
28 July 1914
The First World War – or ‘Great War’ as it was known at the time – had a dramatic effect on Rochdale Hornets.
By the time the Club’s Annual Report & Accounts were released on 31 May 1915, twenty-four of its players have left to join the fighting. Sergeant Twigg – “a player of great ability, much esteemed by the Club” – was mentioned as having died on the battlefields of France.
In an effort to support the troops, the Club organised a collection at the Athletic Grounds on 16 October 1915. This raised £8 3s 6 ½ d which was used to purchase footballs for soldiers in France and those training at home. The Annual Report & Accounts from that financial year notes “The letters to hand acknowledging the receipt of the footballs show how very much the clubs supporters’ generosity has been appreciated”.
The death of two more players, Private T. West and Private C.J. Burton, is listed in the 1916 Annual Report & Accounts whilst documentation from May 1917 records “the loss of Mr W.J. Roman who died through injuries received whilst fighting in France. He had been Captain of the Club for two seasons, and had at all times been a credit to the Club, County and Country which he represented on the field of play”.
By the beginning of December 1917 the Directors were compelled to abandon all remaining fixtures for the season as it was proving impossible to raise a team. They had lost all 7 matches they had played.
The First World War lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. More than 886,000 men from the United Kingdom loss their lives during the conflict.
With the war declared over on 11 November 1918, Club activity resumed with a friendly match against Oldham held on Christmas Day that year.
A Hornets Hero: Walter Roman
Walter ‘Rattler’ Roman was something of a rugby football legend. In November 1911 he played for Wales and the West of England versus Australia at Bristol AFC (Australia won 23-3) and in February 1914 he played for England against Wales at St Helens (England won 16-12). Also in this year he was selected for the Northern Union Tour of Australia which was cut short due to the outbreak of war.
Although born in Somerset, after joining Rochdale Hornets he settled in the town and became the landlord of a public house, the Beehive Hotel, only half a mile from the Athletic Grounds. He can be seen on the far right of the team shot here.
THE LAW CUP
The Law Cup is an annual competition between Rochdale Hornets and Oldham that is typically played as a pre-season friendly.
It was first played in 1920 to raise money for the Rochdale and Oldham Infirmaries and was known as the ‘Infirmaries Cup’. As recorded in the Club’s Annual Report and Accounts from that year, a local MP – Mr A.J.Law – provided “a handsome Silver Cup for the Competition” and the winners received gold medals “the gift of Rochdale and Oldham gentlemen”.
At this first game everybody concerned, including the players of both Clubs, gave their services for free contributing to a donation of £348 3s 7 ½ d to each of the two hospitals. With the creation of the NHS proceeds from the match in the 1948/9 season were distributed to local charities and the cup was referred as the ‘Charity Cup’.
During the 1949/50 season it was decided that the majority of the proceeds would be used “for fostering of the junior Rugby League games”.
Today it is referred to as the Law Cup named after the local MP who had originally provided the trophy for the competition.
09 October 1911
The Lancashire Senior Cup was a knock-out competition held between clubs within the county of Lancashire. Rochdale Hornets were winners in 1911, 1914 and 1919.
THE GREAT WAR
28 July 1914
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| The Rochdale Observer announces the deaths of Privates West and Burton |
By the time the Club’s Annual Report & Accounts were released on 31 May 1915, twenty-four of its players have left to join the fighting. Sergeant Twigg – “a player of great ability, much esteemed by the Club” – was mentioned as having died on the battlefields of France.
In an effort to support the troops, the Club organised a collection at the Athletic Grounds on 16 October 1915. This raised £8 3s 6 ½ d which was used to purchase footballs for soldiers in France and those training at home. The Annual Report & Accounts from that financial year notes “The letters to hand acknowledging the receipt of the footballs show how very much the clubs supporters’ generosity has been appreciated”.
The death of two more players, Private T. West and Private C.J. Burton, is listed in the 1916 Annual Report & Accounts whilst documentation from May 1917 records “the loss of Mr W.J. Roman who died through injuries received whilst fighting in France. He had been Captain of the Club for two seasons, and had at all times been a credit to the Club, County and Country which he represented on the field of play”.
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| John Twigg |
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| Tom West |
The First World War lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. More than 886,000 men from the United Kingdom loss their lives during the conflict.
With the war declared over on 11 November 1918, Club activity resumed with a friendly match against Oldham held on Christmas Day that year.
A Hornets Hero: Walter Roman
Walter ‘Rattler’ Roman was something of a rugby football legend. In November 1911 he played for Wales and the West of England versus Australia at Bristol AFC (Australia won 23-3) and in February 1914 he played for England against Wales at St Helens (England won 16-12). Also in this year he was selected for the Northern Union Tour of Australia which was cut short due to the outbreak of war.Although born in Somerset, after joining Rochdale Hornets he settled in the town and became the landlord of a public house, the Beehive Hotel, only half a mile from the Athletic Grounds. He can be seen on the far right of the team shot here.
THE LAW CUP
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| The Law Cup - the intense rivalry of game has seen fans nickname it the 'A627M El Clasico' |
It was first played in 1920 to raise money for the Rochdale and Oldham Infirmaries and was known as the ‘Infirmaries Cup’. As recorded in the Club’s Annual Report and Accounts from that year, a local MP – Mr A.J.Law – provided “a handsome Silver Cup for the Competition” and the winners received gold medals “the gift of Rochdale and Oldham gentlemen”.
At this first game everybody concerned, including the players of both Clubs, gave their services for free contributing to a donation of £348 3s 7 ½ d to each of the two hospitals. With the creation of the NHS proceeds from the match in the 1948/9 season were distributed to local charities and the cup was referred as the ‘Charity Cup’.
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| The Hornets Law Cup winning team from 1954/55 |
Today it is referred to as the Law Cup named after the local MP who had originally provided the trophy for the competition.
