Almost cloudless skies right now and warmer weather due this week, so an appropriate time for us all to nail our colours to the mast as the new look Lancashire League gets underway in six days time.

Although I don't go now, and haven't done for some years, I was brought up a BURNLEY supporter by my dad in the days of Lance Gibbs, Charlie Griffith etc. I know we did this a few years ago and found a supporter from 13 of the 14 clubs then in the league (we didn't stretch to East Lancs), including some players, and I know there is still at least one player on this board.

So which is your club?

This week's fixtures are:

Accrington v East Lancs
Church v Ramsbottom
Crompton v Great Harwood
Darwen v Enfield
Haslingden v Clitheroe
Littleborough v Burnley
Lowerhouse v Rochdale
Middleton v Bacup
Nelson v Walsden
Rawtenstall v Nordon
Rishton v Milnrow
Todmorden v Colne

Also Burnley but I can remember OG Smith who could bat a bit.

Watched Haslingden and Rawtenstall on alternate weeks as a young boy with Rusi Surti at Haslingden and Chandu Borde at Rawtenstall. Don't go as much now but always keep an eye on scores.

Also Burnley, used to be a BCC member and have a season ticket but rarely go these days due to other commitments.

Lowerhouse for me. Superb set up, large beer garden for a ground...and joint best team in Lancashire

Hassy, dad's home town. Sadly I've never been on Bentgate since he died.

ClaretPope wrote:Also Burnley but I can remember OG Smith who could bat a bit.

I believe so, my dad used to talk about him but strangely Burnley had decided not to offer him terms for 1960. I spoke to a friend of mine about it. He played a the time and he said that Smith had been told on the Friday that Burnley would not be retaining him. We were at Colne on the following day and he just said he'd show them they'd made a mistake. He got an unbeaten century.

He got a duck in what proved to be his last game for us before the car crash took his life, and in the one remaining fixture of the season his deputy was Roy Gilchrist who took eight wickets.

Played for Rishton for 20 years, joined their Committee as treasurer and secretary and ran their junior teams during the 1990's so I suppose the reason that they are so crap now is down to me.

I played with and against some outstanding professionals but feel that the standard of Lancs league cricket has dropped so much in the last decade I have stopped watching the first teams but wander onto Accrington when they have a second x1 game on to get away from the wife.

Plus I am addicted to Lancashire T20 on Friday nights.

So far

Accrington (sort of)
Burnley
Haslingden
Lowerhouse
Rawtenstall

Rammy. Loved Lancashire League cricket, but it lost its meaning for me, the local element. When they changed the residence rules from 5 miles from the clubs ground, to around the whole area of the league. This facilitated players swapping clubs every bloody year to just win trophies. For me, and Rammy are among the worst, ruined it. To be honest I don’t miss it anymore. I just miss the personality’s from the various grounds.

Church, when we used to live in Ossy. They were never any good but it doesn't really matter. There's loads of clubs round us now in S Yorks, can't beat it on a pleasant summer afternoon. The weather got me thinking about it too for the first time today.

Littleborough. Played there from under 13 to 1st team before hanging the boots up in 1995. Was so lucky to play with and against some great pros and some excellent amateurs as well. Really looking forward to this season with Burnley our first game. I will be meeting the Burnley posse at the station on Sunday for what promises to be a cracking day.

Burnley for me but haven't been on a home game for several years. I watch a lot of Ribblesdale League cricket now.

Nelson- support is a stretch now though as I do not get down.

Think many think the league is starting too soon this year?

Tod for me, have had some fine pros and amateurs, Harold Dawson was a top amateur batsman and marvellous servant to the club and the Lancashire league. Without doubt the nicest ground in the League.

CleggHall wrote:Tod for me, have had some fine pros and amateurs, Harold Dawson was a top amateur batsman and marvellous servant to the club and the Lancashire league. Without doubt the nicest ground in the League.

Loved playing at Tod but when it started to rain you knew it was time to retire to The Staff of Life as it was set in for the day.

I always remember your opening batter in the 80's / 90's, Albert Ross. His parents must have disliked him and he was the most boring batter ever.

tybfc wrote:Loved playing at Tod but when it started to rain you knew it was time to retire to The Staff of Life as it was set in for the day.

I always remember your opening batter in the 80's / 90's, Albert Ross. His parents must have disliked him and he was the most boring batter ever.

Boring - Albatross could fly.

I grew up in Tod, so very familiar with Albert Ross' school discos. Must have been hard for him growing up, having a name like that around your neck.

I know a lot of the Tod players, and a couple of the Walsden lads, but I wouldn't say I supported Tod. I keep a keen eye on the general results around the league, and it was good to see Tod do well last season, but I'd be just as happy if Lowerhouse did well for example.

My nearest club now is Colne, but they've been awful and don't show signs of arresting it. My nephew is just about breaking into the Nelson team, so I keep an eye out for them when he's playing too.

Burnley CC for ever.

tybfc wrote:
Loved playing at Tod but when it started to rain you knew it was time to retire to The Staff of Life as it was set in for the day.

I always remember your opening batter in the 80's / 90's, Albert Ross. His parents must have disliked him and he was the most boring batter ever.

Ah. Albert Ross. Opened the batting for Walsden in the seventies and eighties with Brian Sidlow who was the local pop delivery man. Loved playing at Walsden who along with Milnrow were probably our fiercest rivals. Made my first team debut there in 1971 when their pro was Ces Wright. As far as I know he was still turning out recently in the Saddleworth league aged 80 plus. Amazing!

Started watching Nelson in the 60s. Neil Hawke was the pro back then. Couldn’t believe how far Mike Chappell, father of Glen, could smack the bowl out of the ground. Ended up in Vjctoria Park nearly every home match. Moved away for a time when Larry Gomes became involved. Not been back to watch them since even though we’re so close. Next door neighbour used to be Jack Blackburn, a regular Lancs League umpire for many years. Happy days!

Yes Albert Ross's parents had something to answer for, I once taught a guy named Rupert Burr!

CleggHall wrote:Yes Albert Ross's parents had something to answer for, I once taught a guy named Rupert Burr!

Was his middle name The?

Rawtenstall for me but not been on for a number of years.Cant see the ball now because of my eyesight,not sure the Rawtenstall batsmen can either

CleggHall wrote:Yes Albert Ross's parents had something to answer for, I once taught a guy named Rupert Burr!

My sister did teaching practice in the Lake District (Ambleside) - Beatrix Potter country - alongside a fellow student called Jeremy Fisher.

The Mighty Colne for me! This might be our year! (And then again, it might not.)

Tod for me. My Dad played for them in the 50s. He moved to Walsden later and I was scorer with them for quite a few years - promoted from ‘doing the tins’ and minding the pop shop.

Whalley CC were my local club growing up in the Ribb League and had plenty friends in that team over the years, a couple of them still turning their arms over.
Burnley CC always have a place in my heart. Reported on them for the Burnley Express for the duration of the 1994 season and enjoyed following them home and away with Peter Brown captaining a young team (his son Michael was opening the batting at 15). Jonathan Harvey scored 1000 runs that season and Rudra Singh was professional. Good times.
Now support my local team - Clitheroe CC - and take my young lads down on Thursday nights.

Always been Nelson for me, nigh on 60 years now! Been some great pros e.g. Neil Hawke, Sarfraz Nawaz, Larry Gomes, Collis King, Kapil Dev, Eric Simons, Steve Waugh & Joe Scuderi.

Interesting to see a number of sides in that list that I always regarded as Central Lancashire League outfits. Did the two leagues merge and when was that?

Up the 'Ouse!!!

Church for me right from a very early age. I used to put the numbers up in the scorebox, graduated to be the scorer in 1960, aged 13 and was scorer when we won the League in 1962 with Chester Watson having a great season as our professional.
Played at junior level and played a couple of matches for the first team during the holiday period in 1964 but joined the RAF two years later and moved away.

Hendrickxz wrote:Interesting to see a number of sides in that list that I always regarded as Central Lancashire League outfits. Did the two leagues merge and when was that?

Three Ribblesdale League clubs - Clitheroe, Darwen & Great Harwood - joined last year and this year there are seven former Central Lancs League clubs joining the Lancashire League to take the total number of clubs to 24.

I'm not sure but I think the Central Lancs League came to an end with some restructuring which saw some of these clubs go into a Pennine (?) League. Some on here will be able to give you the correct info.

So Walsden and Tod are now due to play each other in the same League. They only ever used to meet on Boxing Day, or maybe New Year's day in a freindly. Hardly cricket weather! I remember the Central lancs clubs generally used to have better bars, flogging ales from the Manchester and Oldham side.

Nelson for me. Born there and I've been a supporter for many years. Still go and looking forward to Sunday.

Rishton
Sleeping Giants!!
Maybe not !

Cubanclaret wrote:Whalley CC were my local club growing up in the Ribb League and had plenty friends in that team over the years, a couple of them still turning their arms over.
Burnley CC always have a place in my heart. Reported on them for the Burnley Express for the duration of the 1994 season and enjoyed following them home and away with Peter Brown captaining a young team (his son Michael was opening the batting at 15). Jonathan Harvey scored 1000 runs that season and Rudra Singh was professional. Good times.
Now support my local team - Clitheroe CC - and take my young lads down on Thursday nights.

Are clitheroe anyone’s local team? Not for any of the players any road....

And Arrod for me. GHCC all the way.

Foulthrow wrote:Are clitheroe anyone’s local team? Not for any of the players any road....

They’re one of my local teams but I do not follow them. My beliefs of sport and theirs do not align.

ClaretTony wrote:
Three Ribblesdale League clubs - Clitheroe, Darwen & Great Harwood - joined last year and this year there are seven former Central Lancs League clubs joining the Lancashire League to take the total number of clubs to 24.

I'm not sure but I think the Central Lancs League came to an end with some restructuring which saw some of these clubs go into a Pennine (?) League. Some on here will be able to give you the correct info.

The CLL did fold a year or two ago and some clubs did go in to the Pennine League as CT says. This new venture is exciting and (in my humble opinion) should have happened a lot sooner. I have good memories of playing friendlies against Lancs League sides. We played East Lancs when Allan Border was the pro. Think we had to wear jackets and ties to be allowed in to the clubhouse. And remember playing against Church with the great Jack Houldsworth who I knew through work. Top bloke.

Stproc wrote:They’re one of my local teams but I do not follow them. My beliefs of sport and theirs do not align.

Couldn’t agree more.

Lowerhouse born and bred - its something you inherit in my family. (My username gives it away, probably)

I'll give the thread a bit of colour.

Although I was born in Nelson, my formative years were spent in Bacup. So they are the first club I root for. Brought up watching the great Roy Gilchrist with my dad and grandfather telling me tales of Everton Weekes, possibly the greatest or second greatest batsman (after Sir Viv) to play in the Lancashire League.

Stproc wrote:They’re one of my local teams but I do not follow them. My beliefs of sport and theirs do not align.

I’m sure Lowerhouse will make them pay this season.

Colne CC for me.
Finishing in the top half for us would be bigger odds than the Clarets getting into Europe at the start of the season!

Bordeauxclaret wrote:I’m sure Lowerhouse will make them pay this season.

They won't mind they seem to like paying at Clitheroe

Rawtenstall for me. Will be there on Sunday weather permitting to see Norden make their debut.

Hoping for more than two wins this year although I'm pretty sure we'll be in Division Two when the league splits.

lancashireleague.com/Seasons/2018/PREVIEW2018.html

Link to season preview. Lots more ins and outs than their used to be.

Royal Enfield for me. The first professional I remember watching was Conrad Hunte but the finest most definitely was the late, great Dik Abed.

Roy Gilchrist you say? Yon was a rum lad. He once clobbered one of the opposition with one of the stumps and also got probation for attacking his Mrs. I met him in the pavilion at Littleborough once and had a brief chat. Seemed a nice mild-mannered bloke....He was there watching Joel Garner who had just burst onto the scene. By gum, that bloke was just like a train and so tall!

Hendrickxz wrote:Roy Gilchrist you say? Yon was a rum lad. He once clobbered one of the opposition with one of the stumps and also got probation for attacking his Mrs. I met him in the pavilion at Littleborough once and had a brief chat. Seemed a nice mild-mannered bloke....He was there watching Joel Garner who had just burst onto the scene. By gum, that bloke was just like a train and so tall!

Joel Garner. Getting changed next to him was a humbling experience!

Rawtenstall. Could be another tough season!