Club meeting - Speaker via Zoom

Dodworth Miners ARLFC has been established since September 2018 and is competing in the Yorkshire Men's Summer League in 2019. Prior to us establishing there used to be a rugby league team in Dodworth called Dodworth ARLFC which was established in 1980 and sadly folded in 2013. While scrolling the internet I was able to find a great write up summarising the journey of the Dodworth ARLFC team from 1980. It's a great read all credit must go to Jeff Hodgson for writing the article.

Dodworth rugby league club was formed 1980, as a result of a group of friends discussing over a drink the fact that soccer was far too predominant in the area. Some of them having played with the town side, suggested forming a Rugby League team to promote the game in South Yorkshire, and to give Barnsley a little competition.
Recruitment quickly started and the lads set about gathering together a squad of around twenty five. Based in a local public house, plans were made to convert soccer players any anyone willing to try something new. A few friendlies were arranged, and low and behold a Rugby League club was formed.
The team started playing in the lower divisions of the West Yorkshire League playing on Sunday mornings and leasing a field from the local council. Competition was tough at first, but little by little the club gained respect from teams that had been established when God was a lad. It must be admitted, that playing Sunday mornings wasn't ideal since most of the players were working lads and did like a drink on Saturday night so getting out of bed was sometimes a chore.
However Dodworth were on their way and quickly learned the skills to compete with most other teams, and eventually things started to happen as season by season they climbed up the leagues. In 1985, there was a common feeling throughout the club that the competition was getting a little jaded and so made the move into Saturday afternoon rugby playing in the Pennine league and against stiffer opposition. This often meant travelling greater distances across the Pennines and in the beginning, getting a thrashing for their troubles.
Dodworth persevered and once again began to compete on an equal footing against many more established teams. Then in 1996 the club had progressed that much they reached a pinnacle, joining the Conference division and so, into top flight rugby. Dodworth remained there for three year but unfortunately due to a fast diminishing squad, the second team needed to fulfil league rules disbanded and Dodworth spiralled back down the league system to division five.
Undeterred the stalwarts of the club carried on whilst others less dedicated left for other teams. Dodworth have had the last laugh because now season by season,the club are back to serious amateur Rugby League, playing in the second division once again and yet again beating their old rivals and giving some a lesson to boot.
In it's time Dodworth has had it's fare share of characters, none more so than club secretary Pete Land. Pete is the scourge of the league, and vehemently defends Dodworth's position on the league board. Pete's dedication for Dodworth knows no ends, and he is often seen early in the morning marking out the pitch or cleaning out the dressing rooms. We all acknowledge ours is a young mans game. But that has not stopped some players fathers being involved, many a parent can be spotted taking on little tasks including Gorden Crossland the father of Kerry, one of the clubs longest serving players. Dodworth now have a firm structure behind them and boast some fifteen non-playing members and headed by Roger Tagg and Ralf Schweinam, who act as president's of the club.
All this from humble beginnings, from a gang of lads who sat in the pub and decided to do something. So, to men like Roger Mulroony, Pete and Stuart Moss, Andy Wade, John Ward, Geoff Wainright and Geoff Wake
THANKS FOR OUR CLUB BOYS IT'S IN GOOD HANDS.

Jeff Hodgson