LANCASTER HONDA NORTH LANCASHIRE AND DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE (MEMBERS OF THE LANCASHIRE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION)

90th Year Celebrations

Please join us in celebrating the 90th Year since the founding of the North Lancashire & District Football League.

At the 1913 A.G.M. Sam Wildman was again appointed Secretary, but almost immediately afterwards had to resign owing to a business appointment in London and Mr. Jim Kirby took over for the season which was the last up to the war.

During the whole time of the period under review, Joe smith had been the treasurer, a Printer by business many times he provided posters, and team sheets at his own expense to help the club through hard times, and in many other ways he assisted. His efforts earn this mark of appreciation.

Before we close this episode it might be wise to a quick look into the history of the Leagues in which the Rangers were playing in in this era. As we previously said a Mr. J. A. MacGregor  a Schoolmaster from Morecambe, was the secretary of the League and by from what can be gleaned, from those of that period, he was a character and a power in this sphere. In 1912 a rival League was founded in Lancaster, and it was called the Church League. The secretary was Mr. Arthur Paine (Who incidentally is now with Burt F.C.)

During the short period before the War, the Church League flourished. We can only draw comparisons  in the efficiency of the two by saying the Fixtures, Results and League Tables of the Church League were regularly published in the local Press. Those of the North Lancashire & District League were not published regularly. It is said that in it’s second year of existence, several clubs were only presented from changing over to the Church League through the League not being affiliated to the Lancashire Football Association.  The Church league rectified this later. There was more love lost between the two Leaguer factions when the Church nominated Mr. E. (Teddy) Webster for the L.F.A. council in opposition to Mr. MacGregor before the set-up fully developed, the fireworks were damped by the on-set of World War I.

POST WORLD WAR I

Organised football resumed in 1919. Mr. MacGregor was not to see the re-start for he died during the early part of the war. The re-constitution of the North Lancashire & District Football League had no complications, but it is significant that Mr. Arthur Paine the ex-Secretary of the Church League became Secretary. In fact it was an alliance of the two leagues and its constitution was built on the lines of the Church League.  1919 is now recognised as the foundation year of the North Lancashire & District Football League. It’s sponsored Cup competitions were the Infirmary Senior Cup, Infirmary Junior Cup and The Parkinson Cup was donated by a Mr. Parkinson who owned the Collegian Billiard Hall, Gage Street, Lancaster. The Infirmary Senior Cup was a Rugby trophy and is a cup worthy of any league. It is said to hold 19 pints and 1 gill.

Reproduced by kind permission of Carnforth Rangers F.C.