HISTORY

Did you know that U.G.B. (later known as Eccleston Lions)  took part in the first game of rugby league ever played on the Isle of Man? Or that we played in the Rugby League Challenge Cup against the mighty Hunslet, who were, at the time, holders of the RL Championship?

The roots of our great club can be traced as far back as 1933, and central to the Lions' history is the U.G.B. (United Glass Bottles) company, which gave the club it's name for well over 50 years.

Originally, the 'Rugby League Section' was just one of the many individual sports sections of the U.G.B. Recreational club. U.G.B. were a company that considered the social side as a priority for its employees, who were entitled to play whatever sport they desired, or simply pop along to relax with their family and friends in the social club.

The Rugby League section can trace its origins way back to September 1933 when an application was made to local league officials for membership of St Helens and District Junior Rugby League Association.

The application was successful and they were originally allocated a fixture programme vacated by Royal Engineers, commencing on September 30, 1933 with an away fixture at Peasley Cross. However, they actually commenced a week earlier with a 7-4 league victory over 'Junior Imps' at Haresfinch.

U.G.B. ended their inaugural season in seventh position in the nine-strong league table with five victories and one drawn game from their 16 match league programme.

Performances improved rapidly the following term. Nevertheless, despite holding a four point advantage over second placed Star Rovers in the November league table with eight victories from nine games, qualifying for the final of the Saints Million Penny fund and the area final of the Lancashire Junior Cup, honours were rather scarce in those early days. The league leaders suffered a severe jolt in the area final when they were beaten 7-0 by bottom placed Peasley Cross at Peasley Cross Lane.

They maintained their form in the league programme, however, to finish the season in second place - two points behind league leaders Clock Face - with 12 victories from 15 matches played.

The 1934/35 season ended on a high note, however, for U.G.B.'S Austin Mather, when he was chosen to lead the English amateur team in France. Approximately 200 people attended a dance held by 'B' Shift in the U.G.B. Sports Pavilion on Saturday April 13th when Mr S. Morris presented a travelling bag to the player in recognition of his honour.

The brilliance of Mather was a big feature in England's 23-9 victory over France at the Buffalo Stadium, Paris, nine days later, on Monday April 22nd. Mather crossed for two of England's five tries and was instrumental in the build up to two of the other three.

Since their formation, U.G.B. had done exceptionally well and appeared in the top four positions of the league championship each season, but their nearest approach to winning the championship was in 1935 when they appeared in the play-off final, but were beaten by Clock Face.

Many memories are still recalled, however, regarding the club's exploits in the Lancashire Junior Cup and Rugby League Challenge Cup competitions prior to the commencement of World War II and again in Post-War years.

The usual procedure of previous seasons prior to the war, was that the four junior sides remaining after the various districts had played off, were entitled to a place in the first round proper.

Owing to the acceptance of two London Clubs, Acton and Willisden, and Streatham and Mitcham, for the 1935/36 Competition, only two places were available to junior clubs in the draw for the first round proper.

For the second time during the qualifying rounds, U.G.B. forced their opponents to a second replay before the match was finally decided. Earlier in the competition the U.G.B. versus Penketh Tannery clash went to three games before U.G.B. emerged winners at Runcorn.

The final qualifying round between U.G.B. and Higginshaw (Oldham) for the honour of meeting Oldham RLFC in the first round proper, produced another marathon event before Higginshaw eventually gained the verdict.

240 minutes of rugby had been played without a try being scored by either side. The first game at Bobbies Lane ended all square at 4-4, and the replay at Higginshaw the following week finished without a single point being scored. In the third meeting at Pendlebury, Higginshaw emerged victors by 6 points to 4.

In 1937/38, U.G.B. entered the final stages of the Lancashire Junior Cup competition following a resounding 35-7 semi-final victory over Greenacres (Oldham) and qualified to meet Anchor Cables (Leigh) in the final. In accordance with previous custom, a draw was made to decide which District should stage the game. U.G.B. were successful and the game was played at Knowsley Road where U.G.B. became worthy winners of the Lancashire Junior Cup.

The team consisted solely of players employed by United Glass Bottle Manufacturer and was acknowledged as one of the finest amateur teams in the country, which was hardly surprising, for it included amateur internationals.

W. French, captain of the side, had captained the County team and secured international honours. E. McMenemy, a second-row forward, was another County and England amateur player. Front-row forward W. Glynn had also been honoured by the county, while loose forward R. French had represented the Lancashire Federation and former Saints star George Lewis (pictured above, right) had made the full-back berth his own. At right centre, 18-year-old Jimmy Stott (above left), who had previously attained every honour available at schoolboy level, was attracting the attention of several senior clubs.

Since their formation in 1933, the Rugby League section had grown considerably under the leadership of Mr. T. Hayes - a former Saints player himself. Other personalities in the thriving set-up at Bobbies Lane included President Mr J. Lomax, who was President of St Helens RLFC for many years and trainer 'Cuddy' Pennington (right) who also assisted St Helens for many years.

The club's headquarters at Bobbies Lane, complete with dressing rooms, baths, sun-ray apparatus, and flood-lighting for training had often been described as one of the finest in Rugby League.

It was hardly surprising that an amateur side with such a star-studded line-up and the advantage of top-class facilities for training would eventually reach the first round proper of the Challenge Cup.

After defeating Hindley, Rylands Rec., Barnes & Son's (War) and Newton Rec quite comfortably in the opening rounds, U.G.B. struggled to beat a depleted Swindley Hornets outfit in the 1937/38 Challenge Cup final qualifying round. Their opponents  were so hard pressed for players that they could only field eleven.

What appeared to be a dream opportunity for the home team almost turned into a nightmare as Hornets led 3-2 at the interval. They increased their lead with a try and penalty goal to lead 8-2 midway through the second half. However, they tired rapidly in the final 15 minutes. Crompton and Grundy crossed for tries and with Stott adding one conversion, U.G.B. were ahead. Crompton touched down again in the closing minutes to secure a 13-8 victory for U.G.B. and a first round Challenge Cup tie against reigning RL champions, Hunslet.

Throughout the 1930s, Hunslet was one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the game. Their 1934 Challenge Cup winning squad is pictured above.  Approximately 300 supporters - many of whom wore glass rosettes manufactured at the U.G.B. plant in St Helens - made the journey from St Helens to Hunslet's Parkside Ground on Saturday February 4th 1938 to share in the biggest event in the amateur club's brief history.

The amateurs fielded the same team that defeated Swindley Hornets in the final qualifying round. The team that day was:

LEWIS, MAKIN, STOTT, CRITCHLEY, CROOKS, CROMPTON, FRENCH, W. GLYNN, GALLAGHER, FINNEY, STOTT, MCMENEMY, FRENCH R.

Though losing 48-5, the team performed creditably against the R.L. champions, and were by no means as inferior as the final scoreline suggests.

Weight and experience gave Hunslet a monopoly of the ball and Hunslet's heavy forwards held the advantage over U.G.B'S light pack throughout.

Hunslet also had far too much pace in their back division for the gallant amateurs and the majority of Hunslet's ten tries were scored from distance.

Nevertheless, there was no shortage of vocal support throughout for the amateurs, as the name of U.G.B. rang around the terraces of Parkside, chanted by the 300 supporters who had accompanied the team from St Helens by special train.

After this unsuccessful challenge against the Champions, U.G.B. confined their efforts for the remainder of the season to their own particular sphere, the amateur Rugby League world.

Following a 15-8 quarter final victory over Higginshaw at Bobbies Lane in early March 1939, they overcame a powerful Rylands Rec side at Warrington to win 12-7 and book a place in the Lancashire Cup final for the second successive season.

Their opponents Wigan Road WMC (Leigh) also proved to be a tough nut to crack and despite tries from R. French and A. Appleton, and one conversion from J. Stott, the visitors led 10-8 at the interval.

Wigan Road increased their lead with an early penalty after the break but Crooks quickly regained possession for U.G.B. from the restart. The wingman raced clear as the defenders gave up the chase. In his excitement, however, Crooks stumbled, but fortunately for U.G.B. he fell over the visitors line for an unconverted try.

With the visitors' lead reduced to a solitary point at 12-11, the final 15 minutes of the game belonged to U.G.B. as their hard-running and fine handling movements carved out numerous openings, but missed opportunities, coupled with fine last-ditch tackling by the overworked visitor's defence prevented them from adding to their tally.

The U.G.B. side that day was:

E. CRITCHLEY, CROOKS, APPLETON, STOTT, R. CRITCHLEY, W. FRENCH, DINGSDALE, LINGARD, GALLAGHER, CARR, FINNEY, PRICE, R. FRENCH

A week earlier, U.G.B. had played French Students in an entertaining game at Knowsley Road which saw the touring side snatch victory with a penalty in the dying seconds.

U.G.B. continued to spread the RL gospel in Post-war years and on Saturday August 30th, 1952, the first Rugby League match ever to be played on the Isle of Man took place at the New Onchan Head Park Stadium between U.G.B. and Liverpool Hornets.

U.G.B. led 23-0 at the interval and eventually won the game by 40-13. Topping (3), Robinson (3), Grundy (2), Brunt and Parkes scored tries for the winners and Topping added 5 goals. The team that historic day was:

DEVANNEY, BRUNT, MOLYNEUX, GRUNDY, PARKES, TOPPING, HOCKENHALL, HAYES, WILLS, FORD, SHARP, GROVES, ROBINSON

Resident announcer Mr Morris, gave a commentary of the match to the spectators as the game progressed. A half-time collection for the Lynmouth Flood disaster raised £14-16s-4d.

Following another big day for the club, Salford RLFC Officials were full of praise for the type of football played by U.G.B. following their 22-8 defeat by Salford 'A' at the Willows on Saturday, August 20th 1960.

After the game, Salford chairman Mr Thomas, said "U.G.B. Rugby league team were a credit to the people responsible for coaching and training, and several trialists in the Salford line-up had certainly learned some of the finer points of the game from the opposition."

And he added, "We will arrange another game for the first available date."

U.G.B. had led 8-6 at the interval with tries from Heaton and 'Chick' Morrison, with Gillan adding one conversion, but the superior fitness of their opponents told its tale in the second half.

Nevertheless, the amateurs' performance augured well for their clash with the Italian tourists the following week. Padua - Italy's rugby idols - reeled and slithered to defeat in the rain at Knowsley Road on Tuesday, August 30th 1960, in the opening game of their S.W. Lancashire tour, and were beaten 24-7 by the St Helens and District League Champions.

The speed and sturdiness of the whole U.G.B. pack of forwards was a power that Padua never effectively dealt with, and the sharp, accurate passing and teamwork of the home team resulted in their speedy back division registering all six tries.

Among the many great players to have played for our club, Jimmy Stott perhaps stands out the most, being inducted into the St Helens RLFC Hall-of-Fame after a glorious 13-year career which saw him amass 785 points, despite a career blighted by the outbreak of WW2. Other players have turned professional, such as Austin Donegan (left) and David Large (right), while the French mentioned previously in this article, is the father of Ray French who went on to become a Saints Hall-of-Famer himself.

Current club chairman Phil Anders (below right) has been involved with the club for many years as a player, coach and secretary, and he has overseen some big changes within the club. The introduction of the "Lions" moniker was the first real change, the inspiration for our new name, explains Phil, being the roars of the lions from nearby Knowsley Safari Park, carrying on the wind and often being heard during pre-season training at Bobbies Lane.

In 2002, the club severed its links with U.G.B. and moved away from Bobbies Lane while it was renovated. The newly named 'Eccleston Lions' lived a nomadic existence, playing rugby at Parr Stocks and Sherdley Park, before a return in 2006, to the clubs spiritual and historic home of Bobbies Lane. With a young squad gelling together, led by current coach Karl Grounds and captain Ian Penketh (left), they will be hoping to come close to repeating the great achievements of years past.

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Many thanks to the Saints Heritage Society for providing photographs and information for this page.