THE record of the 3rd XI has gone a long way to establish the team as a group of serious and competent footballers, and not just a collection of remnants. Selection of course had to be postponed until the 1st and 2nd XIs had had their pick, but even so there was considerable competition for places in the team. This was particularly felt by the two ex-1st XI goalkeepers who were competing for that place in the 3rds. And when seventh formers were seen at Thursday night training sessions it was realised that the 3rd XI had assumed a new image.
John 'Crab' Thorpe, Rod Nicolson, Pete
Dungworth, Robbie Burns,
Pat Woodhouse, Mick Richards, Malcolm Woollas, Bob Strong.
Steve 'Sniggy' Hill, Geoff West, Geoff
Slack, Ian Broome (Capt),
Martin Hyatt, Charlie Peace, Rob Lee ('Flea').
Longstaff scored four goals in the first three matches, and was promptly discovered by the 2nd XI. Davies scored the team's first hat-trick, and also disappeared into the 2nd XI-as a goalkeeper. Strong emerged (from right back) as a roving goal scorer and in one spell of six consecutive matches he netted sixteen goals. Burns took over as leading goal getter after Christmas, and ended the season with a tally of fifteen goals in eight games. Others in the hat-trick club were Lee, who scored and missed the most spectacular goals of the season, and Slack, who had his hair cut for the team photograph. In addition Hyatt scored five with his head, Woollas five from the left wing, Peace nine from inside, and long shots, from wing halves Broome and Dungworth, added further goals.
In a defence that was not often troubled Cartwright (for most of the season), Woodcock and Woodhouse performed very competently between the posts. In Hill and Nicolson the team had a pair of rugged, efficient and left-footed full-backs. These two, with the ever cheerful captain Broome, and Thorpe (who might have had more games for the 2nds), formed the nucleus of the team throughout the season. West, Richards and Dungworth filled the left half spot at different times. Hodgkinson also played before Christmas, after an appearance against the team as Huddersfield Amateurs' strongest player. Many of the above played for the Seconds for part of the season.
Most of the early matches comprised a dour first half and a goal rout in the second. Double figures were reached in the return match at Manchester, after which their referee ventured to suggest that the run of play had been about even. The only black spot for the team was the Pre.'s Dance, it appears. On the morning after this august event, the team lost for the only time-though it is to their credit that all eleven players found their way to the pitch even if the fresh air did hurt.
Congratulations to Broome and his team for scoring more goals per game and losing fewer games than other footballing sides, of wider fame, within the school. In spite of this, rumours about entering for the Amateur Cup next year are still being denied.
Summary of results:-
Played, 16; won, 15; lost, 1; goals for, 90; goals against, 24.
M.J.H. B.K.