The Huddersfield Central League are very proudly celebrating their Centenary Year.
Founded in 1913 at a meeting in the old Pack Horse Hotel, Huddersfield, the league currently has 30 member clubs building on a proud and fascinating history.
During the Great War a number of clubs joined, and left, but the league continued to grow during the inter-war years and, then, after 1945, expanded into the Barnsley area.
Today, the constitution states: “A. The League shall consist of 71 sides divided into 6 sections – Premier, A, B, C and D have 12 sides, Section E has 11.”
Geographically the Central League is incredible.
The HQ used to be the Wentworth bar, just outside Emley Clarence’s Welfare Ground. Now the base is Almondbury Wesleyan’s Kaye Lane.
The league stretches from Mount CC, near Batley, in the east, to Holmbridge in the west. And from Birchencliffe in the north to Green Moor, near Sheffield, in the south.
As with all sporting organisations, the HCCL is currently facing challenging times, but the future looks rosy.
President, Jack Carson, is a hardworking and talented administrator and, given the wealth of talent at the league’s disposal in the Management Board, things are looking good.
Carson said: “The HCCL is a totally amateur, grassroots league and our objective is to promote the best interests of local cricket along with fostering the development of amateur talent.
“Since the formation of the league in 1913, an awful lot of changes have occurred and, hopefully, most for the better.”
