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Stuart Sheard

@dropkickbooks

Was a rugby player - League and Union. Now a writer of books and articles on both codes. Interested and involved in Rugby Heritage. Books available from: YorkBookShop.com York City, Leeds United and left wing politics.

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14.08.2024
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Latest posts by Stuart Sheard @dropkickbooks

Preview
Rugby League Magazine In the days before the Internet, websites and social media, rugby league fans had to rely on newspapers and magazines for rugby league stories, match reports and gossip about the game.

Only people of a certain age will remember this rugby league publication!

www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

13.03.2026 16:54 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Rugby League Magazine In the days before the Internet, websites and social media, rugby league fans had to rely on newspapers and magazines for rugby league stories, match reports and gossip about the game.

Only people of a certain age will remember this rugby league publication!

www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

13.03.2026 16:54 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Rugby in Tadcaster The story ofΒ Tadcaster's rugby clubs.

Rugby in Tadcaster.

A small town that between 1880 and 1969 had seven rugby clubs.

www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

26.02.2026 16:39 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Askern Welfare v Wigan The day that Askern Welfare played Wigan in the Rugby League Challenge Cup

On this day in 1933 Askern Welfare played Wigan in the Rugby League Challenge Cup.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

11.02.2026 17:46 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Askern Welfare v Wigan The day that Askern Welfare played Wigan in the Rugby League Challenge Cup

On this day in 1933 Askern Welfare played Wigan in the Rugby League Challenge Cup.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

11.02.2026 17:46 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Rugby in Spen Valley The version of football that we know today as rugby first became established in the Spen Valley in the early 1870s when the Heckmondwike club was formed. Cleckheaton Football Club followed in 1875, wi...

I research rugby history and have spent many hours in Cleckheaton Library. In the Reference section is a book written in the 1920s called 'Spen Valley Rugby Reminiscences' by George Cooper, well worth a read. The link to my blog about Spen Valley rugby is:
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

05.02.2026 13:30 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

I grew up in Hartshead close to where the Luddites met to plan their attack on Rawfolds Mill and treat their wounded following the attack.
I enjoy your fascinating posts keep up the good work.

05.02.2026 08:16 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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The All Golds in York The 1907/08 New Zealand tour of Australia and Great Britain arrived in York on the 29th January 1908.

On 29th January 1908 the All Golds played York at Clarence Street.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

29.01.2026 08:26 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The All Golds in York The 1907/08 New Zealand tour of Australia and Great Britain arrived in York on the 29th January 1908.

On 29th January 1908 the All Golds played York at Clarence Street.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

29.01.2026 08:26 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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A century of giant killers The Rugby League Challenge Cup started life as the Northern Union Challenge Cup in 1897. The competition was re-named the Rugby League Challenge Cup in 1922 when the Northern Union became Rugby Footba...

Unfortunately, there were no 'giant killing' acts in the 2nd round of the 2026 Rugby League Challenge Cup.
That wasn't always the case.
Follow the link to read about a century of 'giant killers'
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

26.01.2026 15:02 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Let Them Play By All Means Let Them Play By All Means is the story of Yorkshire rugby union during World War Two, one of the most difficult times in the lives of many people in Britain, and a largely unrecorded period in the hi...

The story of Yorkshire rugby union in World War Two.
www.dropkickbooks.com/books/post.p...

16.01.2026 16:52 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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New Zealand Universities 1984 Tour The New Zealand Universities team was the first student representative side to tour the UK.

On 17th January 1984 New Zealand Universities RL team played England Universities. In the England team was a player who played a part in helping England win the 2003 RU World Cup.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

16.01.2026 08:56 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Let Them Play By All Means Let Them Play By All Means is the story of Yorkshire rugby union during World War Two, one of the most difficult times in the lives of many people in Britain, and a largely unrecorded period in the hi...

The story of Yorkshire rugby union in World War Two.
www.dropkickbooks.com/books/post.p...

16.01.2026 16:52 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
New Zealand Universities 1984 Tour The New Zealand Universities team was the first student representative side to tour the UK.

On 17th January 1984 New Zealand Universities RL team played England Universities. In the England team was a player who played a part in helping England win the 2003 RU World Cup.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

16.01.2026 08:56 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Why Does Hull Have Two Rugby Teams But Only One Football Team?

Sports writer Tony Collins gets to the bottom of a mystery that keeps sports fans awake at night.

Supplementals: tinyurl.com/58tjt8ym

@hulllibraries.bsky.social
@collinstony.bsky.social
@hullfcofficial.bsky.social
@hullkr.bsky.social

15.01.2026 07:25 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Rugby in Barnsley This book tells the story of rugby in Barnsley over the past one hundred and fifty years.

Rugby was first played in Barnsley 152 years ago.
To read about what happened next follow the link:
www.dropkickbooks.com/books/post.p...

12.01.2026 15:55 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Rugby in Barnsley This book tells the story of rugby in Barnsley over the past one hundred and fifty years.

Rugby was first played in Barnsley 152 years ago.
To read about what happened next follow the link:
www.dropkickbooks.com/books/post.p...

12.01.2026 15:55 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Barnsley Football Club The first ever game of rugby in Barnsley was played at Shaw LaneΒ on the 10th of January 1874.

Barnsley Football Club
On the 10th January 1874 the first ever game of rugby in Barnsley was played at the Shaw Lane Ground.
To read the match report - a work of art
Follow the link:
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

09.01.2026 09:04 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Barnsley Football Club The first ever game of rugby in Barnsley was played at Shaw LaneΒ on the 10th of January 1874.

Barnsley Football Club
On the 10th January 1874 the first ever game of rugby in Barnsley was played at the Shaw Lane Ground.
To read the match report - a work of art
Follow the link:
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

09.01.2026 09:04 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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On Saturday the 3rd of January 1903 Barnsley Rugby Union Club played its first game.
To read about the game check out: www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

02.01.2026 08:19 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

On Saturday the 3rd of January 1903 Barnsley Rugby Union Club played its first game.
To read about the game check out: www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

02.01.2026 08:19 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Headingley Football Club What happened to Headingley?It was Yorkshire’s leading rugby union club for over a century.

What happened to Headingley?
For most of the 20th century it was the strongest rugby union club in Yorkshire.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

18.12.2025 17:11 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Headingley Football Club What happened to Headingley?It was Yorkshire’s leading rugby union club for over a century.

What happened to Headingley?
For most of the 20th century it was the strongest rugby union club in Yorkshire.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

18.12.2025 17:11 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Askern Welfare v Wigan The day that Askern Welfare played Wigan in the Rugby League Challenge Cup

Read the story of when Askern Welfare played Wigan in the Rugby League Challenge Cup.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

15.12.2025 16:32 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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150 years of rugby in Barnsley.
This article appeared in the Barnsley Chronicle newspaper on 13th December 1873.
The story of what happened next is told in Rugby in Barnsley 1874 - 2024.' Follow the link to buy the book.
www.dropkickbooks.com/books/post.p...

12.12.2025 08:16 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

150 years of rugby in Barnsley.
This article appeared in the Barnsley Chronicle newspaper on 13th December 1873.
The story of what happened next is told in Rugby in Barnsley 1874 - 2024.' Follow the link to buy the book.
www.dropkickbooks.com/books/post.p...

12.12.2025 08:16 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Books | My Website

Rugby books - both codes - available via:

www.dropkickbooks.com/books/

Delivered in time for Christmas

09.12.2025 13:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Rugby league in South Yorkshire before World War Two In the 1920s there was some interest in rugby league in the south of the county.

Were there any amateur rugby league clubs in South Yorkshire before World War Two?
Click on the link below to find the answer.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

08.12.2025 16:27 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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David Watkins I had watched David Watkins on television playing rugby union for Wales and the British Lions and when he changed codes in October 1967 I thought, as I am sure many other people did, that his signing ...

After yesterday's sad news about Salford's winding up order I thought I would post an article I wrote in 2009 about happier times at the club.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

04.12.2025 14:23 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
David Watkins I had watched David Watkins on television playing rugby union for Wales and the British Lions and when he changed codes in October 1967 I thought, as I am sure many other people did, that his signing ...

After yesterday's sad news about Salford's winding up order I thought I would post an article I wrote in 2009 about happier times at the club.
www.dropkickbooks.com/blog/post.ph...

04.12.2025 14:23 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0