My late father was a local amateur referee, so the whole family is steeped in Rugby League tradition.
He started bringing me to matches when I was three or four years old, just after the war, and I can still recall playing about on the little paddock that used to be in the front of the stadium. We were fascinated by a place that catered for two sports at the same time and at the beginning of the rugby season you used to come along to find a match on both sides of the ground.
One Saturday we all rushed over from the rugby side to watch Freddie Trueman come in to bat and he was out first ball. As a treat, we were allowed to stay on that evening to watch him bowl. you got a season ticket book in those days that entitled you to do the cricket and rugby.
For home games we used to catch the old forty-four bus from Harehills, but if we went via town we used to get the number one tram to the ground. Things have changed, but in those days the stadium was ringed by lines and lines of public transport. It was a different sort of congestion to nowadays.
Mel Reuben
Originally published in 'Headingley Rugby Voices' Recollections of supporters, compiled by Phil Caplan.
www.scratchingshedpublishing.com Twitter @scratchingshed2
Follow Sporting Memories Network @sportsmemnet
Memory added on October 5, 2012
Comments (Add your voice)
No comments have yet been added to this memory.
