|
History » Thrum Hall
Halifax RLFC moved in at the Shay in 1998 but had earlier played one game there back in 1986. Floodlight problems meant Thrum Hall could not be used for midweek fixtures and so the game against Widnes was moved to the Shay on 22 January. Fax lost 15:8 but still went on to be Rugby League Champions that season.
The match re-ignited talk of a ground-share, with a growing lobby suggesting that the town of Halifax could no longer sustain two professional stadiums. The town’s safety officers were also more officious than most, making more and more excessive demands for costly changes to the ageing Thrum Hall estate. In an era when clubs in all sports were looking towards better facilities or new grounds anyway, something had to happen.
For a time it seemed that a ground-share might be arranged at the Thrum Hall estate, in a new stadium built on what was the cricket field, partly funded by the sale of The Shay. But in the end it was Thrum Hall that would be sold, for a disappointingly low sum which had to be shared with the other partners of the estate, namely the cricket club and the bowling club.
Thrum Hall had been a popular ground among the town’s Rugby League fans, many of whom lived close by. It had a tremendous atmosphere with the spectators close to the playing area, and a unique slope which gave an advantage to the home team. Indeed it was always said that playing at Thrum Hall gave Halifax five or six points start.
There had been many glory days at Thrum Hall, times like the early years of the last century, the late ‘30's, the 1950's and one last hurrah in the 1980's when Halifax were the number one club in Rugby League. Challenge Cup winners 5 times, Championship winners 4 times and Yorkshire Cup winners 5 times were the major honours from the time there, along with three of the five Yorkshire Rugby Union Cup wins in the years before Halifax became founder members of Rugby League in 1895, 23 years after their formation in 1873.
Some fans were reluctant to move to The Shay, but the South Stand Lounge helped recreate the memories of the Taverners Club, and the new stands helped sway more doubters. When the ground is finished there is little doubt that it will surpass anything that could ever have been achieved at Thrum Hall.
Then all that the rugby club needs is a bit of success and a few years free of financial strife.
Images and text (c) Andrew Hardcastle.
Return to the Table of Contents.
| 
• [ Disclaimer ]