Aspatria Hornets celebrated their 130th anniversary on Saturday with a derby against Cockermouth Titans and their annual awards evening.
The club, who were formed in 1891, also celebrated 10 years since their reformation following a 14-year gap with a 40-24 victory over neighbours Cockermouth.
The Rugby Football League president Mike Smith and CARLA chairman Roger Blair were in attendance, using the occasion to take a look at the club’s new changing room facilities and pitch, facilitated by a Sport England grant.
Aspatria were launched at a meeting on the 17th October 1891, and played their first game one month later, the 21st October, losing by 9 points to 0 at Brookland Rovers.
The club remained a rugby union club in the Northern Union, but in 1899 switched codes following a dispute with the Cumberland Rugby Union due to difficulty arranging fixtures, the non-payment of travel expenses, and the lack of medals for the final at Whitehaven, which have still not been received.
It was remarked that “the Cumberland RU could spend a lot of money on a tour in Ireland, but could not pay the expenses to Whitehaven for the final.”
The club continues to flourish, with teams right across the age ranges, from under-7’s to the first team and as far as a Masters side.
Aspatria is a small town with a population of around 2,500 people, and along with the Hornets, the town has two football teams and their rugby union counterparts.
The whole town was out in force when the New Zealand Kiwis trained at the home of the rugby union side, Bower Park, in preparation for their thrilling four nations game against Scotland. The day showed the good relations between the two codes, with many players playing for both teams during their respective off season.
A number of well-known names have graced the Aspatria club either as player or coach.
Robert Scott played for Aspatria, Swinton and Cumberland while Ike Southward of Workington Town fame coached the under-17s in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Jackie Newall played for Blackpool and Workington Town and coached Aspatria while Martin Oglanby coached Workington Town, played for GB amateurs and was player/coach of Aspatria.
Colin Hall, played for Whitehaven; Jackie Barton played for Workington Town while Kevin Hetherington,who recently ran with Gary Mckee in the marathon of marathons played for Aspatria.
The current Aspatria coach is Hitro Okesene, the Auckland Warriors cult hero who played at Town and Carlisle.
The Hornets are very deep rooted in the community, and chocolate was donated to the local hospital’s children’s ward at Christmas a few years ago, whilst old playing kits were sent to Burundi to develop the game in Africa.
The club continues to be supported by a dedicated band of volunteers, fans and sponsors, whom without the club could not survive.
The award winners from the presentation that followed the game were:
- Joseph Dunn Young Player of the Year – Cameron Harrison
- Referee’s Player of the Year – Luke Crossman
- Clubman of the Year – Nicola Hamilton
- Sponsors’ Player of the Year – Guy Reed
- Committee’s Player of the Year – Richard Stamper
- Top Try Scorer – Luke Crossman
- Jason Johnson Trophy for the Most Improved Player – Callum Scott
- Man of Steel – Luke Crossman
- Malcolm Wilkinson Prestige Player of the Year – Ross Barton
- Player’s Player of the Year – Ross Barton
