There was encouraging news at the weekend of proposals to revive the Cumbria County RL team, starting with a World Cup warm-up game with Jamaica.
Former Whitehaven chairman Tom Todd tried unsuccessfully for a number of years to kickstart Cumbria’s return to county action so he’s naturally delighted to hear the latest developments.
I thought it was a good time to catch up with Tom for his thoughts on Cumbria county, his time away from the Whitehaven club and his thoughts on the current state of Rugby League.
Before we get round to those Tom, can you just tell us how long you’ve been involved in the game, how did it start and your stand-out memories over the years?
I went to my first game in February 1964 a second round Challenge Cup game Whitehaven v Castleford when we got beat 5 – 29. I have been a fan ever since so nearly 60 years.
Peter Boyle’s brother John took me and plonked me in the Kells End with the admonishment “don’t move” as he had been told to take me to the game by his mam Reenie.
I have had so many stand-out memories John so it may be easier to just pick out five. The first was when in 1970 Whitehaven drew 20-20 at Wigan and of course the ensuing game a few days later at The Recreation Ground.
I didn’t realise what a historic day it was as the great Dougie Laughton was presented with the Lancashire League Trophy for the last time in its long history.
After joining the board for the first time in 1975 the second stand out memory would be winning promotion to the old First Division under the chairmanship of the late David Whigham – a wonderful man.
The third would be my election as county secretary, I think in 1979. The county won the County Championship in 1980/81 and 1981/82 and what a great side we had, which went on to beat France, PNG and New Zealand.
Under the county secretaryship I inaugurated the County Cup which was a great pre-season competition alas like others now sadly gone.
The fourth memory would be when the board asked me to become chairman of the club in 2015. I was immensely proud of that and only wish my dad had been alive to see it, and believe me it was the most difficult of jobs.
Sadly, the fifth memory I have chosen was my departure as chairman in 2021. It was a bit traumatic and disappointing that a group of directors/shareholders made my position untenable by saying that they wanted the “final say on everything.”
This of course totally bypassed the process of having a board of directors acting independently. It was also a bit sad because Dean Fearon and I had worked so hard to put a genuine sustainability programme in place that could have brought hundreds of thousands of pounds into the club.
As far as Cumbria County is concerned you tried for a while to revive the team. Was there any support or what seemed to be the problems you faced at the time?
Like Whitehaven, county Rugby League has always had a great meaning for me. I see it as a way that local players can get honours and caps which means a lot to a player.
I contacted both Workington and Barrow about re invigorating the county in the early days of my chairmanship but there was no great enthusiasm.
Club officials have such a hard job of keeping their clubs afloat perhaps it just wasn’t the time. To my way of thinking, however, it was a great way to reward players and also it was financially very profitable. Now the World Cup has given the impetus that was needed.
How would you like to see the new-look Cumbria side develop?
I would like to see Cumbria develop as Cumberland with a change of name to start off with.
Bring back county commissioners from each club, a secretary and president, and make it much more active.
Seriously look for games, an annual French team playing the county would be great, or a county tour to France say pre-season every other year
Then consideration has to be made of Barrow’s position in all this because they have been bundled out of the county much as they were bundled in back in 1974. How does this all affect selection? A player born now or 2024 can’t say in 20 years’ time that he is a born Cumbrian.
What do you think is the current state of rugby league in Cumbria, both professionally and in the community/amateur game?
I think the amateur game seems to be struggling a little at the moment, but I have to admit I am not an expert in this.
It does seem to me that the ‘big’ clubs playing in a league outside of the county has perhaps played a big part in this. Professionally the game is obviously struggling. Haven survived in the Championship but sadly it never worked out for Workington.
There are numerous reasons for this and not enough space to cover them all here but: unequal distribution of central funds, the continual march of SL to keep all the money and the sheer monotony of the same clubs winning all the time, ever changing formats of the league season, the dropping of both the iconic GB brand and abandoning the Lancashire/Yorkshire Cups and the tours of Australasia along with our chasing a dream of beating Australia are pertinent.
Yourself and a number of directors had to leave the Whitehaven club in June 2021. How hard has it been watching from the outside?
The club lost a mass of experience when eight directors and four valued backroom staff went in June of 2021.
It hasn’t been too hard to watch as last year the team we had put together for the 2021 season performed to a high standard. They got better as the season progressed.
This year was much more difficult as Walmsley and Jouffret left the club, two players that drove the results in the previous season. Letting them go was a big mistake.
This year due to various issues I have not seen most of the home games but again the team came good with four wins out of four at the tailend of the season.
Well done to Jonty and his team. Watching from the outside means a lot less stress.
You have still managed to watch some home games. How do you feel the team has shaped this year and who have been the stand-out players?
The team this year has not progressed as good as last year, and it would be unfair to single anyone out. However, Williams and King have been excellent, and I also think that Holiday will prove a valuable asset going forward.
You went to the derby game at Workington. Did you have mixed emotions over the result because of Town’s situation?
Indeed, I am not one of these “…I hate Town brigade…” I have followed Town since my brother-in-law Bobby Nicholson signed for Town in the late 60s along with Bobby Blackwood and Ralph Calvin.
I wish Town all the success along with Barrow as long as we are a bit more successful at Whitehaven – ha ha!
There is so much the three clubs could do to help each other and the rivalry is great but we must learn to put the enmity aside.
I feel so sorry for Town on the financial side as we were there in 2018 and it’s awful when you have to fight to pay your bills and you are even threatened with dire consequences when you can’t. It wasn’t a good performance by the Town side last week which is somewhat sad.
The big issue facing clubs, particularly at the lower end, is what IMG are going to come up with on re-structuring. Forget IMG, how would you like to see the game go forward? More – or less – expansion. Three tiers with Leagues of how many? More representative and international matches?
I am not in favour of expansion. Ever since Fulham came in, the RFL have had this unfathomable mantra of expansion but please tell me where has it succeeded? Nowhere!
We need to look at the game honestly and realistically can the game afford to be full time? SL clubs are struggling financially so maybe we just need to take a step backwards and bring back some of the great events that made the game what it was at its peak.
I dread to think what IMG are going to come up with. Who are they? What is their in-depth knowledge of Rugby League? Will they continue this never-ending copying and aping of all things Australian, are they only in it for the money which is fine if they bring in lots of funding for the whole professional game.
Will they condemn some of the great clubs to oblivion? What I think people should remember is, if we do not like what they propose give it the same as the Murdoch organisation got a big NO!
The big one Tom! Do you think it really is time for Town and Haven to merge?
Merger – what a nonsense. Where will we play? Much is being said about the new stadium at Workington. However, we must be honest if a merger goes ahead and we play at the new stadium whatever you call it, professional rugby is dead in Whitehaven.
I could never adhere too such a catastrophe for my hometown, and if say we play at Copeland Athletic stadium the same goes to Town fans.
The intense rivalry between the clubs keeps us going. One daft pundit recently said we should have a ground halfway between Barrow and Workington. I Googled it – it’s on the top of Corney Fell – population 20 and a few thousand sheep.
Why oh why do the pundits always go on about Workington and Whitehaven merging? Why do Widnes and Saints not merge and Oldham and Rochdale or Swinton and Salford? We simply do not want to.
Finally, a bit of nostalgia. Looking back who are the best players you’ve seen live in action at Whitehaven – both for and against?
John, I could speak of dozens and dozens of players who I have had the privilege to watch. I used to love to watch Vince Fox, what a talent, Garry MacFarlane was also superb, Dave Watson was sometimes unbelievable, and I could write pages about how much I liked ‘Spanky’ (AKA John McFarlane), Phil Kitchin, Eddie Bowman, Dennis Martin, Vince Gribben – and all the highsiders – you know who I mean lads.
Also I thought that Lachlan Walmsley was such an entertaining player.
If I have a little think about things Arnold Walker (AKA Boxer) also was a brilliant player to watch, I can’t even think about him without a smile. I could mention many, many more.
Of those that weren’t Whitehaven players that came to the Recreation Ground again so many – I will pick five. Bobby Fulton, Cliff Watson, Malcolm Reilly, Alex Murphy and Paul Charlton who was superb when he played in the great 1970s Salford back division, what a line-up that was!
To these, and the ones I can’t all name, I can only say a big thank you for giving me a store of memories that time will never ever diminish.