Old Glossop Cricket Club

A Brief History by Derek Slack

The Origins

In the summer of 1900 four young men on a cycle ride stopped for a rest outside the Snake Inn. Their names were Herbert Bradley (later Storah), Herbert Foster, Joe Slack and Hedley Clarkson. They bemoaned the fact that there was no cricket club in Old Glossop (All Saints having recently folded up). They decided to approach Lord Howard and asked him if they could rent a piece of land to form a club. Lord Howard agreed to let then rent two small fields in Hall Street (later Manor Park Road).

Tommy Foster, the old Derbyshire player, began laying a wicket in 1901 on land straddling the stone wall between the two fields, and Old Glossop Cricket Club was refounded.

The Early Years

The Old Glossop club entered the 2^nd Division of the Glossop and District League for 1902, and the first match was at home on April 19^th of that year against Hadfield 2^nd XI (not St Andrews). Hadfield were dismissed for 7 runs, Joe Slack taking 4 for 4 and Ike Shirt 2 for 3. Hadfield had 9 men only.

The club won the 2^nd Division in 1903 and was promoted to the 1^st Division and began to run two teams. Tommy Foster became captain for a time and others to appear for the club before the 1914-1918 war were Bill Stapley, the England footballer, Alf Rose as a youngster, who played for Derbyshire, and Herman Foster the fast bowler.

In the middle of the first war, the club closed down, but after the war an influx of good players secured the championship and knockout gold medal winners of 1920. These included Alf Berwick of Northamptonshire and Derbyshire, ex Glossop professional, his son Bill who had been a professional, and subsequently became one again for a while before retiring, and Jimmy Kenyon.

In the late 20’s Alf Berwick relaid the wicket and made it bigger, and in 1937, a team captained by Bill Reddington won the league and Rose Bowl.

The War

The club, along with the Glossop league closed down during the Second World War and the ground became almost derelict, but in 1946 it was cleared up and operations resumed.

New changing rooms were completed in 1963, and in 1973 a new large wooden building was purchased from Union Carbide.

Ashley Allsopp’s return from Glossop C.C. heralded a new dawn on the field, other good players were attracted and the club achieved the double in 1982.

Derbyshire & Cheshire Cricket League

The club then applied to join the Derbyshire & Cheshire Cricket League in 1982, and went on to secure the ‘A’ dvision title in 1986, followed by the 1^st Division title in 1987. The Hawke Trophy followed in 1993, and the club looked forward to more success in the future.

Improvements off the field culminated with the erection of a new pavilion in 1993, which was used at the start of the 1994 season.

Various ground improvements are on going with a view to improving the already aesthetic views of the ground and surrounding countryside.

Recent Times

In more recent times Ian Chipchase, Andrew Dyson, Damien Eyre, Mark Dyson and David Thornhill have played representative cricket at various levels with Derbyshire teams while with the club. Michael Oldroyd also played some representative cricket with Bedfordshire.

Now in the year 2006, the club continues to be members of the Derbyshire & Cheshire Cricket League and has a thriving set up with two senior teams, four junior teams, and a tireless committee which strives to continually improve the club both on and off the field.