Manningham FC
Encyclopedia
Manningham was an English rugby league football club based in Manningham, Bradford
, the first ever champions of the Rugby Football League
(then known as the Northern Rugby Football Union) in its first ever season. After seven seasons of rugby league, the club switched codes to Association football in 1903.
In 1880, Manningham FC was formed after the Manningham Albion Club was disbanded. The club originally played at a field in Whetley Hill, known as Carlisle Road. Manningham FC played rugby football
under the Rugby Football Union
but later became a founding member of the breakway Northern Rugby Football Union
(later re-named the Rugby Football League) in 1895. In the new competition's first season, Manningham finished on top of the ladder, becoming the world's first rugby league champions.
In 1886, the club moved to Valley Parade
, a ground that was hacked out of a hillside over a few months. In the 1896-7 season
the Northern Union's championship was split into two separate county competitions with Manningham competing in the Yorkshire
division. The club performed strongly again and almost won the Yorkshire Senior Competition
but in the end fell short on the table by just one win.
However, the club fell upon hard times after being relegated, and in 1903 only the successful staging of an archery tournament kept the club going.
On 30 January 1903, Scotsman James Whyte, a sub-editor of the Bradford Observer met with Football Association
representative John Brunt at Valley Parade
, the home of Manningham Football Club, to discuss establishing a Football League
club within the city. A series of meetings was held, and on 29 May 1903, at the 23rd annual meeting of Manningham FC, the committee decided to leave the rugby league code and switch to association football, becoming Bradford City A.F.C.
.
Manningham, Bradford
Manningham is an area of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, approximately a mile north of the city centre and is seen as the centre of the city's south Asian population.- Geography :...
, the first ever champions of the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
(then known as the Northern Rugby Football Union) in its first ever season. After seven seasons of rugby league, the club switched codes to Association football in 1903.
History
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
under the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
but later became a founding member of the breakway Northern Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
(later re-named the Rugby Football League) in 1895. In the new competition's first season, Manningham finished on top of the ladder, becoming the world's first rugby league champions.
In 1886, the club moved to Valley Parade
Valley Parade
Valley Parade, also known as the Coral Windows Stadium through sponsorship rights, is an all-seater football stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was built in 1886, and was the home of Manningham Rugby Football Club until 1903, when they changed code from rugby football to association...
, a ground that was hacked out of a hillside over a few months. In the 1896-7 season
1896-97 Northern Rugby Football Union season
The 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season was the second ever season of rugby league football. Following the success of the Northern Union's first season, several more clubs from the established Rugby Football Union joined the rebel competition...
the Northern Union's championship was split into two separate county competitions with Manningham competing in the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
division. The club performed strongly again and almost won the Yorkshire Senior Competition
Rugby league county leagues
The Yorkshire League and the Lancashire League formed two sections of the Rugby Football League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league, however the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split...
but in the end fell short on the table by just one win.
However, the club fell upon hard times after being relegated, and in 1903 only the successful staging of an archery tournament kept the club going.
On 30 January 1903, Scotsman James Whyte, a sub-editor of the Bradford Observer met with Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
representative John Brunt at Valley Parade
Valley Parade
Valley Parade, also known as the Coral Windows Stadium through sponsorship rights, is an all-seater football stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was built in 1886, and was the home of Manningham Rugby Football Club until 1903, when they changed code from rugby football to association...
, the home of Manningham Football Club, to discuss establishing a Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
club within the city. A series of meetings was held, and on 29 May 1903, at the 23rd annual meeting of Manningham FC, the committee decided to leave the rugby league code and switch to association football, becoming Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
.
Notable former players
- Alfred BarracloughAlfred BarracloughAlfred "Alf" Barraclough was a rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s who at representative level played rugby union for Yorkshire, and at club level for Manningham F.C., and at club level played rugby league for Manningham F.C....
- James BridieJames Bridie (rugby player)James Bridie was a Scottish-born rugby union scrum-half who played club rugby union for Cardiff and Newport, international Wales and county rugby for Monmouthshire.-Rugby career:...
- Edgar HolmesEdgar HolmesEdgar "Eddie" Holmes was a rugby union footballer of the 1890s, and referee, who at representative level played for England, and at club level for Manningham F.C., playing in the Forwards, e.g. Front row, Lock, or Back row...