125th Anniversary Of Wakefield Trinity Rugby League Football Club

EDM number 1613 in 1997-98, proposed by David Hinchliffe on 27/07/1998.

That this House warmly congratulates Wakefield Trinity Rugby League Football Club on its celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Club's founding by the Young Men's Society of the former Holy Trinity Church in Wakefield; commends the Club on the key role it played in the break away from the Rugby Football Union with the formation of the Northern Union and subsequently the Rugby Football league; notes that as part of the evolutionary process the Club provided in Harry Hayley, in 1878, the first player without a public school background ever to be selected for the Yorkshire county side, and also, with a fine disregard for rules geared to the exclusion of working people from the game, the first professional rugb y player in the world in C. E. 'Teddy' Bartram in 1879; further notes that many of the world's finest players have been associated with the Club during its distinguished history, most notably Neil Fox MBE, the holder of the world record for points scored during an individual career; and records with pleasure the fact that the Club is once again experiencing success on the field and is looking forward to a bright new future in the new stadium planned to replace the famous Belle Vue Ground.

This motion has been signed by a total of 73 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.