Remember drinking in the black rock back in the days when lad from the pits used to descend on wakey for an all day session . One of the lads with us came up from the toilets looking rather despondent, turns out mr Sykes had taken his shoes off him and old jack came out with a pair that looked like they’d been fished out of the canal . Rather than look for retribution we just fell about the place when this huge scruffy bloke came out of the gents sporting a pair of brand spanking Payton leather shoes and disappeared out of the doors .

Talking of unsavoury people there was a lad who was deaf and dumb called Richard Field who was around at the same time as Sykes, his brother was Ernie Field a pro boxer who once fought for the European Middleweight championship, Mr Sykes always gave Richard a very wide berth with good reason when they were up town on a Friday night, as you say the police found Sykes easily tamed unfortunately that was not the case with Field as I'm sure your brother would testify if he was around at the same time, most Friday nights when he kicked off the meat van as it was affectionally called would roll up with a minimum 8/9 policeman plus a dog for good measure to try and arrest him which I personally witnessed on a couple of occasions which would have been funny had it not been serious, rumour has it, and I say that because if you weren't there and saw it that's all it was, but having been refused to be served in the Talbot & Falcon with the terrific strength he possessed he pulled two of the beer pumps towards him leaving them parallel with the counter egged on by his entourage of hangers on, not a pleasant person when under the influence and honestly made Sykes look like a pussycat.

I left in 1963. Joe Oldroyd was my final form teacher.

That was probably before his time, even Sykes was on the start of his decline but I’m sure older officers will have mentioned him.

My brother always states it’s not the loud ones who are the problem but the sulkers. Those who hold grudges at the merest slight. Them and the real gangsters who strike only when necessary and usually it’s terminal for someone.

Wakefield used to be full of the moody types who you just couldn’t read, especially after a drink. I remember working at the old Asda whose warehouse faced onto the back of the old Speak Easy. We were having a good natured snowball fight with some of the regulars and they were fine. Then securicor arrived to collect the takings and one of the snowballs hit one of them.

He took offence, it was unnecessary as it was just a laugh but not as unnecessary as what came next. Despite wearing a helmet the lead guy from Streethouse put him in hospital with a fractured skull. I’m sure they would have killed him if the Asda manager hadn’t talked them down and we hadn’t manage to drag him in the warehouse. It was 2pm! Absolute nutters yet on the surface ok, they are the dangerous ones.

My brother was there that day and I reckon that’s what made him join up. He wasn’t a hard case or especially brave just a bit stubborn with a tendency not to run even when the odds were overwhelming. That cost me my front tooth on one occasion. I honestly don’t know how he dealt with these people, my nerves would have been shredded. He’s long retired from the front line and thank god for that. With drugs now heavily in the mix I can’t imagine how bad it now is, probably makes Sykes and Field look like reasonable guys.



Your story also demonstrates just how tough you needed to be to be a pub landlord in those days!

The young lads had another away game today other at hopwood collage (rochdale)and got there second win of season winng 34 16,.hopwood where coached by ex bull matt calland i believe.
That 2 wins on tott to start the season off which is a good start.wakey do play in the top division too which is good they are at home to salford next week who are supposed to be handy.

I’m a bit posh now and tend to say I was born in North Thornes.
Obviously there was a very large family on Luppo that everyone knew.
I also lived on Ketty several large families there too. Class act me.

I am posh, from ages 13 I lived on the Barrett estate off Pledwick Lane.

Now bow to me

The lads played there 3rd game of season tonight and 3rd away from home too making the long trip up to barrow and come away with a 36 28 win making it 3 out of 3 wins now.

It was supposed to be a home game, but Barrow requested a switch.

A cynic might suggest it's because they may not want to come down here later in the year, when the comp is already out of their reach.

I had seen it was supposed to be at home but didnt know why it had changed. Least these away games are getting less now for the lads

The young lads are due to he in action today away(again) to Huddersfield giants development academy.if and when i get the score i will post forthose intrested.and in sure everyone will wish them well

Good luck to them.

Is this an actual league fixture? Why are we playing winter games. have I missed something or has it always been this way?

Yes it's a league.

Because college is "open" Sept to June, and closed in the "Summer".

Excuse my ignorance, so this is not the U19's but the Trinity college team or whatever it's called. I'm interested, where do you find stuff about them, fixtures etc?

Correct, this is the team coached by Mark Applegarth out of Wakefield College.

A few of the lads are also in the Trinity system as well as some being picked up from this development pathway.

I think Batch came through this development pathway after being missed for his “junior career”.

Thats correct there will be about 7 acadamy lads playing today as there as veen and a few lads who are been trialled/monitored by wakefield and mark appelgarth. Vastman it is a league wakefield are in the premier division and yes it may not be wakefield trinity as such but it is a good insight into the future as stated already batch came from collage as did titus gwaze and players like yusuf played many a collage too.it is quite a competitive league.

John i believe one of you lads from the past season maybe playing

Where are the fixtures printed? Can you spectate home games or is it just staff and players?

Your free to attend games i believe last week they played at barrow home ground wakefield play there own games mostly at dewsbury on the g4 pitch next to ram stadium.fixtures etc are on line go to rugby league match centre go to competitions and there collage then pick ya league, fixtures etc

Thanks, I need some live RL I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms.

They are sceduled to be at hime next week

I believe the game finnished hudds 10 wakefield collage 52

At any level that is always a great thing to see.

Just for fun - players who have come through the Wakefield College Development Centre, include (without necessarily claiming credit for the outcome); Annakin, Ferguson, Croft, Aydin, Batchelor, Hardaker, Massey, Dawson-Smith, Griffin (Josh), Harry Carter (York)...there's loads over the years.

The Wakefield College team is the most successful college set up of the last 15 years - no other college team gets near.

The first coach was Pete Riding...followed by Mick Bamford, James Ford and Mark Applegarth.

I feel like I have posted this before, so apologies if so.

I think its great personally gives chances to the lads who maybe hadnt fully developed or been missed and even gives the academy lads some game time over the winter while there wouldnt be academy rugby.

Been told the first half of todays game is on you tube

Looks to me like it produces as many players as the actual academy. It’s clearly something we need to make more of a song and a dance about, sounds a real success story.