South Yorkshire Times March 15, 1969
What’s Happening to Village Sport?
Down Kilnhurst Way
There can be low villages in the area, or even in this pioneering county that can boast the consistent sporting achievements of the tiny mining village of Kilnhurst.
The sporting life of the community has revolved, not unnaturally, around the pit, established well over 100 years ago, but one of the most successful village sides in living memory had its ties with the old council school.
As Britain emerged from the great depression, when footballers were footballers,” Kilnhurst was the toast of South Yorkshire with its Old Boys’ football team.
During those years, players like ‘Buzz’ Hart, Joe Turton, Ray Smart and Paddy Wood graced the Council school field and put their side firmly at the top of the tree. The club became almost resident champions of the Mexborough League, and claimed every honour available at least once.
This remarkable record was essentially a team effort, but a history of the fortunes of the club, however brief, would not be compete without mentioning one Kilnhurst player who became nationally famous — Herbert Barlow, who moved to Wolves in the late 30’s. He was transferred to Portsmouth in 1939 and played inside forward against his old club in the famous Wembley final of the same year.
The transfer of Barlow to Wolves heralded the start of a lengthy and productive link between the village and the Wolverhampton Club. Several players went for trials in the Midlands and Wolves scouts became almost village regulars.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment for Kilnhurst was in the lucrative transfer market which had sprung up happened after the war. The village club had become Kilnhurst Colliery F.C. and were playing on the Welfare ground.
They were members of the Sheffield Association League, having left the Mexborough League because of lack of competition, and one of their promising forwards, Billy Windle, was lured away from the club by the attraction of Denaby United and Midland League football. The player made just one appearance in Denaby colours before being snapped up by Leeds United for £500.
The Derby clashes of Kilnhurst and Rawmarsh Welfare played over Christmas became lust as much a part of the seasonal festivities as the turkey or plum pudding. Fans flocked in their thousands to see these matches and as many as 2,000 packed the Welfare ground for the home clash and 4,000 for the return at “Hill Sixty,” Rawmarsh.
The crowds have gone from the Welfare ground an average home gate is only about 60 — but Colliery can still be relied on to give good entertainment.
The talent is still there, and there is a team spirit unique to the community. It was this spirit which must have attracted the two Millington brothers back to the Colliery side. What else would make them forfeit first team places in Yorkshire League sides?
Cricket offers a similar story. The crowds are thinner than they were in the days when the sport in the village was synonymous with the name of Laurie Burkinshaw. The Colliery Club still competes in the Doncaster District League, but it is some time since the honours came their way.
In recent years a new craze has caught the village by storm. A golf club formed at the colliery some five years ago has proved a great success and a working men’s club golf team has already brought back a new title to the village. The club trio of Jack Haythorne (Secretary), Walter Taylor, and Stuart Tingle became pioneers as the first holders of the South Yorkshire Club and Institute Union League Trophy.one of the most progressive in the area, is currently helping to keep Kilnhurst among the sporting headlines. Most Kilnhurst golfers are members of both the club and the Colliery sides. The club is to enter three sides in the league this year, and must rate very hot favourites to tarry off the championship for the second year running. The Colliery side have also played a big part in the spade-work for an inter-colliery league which is hoped to be launched this term.
When the village embarks ran a new project it can be relied on to do it well. The progressive golf club should bring home added success, prestige and more than its fair share of awards and should help prove to South Yorkshire that the days when golf was the sport of the gentry are long since gone.