Hunslet RLFC: Club legend Steve Pryce to help celebrate Parksiders' unique history

Former player Steve Pryce will help celebrate Hunslet Rugby League Club’s history on Sporting Heritage Day this week.
Hunslet's South Leeds Stadium. Picture by Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.Hunslet's South Leeds Stadium. Picture by Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.
Hunslet's South Leeds Stadium. Picture by Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.

Former player Steve Pryce will help celebrate Hunslet Rugby League Club’s history on Sporting Heritage Day this week.

Pryce will take part in an online Zoom event on Thursday, along with fellow special guests Tony Collins and Steve Boothroyd.

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Collins is the sport’s leading historian and Boothroyd, a retired teacher, is a stalwart of Leeds and Hunslet Schools Rugby League who recently wrote a history of that branch of the game.

Hunslet’s general manager Chris Chatten said: “While the focus of discussions on the night will be Hunslet rugby league-related, conversations could go in different directions and we will see where they take us, including into other sports, society as a whole and experiences in general.”

He added: “All are welcome to join us although numbers for the session will be limited, to give everyone a chance to chat and ask questions or share their own memories.”

People wishing to attend can register by visiting https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hunslet-rlfc-sporting-heritage-day-reminiscence-event-tickets-176160630187.

Rugby league firsts achieved by Hunslet include:

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1905: Won the inaugural Northern Union Yorkshire Cup, beating Halifax 13-3 at Bradford Park Avenue.

1907-8: Clean sweep of All Four Cups.

1912: First professional club to sign a black player – and an American – in Lucius Banks.

Late-1930s: Pioneered the use of post protectors.

1945: First club to appoint a coach, Jack Walkington.

1958-59: Switched a league fixture to a football ground, when he home derby with Leeds was played at Elland Road.

1962-62: Won the reintroduced Division Two.

1970: First club to have a player honoured with an MBE, Geoff Gunney.

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1973: Installation of gridiron goalposts, at Leeds Greyhound Stadium.

1974-75: Use of a helicopter to dry out the pitch, prior to a Challenge Cup quarter-final against Warrington.

1986-87: Appeared, against Swinton, in the first Division Two Premiership final at Old Trafford.

1997: Faced Hull KR in the first - and only - Challenge Cup Plate final at Wembley.

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2017: Won the first - and only - League One Shield competition.

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