WHERE THERE'S MUCK THERE'S BRASS

The Hepworth Juniors that I was privileged to look after today were playing at the annual Honley FC 6 a side tournament. Honley is nestled in the Holme valley on the way to Huddersfield. We had an emotional afternoon playing through our qualifying group, three games and getting four points which carried the U9s through to the knock out stage. This ground to a halt against Raistrick Junior FC, but only on penalties and the young men (note no girls) were worn out and disappointed not to go further.

Raistrick has a population of  around 11,000...hardly village size. The "village" supports a cricket team which I have been past on many an occasion sited at Round Hill, the highest point in the area.
There is of course a Raistrick Junior FC but not a serious senior club.

Brighouse, the name coming from Bridge House (on the Calder River), with a population of over 32,000, hosts the senior football team . The town sits on the Calder navigation, a canal that hooks up many points in West Yorkshire, vital for the transportation of goods, especially wool and coal around the region.

More famous is the Brighouse and Raistrick Brass Band that people of my age will remember getting to number 2 in the "Record Charts" with "The Floral Dance"-I think Terry Wogan had a bit of a do with them also. The record stayed there for 6 weeks.
The band was founded in 1881 (when the Old Carthusians won the FA Cup) and was known originally as the Temperance Band-no booze?
Who knows any brass player who doesn't like a beer or two?
The band won the first ever World Brass Band Championship in 1968 and has been National Brass Band Champions and Euro Champs on many occasions.

The Brighouse football team is well established having its origins in 1963 and its Juniors from 1989 and there is a Ladies section too. The Town seniors have worked their way through the pyramid staring off as a works club for the Blakeborough Valve Company. The company eventually closed in 1988 but the club carried on and has found itself in the Northern Premier  League Division One. Their best FA Vase performance was in 2012-13 making it to Rd 4. In the squad at the moment are Elliot Kebbie from Sierra Leone. Danny Facey from Grenada and a Welsh John Price.