Crusaders Junior Pages

This page of the Crusaders web site is dedicated to the junior section of the club.

Players wishing to join the junior teams should contact the relevant team manager listed below or R Whitehead the Junior Co-ordinator. They will be able to provide further details of how to go about playing and also answer any other questions. A programme listing all fixtures, contact numbers and information for both players and parents is available from the club.

Click on the correct link below to see details for the team of your choice. Note links will be added as information is provided. Can team managers please forward any information that they may want adding to the site using the colts email link below. Team managers will be placed with the correct tams when information becomes available.

Click here for all junior fixtures for 2005/2006

Junior Honours:

This will be updated as the season progresses

The rest of this page will be dedicated to the Colts Team. Details for the colts should be forwarded using the email link below.

This part of the site will be updated as the season progresses.

To see Colts match reports click here.

Click below to see some familiar faces in the 2002 Colts Player profiles.

Click here to see profiles.

Colts Rugby

 Colts History

Most of the district's junior football clubs and the rugby league junior sections weren't even dreamt of when the Union club set up the Bantams.

It was one of the first clubs in the country to cater for very young players and the idea has taken off throughout the world.

Back in September 1971 the Keighley Boys Grammar School had become Oakbank and rugby was no longer played at the school.

The Keighley club itself had developed as an `Old Boys' team from the school, and three or four of the playing members realised that with the change in the education system they had lost their main supply of players.

Geoff Hey and the late Peter Melton grabbed the nettle and launched the club's own youth development scheme.

Other clubs took up the idea and they arranged to play matches against each other, but only at under-12s level. A hardy handful of young players took part, but since those early days the Bantams section has grown at an incredible rate.

Now there are teams from Under-8s to Under-17s with the Colts section above that leading young players to the club's senior teams -- and also giving them the opportunity to play at district, county and regional level.

Some have even gone on to gain international honours.

Among those who have come through the ranks are Martin Whitcombe who played for Yorkshire, Leicester, England A and the North of England. He still holds the record number of caps for appearances with the North of England XV after represting the north in some 60 matches.

He also played for Sale and Leeds Tykes before returning to his old club.

Neil Marklew played with Yorkshire Colts and Otley.

David Lister is with Wharfedale and also represented Yorkshire while Ronnie Kelly also played at Otley and with the county Colts side.

Johnny Harrison, who played at Wharfedale and is back to captain the Keighley 1st XV was also a player with the Yorkshire Colts together with coach Tim Brunskill.

Danny McGee was with the colts and Leeds Academy while Chris Meehan has played with England youth teams.

While a lot of clubs are struggling to find young players the Keighley club has over 250 children regularly playing the game.

As part of the 30th celebrations the club is also arranging an international tour with the Under-14s travelling to Italy next spring and the Colts are planning a trip to South Africa.

"The junior section is flourishing, but we are always happy to welcome players of any age, and any ability," said a club spokesman.

Anyone interested in joining the Bantams can contact the club on 07785-714859. 

Colts Match Reports

Match reports will appear here:

Keighley u19s colts 16 - 3 York u19s colts

 

A colts team only beaten once this season travelled to York this week to take on a side who were unbeaten at home but with a full strength side out the Keighley boys were full of confidence and that confidence showed within the first 5 minuets when from a scrum some slick passing opened up gaps on the blind side an Michael Lewis then with an inside ball to winger Kristian Stell who moved the ball on again to Scott Dyson the team had made within 15 meters of the York try line when Scott was tackled but quick thinking he popped the ball up to Craig Spencer who gave Michael Lewis an inside ball and Lewis crashed over to cap a brilliant Keighley move Stell stepped up to add the extras.

The half went on with Keighley camped deep in Yorks half barely letting them out of there 22, As Keighley came again ever closer to scoring with strong driving from the forwards York could not handle there strength and started to get frustrated York started committing penalties when skipper Craig Spencer decided to take 3 points from a penalty Stell added the points and Keighley were looking ever more dominant at 10-0 and York had barely touched the ball.

Again the Keighley forwards added more and more pressure and again the York pack could not cope and a penalty was given 35 meters out with only 10 minuets left till half time Keighley opted to take the 3 points and again Stell delivered.

After a fumble from the kick off York were now for the first time in the game in Keighley's half of the pitch some good defending from Keighley with new boy Scott Morton getting very much stuck in Keighley looked like they could repel anything Yorks threw at them but a penalty was given and the York skipper didn't want to leave the half with no points on the board they took the 3 points it was now 13-3 so Keighley were not invincible but they did bounce back after lots of smooth passing Keighley again were moving ever closer to the York try line with Sam Walker having some penetrating runs on the wing he broke at least three tackles every time he ran with half time looming Keighley were awarded another penalty on the 22 meter line about 10 meters in from touch skipper Spencer gave Stell the ball and he knew what to do and added another 3 and so came half time. 16 - 3 to Keighley

Keighley brought on fresh legs to give them an extra boost and it did Keighley did not rest on there lead with clean moves in the backs again Sam Walker was make huge in roads into the York defence but with wet conditions the ball went to ground York didn't take long to get  to get going an soon they were running the ball with confidence but strong tackling meant they would have to do better the Keighley defence held firm and York realised they were not getting any were they tried everything chipping over the defence but replacement full back Adam Suttcliffe was equal to everything and cleared the bad getting Keighley out of any danger.

York carried on this pressure but numerous times kicking to Sam walker who ran back tirelessly.

With 8 minuets to go Keighley tried again to lift the game another level but good tackling from York held the game in the centre of the pitch for the rest of the game a very good win sees the Keighley colts stay top of the league a brilliant effort from everyone well done lads lets keep it up.

 

 

 

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