Founded: c.1877
Nickname: 'Clayton'
Nearest Landmark: Kirklees Light Railway
Nearest Railway Station: Denby Dale
By Bus: 80/81 from Huddersfield Town Centre
Nearest Other Club: Nortonthorpe
Nearest Pub: Woodman

Greatest Moment

Winning the Central League 'Double' in 1990, 1997 and 1999.

Local Hero

Adrian Whittaker - skipper in the successful early 1990s.

Bizarre Fact

In 2001 Clayton West were the only Huddersfield League club to be affected seriously by the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Back Lane

Traditionally, batters at Back Lane have had to take account of 'local rules', which used to state that a ball hitting the boundary fence on the full was a four rather than a six. (For the umpire to signal six, the ball had to clear the fence). This was local custom up until the 2002 season, when Clayton West eventually fell into line with League rules regarding boundary hits.

Today, the cricket club sub-lets the field from a local farmer, and it is very proud of what it offers. 'A warm welcome awaits all First and Second Elevens, and their supporters, visiting Back Lane,' says the club's publicity in the League handbook. And it goes on: 'Excellent teas provided.'

Back Lane is a compact and very square-shaped cricketing venue. It is located to the north of the village, not too far away from Park Mill, the River Dearne, the local school and the old colliery. Within walking distance are Emley's ground at Upper Lane and Nortonthorpe's, in Scissett, just down the main road.

The immediate surrounds are interesting: a field of horses (of different colours), a couple of new housing estates, a caravan, a bit of light industry, a crane, an ad hoc building site, lots of bushes, and a farm. In the far distance you can see Emley Mast; in the near distance a neat white fence marks off the perimeter of the ground.

You can enter the ground in a variety of ways. The pavilion (no spikes!) is tucked away in the corner: it's a white one-storey building, with the letters 'CWCC' protruding in one of the windows.

A notice says that junior cricketers must wear protective helmets at all times; another that the exercising of dogs is forbidden; and a third declares that all cars are parked at the 'owners' risk'. There are benches, bins and a BBQ facility on the side of the ground linking the pavilion and the scorebox.

In fact, this side of the ground boasts a fine line of tall hedges - with adverts pinned to the netting in front of them. There's excellent publicity for Nuswift, ABM, Timber Specialists, Solarshade Ltd., Fawcett Electrical Ltd., Ernest Bedford & Co., Braithwaite Excavation, Mills, Kemp & Brown Solicitors, Close Consumer Finance Ltd., Victoria Kitchen Company, CMAS, N.G. Wright & Son Ltd., and Dolce Vita Restaurant.

In front of the hedging and the ads are several benches with poignant inscriptions:

Gibby's Seat - Peter Gibson - Former Player and Supporter 1932-1995.

Harry Whittaker - Chairman, Clayton West Cricket Club 1957-1970.

Greta Whittaker - Supporter of Clayton West Cricket Club for many years.

Club

Timeline (41kb PDF)

Early Years (1.4mb PDF)
Later Years (1.9mb PDF)
Club History in Express & Chronicle Newspapers (131kb PDF)
Concise History of Club (12kb PDF)

History of Club in Shelley CC Programme (106kb PDF)

Extract from Pennine Pitch (41kb PDF)

1960 v Penistone (130kb PDF)

1961 (10 Sep) v Holmbridge (76kb PDF)

1967 possibly - League Tables (93kb PDF)

1970 v Penistone (69kb PDF)

2005 Heritage Exhibition Launch Event (287kb PDF)

Heritage Display in Club Pavilion (242kb PDF)

LEAGUES: Dearne Valley, Huddersfield Central, Huddersfield (web link)

People

Club People (284kb PDF)

Memorials, Plaques & Dedications (147kb PDF)

Paul van den Berg (Cricinfo)

Sonia Ross (46kb PDF)

Ground

The Ground (378kb PDF)
Line Drawing by Sue Brant

Action (732kb PDF)

General Views (626kb PDF)

On the Boundary (942kb PDF)

Pavilion (340kb PDF)

Players (136kb PDF)

Scorebox (157kb PDF)

Spectators (747kb PDF)

Wicket & Square (197kb PDF)
3D Map & Aerial Photograph (250kb PDF)

2007 (7 Jul) v Kirkheaton (2mb PDF)