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Condolences to Neil Haydock - See News Page
President Peter Wood's 80th birthday report - See News Page
Veterans tournament (Over 40's) - 11.12.23 at Haslingden Sports Centre
2023/24 Fixture list - See Fixtures Page
Our History
Rossendale Badminton League was founded in the 1953/54 season, but the earliest records available are from the 1957/58 season. In that season there were 12 teams in the league. Unfortunately, none of those 12 teams have survived to the present day. The league continued to operate with teams joining and teams resigning from the league. In the early 70’s the league went into decline with only 5 teams in the league in the 1971/72 season.
Worse was to follow in the 1972/73 season when the league was close to finishing. Only four clubs - St Phillips, St Pauls, Blackthorn and Haslingden were in the league. Adverts were placed in the local paper and shop windows advertising for teams to join the league. In September of 1972 it was decided to continue the league with three new teams entering. In 1974 one of the league’s best-known characters, Tony Frost, took over as league secretary and, with George Green the Chairman, the league began to grow again.
Tony liked all the players to wear proper Badminton attire; his countless run ins with Ian Taylor from St Phillips who played in his black and blue striped ratting hat and jumper (not white!) were infamous. By the 1977/78 season, the teams had risen to 27 and a third division was started. A further year on and the league had grown to four divisions with 34 teams 1980/81 season.
Tony Frost took over as Chairman and Jim Riding then became the league secretary. Illness during the season, however, forced Jim to step down and George Bristow stepped into the breach on a temporary basis: 42 years later, George made the decision to retire as secretary!
Peter Wood, whose father was a founder of the league, became the league President and, with Tony Frost as Chairman and George Bristow as secretary, the league continued to flourish for over twenty years. At its height, the league had 4 divisions with ten teams in each division. In the 1996/97 season, however, the league went down to three divisions, and, five years later, the decision was taken to drop to just two divisions, at which it currently remains.
The sad loss of Tony Frost in 2004 brought Steve Ramsbottom into the Chairman's seat. The return to badminton after the Covid outbreak led to the retirements of four of the Management Committee: George Bristow, Steve Ramsbottom, Steve Bayes and Betty Bayes, who are now Honorary members.
There are currently fourteen teams in the Rossendale league, contesting the two divisions with a popular Junior badminton session run on a weekly basis.