Pontefract are Yorkshire Squash League champions for first time in 15 years - how growing the game and singular focus got them back there

Anything they do achieve, like propelling Lee Beachill and James Willstrop to the status of the best in the world or celebrating coming out on top in one of the toughest regional leagues in squash, is achieved as a by-product of their mantra - to grow the game.

It is one of the great legacies of their former player, coach and all-round patriarch, Malcolm Willstrop, who died in 2021.

“As a club we’ve never really been about winning, which might sound strange since we’ve had two world No 1s,” Matt Godson, the club’s playing captain, told The Yorkshire Post.

“We’ve never really been big on winning, that was Malcolm’s philosophy, we’re more about growing the game, getting as many people involved, having the right attitude.”

Godson points to the fact they have around 100 schoolkids enjoying squash lessons at their Stuart Road leisure centre each week plus a further 100-plus kids on their books as a sign that Pontefract is doing its bit in that regard. With that structure in place, the first team were freed up to get back to winning ways in the 2024/25 Yorkshire Squash League season, something they managed to do in an emphatic manner.

Pontefract were crowned Yorkshire Premier League champions after Wednesday night's victory at Woodfield, the title secured thanks to 15 wins from 16 games and with two games to spare. Hallamshire’s defeat at Dunnington handed them the title a week earlier than expected. The world-renowned West Yorkshire club have dominated from week one. Several players, including world No 56 Patrick Rooney, four-time British Junior Open winner Sam Todd and 17-year-old Chester Dockray, boast unbeaten records.

What made the success all the sweeter was their second team earned promotion back to the Premier Division with victory over Wakefield.

Godson, who is in his third season as captain, said: “I wouldn’t say that 15 years has been playing on our minds but at the same time, with this being the first season in more than a decade where we have had just the one team in the Premier Division, we saw it as an opportunity.

“It was an important goal for us after last season where we’d set a target of trying to win the league and also keep our second team in the division. Unfortunately neither of those things happened, and I take full responsibility, so it was a relief as much as anything to get both jobs done this time.”

That singular focus has helped. Godson - whose team is coached by James Willstrop - explained: “There was a lot of tension around the whole club last year having two teams with one having the stress of fighting relegation, so there’s been a more positive attitude this year.

“Sam Todd had been out 18 months before coming back, and Rory Stewart (of Scotland) has been a new addition, him being able to compete for us is a massive bonus. And the players that went down with the second team have stayed loyal. It’s been a collective drive.

“Both teams have lost just once - both unfortunately at the hands of Hallamshire, which Nick Matthew will be pleased about. There’s been another couple of matches where we’ve run it close, both against Doncaster have been tight and the away game at Abbeydale.”

Godson knows another former world No 1 in Matthew and his Hallamshire team will be back to challenge next season, and teams like Doncaster - last year’s title-winning upstarts - will be back for more.

He also has to balance the demands of Pontefract having two teams in the Premier Division again.

“It’s not that the 15-year gap is about us not having a competitive drive, it would be more down to the fact that for at least 10 of those years we’ve had two teams in the Premier Division, that’s always been a juggling act,” he said.

“In my head I’m already planning for next season; how we’re going to manage, how we’re going to structure it so we get it right.”

As for the Yorkshire Squash League, its status as one of the best pro-am competitions in the sport just goes from strength to strength.

“The league is growing,” said Godson. “Over the last couple of years we’ve had new clubs enter teams in the lower divisions and the quality has gone up all down the order, it’s rare that somebody doesn’t get a tough game.

"This might upset a few people over Manchester way, but the quality in our league has surpassed the North West Counties League.”

​Meanwhile, at the bottom of the YSL Premier Division, the battle to avoid the one relegation place could go to the wire.

Cleethorpes remain at the foot of the table by eight points despite a morale-boosting 15-6 victory at home to Ferriby Hall.

Just above the dotted line are Abbeydale, who profited from a contravention of the rules by Doncaster. Last year's champions won 14-8 on the night, but were later docked points due to playing four full-time pro players, transgressing the rule introduced at last summer's AGM. Thus, Abbeydale claimed a 15-6 victory.

That result puts Doncaster 12 points above the drop zone, with Woodfield 10 points and Abbeydale eight clear of danger.

Additional reporting by Mike Dale