Etty turns back the clock as Batley aim to light up Blackpool

MORE than half-a-century has passed since Batley last featured in a major cup final but the memories of that day are still vivid for John Etty.

The winger scored a try when his home-town club lost 18-8 to Huddersfield in the Yorkshire Cup final at Headingley in November, 1952.

Aged 83, and eagerly anticipating Batley's Northern Rail Cup final against Widnes on Sunday, Etty recalls the contest with real clarity, even though most who attended could hardly see any of the action.

"I don't think many of the spectators would remember much as it was played in the thickest of fog," he says, turning to his extensive collection of newspaper cuttings that illustrates a rewarding career.

"The headline in the Yorkshire Post from the day after the game read 'Dome of fog over Leeds turns day into night' and you can see from the newspaper photographs it looked like it was played in complete darkness.

"In fact, we all thought the game should have been called off but the referee maintained that as long as he could see both sets of posts then the game went ahead. He could – but only just."

Etty made almost 350 appearances for Batley between 1944 and 1955 and was rated one of the finest three-quarters never to play for his country.

He will be at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road ground at the weekend, hoping his former team can succeed where his failed 58 years ago.

"I was thrilled to play for my home-town club in that game," recalls ex-Yorkshire representative Etty.

"But we were up against it when loose-forward John Westbury went off at half-time.

"He was facing Dave Valentine, the then Great Britain skipper, and, without replacements in those days, we struggled.

"Now I'm looking forward to seeing Batley and hoping they win it. I get to see a few games every season for all of my former clubs and keep in touch with all of them."

Although he missed out against Huddersfield, Etty, who started with Dewsbury, later enjoyed plenty of success with Oldham, where his try-scoring feats saw him enrolled in the club's Hall of Fame, and, finally, Wakefield Trinity.

He finished his career in style at Belle Vue and is one of only six players in rugby league history to have won the Yorkshire League and Cup, Lancashire League and Cup, RFL Championship – scoring two tries in Oldham's famous 15-14 victory over Hull FC at Odsal in 1957 – and Challenge Cup.

Brought up on Old Mill Lane in Batley, Etty lives in Fleetwood, so will not have far to travel when the Bulldogs attempt to win a first major trophy since their sole Championship title in 1924.

Karl Harrison's side have injury concerns, though, with captain Paul Handforth and half-back partner Gareth Moore both fighting to be fit.

They missed Sunday's Championship win over Barrow and are receiving intensive treatment on quad and shoulder problems, respectively, in a frantic bid to face Widnes. Harrison is confident they will be fine and says: "Luckily, we don't have any other major injury worries.

"Tommy Gallagher, normally a front rower, filled in at No 6 against Barrow and notched five tries so we have adequate cover.

"We've had a couple of poor performances recently but showed what we are capable of against the Raiders. It was a very satisfying display and means we can go into the final with a sense of confidence."

Batley will be wearing a one-off commemorative shirt in Sunday's final featuring the names of all 22 players to have played a part in this successful Northern Rail Cup campaign.

Club president Ron Earnshaw says they "wanted to do something special" for the occasion which should see more than 2,000 Bulldogs supporters descend on the seaside town.

They face a difficult task against a Widnes side who are the holders of the trophy and have won two of the last three finals but Harrison's side will take encouragement from their recent form against the Vikings.

Although they lost their league contest at Mount Pleasant in April, Batley secured a memorable 35-16 success at Widnes the following month while honours were even 30-30 during a Northern Rail group match at the start of the year.