Continuing PAUL ABRAHAM’s regular delve into the archives of Bramley’s rich rugby league heritage, today he looks at goals in a season record breakers …
In their first season in the “Northern Union” (1896-97) full-back Saynor topped the goal charts with six goals which was a third of the total goals kicked by the Bramley team for that season.
The following season saw Saynor create a new goals-in-a-season record when he completed 20 successful attempts.
In his only season (1900-01) for the Bramley club before his record-breaking transfer to Salford, James Lomas became the new record-holder when he kicked a goal for Bramley in an 8-2 home victory against Hull which took his total for the season to 21.
His record would last until the 1909-10 season when full-back Walker landed 27 goals with his record-breaking 22nd goal coming in the 5-12 defeat at Batley.
The 1913-14 campaign brought a new record as another full-back, this time Grayson landed 34 with the new record being set when he kicked the second of his two goals in the 4-13 home defeat by Halifax in the first round of the Rugby League Challenge cup.
It would be twenty years before the record was broken as hooker Litt became the first Bramley goal-kicker to reach 50 goals in a season, when in the 19 matches he played he kicked an impressive 51 goals during the 1933-34 season.
His record-making 35th goal came as he kicked the second of his three goals in the 9-21 home reverse against Dewsbury, while in the last match of the season, which ended in a horrific 11-59 defeat at London Highfield he became the first goal half-centurion for Bramley with his third successful goal.
Two years later and Welsh-born Ivor Rees extended the record to 53 as he kicked the only goal in the 14-7 home win against Hull KR and then kicked one goal in the final match of the season as Bramley lost 11-20 to Acton and Wilsden.
His record however would only last a season as full-back Taylor kicked 55 goals in the 1936-37 season. His record-breaking goals came as Bramley lost 12-16 at home to Hull KR in the final match of the season.
The first full season (1945-46) after the second world war resulted in centre Jack Gibson moving the record to 57 when he kicked two goals in the 10-4 home victory versus Dewsbury.
The record was helped by the fact he had also created a new goals-in-a-match record when he landed nine goals in Bramley’s record 51-3 victory against Hull Juniors in the first round of the Rugby League Challenge Cup.
Forward Whitehead equalled the record in the 1948-49 season when he kicked the only goal of the match for Bramley in the 2-10 Rugby League Challenge cup defeat at Castleford before Jack Gibson then smashed the record as he landed 83 goals during the 1950-51 season with his record-setting 58th goal coming in the 16-10 home win against Rochdale Hornets.
The arrival of New Zealand Maori full-back Johnny Wilson would soon take the record to new levels as he kicked 99 goals in the 1953-54 season, breaking Gibson’s record when he kicked the second of his two goals at Hilton Park as Bramley lost 10-21 to Leigh.
The following year and Johnny Wilson became Bramley’s first goal centurion as he kicked a total of 107 goals.
He kicked seven in the 29-3 home win against Hull KR, six in the 27-6 home match versus Hull and kicked five goals in a match on six occasions, these being in the home matches against Liverpool City (22-9), Belle Vue Rangers (28-12) and on the away grounds of Featherstone (16-23), Leeds (16-19), Halifax (16-31) and Batley (21-9). His history-making 100th goal was the first of his six against Hull.
Despite kicking 279 goals in three seasons, the goal-kicking duties were taken off Johnny and handed to scrum-half George Langfield for the 1956/57 season.
George responded by smashing the club’s goals in a season record as he landed 123 in the only season he was the first choice kicker for the black and ambers.
George gave a preview as to what the season had in store when he kicked a club record-equalling nine goals in a match in the first home match of the season, a 33-2 drubbing of Swinton, he then repeated the feat when Batley were beaten at “The Mow” 36-17.
He kicked seven goals in the home wins against Dewsbury (35-13) and Featherstone (29-13) and in the away defeat at Whitehaven (26-42) and six in each of the home victories against York (24-17), Castleford (33-12) and Doncaster (30-12).
His 100th goal came when he kicked the first of his two goals in the 10-17 defeat at Castleford while his 108th goal was scored as he kicked his first of his six in the victory at home to Doncaster.
The record would last for five years before Johnny Wilson landed 130 in the 1961-62 season including eight in a 28-2 victory at Bradford and seven versus Rochdale (20-5) and York (23-12) at home and six in a match five times, the York game being the last match of the season and where he broke and created the new record.
He also kicked three goals for a Leeds 13 against the New Zealand touring team in a 9-24 defeat at Headingley.
The promotion winning season of 1991-92 was spearheaded by an incredible season personally for Steve Carroll, who broke Bramley record after record as he played and scored in every match.
Finishing with 138 goals and 288 points he created two new seasonal records, plus he became the first Bramley player to score 50 drop-goals in a career, his 50th being in the 15-38 Yorkshire Cup defeat at home to Bradford Northern.
He kicked seven place goals in a match on three occasions at home to Nottingham (54-0), Doncaster (38-8) and Scarborough Pirates (47-0) when he also kicked a drop-goal, he also kicked 6 goals on an incredible seven occasions.
His record-making 131st goal being the only goal in a 6-12 home defeat against Batley.