Photo Gallery 

               1969                

             1972-73             

             1975-76             

                1977                

              1996-97            

                2000                

              2003-04            

              2004-05            

Unknown Years

 1          2         3 

St Ignatius’ Football Club was formed in 1966 by parishioners of St Ignatius’ RC Church, and customers of the adjacent Weavers Arms, Storrs Hill Road, Ossett.

The three founding members of the team, James (Jimmy) Callaghan, Richard Callaghan, and Terry Mulready, approached the then Parish Priest of St Ignatius’, Rev. Leo Lawless, for permission to play under the name, ‘St Ignatius’’.  That permission was granted, and the team played it’s first game against St Paulinus, at Sands Lane, Dewsbury, going down to an 11 - 3 defeat.

 The St Ignatius’ team for that first game comprised:

Richard Callaghan

Michael Gannon                                                       James Callaghan

Terry Mulready                               Martin Timlin                  Maurice Callaghan   

Stephen Spurr        Phillip Quinn         Michael Gara     Trevor Brook      Kenneth                  Mason  

Home games were initially played at Illingworth Park, Manor Road, Ossett (home of Ossett Common Rovers). Matches took place on Sunday afternoons as ‘friendlies' played against a range of teams including Elland Old Boys, Huddersfield Amateurs, and Huddersfield TEC (which, for Away games, often meant battling the elements, high at Salendine Nook in Huddersfield!).

 In 1969 it was decided that the team should seek entry into the Wakefield Tetley Football League.  However, when the team was informed that entering the League would necessitate taking the name of The Weavers Arms (a Tetley Pub) it was agreed  (with the full support of licensees, Les and Marion Scargill, who were always enthusiastic supporters of the team) that a change of name was not acceptable, the result being that the team continued to play ad hoc friendlies until 1970, when St Ignatius' FC joined Division 2 of The Gate Football League. (In 1985 The Gate Football League joined with The Heavy Woollen League to form The Heavy Woollen Gate Sunday Alliance Football League.)  

In the period since 1970 St Ignatius have played Home games on a range of grounds in and around Ossett.   Following Illingworth Park, the team played at Spring Mill, Ossett.  Inhibited by the tightness of this pitch, the team moved to Leeds Road, Shaw Cross, before moving to Ingfield, home of Ossett Town, in 1975. In 1980 the team moved to Green Park, Horbury, before moving to the Empire Stores ground, Lupset, in 1993, from where the club continues to play its Home matches.

 Over forty years success on the pitch has comprised:

Off the pitch the team has enjoyed remarkable longevity.  In 2006 St Ignatius’ FC celebrates its Fortieth Anniversary.  In order to mark this significant milestone, a Celebration Evening will be held at St Ignatius’ Parish Centre, Storrs Hill Road, Ossett, on Friday, 21^st July 2006.

MC for the evening will be Barry York, and Guest Speaker will be Duncan McKenzie (ex Leeds United & Everton).

Admittance to this event is strictly by Ticket only. (Tickets to be purchased in advance.)

For Tickets/further information, please phone 01924 271568, or e-mail: ignatiusfc@aol.org