1. THE EARLY DAYS

As far as we can tell Corbridge Cricket Club was founded on Wednesday February 24th 1886 at a meeting attended by 17 men in the St. Andrew's Clubroom. It was however not the first time that an attempt had been made to form a cricket club in the village. Records show that cricket was played in Corbridge as far back as 1871. Cricket then was sporadic and 1886 was the first recorded commitment to form a proper cricket club.

Corbridge's first game was played against Hexham Mechanics on 15th May 1886. The Mechanics scored 183 and Corbridge replied with 39. Not a very encouraging start for a club that is now in its third century.

The club continued to operate until 1891 when it disappeared for six years. It was re-established in October 1897 under the presidency of J. H.Straker and played its home games in a field near the vicarage. In 1899 the club moved to its current home, The Stanners. The club continued to prosper until the two years into the First World War when all cricket was suspended. Cricket returned to the area in 1919, and in 1920 Corbridge won the West Tyne League Championship.

After some success in the early 1920's, Corbridge slipped down the league, albeit to fourth and fifth positions, and underwent a period of team rebuilding in an attempt to recapture former glories. In 1929 the current ground was donated to the club by H.C. Stephens in memory of his father Daniel Stephens thus ensuring the club's continued existence. In 1935 the club's second eleven won the league championship for the first time.

The late 1940's and early 1950's were steady but unremarkable. Cricket was enjoyed but there was little success on the field. In 1956 the club managed to re establish a second eleven which continues to this day. By the late 1950's the club was becoming much stronger and familair names like brothers Jack and Jim Robinson, Dick Marshall and Dougie Lowes were all turning in excellent performances with bat and ball.

2. THE SWINGING SIXTIES AND CHANGING SEVENTIES

Corbridge entered the swinging sixties with a new pavilion, completed at a cost of £1,500. It still stands today and now houses the club's bar. The early 1960's saw Corbridge twice crowned as champions of the West Tyne League. By this time the club had a good all round team captained by the late John Richardson. In 1961 against Haydon Bridge, John "Kelly" Turner scored 147 not out (17 fours and 5 sixes) to record what still remains as the highest individual score by a Corbridge player.

In 1966 Corbridge's 1st XI left the West Tyne League to join the Northumberland League which offered the opportunity to play cricket much further afield. In 1971 the club's second eleven also joined the Northumberland League leaving only the club's junior team to compete in the West Tyne Junior Division thus keeping some links with the club's roots. By 1974 long serving captain Frank Woodward had retired and was succeeded by J.Malcolm Hall who held the position for 15 years and eventually went on to become club chairman and more recently club president.

In its first eight seasons in the Northumberland League the club had a real yo yo existence, being promoted four times and relegated twice.The second eleven found the transition to the new league even more difficult and it was not until the late 1970's that it began to establish itself in the top half of the league. In 1975 the club opened a bar and in 1977 a water supply was laid to the square. Playing performances however did not improve, with the first team skirting relegation regularly and the seconds slipping back into the lower reaches of their division.

The decade drew to a close with Corbridge 1st XI being relegated in 1978, and then immediately winning promotion in 1979 .This was the era of the club's most formidable fast bowling bowling attack of Robert Hardy and Geoff Huddleston.

3. THE SUCCESSFUL EIGHTIES

The 1980's was an interesting time for the club both on and off the field. Hardy and Huddleston were as formidable as ever, and the second team, under the captaincy of John Graham was becoming one of the stronger teams in their divison . It was in 1980 that Corbridge won the Wilson Cup for the first time defeating a formidable Bomarsund team at Kirkley. The winning runs came in the form of a straight six on the penultimate ball by Derek Robinson. We celebrated long into the night!! Ask Hardy and Hiuddleston and Simon Walker. The first team more than held its own in the top flight, regularly finishing in the top half of the league and always capable of upsetting some of the more fancied teams. 1983 saw the first team finish runners up in the league and win both Wilson and Birkett Cups. In 1984 it was the second eleven who took the honours by finishing third in the league and winning both the Beverly Cup and the Farmer Cup.In 1985 the seconds again finished as league runners up....by half a point!

It was however in the 20 overs cup competitons that Corbridge excelled. During this decade the first team appeared in six cup finals winning three and losing three. The second eleven also appeared in six cup finals with a similar success rate. It was also during that decade that the junior team made two appearances the final of the Vaux Cup, finishing runners up on both occasions. In 1989 Ian Haggie was the league's leading wicket keeper with 36 victims, an award he was to win again in 1991.

1981 saw the club have one of its most colourful Presidents in John Oakenfold ,a local businessman whose influence managed to attract a team of celebrities to play against a club eleven. The all stars include world famous boxers Alan Minter and John Conteh, footballers Jim Montgomery and David Armstrong , international rugby players Fran Cotton and Peter Dixon as well as international athletes Alan and Margo Wells. No wonder then, on the hottest day of that summer over 1000 people visited our ground.

4. THE GOOD AND THE NOT SO GOOD NINETIES

The 1990s started with promise. A new changing facility was opened in 1991 and in the same year the second eleven finally won the league championship under the leadership of John Graham. By 1993 the seconds had appeared in two cup finals, winning one and losing the other.The first eleven was holding its own in the league usually finishing in a respectable mid table position. In 1994 Robert Hardy( pictured right) won the Umpires Assoction Award as the best bowler in the Premier League.

The latter part of the decade has however seen the club's fortunes on the field take a downward turn. Whilst the first team remain in the Premier League the last few seasons have been a struggle to avoid relegation. Relegation battles may be very exciting but challenging for the championship would be better. Cup success has come in the form of twice winning the locally sponsored Crown Paints Cup. The once strong second team whose numbers were now being eroded by players moving away and by retirements began to fall towards the bottom of their league and in 1999 finished in last place and were relegated for the first time since joining the Northumberland League.However this has given us the opportunity to blood some younger players who will no doubt benfit from the experience