Rochdale Cricket Club
Rochdale Cricket Club
OBITUARIES
Our matchday programme has been a medium for congratulating players and members on enjoying special events in their lives. On a graver note we also use it to report, with due solemnity and messages of condolence, the deaths, when they occur, of our cherished colleagues.
Owing to there being no cricket, and therefore, no programmes we have not yet recorded our sorrow at the passing of two of our venerable members.
FREDDIE SCHOFIELD
Sadly, last week, Freddie Schofield left us at the age of 85. “Little Freddie” had been a supporter of the club man and boy. Born in Rochdale in 1934 Fred grew up in the Spotland Road area and first visited Dane Street during the Second World War years, and although there was no organised CLL cricket at that time, he caught the Dane Street bug.
After hostilities ceased and cricketing order was resumed, Rochdale, The CLL and League Cricket enjoyed its halcyon years. Freddie was fortunate and privileged to see it all, but when the inevitable decline in both cricket’s popularity and our fortunes began in the 1960s Fred’s support was undiminished. He remained an ever present, even through fallow years of the 1970s, and retained his enthusiasm for the club into the Redbrook years. He served on committees and stuck his hand in his pocket when the club was on its uppers and was duly accorded Life Membership.
Away from the club Fred was a painter and decorator by trade, and he was an active member of the Unitarian Church.
We offer our heartfelt sympathies to his wife Elaine and the rest of Fred’s family.
WARREN McDONOUGH
Warren died in January at the age of 81. He joined Rochdale from Castleton Moor in 1965 having established himself at Partington St. as an opening batsman and he became an ever present in our side for the next ten years or so.
His greatest contribution to the club came in 1974 when Rochdale CC was probably at its lowest ebb. With the start of the season only two months away the club had no committee, no captain and no professional. In the nick of time Wilson Hartley gave backword on a deal to be pro at Thornham in order to become our professional and Warren agreed to captain the team.
On the face of it, his reign was a failure – only one win all season - but far more importantly the club was spared and given crucial time to reassess and rebuild.
Even more creditable was the manner, formed by both his realism of the club’s plight and his innate coolness with which he dealt with such a difficult year.
A batsman in the classical mould – he rarely hit the ball in the air – Warren was often likened to the great Australian Lindsay Hasset but you were guaranteed his trademark wry smile if you reminded him of the moment when he hit Royton’s pro, West Indian quickie Chester Watson back over his head for six.
He went on to captain our Second Team until he retired in 1980 after which he hardly missed watching a home game, firsts or seconds, unless he went to an away game.
He was married to Kath, who died three years ago and they had a son, John, who also played for us before leaving the area.
Both Warren and Freddie are stalwarts from a past generation and we mourn their passing.
Record-breaking Rochdale cricketer dies aged 65
David Schofield hailed as 'the best amateur cricketer that has ever played in the Central Lancashire County Cricket League'
Tributes have been paid to a record-breaking cricketer who has died aged 65.
All-rounder David Schofield died at his Wardle home last Monday (January 19) .
He began his career as a 16-year-old with the now defunct Castleton Moor Cricket Club in 1966 , and went on to be named as the club’s professional 10 years later. In his Castleton Moor career he scored 10,011 runs and took 581 wickets , a club record for an all-rounder.
From Castleton Moor David joined Werneth, before moving on to Littleborough Cricket Club in the mid-eighties.
His son Steven said: “My dad was my hero - I grew up watching him play cricket.
“Unfortunately I was never as good as him - I would say he was one of the best in the league. He was quite humble. He always had a story to tell - there were thousands.”
Scott Kershaw, who played with David at Littleborough, said: “He lived and breathed cricket. He loved it.
In my opinion he was the best amateur cricketer that has ever played in the Central Lancashire County Cricket League.
“He was a marvellous cricketer - he was opening batsman and opening bowler. I couldn’t tell you which he was better at.
“He was a really great bloke. Everybody knew Dave and nobody had a bad word to say about him.”
A contemporary of David at Castleton Moor, Mike Yates, who now lives in Australia, said: “We first met when Dave played for our Under 18s and he scored a “ton” in his first match.
“We were both in the first team together for some years and I always believed he had the ability to make it in First Class cricket. He was such a great down-to-earth bloke and was undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever to have played for Castleton Moor.”
David was also head coach at Rochdale cricket from 1994-1997 - the boys loved his coaching and his sense of humour
A big loss to local life.
