Ormskirk stalwart and current first XV player, Phil Davis has been scouring the clubs records to look into the history of today fixture. Ormskirk Rugby club was founded back in the 1926 / 7 season with Southport Rugby Club, or Southport Football Club as it was known then, was formed back on November 29th 1872, and as such, is one of the oldest open rugby clubs in the world. With various conflicts over the years between amateur and professional, the forerunner of the modem day Southport Rugby Club, 'Southport Olympic' was formed with the modern day club using 'Southport Rugby Union Football Club' from April 1913, having been renamed at this time.

Earliest Ormskirk club records from the 1928 / 9 season show an Ormskirk 1st XV taking on a Southport 'A' XV at there new Headquarters at 'Hillside' (there current home ground at Waterloo Road, Southport) on December 26th 1928. Records shown that Ormskirk were the victors on this occasion by 38 pts to 3 pts, with J.E. Lynch and E.P. Anderton scoring two tries each. On this occasion, Southport were actually two players short, with 'Kirk providing the extra players. Hopefully this situation won't arise in today’s fixture !

One of the most notable victories for the 'Gingerbread Men' against there rivals Southport came in the clubs best season since record began, the 1934 / 5 campaign. The captain being a John Emerison. In this season under Emerison, 'Kirk won 31 matches out of the 34 played, which no modern day senior team coming close to this record. On November 3rd 1934, Emerson men took on Southport 'A' XV and triumphed by 20 points to Southport's 0 points. The report of the days remarks, '...the tackling on both sides was keen'. Something which I'm sure will be repeated in today’s fixture if 'Kirk back row Glyn Roberts has anything to do with it. One notable fact about this fixture with the presence of the Lumby Bothers. The Lumby family supplied four brothers to Ormskirk XV, a feat which has not been been repeated in an Ormskirk XV since, The star bother being John Lumby, who later went onto play for Lancashire whilst still a 'Blue & Green'. In recent times sets of bothers have played in this local derby fixture for 'Kirk notably the Mahood, Davis and Wroe brothers however no family has yet to beat the Lumby's brother record.

Club records make reference to Ormskirk 1st XV only playing a Southport 'A' XV team and not a full 1st XV fixture, the reason for this being unclear in the records. In a report following a game between the two sides on March 9th 1935, the Editor remarks that 'There is only one obvious solution to such a galaxy of scoring (for Ormskirk), and that is a first team fixture. However, such a remedy has not been apparent to Southport'. In light of this a motion was passed on October 15th 1934 at an Ormskirk Club Management meeting that no 'Kirk 1st XV or 2nd XV fixtures would be played against Southport unless it was a true 1st XV or 2nd XV fixture. Records are unclear as to way thus was the stance taken between the sides and after the War years fixtures re-started.

Despite the early Ormskirk victories against the Southport 'A' XV team, the Green Lane Men didn’t have it all there own way and reports show that a 'Port 1st XV started to play Ormskirk on a a regular basis in the post-war years and notch up some victories.

In some classic encounters, Southport have recorded victories at both 1st XV and 2nd XV levels. On notable 'double' for 'Port was on September 15th 1977 in which a 'Kirk 1st XV containing such clubs legend as Gordon Rimmer, Dave Pell and the mercurial centre Norman Hall couldn’t contain a Southport team which ran out 17 points to 7 points victors at Green Lane. The second XV fixture is reported as being a close affair with the 'Kirk '….tackling like tigers' . At one point in this fixture, Ormskirk were down to only three forwards against Southport's '8'. A miracle then, they only lost by 8 points to 0 pts !

In recent years, this fixture has also been one of passion and aggression and today will be no exception. With Ormskirk having had the ascendancy in recent fixtures under past captains of Peter Purdy, Paul Kearney (R.M. Ret.) and now Gareth Prytherch the Ormskirk 1st XV are passionate to replicate the result of the 1928 'Kirk victory and with past players such as Purdy, Montrose, Captain Kearney, Dean, Mahood, Stone, Tracey looking on today, Captain Prytherch will be reiterating the the importance of today fixture to his players.

Thanks Phil. I've added this to the SRFC timeline but if anyone can help Phil and I build on this we'd love to hear from you