Picture courtesy of Upper Wharfedale CC. The club’s Wood Lane home.
Pardon the pun, but Upper Wharfedale were really on their uppers as a club a decade ago. Now, they are aiming for the very top in the Nidderdale League.
Based in the picturesque Dales village of Grassington, the club literally faced a do or die decision in 2016 before rising up the divisions with their first team to challenge for the league’s Division One crown.
That was something they did last year, only to fall short with a fourth-placed finish, which they hope to improve upon this coming season.
Current chair, and former player, Jon Slater takes up the story.
“In 2016, we were in a real mess,” he said. “We dropped from two teams to one, which resulted in us having to leave the Aire-Wharfe League, following which we then had a meeting to decide whether we should carry on or fold the club.
“Thankfully, there was an overwhelming sense of, ‘We’ve got to carry on, so we entered one team into Division Six of the Nidderdale League.
“Since then, we’ve had a number of promotions to get to where we are now, in Division One, with our second team having reached Division Three with successive promotions since that was reformed a few years ago.
“From struggling to raise one team 10 years ago, we’re really fortunate to have two really strong squads, a mix of good senior and junior players and a really good feel about the club.
Picture courtesy of Upper Wharfedale CC. The club are situated just outside the picturesque Dales village of Grassington.
“Juniors wise, we’re running an Under 9s, 11s, 13s and a 15s this year. We’re also doing the All Stars for 5-8-year-olds.”
Slater continued: “In terms of the off-field development, we’re light years ahead of where we were.
“Facilities continue to be developed, with a new kitchen and balcony extension currently being fitted for the coming season.
“We’ve got pretty much every home game sponsored. Where we used to have one man and a dog watching, we had 150 for our annual Ladies’ Day last summer.
“Sponsors will usually bring 20 or 30 guests, which – along with local cricket regulars – means our home attendances, bar and BBQ takings are way healthier than they were back in the dark days before we left the Aire-Wharfe.
“The biggest change off the field is the number of volunteers now involved with a plentiful supply of ground-staff, BBQ, bar and kitchen help, all of whom help provide a great environment for the players to enjoy their cricket.
“We’re probably a mile out of the village, but a lot of people stroll down, and we seem to be the place to be on a Saturday afternoon, especially when the sun’s shining.”
There is quite a bit of competition for players given the catchment area. Skipton and Settle are two of the bigger clubs around, added to a lot of “satellite villages who have clubs” according to Slater.
Picture courtesy of Upper Wharfedale CC. Chair Jon Slater says they have every home game sponsored through a summer.
“Occasionally, we pick up somebody who either moves to the area or is hacked off playing elsewhere and wants a move,” he said. “But, aside from our overseas, pretty much all of the players have come through our juniors.”
The aforementioned Ladies’ Day provides a segue to women’s and girls’ cricket down at Wood Lane.
“We have plenty of girls who play across our junior teams,” said Slater. “But we don’t as yet have a designated women’s team, something we are keen to get off the ground.”
Upper Wharfedale’s first team finished fourth in 2025, two wins behind champions Goldsborough.
“I would say we underachieved slightly last year,” continued the chair. “We were aiming to win the league last year, and it will be the same again this.
“We actually start the season (on April 25) with the first two games against the teams who finished second and first last year, West Tanfield and Goldsborough. That will certainly give us a good idea of where we are.
“We believe we have got a good overseas amateur this year in a batting all-rounder called Damon Malcolm, who plays first grade for Prahran CC in Melbourne.
“We’ve got a good connection there, a guy who is a coach there and played three seasons with us.
Picture courtesy of Upper Wharfedale CC. Both of their first and second teams have enjoyed on-field success across the last decade.
“Damon’s currently having a good year in the A Grade side at Prahran, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming him to ‘The Dale’.
“We’ve also signed Luke Davis from Blubberhouses, George Gregson from Earby, and Chris Butt has returned to the club after a few years away. They will all add strength across the two squads.”
Slater has been at the club as a boy and man.
“I’ve played there since I was 14, and it’s been a part of my life for 40-45 years,” he said. “My dad played there and was secretary and worked on the ground for many years. I don’t play any more, but I do what I can off the field.”
Slater was still playing when the do or die decision was taken in 2016, combining that with the role of chair at the time.
“They were really dark days, and various things went wrong,” he added.
“It wasn’t a harmonious club at that time. We had some player-related issues, and we didn’t have the level of volunteers we have now.
“We are not complacent, though, and know we need to keep going and doing all the right things on and off the field.
Picture courtesy of Upper Wharfedale CC. A picturesque backdrop in the Yorkshire Dales.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work to get it back to where it is now.
“On the commercial and financial side, we weren’t turning over much at all, and we now generate enough income to continually upgrade facilities and make it a great place to play and watch cricket.
“So, fingers crossed, we can capitalise on the progress we’ve made over the past years and hopefully win something this season.”