BEFORE the creation of club leagues in 1987, a group of around 24 self-appointed leading clubs played against each other (plus frequent fixtures against Welsh clubs) with little chance of other English clubs breaking in. Lancashire’s Orrell were the only club who managed to cross the invisible barrier; no others managed it. Luckily a logically-formatted and well-supported county stage enabled players such as Bill Beaumont, Tony Neary, Mike Slemen, Wade Dooley, Mike Harrison and others to reach the top while playing for clubs outside the self-appointed elite. The top Englis...