Nottinghamshire
Outlaws
The Official Gridball Site
Nottinghamshire Outlaws
Elite Debut 1961
Formed 1958 {Merger of Derbyshire & Leicester}
Colours: Rich Black & Dark Teal
Feeder Teams: Derby Ewes, Leicester Vixens, Northampton Cobblers, Wycombe Swans, Luton Hatters
SDerbyshire Semi Finalists 1953
Record Appearances:
Joan Petrides 74 {1952-1956} {Leicester}
Gail Cavendish 61 {Elite} 14 {Intermediate} {1952 - 1959}
Record Scorer:
Betty Chalmers 78 {1953-1958} {Leicester} {1961} {Nottinghamshire}
Record Victory
Derbyshire 10-1 vs Richmond 21st May 1955
Record Defeat
Leicester 1-13 at West Hammers {13th March 1952}
Most Goals in a Game
{4} Maggie Cresswell, Derbyshire 10-1 Richmond 21st May 1955
& 5-0 vs Birmingham Bullettes 16th July 1955
{4} Patricia Cooke, Derbyshire 10-1 Richmond 21st May 1955
{4} Charlotte Unerti, Leicester 8-0 vs Bolton 30th June 1956
Most Goals in a Season
Maggie Cresswell {24} Derbyshire 1955
Betty Chalmers {24} Leicester 1956
Brenda Christiani {4 - Elite, 27 - Intermediate 1959}
Season History
1952 Derbyshire & Leicester First Round
1953 Leicester Second Round, Derbyshire First Round
1954 Derbyshire Quarter Finals, Leicester First Round
1955 Derbyshire Semi-Finals, Leicester Second Round
1956 Leicester Quarterfinals, Derbyshire First Round
1957 Leicester First Round, Derbyshire Failed To Qualify
1958 Derbyshire & Leicester Failed To Qualify
1959 Nottinghamshire - 2nd Div Repechage - Not Promoted
1960 Promoted to Elite Division
Players of the Year
Young Players of the Year
Team of the Season
Golden Bat
Silver Bat
Bronze Bat
Suzy Harrison - {17} - 1954 {Derbyshire}
Nations Cup Champions
International Representatives
Bairbri Dalton - Ireland 1959
The Nottinghamshire Story
The Derbyshire Ewes and the Leicester Vixens were both among the original thirty-six Gridball clubs in 1948 but neither was able to make the original twelve Elite clubs in 1951. Both clubs were admitted to the Championship the following year, with the Ewes reaching the Quarterfinals in 1954 and going one better, reaching the Semi-Finals the following year. Leicester had their turn in 1956, also reaching the last eight before both teams experienced a startling decline. The Ewes were absent from the competition for the first time in 1957 while both clubs were absent in 1958.
With a new Elite Division being formed for 1959, the prospect of both sides joining the new Second Division led to an exodus of Star players and a real concern that the English East Midlands would lose the promising position it threatened just a few years earlier. Before the end of the 1958 season the agreement was made that the two sides would merge to form a new and potentially stronger side based in Nottingham.
The Outlaws started 1959 suggesting they would smash their way into the elite, while also enjoying a great cup run but lost their coach mid season and ultimately missed out on both fronts. However, they achieved their objective the following season, making their Elite debut in 1961
New Signing, Pauline Dobby poses for the press as Maid Marion in Nottinghamshire colours of Rich Black and Teal
Nottinghamshire Outlaws
6-0 vs Lanarkshire
15th July 1961
Virginia Lyon
Coach
Age: 40
Born: Cottageville, USA {17/01/1921}
Rated 3 {Good}
Took charge 1960: Earned promotion in debut season.
Dr Marigold Sharman
Netminder
Age: 28
Born: Willesden {09/12/1932}
Rated 4 {Very Good}
Appearances: 71+14 {Leicestershire & Nottinghamshire {1953-}
Qualified Dr, was in Leicester's 1956 Quarter Final team.
Rachel Wells
First Choice Left Guard {Sick}
Age: 26
Born: Croydon {09/10/1934}
Rated 3 {Good}
Appearances: 16+14 {Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire {1956-}, 2 Goals.
Missed this game with Measles.
Annabel O'Connor
Sweeper
Age: 23
Born: Greenwich {22/08/1936}
Rated 3 {Good}
Appearances: 15+11 {1959-}, 1 Goal.
Covered for missing Wells
Joan Simmons
Right Guard
Age: 32
Born: Derby {02/11/1928}
Rated 4 {Very Good}
Appearances: 55+25 {Derbyshire & Nottingham 1953-}, 5 Goals.
Last survivor of Derbyshire's 1955 Semi Final.
Pamela Haan
Left Guard
Age: 21
Born: Swadlincote {28/07/1940}
Rated 3 {Good}
Appearances: 18+11 {Derbyshire & Nottingham 1953-}, 1 Goal.
Prefers to play on the Right
Brenda Swire
Centre
Age: 20
Born: Derby {18/02/1941}
Rated 4 {Very Good}
Appearances: 12+2 {Derbyshire & Nottingham 1956-}, 0+2 Goals.
Has a younger sister in the reserves
Pauline Dobby
Attacker
Age: 32
Born: Tranmere {18/03/1929}
Rated 6 {World Class}
Appearances: 13, 5 Goals. {1961}
1960 Golden Bat and Cup winner with West Ham, Supergrid winning scorer 1951 Liverpool, twice a losing finalist with the Liverbirds and twice in TOTY.
Betty Chalmers
Shooter
Age: 26
Born: Leicester {26/06/1925}
Rated 5 {Excellent}
Appearances: 78 {Leicester 1953-1958, Nottingham 1961-}
Club Record scorer {when including merger clubs} Last member of Leicester's 1956 Quarter Final team, won the Bronze bat that season, won a silver bat with West Ham in 1959 and played in a Supergrid Semi Final.
1961 Squad Rating {Very Good}
1961 World Ranking {16}
Highest {6} Leicester 1956
Future script - To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nottingham's first Elite season, the surviving members of the squad were invited to a game in 2011. Lyon, Sharman, Wells, Haan, Swire, Dobby and Chalmers were in attendance.