Delph Tavern
Tontine
Orrell
Wigan
WN5 8UJ
Contact: Mike Unsworth
Originally The Robin Hood, the team has moved to the Delph Tavern from Running Horses, and has also changed their name to reflect this.
As Robin Hood, they have been members of the League since 1987 when they took the place of one of the original founding teams called Miners Lamp, the latter having disbanded at the end of that first season. Two of that Miners Lamp team made the move to the Robin Hood and helped form the team that still competes today. Due to ill health, founder member and former Treasurer of the League, Arthur Penny, retired from playing in 2016.
The 'Robin' have, ever since their formation, been a fiercely competitive team. This can be attested to by the fact that they were League Champions no less than three times in the first five seasons since formation. Since then they have continued to add to their list of awards on a regular basis, whilst they have always remained at the more competitive end of the League's membership they have always stayed sociable.
The close of the 2002 season saw the 'Robin' add to their long list of accomplishment when they finished as Runners-up to the Merrymen', who share the pub as their home base, in the Knockout Cup Final. This final provided the most exciting climax any knockout competition has ever seen, with the two teams level from the beginning to the end of the normal eight rounds, it took a further three tie-break rounds before the 'Robin' had to admit defeat. Whilst it may not have done the team members nerves any good it certainly provided enormous entertainment for the considerable group of spectators.
As with all long serving teams the personnel has changed over the years, the present team consists of the long serving members Roy Atherton, Mike Unsworth; the team was joined for 2007 by Adrian Dance and Joe Keegan formerly of the now defunct St. James' S.C. Mastermind champion Gary Grant also plays for the team in recent years.
The team's long list of achievements was supplemented in 2003 when Mike Unsworth partnered Mark Anders of Pimbo Pitmen to a notable success in the League Knockout Pairs, a competition that is becoming increasingly difficult to win. The 2006 season saw the 'Robin' add to their impressive list of honours when they won the League Knockout Plate competition, this being their first success in competition for four seasons.
On a much sadder note, the team lost one of its long-term members with the demise of Wendy Coulshed who succumbed to illness in early 2007, Wendy was much liked by everyone who knew her and will be sadly missed. The 2007 season saw the team in the final of the Knockout Plate competition but they were unable to repeat the previous season's success, finishing as runners-up to The Britannia, this after having led the final through six of the eight rounds.