When the cricket club dropped out the Rugby team changed it's name to Aspull, instead of Aspull St. Elizabeth's. They removed from the field near Barton's Pits and went to one near Dicconson-lane Station. The field was really in Westhoughton but the club-house was in Aspull. After a couple of seasons there, a Mr. Gregory sent for Rickards (and proposed to use of a field that Mr Gregory had *missing from source material but that is the gist).

Rickards informed his fellow members of the generous offer and a sub-committee inspected the land and chose a field near the Pumping Pit on the back side of St. Elizabeth's Church. They occupied that field until 1887. Rickards was married about this time and went to live at Wigan, otherwise he does not think that Aspull would have removed their headquarters to New Springs. The Aspull field was taken from them with the withdrawal of Rickards' influence. About twelve months previous to the club leaving Lower Gullet he was asked about the ground being changed to New Springs. He at once put forward an objection and told the promoters of the scheme that it meant the breaking up of the club. At Aspull nearly everyone could get to practice, but if the club went to New Springs they would be a mile and a half or two miles from home, and they could scarcely be expected to walk that distance and back after practice and then go to work early the following morning. "They got the club down at New Springs, eventually," added Rickards, "and they did not last very long afterwards; they broke up three or four years later. That was due to a shortage of players; Seddon, Roberts, Lawson, and other well known men having left them."

Rickards did not say very much about his own experiences on the field, his excuse being that the other Aspull players had pretty well filled the "Examiner." He stated that when he first started he was the oldest player in the team, and he gave up after about ten seasons. He was assisting the club when they beat Wigan for the Wigan Charity Cup in 1884 by 39 points to 6. Wigan had previously beaten Aspull in the final at Highfield. He remembered that game in particular, because Tim Galvin assisted Aspull. He hailed from Leigh, and came with a big reputation as a sprinter. He was the quickest man on the field but he never out himself out to go for the ball. Rickards out the ball in from touch with the intention of Galvin getting it, but he was too slow to reach it and Charlie Cronshaw snapped it up and ran three-parts of the length of the field to score a try.

Rickards was considered a very useful forward in his day, although he did on occasions play in the three-quarter line. He nearly always occupied a place in the first three, having Tom Hesketh on one side of him and James Sharrock (no relation to the present James) on the other. They were terrors to stick together. "There was no getting through us," remarked Rickards, "because we used to lock ourselves together. I shall never forget one practice game when William Cooper was with us. We got him round the ribs, and he then told us it was impossible or him to get away." He was assisting Aspull in 1886-7, when Aspull beat Wigan at Fairfield in the West Lancashire Cup final, by 24 points to 1 point. On that occasion a supporter who intended being at the match was killed on Wigan Station. Rickards recalls a match at (sic) which he won by scoring a try. The ground was in a terrible state - it might be described as mud and water - and when he scored he was almost buried in the mud. He also related an incident which occurred in a match with Swinton when Bumby was playing. "We were both trying to get the ball out," he said, "and Bumby got lower than me and gave me one under the chin with the back of his head. It was not a bad tip, and I said... I would make it come in useful. I know I gave him one back later in the game ad he said nothing about it."

Another story which has reference to a well-known Aspull Councillor has its humorous side. Aspull were due at Clifton, and when they arrived they were a man short. The aforesaid Councillor, who played occasionally, was drafted into the team, but there were no football pants for him. The difficulty was overcome by borrowing certain articles which were not usually worn by males, and when he appeared he caused endless amusement to the crowd. On an occasion after he had given up the game Rickards met the Aspull team going to Werneth, and they persuaded him to go with them. He got a shilling besides his railway fare, and that was the only time in his life that he ever got paid anything for football playing.

Rickards, who is now 61 years of age, and resides at Church Grove, Wigan, still follows his employment as a collier at the Moor Pit, Scot-lane, Aspull. More power to his elbow!