Bad weather had delayed work on the new ground and the re-entry of Padiham into the Ribblesdale League but the team were back there for the 1950 season. Players were recruited mainly from local works teams and Jim Smith of Rishton became the first professional and Roland Eames the first captain. The championship was won in 1960 under Jack Dutton, with 77 wickets from professional Ross Howarth and 53 wickets from Jack Horan. Roger Devon had joined the club from Lowerhouse in 1959 and since then there has rarely been a Padiham 1st XI without a Devon in it. Brother John followed Roger in 1964 and Roger's son Graeme now keeps up the tradition. Becoming captain in 1961 for four seasons, Roger Devon eventually hit over 6000 runs for the first team but never managed a century; his best was 98 not out versus Whalley. He was the sole survivor of the 1960 side when the title was won again in 1966, the captain by now being brother John, and the professional John Roberts who finished top of the league averages with 77 wickets making 214 wickets in all in his three successful seasons at the club. The season began at Settle with a poor innings of 70 but then 8-13 for John Roberts and a win which set the tone for the rest of the campaign.
The U-18 Xl, set up on a proper basis in 1963, has provided its fair share of players for the 1st Xl and for other clubs, including club captain in Stephen Gee, Bob Stevenson and Malcolm Heyworth and a Lancashire player in Ian Folley. And like other clubs a full scale youth policy is now an important part of the club's hopes for the future. Stephen Gee went on to a very successful career as Earby professional in the 1980s before returning to Padiham as amateur captain. Bob Stevenson is one of only seven wicketkeepers in the league to claim six victims in an innings and shares the honour with D. Hargreaves of Padiham who did the same in 1961.
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