Carlisle RLFC

Carlisle RLFC were a rugby league team based in Carlisle, Cumbria.

History

Carlisle City were admitted to the Northern Rugby Football League in 1928-29 but withdrew after only ten games. They won 1 and lost 9, scoring 59 and conceding 166.

In April 1981, Carlisle RLFC were admitted to the Rugby Football League, playing at Carlisle United's Brunton Park. They were coached by Allan Agar and Nigel Stephenson. The club finished second in the Second Division at gained promotion in their first season. Their average attendance was 2,950 in that season. Agar departed as coach.

They made their debut in the First Division with a 7-10 home defeat against Wigan at Brunton Park. Attendances plummeted in the First Division when they finished bottom and were relegated.

Thereafter the club was plagued by debts and poor attendances. They moved to Gillford Park for the 1988-89 season as they were not able to afford the rent on Brunton Park.

They became Carlisle Border Raiders for the 1990-91 season but continued to struggle. When a Rupert Murdoch funded Super League competition was proposed, part of the deal was that some traditional clubs would merge. Carlisle were to merge with Whitehaven RLFC, Workington Town and Barrow to form Cumbria who would compete in Super League. This was, however, resisted.

Home crowds struggled to get into four figures and at the end of the 1997 season they merged with Barrow Braves to form Barrow Border Raiders. Their last league match on 20 July 1997 had produced a record score of 72-10 against another doomed side Prescot Panthers. Their final game was at home against Workington on 7 September 1997 which they lost 34-24 in front of a crowd of 453. The merged team played all its matches in Barrow and in 2002 dropped the 'Border' from its name.

Playing Record

Season	Division	Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1981/82	1 - 2	2nd	32	28	0	4	649	296	56
1982/83	1 - 2	16th	30	2	0	28	252	751	4
1983/84	1 - 2	15th	34	12	0	22	539	780	24
1984/85	1 - 2	5th	28	19	0	9	547	437	38
1985/86	1 - 2	11th	34	15	2	17	585	682	32
1986/87	1 - 2	8th	28	15	1	12	463	446	31
1987/88	1 - 2	11th	28	14	1	13	388	444	29
1988/89	1 - 2	11th	28	14	1	13	512	441	29
1989/90	1 - 2	17th	28	9	0	19	511	625	18
1990/91	1 - 2	8th	28	16	2	10	613	425	34
1991/92	1 - 2 - 3	6th	28	12	1	15	490	466	25
1992/93	1 - 2 - 3	7th	28	6	3	19	454	721	15
1993/94	1 - 2	13th	30	9	0	21	540	878	18
1994/95	1 - 2	14th	30	8	0	22	546	877	16
1995/96	1 - 2	5th	20	12	0	8	600	309	24
1996	1 - 2 - 3	4th	22	13	0	9	654	486	26
1997	1 - 2 - 3	5th	20	13	0	7	564	384	26

Rugby league in Carlisle

Rugby league in Carlisle is now represented by Carlisle Centurions in the Rugby League Conference National Division.

Carlisle is also represented at under-16 level in the Cumberland under-16 rugby league by the Rickerby Saints ARLFC.

Notable Players

• Robert Ackerman
• Dean Bell
• Clayton Friend
• Allan Agar
• Mick Morgan
• Hitro Okesene
• Jim Thompson
• John Atkinson
• Steve Kirkby (#12)
• Kevin Pape (#4) (Testimonial match 1994)
• Willie Richardson [1]
• Nigel Stephenson
• Mal Thomason (Testimonial match 1990)

Sources

• http://members.tripod.com/peterflower/table.htm