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Dewsbury Rams

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Dewsbury Rams
File:Rams logo.jpg
Ram
Club information
Full nameDewsbury Rams Rugby League Football Club
ColoursRed, Amber and Black
Founded1898
Websitewww.dewsburyrams.co.uk
Current details
Ground(s)
CompetitionNational League One

Dewsbury Rams RLFC are a rugby league team based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They compete in the Co-operative National League One and play their home games at the Tetley's Stadium, on Owl Lane.

The current first team coach is Andy Kelly.

History

Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club

The idea of establishing a rugby football club in Dewsbury originated among a few friends at a meeting at the Little Saddle Inn in 1875. Established with immediate effect, Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club enrolled between 30 and 40 members.

On 20 November 1875, the first recorded match of Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club took place when they played Heckmondwike Church Society XV and lost by one goal, six tries and eight touch downs to nil. The first home game, it is generally held, took place on 4 December 1875 in a field off Sugar Lane, opposite the future Crown Flatts. In a 13-a-side "scratch" game, the two outfits - one selected by the Captain and the other by the Vice-Captain - fought out a draw. The club soon realised they needed a ground and the following year secured a sub tenancy at Crown Flatt for £200.

During the course of the 1879/80 season the club colours changed from blue and cardinal to black, crimson and yellow.

On 27 March 1880, the Yorkshire cup semi-final against Wakefield Trinity drew an estimated 16,000 supporters to Crown Flatt which the local newspaper claimed to be the largest assemblage ever seen on a football ground in Yorkshire.

1881 saw the club's first success in the Yorkshire Challenge Cup beating Huddersfield, Bradford and Halifax before an Alfred Newsome drop goal gave them victory over Wakefield in the Final.

When York paid a visit to Crown Flatt on 25 September 1886, the home team took to the field wearing white jerseys that incorporated the Borough coat of arms.

Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club

Crown Flatt was rapidly gaining the reputation as one of the best-equipped ground in Yorkshire. This was further enhanced when the club purchased the famous "Noah's Ark" stand at a cost of £250. In 1888, the club amalgamated with Savile Cricket Club and United Clerks’ Cricket Club to form Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club.

The Yorkshire Senior Competition was formed in 1892 and Dewsbury immediately became members. They made their Senior Competition debut at Liversedge on 10 September 1892, Dewsbury were beaten 2-10. The club struggled and finished in the bottom three due to financial problems. The arrival of competitive leagues meant that attendences were increasing connected to on-field success. Dewsbury failed to adapt to the new era: attendances from then onwards topped 2,000 only on rare occasions.

By 1895, Dewsbury were sporting blue and white. At the famous meeting at the George Hotel, Dewsbury were the only members of the Yorkshire Senior Competition not to resign from the Rugby Football Union instead requesting permission to consult further. At a special meeting convened at the King’s Arms Hotel, Market Place, on 2 September, they elected to remain in the Senior Competition and marginally improved their position in the league to 10th. Next season however they were back at the bottom.

On 22 November 1897, the General Committee of Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club, elected to abandon rugby union with immediate effect. They withdrew from the league concentrating on soccer instead. Of the 12 league matches contested by the club that season, all but one - and that a draw - were lost. In reply to the 156 points conceded, the team registered just two tries. The 0-5 loss to Otley on 13 November 1897 was the final rugby union game played at Crown Flatt. By the time of its demise, the football section had contested more than 500 matches.

New club formed

On 21 April 1898 an historic meeting was held at the Black Bull public house to consider the possibility of forming a new Northern Union club. The question was discussed at some length and over £100 in donations was promised. Ironically it was local rivals Batley who helped Dewsbury gain election to the Northern Union. They were fully supportive of Dewsbury's bid and obviously looked forward to rekindling the rivalry, as well as their pockets, with the derby matches and also to thank the old Dewsbury supporters who had switched their support to Mount Pleasant during the two or three preceding seasons.

At a subsequent discussion at the parish church school on 5 May, it was announced that members of the committee had met with Mr Lipscomb, agent to Lord Savile, and had signed an agreement to lease the Crown Flatt estate as from 1 July 1898. Red, amber and black were adopted as club colours during June 1898.

On 3 September 1898, the players travelled to Normanton for their Northern Union match, they were beaten 3-16. The first home game took place the very next Saturday with visitors Kinsley emerging victorious by a margin of 13-5. During the rest of the season the team played in Yorkshire No. 2 Competition.

In 1902/3 The Lancashire and Yorkshire leagues were combined to form a second division. Dewsbury was one of the new teams to join the second division.

The club's first major success came in 1912, when they beat Oldham 8-5 in the Challenge Cup final at Headingley.

When, in 1922, the Northern Union renamed itself the Rugby Football League, the club adopted the title of Dewsbury Rugby Football Club.

In 1929, Dewsbury also had the honour of playing in the first Wembley Challenge Cup final, losing 13-2 to Wigan.

Managed by Eddie Waring, Dewsbury enjoyed huge success during the Second World War when their side was boosted by the inclusion of a number of big-name guest players. Dewsbury won the Wartime Emergency League in 1941-42 and again the following season, though that championship was declared null and void when it was discovered they had played an ineligible player. They were also runners-up in 1943-44.

Post World War two

In 1972, Maurice Bamford arrived at Dewsbury as a coach. Dewsbury's only championship title came in the 1972/73 season when they beat Leeds in the play-off final at Bradford's Odsal Stadium 22-13. They had been hammered 36-9 by the same opposition in the Yorkshire Cup final earlier that season. Dewsbury, captained by Mike Stephenson finished 8th in the league but the title was to be decided through a series of play-offs in which they also defeated Oldham, Featherstone and Warrington on their way to glory.

Many people argued about the validity of the centenary celebrations held in 1975, holding that the centenary should not have been held until 1998.

On 13 September 1988, at about 4pm, three youths deliberately set fire to the historic wooden stand erected in 1914. The stand was in excellent condition, the club having just spent £25,000 bringing it up to the required safety standards. The club also lost everything gathered over the past 113 years; programmes, records and memorabilia.

However, the fire enabled the club to build a new state of the art stadium at Owl Lane, Shaw Cross, Dewsbury and on the 14 April 1991 Dewsbury RLFC played their last home game at Crown Flatt against Barrow and went on to play their home games at Batley's Mount Pleasant whilst the new ground was being built.

The club played their first home game at the new Crown Flatt stadium (often erroneously called New Crown Flatt) on 6th September 1994 in front of another full house against Barrow, a match they won 82-6.

The Rams suffix was adopted in 1996 as part of the sport's transition from a winter to a summer schedule and despite its partial return to the old setup, the moniker has stuck.

Crown Flatt stadium was renamed Ram Stadium in 1998.

Recent Times

The Rams have enjoyed a high degree of success in recent years. They finished top of the Northern Ford Premiership for two consecutive seasons in 1999 and 2000, as well as winning the Grand Final and Trans-Pennine Cup in 2000. Despite the Rams' sustained success, they were denied entry to Super League mainly because of an insufficient stadium capacity. The Rams proposed ground sharing with Sheffield Eagles playing home games at their Don Valley Stadium while Dewsbury's stadium was improved was turned down by the RFL. After a difficult couple of seasons following this, and many argue because of this, the club were relegated to rugby league's 3rd tier for the first time in ten years.

In 2005, The stadium was again renamed and the Tetley's Stadium was to host the Rams' fist successful season since that grand final victory, mainly due to a strong recruitment drive which brought several big names to the club including 'local lads' Ryan Sheridan and Darren Rogers. The team went on to reach the play-off final where they were defeated by NL1 strugglers and local rivals Batley Bulldogs, 28-26.

The season after, they went one better and Andy Kelly's side were crowned champions of [[National League Two]. They finished top of the division, two points ahead of Sheffield Eagles, and were promoted to National League One along with the Eagles, who won the division's play off series. Further accolades for the Rams, to round off a massively successful campaign, included being crowned National League team of the year.

The club's first season in NL1 the following year was always going to be tough. Many had tipped the Rams, along with play-off winners Sheffield Eagles, to go straight back down. But, with new signings Dean Lawford and Josh Weeden adding extra impetus, Dewsbury finished the season just outside the play-off places in 7th.

2008 Squad

As of Monday 5th November.

  • Andy Bostock (Retained from 2007)
  • Alex Bretherton (Retained)
  • Austin Buchanan (Retained)
  • Richard Chapman (Retained)
  • David Clayton (Signed from Bradford Bulls)
  • Liam Crawley (Retained)
  • Kane Epati (Retained)
  • Mark Field (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats)
  • Liam Finn (Retained)
  • Tere Glassie (Castleford Tigers
  • Luke Haigh (Retained)
  • Chris Hall (Retained)
  • Joe Helme (Retained)
  • Keegan Hirst (Retained)
  • Dean Lawford (Retained)
  • Eddie Mack (Hunslet Hawks)
  • Dominic Maloney (Retained)
  • Bryn Powell (Retained)
  • Martin Robinson (Retained)
  • Aaron Trinder (Halifax RLFC)
  • Pat Walker (Retained)
  • Josh Weeden (Retained)

The Future

With survival in National League One secured for the time being, the Rams can look to really cement a spot amongst the top 20 clubs in the country. Celtic Crusaders were crowned 2007 National League Two Champions and have been promoted. The fledgling Welsh side will be entirley full-time and, along with fellow NL1 new boys Featherstone Rovers, National League One will be as competitive in 2008 as it's ever been.

Stadium

See also Crown Flatt

The stadium has two covered stands, one seated and one standing with an approximate capacity of 3,500 including 900 seats and fantastic disabled facilities. As part of the Rams' Community Development Programme, the stadium also hosts matches for a number of other organisations. This ranges from local schools matches, representative amateur and student rugby league games to American football matches and fun days.

There are plans to develop the complex over the next couple of years as the club aims to bring the ground up to Super League standards.

Major Honours

Records

Team Records

Individual Records

  • Season
    • Goals: 170 by Barry Eaton in 2000
    • Tries: 40 by Dai Thomas in 1906/07
    • Points: 398 by Barry Eaton in 2000

and by Francis Maloney vs Hunslet Hawks on 25 March 2007

  • Career
    • Goals: 863 by Nigel Stephenson (1967-78 and 1984-86)
    • Tries: 144 by Joe Lyman (1913 to 1931)

Sources


Template:Rugby league NL1

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