Our Fixtures - Nearly 150 years ago!

SRFC’S 1877 RIVALS

Just recently while carrying out some research in the Sunderland Echo I came across the fixtures list for SRFC for the 1877 – 8 season and it makes for interesting reading.

During the season we faced seven opponents home and away. Three of the seven are still in existence – Darlington, Westoe and Durham University. Darlington is one of our oldest rivals and the first ‘club’ club founded in Durham County (though not continuous due to a dabble in association football). Westoe is also a long-standing competitor, and it is good to see us joining up with the current club at colt level thus ensuring players in that age group continue to compete locally. Durham University has a long rugby history and has just celebrated its 175th anniversary making it one of the most significant sides in the country.

Three sides on the list have contributed to the development of modern sporting sides. Tees Wanderers is part of the history of Middlesbrough RFC while Bradford appears in the records of the modern Bradford Park Avenue AFC. This club has a first team appearing in the Northern Premier League. In the days before Rugby League Bradford was the powerhouse of northern rugby and it says a great deal about SRFC that we had regular fixtures with this club. Although Bradford produced a number of England players around this time, SRFC was often a match for them – a fact that was recognised by the local Yorkshire press.

Last but not least in this group is the Northumberland Club (not to be confused with Northumberland County). According to a number of online sites Gosforth and the Northumberland Club have a shared history and have both been taken in by Newcastle Falcons/Red Bulls as part of the professional club’s heritage. The club bar is called the ‘1877 bar’ with a nod to the founding of Gosforth RFC. In the 1880s Gosforth merged with the Northumberland Club and played under its name before reverting to Gosforth and then becoming Newcastle Gosforth/Falcons/Red Bulls.

The final opponent in 1877 was Tynemouth – a club that has folded completely. So as a refreshing reminder our 1877/8 rivals were –

Darlington

Westoe

Durham University

Tees Wanderers

Northumberland Club

Bradford

Tynemouth

A mere 148 seasons ago!

P.S. As many of you know we have had access to Alfred Hudson’s kit. Alfred played during the 1877/8 season covered above. For more on Alfred and the club’s early history, get hold of a copy of my 150^th anniversary book ( published 2023). Keith.gregson@talk21.com .

An early SRFC side - Some would have played during the 1877/8 season