As I was brought up in the old counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, I am aware of Wigton as a sporting force in the past. When I was a youngster in the 1960s i Wigton had a good reputation for rugby and green bowling so it is pleasure to welcome the rugby sides ( walking and walking a little faster) to Ashbrooke. It also gives me to opportunity to have a look at old newspapers for anything of historical interest. According to the local 'Wigton News' Wigton Rugby Football Club was 'newly...

As noted in my last blog - (please take a look if you haven't seen it) - fixtures between Sunderland and Northern go back a long way - in fact almost 150 years. Even dull games have interesting stories behind them -games such as the one which was played at Newcastle in October 1902. Although the RFU did not approve of it, the North East had decided to set up a league system for the 1902/3 season and this was one of the first games played in it. The league was called the Inter County Club...

Sunderland faces Northern at Ashbrooke next weekend and two matches between the sides from the early 1880s provide food for thought - especially about the method of scoring used. In November 1880 the sides played a draw on our old ground (which stood, partly, on the site of today's Chester's pub). The weather was 'dull and threatening' - which strikes a bell in February 2026 - and the match played over three 'halves' of 20 minutes. Sunderland scored a try but the opposition challenged it and...