Bramley Buffaloes

Infobox_esl_club | clubname = Bramley Buffaloes


fullname = Bramley Buffaloes Rugby League Community Club"
emblem = Buffalo
colours = Amber and black
founded = 1879
sport = rugby league
league = Rugby League Conference National
ground = Stanningley ARLFC (Coordinates: 53°49′04.08″N, 1°39′32.31″W)
web = [http://www.bramley-rlfc.co.uk www.bramley-rlfc.co.uk]

Bramley Buffaloes is a rugby league club from the Bramley area of West Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Previously known simply as Bramley RLFC, the club is a famous name in rugby league, having existed prior to the formation of the Northern Union in 1895. The traditional nickname for the club is "The Villagers" which survives as the name of the official match programme.

History

Bramley were founded in 1879. In 1881 they moved to the Barley Mow ground. They were admitted to the Northern Union on 2 June 1896. The rugby league was then split into two county leagues.

On 9 October 1907, they became the first club to entertain a touring side when they played New Zealand.

In 1942–3, Bramley dropped out of the wartime Yorkshire League, they did not return to league competition until 1945–6.

In the sixties, the club moved to a new ground on land adjacent to Barley Mow, which became known as McClaren Field. Bramley defeated Wakefield Trinity, Castleford and St Helens in order to reach the 1973 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy. They won the trophy with a 15–7 away victory over Widnes on the 14th December 1973. It was the first cup Bramley had won in their entire history. Ironically, due to power cuts, the final against Widnes at Naughton Park took place on a midweek afternoon.

On Sunday 1 September 1974, Bramley defeated Doncaster 52–17 at McLaren Field in a Yorkshire Cup, first round tie, this broke the club record which had stood since 1946.

Bramley won promotion to Division One, under Peter Fox, in the 1976-77 season.

Bramley almost went into liquidation in October 1983 but survived.

In 1990 the club was faced with an estimated bill of £250,000 to carry out comprehensive safety work at McClaren Field for the start of the 1991–92 season. Bramley managed to survive at McClaren Field until the end of the 1994–95 season. The following seasons they played at Clarence Field and then moved to Headingley in 1997.

Crowd numbers were affected and the team became ever more overshadowed by Leeds. In 1999 as a possible merger between Hunslet and Bramley was debated. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/rugby_league/news/467251.stm] At the end of the 1999 season Bramley resigned from the Northern Ford Premiership to become a feeder team for Leeds, but this never materialised. Bramley applied to rejoin the Northern Ford Premiership in 2000 but were rejected, a similar bid from Gateshead Thunder was accepted. They had planned to play games at the home of soccer club Farsley Celtic and progressively upgrade the ground would be acceptable, this may have been the cause of the rejection.

Bramley applied again to rejoin the Rugby Football League for the 2003 season. Bramley planned to play their home games at Morley Rugby Union Club, with the long-term aim of establishing their own ground. They were reformed as a supporter-owned club and played in National League Three, also fielding a side in the Rugby League Conference. After finishing as runners-up in 2005, Bramley took the title in 2006, beating Hemel Stags by 30 points to 8. Since 2007 Bramley have participated in the Rugby League Conference National division, the new name for the re-branded National League Three.

Honours

*BBC2 Floodlit Trophy: 1973/74
*Leeds RFC Summer Sevens: 1996
*National League Three Champions: 2006

Records

Player records

*Most tries in a match: 7 by Joe Sedgewick vs Normanton, 16 April 1906
*Most goals in a match: 13 by Paul Drake vs Coventry Bears, 24 April 2005
*Most points in a match: 36 by Paul Drake vs Underbank Rangers, 4 September 2005
*Most tries in a season: 34 by Peter Lister, 1985–86
*Most goals in a season: 146 by Paul Drake, 2005
*Most points in a season: 382 by Paul Drake, 2005
*Most career tries: 140 by Peter Lister, 1982–91
*Most career goals: 926 by John Wilson, 1953–64
*Most career points: 1903 by Johnny Wilson, 1953–64
*Most career appearances: 410 by Johnny Wolford 1962–76
*Most consecutive appearances: 100 by Jim Hainsworth, April 1960 - December 1962

Club records

*Highest score for: 86–0 vs Essex Eels, 19 June 2005
*Highest score against: 92 vs Australia, 9 November 1921 (Tour Match)
*Highest attendance at Barley Mow: 12,600 vs Leeds, 7 May 1947
*Highest attendance at McLaren Field: 7,500 vs Bradford Northern, 17 February 1972

ources

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/862297.stm Gateshead and Bramley sweat]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/1962859.stm Bramley apply to rejoin RFL]

External links

* [http://www.bramleytoday.co.uk/sectionhome.aspx?sectionID=11194 Latest Bramley Buffaloes news at YEP Bramley Today Community Website]
* [http://www.bramley-rlfc.co.uk Official site]
* [http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bramleybuffaloes Bramley Buffaloes on youtube]