Whitehaven RLFC

Infobox_esl_club | clubname = Whitehaven


fullname = "Whitehaven Rugby League Football Club"
emblem = Club crest
colours = Chocolate,Blue and Gold
founded = 1948
sport = Rugby league
league = National League One
ground = Recreation Ground
web = [http://www.whitehavenrl.co.uk/ www.whitehavenrl.co.uk]

Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league team playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in National League one. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground (known locally as the Recre). Their mascot is a lion called "Pride".

Their nicknames are 'Haven' or the 'marras' (a local dialect word for 'mate').

Their local rivals are Workington Town.

History

Foundation

Rugby league in Cumbria can trace its roots back over 100 years to the formation of the Northern Union. Whitehaven had its own team, Whitehaven Recreation, which competed in the Challenge Cup in the first decade of the 20th Century

Whitehaven RLFC was formed in 1948 and shortly afterwards were admitted into the Northern Rugby Football League by just three votes. In their first game Haven beat Hull 5-0. There was a "disappointing" turnout of only 9,000 because of the pouring rain; in those days the Supporters Club had 4,000 members. The early Whitehaven team were nicknamed the Colliers as the Recreation Ground was owned by the Miners Welfare organisation.

In a Britain that still was still recovering from wartime rationing and austerity Whitehaven gradually picked itself up. In 1951 the first of a long line of players from Australasia joined Haven as Neville Emery became player-coach. Under his guidance the club built a team that could compete with the best.

On Saturday 20 Oct 1956, Whitehaven defeated the Australian tourists 14-11 before a crowd of 10,917 at the Recreation ground. Later that season the club came within minutes of a Wembley appearance when they lost 10-9 to Leeds in a Challenge Cup semi-final before a 50,000 crowd at the Odsal Stadium, featuring players such as the legendary Dick Huddart and full back John McKeown. The end of that season saw Emery return home to be replaced by Eppie Gibson, who re-built the team, and in 1959-60 the club finished 6th in the league their highest ever position.

ixties and onwards

The club's record attendance was set in 1960 when 18,500 spectators turned up for a third round Challenge Cup game against Wakefield.

The 1960s were a period of decline as the club struggled on the field, though in 1965 the club defeated the touring New Zealanders 12-5. It wasn’t until 1970 that the club emerged from this lean spell. Under the coaching of Sol Roper they topped the league table for part of the 1969/70 season. Once again the club defeated the game's top clubs like St Helens, Wigan and Bradford Northern at the Recreation Ground. The club progressed over the next few years and in 1973 acquired floodlights.

However success was once again denied at the last hurdle as the club suffered semi-final defeats in both the Lancashire Cup and the John Player cup. Two promotions to the top division came in 1980s and during this period the club produced a batch of internationals in scrum half Arnold "Boxer" Walker, forward Vince Fox and centre Vince Gribbin. By the end of the 1980s the club found itself back in Division two.

Whitehaven RLFC faced a financial crisis in 1992. Eleven local businessmen, Copeland Council and Albright & Wilson joined forces to form Whitehaven 1992 Ltd, the holding company which owns 70 per cent of the shares. [http://www.news-and-star.co.uk/sport/haven/1.83274]

ummer era

When the Super League was proposed Whitehaven were supposed to merge with Barrow, Carlisle and Workington to form a "Cumbria" club that would take part in Super League. This was successfully resisted.

Whitehaven Warriors ended 1996 one place above the relegation positions. The appointment of Kiwi coaches Kurt Sorensen and Stan Martin brought about a revival at the club with Haven finishing 3rd in Division one in 1997 and reaching the play-off semi-finals only to lose to Hull Sharks.

The merger issue resurfaced in 2000, Whitehaven were so heavily in debt that a merger with Workington seemed the only means of survival. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_league/article575236.ece] However, the board of Directors rejected a merger proposal with Workington and then resigned en masse. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/rugby_league/865377.stm]

Paul Cullen arrived as coach from Warrington in September 2000 taking over from Kevin Tamati. This heralded upward progression for Whitehaven. The club made steady progress and earned a place in National League 1 for 2003. He left in August 2002 to manage Warrington and was replaced by Steve McCormack.

In 2004 they were undefeated at home in the league and made it to the semi final of the Arriva Trains cup losing to the eventual winners Leigh. They also narrowly lost out on promotion to Super League after losing 32-16 in extra time to Leigh Centurions in the NL1 grand final.

The following year despite Castleford Tigers being red hot favourites for promotion Whitehaven managed to win their first piece of silverware when the took the National League One League Leaders trophy, however they were unable to take this success into the Grand Final, where they were heavily beaten by the Castleford side.

Steve McCormack left to manage Widnes Vikings and was replaced by Dave Rotheram.

In 2006 in Dave Rotherams first season in charge, they finished 4th and reached the National League 1 playoffs, only to be beaten by Steve McCormack's Widnes Vikings in a hard fought semi-final by 24 points to 20. they were knocked out of the Northern Rail Cup at the quarter final stage by Hull KR who would eventually be promoted to The Engage Super League that season.

In late 2006 they became the first ever winners of the pre-season Ike Southward Trophy, beating neighbours Workington Town 18-6 at The Recreation Ground. Haven made it to the final of the Northern Rail Cup for the first time in 2007 but lost 54-6 to Widnes Vikings. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6899771.stm]

Club Records

Team

*Highest Score : 86-6 vs Highfield 1995
*Heaviest Defeat : 106-4 vs Wigan 2008
*Record Attendance : 18,650, vs Wakefield 1960

Individual

*Tries in a Career : 248 David Seeds (1993 - 2007)
*Tries in a Season : 34 Mick Pechey (1994-95)
*Tries in a Match : 6 Vince Gribbin (vs Doncaster 18th November 1984)
*Goals in a Career : 1050 John McKeown (1946-61)
*Goals in a Season : 141 John McKeown (1956-57)
*Goals in a Match : 13 Lee Anderson (v Highfield 25th January 1995)
*Points in a Career : 2,133 John McKeown (1948 - 1961)
*Points in a Season : 400 Mick Nanyn (2004)
*Points in a Match : 32 Mick Nanyn (vs Batley 22nd August 2004)
*Appearances in a Career : 417 John McKeown (1948-61)
*Appearances in a Season : 42 John McKeown (1956-57)
*Consecutive Appearances : 83 Gary Broadbent(C) still playing

Haven Immortals (Hall of Fame)

1. John Mckeown
2. Smith
3. Vince Gribbin
4. Gibson
5. Lowden
6. Kitchin
7. Walker
8. Mcalone
9. Lester
10. Tembey
11. Holliday
12. Dick Huddart
13. Cottier
14. Garratt
15. Robinson
16. Watson
17. Moore

2008 Squad

Club Honours

*National League One Winners 2005

External links

* [http://www.whitehavenrl.co.uk/ Official site]
* [http://www.marras.co.uk/ Alternative site]
* [http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/havenrlfc/ Yahoo supporters group]
* [http://forums.rlfans.com/viewforum.php?f=64 Whitehaven RLFC forum on rlfans.com]
* [http://www.nationalleague.co.uk/ National League website]
* [http://www.rugbyleague.org/index.php?showforum=14/ Whitehaven RLFC Fans Forums - RugbyLeague.org]
* [http://www.myWhitehaven.net/ All about the town of Whitehaven]