Kings Cross Steelers
Encyclopedia
The Kings Cross Steelers are an English
rugby union
team, the first open membership gay and bisexual rugby club in the world.
The Kings Cross Steelers are currently playing in the Essex (Spitfire) League 2.
in London
and joined the Surrey County Union the following summer, playing their first game on 21 September 1996, which they lost by 92-10 to Orleans Former Pupils at Strawberry Hill.
In June 2002, the club managed to be runners up in the Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament
. Two years later they hosted the tournament. Their best result in the competition to date was in Dublin in 2008, when they were tournament runners-up, losing to the Sydney Convicts in the final.
In 2009, the club hosted, and won, the Union Cup
- a biennial tournament for gay rugby clubs in Europe.
In 2011, the club successfully defended the title winning the Union Cup
in Amsterdam after a final against the Manchester Village Spartans.
In the same year, the club won the Hadrian Cup, a yearly tournament held in Newcastle and organised by the Newcastle Ravens.
The club's name comes from "Kings Cross" as the place of the club's foundation, while "Steelers" comes from the founding members' love of American football
.
The 2009/10 sponsors are Comptons of Soho and the Metropolitan Police.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team, the first open membership gay and bisexual rugby club in the world.
The Kings Cross Steelers are currently playing in the Essex (Spitfire) League 2.
History
The club was founded on 1 November 1995 in the Central Station pub located in Kings CrossKings Cross, London
King's Cross is an area of London partly in the London Borough of Camden and partly in the London Borough of Islington. It is an inner-city district located 2.5 miles north of Charing Cross. The area formerly had a reputation for being a red light district and run-down. However, rapid regeneration...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and joined the Surrey County Union the following summer, playing their first game on 21 September 1996, which they lost by 92-10 to Orleans Former Pupils at Strawberry Hill.
In June 2002, the club managed to be runners up in the Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament
Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament
The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament or the Bingham Cup is a biennial international, non-professional, gay rugby union tournament, first held in 2002...
. Two years later they hosted the tournament. Their best result in the competition to date was in Dublin in 2008, when they were tournament runners-up, losing to the Sydney Convicts in the final.
In 2009, the club hosted, and won, the Union Cup
Union Cup
The Union Cup is a biennial European, non-professional, gay rugby union tournament, bringing together teams and joint teams from all over Europe.-Montpellier 2005:The first edition was held in May 2005 in Montpellier, France...
- a biennial tournament for gay rugby clubs in Europe.
In 2011, the club successfully defended the title winning the Union Cup
Union Cup
The Union Cup is a biennial European, non-professional, gay rugby union tournament, bringing together teams and joint teams from all over Europe.-Montpellier 2005:The first edition was held in May 2005 in Montpellier, France...
in Amsterdam after a final against the Manchester Village Spartans.
In the same year, the club won the Hadrian Cup, a yearly tournament held in Newcastle and organised by the Newcastle Ravens.
The club's name comes from "Kings Cross" as the place of the club's foundation, while "Steelers" comes from the founding members' love of American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
Current
The Kings Cross Steelers are currently playing in the Essex (Spitfire) League 2. The 1st XV were promoted to Essex 2 during the 2006/07 season with the 2nd XV playing in the Merit league 8. The club has an ethic of helping people to play and enjoy rugby with a strong belief in providing a community spirit among its members.Logo
The logo is of an elephant in a castle. The logo is based on the crest of the Marquess of Camden, and forms part of the crest of the London Borough of Camden (which covers the Kings Cross area). Or to give it the correct description "On a Wreath of the Colours issuant from a Mural Crown Argent a demi Elephant Sable armed or about the neck a Wreath of Holly fructed proper". The elephant in the club badge is affectionately known as 'Nelly'.Kit
The 2009/10 kit for the Steelers consists of green shoulders, with a green and blue checkerboard pattern across the middle, fading into blue at the bottom. Shorts and socks are blue.The 2009/10 sponsors are Comptons of Soho and the Metropolitan Police.