Workington Town
Encyclopedia
Workington Town is a professional rugby league
club playing in Workington
in West Cumbria
. They play in the Championship 1
. Their stadium is called Derwent Park
, which they share with Workington Comets
, a speedway
team.
They became Rugby League Champions in 1951 and also won the Challenge Cup a year later in 1952.
Their nickname is simply 'Town', though they are sometimes referred to as 'Worky' by fans of other teams.
Their local rivals are Whitehaven
, who joined the league three years after Workington Town.
board and the team would ground share with "the Reds" at Borough Park
. It was decided at the meeting that the club should be registered as a business and that an application for membership of the Rugby Football League
should be submitted. From those in attendance at that meeting the first Board of Directors was formed and the application for membership was agreed at a meeting held on 23 January 1945 at the Grosvenor Hotel, Manchester. They were the first side from Cumberland
to enter the professional rugby league.
They first played their home games, wearing green and red hoops, at Borough Park. The first match against Broughton Rangers
on Saturday 25 August 1945 attracted a crowd of 4,100 to Borough Park. Workington went on to win 27-5.http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/workington_town_s_new_strip_revealed_1_263750?referrerPath=2.1711
Gus Risman
joined Workington Town as player-coach in August 1946 when they had been in the Northern Rugby League for only one season. In his eight years at the club, he made them into a team capable of beating Wigan or anyone else in the league. He led them to Rugby League Challenge Cup
and Championship glory at the age of 41 in 1952.
There was a club record 20,403 for the third round Cup game against St Helens. Town won the Championship final in 1951 by beating Warrington
at Maine Road
. In the 1952 final of the Challenge Cup, the first to be televised, Town beat Featherstone Rovers
18-10 in front of a crowd of 72,093 at Wembley Stadium
. During the 1954/55 season, Workington Town made it to the Challenge Cup final but were beaten 21-12 by Barrow
.
Owing to tension between Workington Reds' manager Bill Shankly
and the Town manager, Gus Risman and director Tom Mitchell, Town took a 150-year lease on the land at Derwent Park
and built a new stadium and moved out in 1956.
Workington Town lost in the in 1958 Challenge Cup final to Wigan
and one week later, they lost in the Championship final at Odsal Stadium
, Bradford
.
In 1962, the league was split into East and West of the Pennines; Widnes
and Workington Town met at Central Park, Wigan
, in the first final of the Western Division
Championship on Saturday 10 November 1962. With two minutes remaining, Syd Lowdon dropped a goal to earn Workington a 9-9 draw. Later in the month Workington won the replay 10-0.
The record attendance at Derwent Park was set in 1965 when 17,741 spectators turned up for a third round Challenge Cup match against Wigan. Paul Charlton
took over as player-coach in 1975 and guided them to promotion. Town also won the Lancashire Cup
beating Wigan in the final in 1977 and appeared in four consecutive finals between 1976 and 1979 (losing the other three all to Widnes in close games).
The last of those four finals was staged at the Willows on Saturday 8 December 1979, and attracted a crowd of 6,887. Widnes were firm favourites to lift the cup and held the Cumbrians at bay to register an 11-0 victory. Probably as a result of the three previous finals, several top class forwards caught the eye of the wealthy Lancashire clubs who enticed them away from Derwent Park.
Peter Walsh joined Town as Head Coach in the summer of 1992. Town were beaten finalists in the 1992/93 Divisional Premiership going down to Featherstone Rovers while in the 3rd Division. Workington won the Second Division Championship and Divisional Premiership trophy double in 1993/94, the Divisional Premiership was won over London Crusaders at Old Trafford. That took them into the top flight of rugby league and Town finished ninth in the Stones Bitter Championship. Peter Walsh quit as the coach of Workington Town to return to Australia in July 1995. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/peter-walsh-quits-as-workington-town-coach-1591123.html
When the Super League
was set up, it was proposed that Workington merge with Barrow, Carlisle and Whitehaven to form a Cumbrian super club to be based at Workington. This was, however, resisted and an unmerged Workington took part in Super League but would record only two wins all season. They finished bottom of the table and were relegated to the Northern Ford Premiership with significant debts.
In 2002 Town dropped into National League Two as a result of losing to Dewsbury
in what was the fore-runner of the NL2 Grand Final. Billy McGinty
took over as coach on May 25, 2003.
In 2003, Ged Stokes was in charge of the New Zealand A-team on their tour of England, at the end of the tour, he was offered the vacant coaching job at Town. Workington were at a low ebb and had only seven players in their squad.http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/1.106101
A Challenge Cup game against Leeds
brought a bumper crowd that allowed the club to clear their debts. Ged Stokes was sacked, despite being completely exonerated by the RFL, following a club disciplinary hearing in April 2007, following an alleged row with a visiting supporter during the Northern Rail
Cup clash with Barrow two months earlier. Stokes took legal action against the club citing unfair dismissal and the club eventually made an offer of settlement in November 2007 just days before the case was due to be heard in the High Court.http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/1.106101
Assistant coaches Craig Barker and Les Ashe took over and led the team to the Elimination Semi-Final but they were defeated by Oldham
. A few weeks after Town's 2007 season had come to a close Town appointed Whitehaven
coach Dave Rotheram as their new coach. In Rotheram's first season in charge Town finished 8th in National League Two with only six wins from their twenty two games and were elminated in the first round of the play-offs at Keighley
.
Following a poor start to the 2009 season, with Town only gaining two wins up to that point, Dave Rotherham decided to step down. He was replaced in July 2009 by joint coaches Martin Oglandby and Gary Charlton.
2011 was a much better year with Town reaching the 2011 Championship 1 Grand Final by defeating Keighley Cougars
19-10 in the elimination Semi-Final.
, are "Hall of Fame" inductees, played during Workington Town's Super League
season, or were international representatives before, or after, their time at Workington Town.
Geoff Rea (rugby league born 1962)|Geoff Rea 1983-1989]]
Gus Risman
(Father of John Risman
)
The Cumbria shootings
victim, Garry Purdham
was an ex-player of Workington.
- Beaten Finalists: 1957-58
- Division Two Champions: 1993-94
- Challenge Cup Winners: 1951-52
- Beaten Finalists: 1954-55, 1957–58
- Second Division/Divisional Premiership Winners: 1993-94
- Beaten Finalists: 1992-93
- Lancashire Cup Winners: 1977-78
- Beaten Finalists: 1976-77, 1978–79, 1979–80
- Western Division Championship Winners: 1962-63
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club playing in Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
in West Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. They play in the Championship 1
Championship 1
Championship 1, known as The Co-operative Championship 1 due to sponsorship by The Co-operative Group, is a rugby league competition based in the United Kingdom. It acts as the country's third-tier competition behind the Championship, with which it has a system of promotion and relegation. It is...
. Their stadium is called Derwent Park
Derwent Park
Derwent Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Workington, England situated beside the Cumbrian River Derwent. It is used mostly for rugby league matches and is the home stadium of Workington Town who play in Championship 1, the third tier domestic competition in the United Kingdom...
, which they share with Workington Comets
Workington Comets
Workington Comets is a speedway club based in Workington, Cumbria. Their track is at Derwent Park Stadium, which they share with Workington Town Rugby League Football Club.They compete in the Premier League...
, a speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
team.
They became Rugby League Champions in 1951 and also won the Challenge Cup a year later in 1952.
Their nickname is simply 'Town', though they are sometimes referred to as 'Worky' by fans of other teams.
Their local rivals are Whitehaven
Whitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...
, who joined the league three years after Workington Town.
History
Workington Town RLFC was formed at a meeting held in the Royal Oak Hotel, Workington in December 1944. Many of Workington Town's board came from local soccer team Workington AFC'sWorkington A.F.C.
Workington A.F.C. is an English football club from Workington, Cumbria. They are in the Conference North, and play their home matches at Borough Park, which has a capacity of 3,101 . The club play in red, and are known locally as the Reds...
board and the team would ground share with "the Reds" at Borough Park
Borough Park (Workington)
Borough Park is a stadium in Workington, England. It is home to Workington A.F.C., once members of the Football League, they now play in Conference North, Capacity is 2,500, with around 300 seats. The stadium opened in 1937.- References :...
. It was decided at the meeting that the club should be registered as a business and that an application for membership of the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
should be submitted. From those in attendance at that meeting the first Board of Directors was formed and the application for membership was agreed at a meeting held on 23 January 1945 at the Grosvenor Hotel, Manchester. They were the first side from Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
to enter the professional rugby league.
They first played their home games, wearing green and red hoops, at Borough Park. The first match against Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers
Broughton Rangers was a British rugby football, and subsequently a rugby league club. It was based in Broughton, Salford.-History:Broughton Rangers was founded in 1877 as Broughton and added Rangers for its second season...
on Saturday 25 August 1945 attracted a crowd of 4,100 to Borough Park. Workington went on to win 27-5.http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/workington_town_s_new_strip_revealed_1_263750?referrerPath=2.1711
Gus Risman
Gus Risman
Augustus "Gus" John F. Risman was a Welsh rugby league footballer of the 1920s through to the 1950s.A devastating three-quarter who also played at , and /, Risman was born in Cardiff, brought up in Barry where he went to Barry County School, and played rugby union in South Wales as a schoolboy...
joined Workington Town as player-coach in August 1946 when they had been in the Northern Rugby League for only one season. In his eight years at the club, he made them into a team capable of beating Wigan or anyone else in the league. He led them to Rugby League Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
and Championship glory at the age of 41 in 1952.
There was a club record 20,403 for the third round Cup game against St Helens. Town won the Championship final in 1951 by beating Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
. In the 1952 final of the Challenge Cup, the first to be televised, Town beat Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
18-10 in front of a crowd of 72,093 at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. During the 1954/55 season, Workington Town made it to the Challenge Cup final but were beaten 21-12 by Barrow
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
.
Owing to tension between Workington Reds' manager Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
and the Town manager, Gus Risman and director Tom Mitchell, Town took a 150-year lease on the land at Derwent Park
Derwent Park
Derwent Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Workington, England situated beside the Cumbrian River Derwent. It is used mostly for rugby league matches and is the home stadium of Workington Town who play in Championship 1, the third tier domestic competition in the United Kingdom...
and built a new stadium and moved out in 1956.
Workington Town lost in the in 1958 Challenge Cup final to Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
and one week later, they lost in the Championship final at Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
, Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
.
In 1962, the league was split into East and West of the Pennines; Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
and Workington Town met at Central Park, Wigan
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
, in the first final of the Western Division
Rugby league county leagues
The Yorkshire League and the Lancashire League formed two sections of the Rugby Football League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league, however the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split...
Championship on Saturday 10 November 1962. With two minutes remaining, Syd Lowdon dropped a goal to earn Workington a 9-9 draw. Later in the month Workington won the replay 10-0.
The record attendance at Derwent Park was set in 1965 when 17,741 spectators turned up for a third round Challenge Cup match against Wigan. Paul Charlton
Paul Charlton (rugby league)
Harry Paul Charlton is an English former professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town , and Salford, playing at , i.e...
took over as player-coach in 1975 and guided them to promotion. Town also won the Lancashire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
beating Wigan in the final in 1977 and appeared in four consecutive finals between 1976 and 1979 (losing the other three all to Widnes in close games).
The last of those four finals was staged at the Willows on Saturday 8 December 1979, and attracted a crowd of 6,887. Widnes were firm favourites to lift the cup and held the Cumbrians at bay to register an 11-0 victory. Probably as a result of the three previous finals, several top class forwards caught the eye of the wealthy Lancashire clubs who enticed them away from Derwent Park.
Peter Walsh joined Town as Head Coach in the summer of 1992. Town were beaten finalists in the 1992/93 Divisional Premiership going down to Featherstone Rovers while in the 3rd Division. Workington won the Second Division Championship and Divisional Premiership trophy double in 1993/94, the Divisional Premiership was won over London Crusaders at Old Trafford. That took them into the top flight of rugby league and Town finished ninth in the Stones Bitter Championship. Peter Walsh quit as the coach of Workington Town to return to Australia in July 1995. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/peter-walsh-quits-as-workington-town-coach-1591123.html
When the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
was set up, it was proposed that Workington merge with Barrow, Carlisle and Whitehaven to form a Cumbrian super club to be based at Workington. This was, however, resisted and an unmerged Workington took part in Super League but would record only two wins all season. They finished bottom of the table and were relegated to the Northern Ford Premiership with significant debts.
In 2002 Town dropped into National League Two as a result of losing to Dewsbury
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
in what was the fore-runner of the NL2 Grand Final. Billy McGinty
Billy McGinty (rugby league)
Billy McGinty is a Scottish former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century. He played in the forwards for Wigan during the period in the 1990s when they dominated the sport, and later for Workington Town....
took over as coach on May 25, 2003.
In 2003, Ged Stokes was in charge of the New Zealand A-team on their tour of England, at the end of the tour, he was offered the vacant coaching job at Town. Workington were at a low ebb and had only seven players in their squad.http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/1.106101
A Challenge Cup game against Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
brought a bumper crowd that allowed the club to clear their debts. Ged Stokes was sacked, despite being completely exonerated by the RFL, following a club disciplinary hearing in April 2007, following an alleged row with a visiting supporter during the Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
Cup clash with Barrow two months earlier. Stokes took legal action against the club citing unfair dismissal and the club eventually made an offer of settlement in November 2007 just days before the case was due to be heard in the High Court.http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/1.106101
Assistant coaches Craig Barker and Les Ashe took over and led the team to the Elimination Semi-Final but they were defeated by Oldham
Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
. A few weeks after Town's 2007 season had come to a close Town appointed Whitehaven
Whitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...
coach Dave Rotheram as their new coach. In Rotheram's first season in charge Town finished 8th in National League Two with only six wins from their twenty two games and were elminated in the first round of the play-offs at Keighley
Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
.
Following a poor start to the 2009 season, with Town only gaining two wins up to that point, Dave Rotherham decided to step down. He was replaced in July 2009 by joint coaches Martin Oglandby and Gary Charlton.
2011 was a much better year with Town reaching the 2011 Championship 1 Grand Final by defeating Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
19-10 in the elimination Semi-Final.
2011 squad
Workington Town 2011 squad| No | Nat | |Player | Position | Former Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Brett Carter Brett Carter Brett Carter was the 2010 Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee's 6th congressional district. He is currently a partner at Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis in Nashville, Tennessee, where he practices tax law... |
Full Back | ||
| 2 | |
Elliot Miller | Wing | ||
| 3 | |
Jason Mossop | Centre | ||
| 4 | |
Aaron Low | Centre | ||
| 5 | |
Neil Frazer | Wing | ||
| 6 | |
Stand Off | |||
| 7 | |
Scott Kaighan | Half Back | ||
| 8 | |
Marc Jackson Marc Jackson Marc Anthony Jackson is a former American professional basketball player.-Professional career:... |
Prop | ||
| 9 | |
Greame Mattinson | Hooker | ||
| 10 | |
Kris Coward | Prop | ||
| 11 | |
Mike Whitehead Mike Whitehead Michael Joe Whitehead is a professional mixed martial arts fighter. He has fought in the light heavyweight and heavyweight weight classes for the UFC, IFL, Affliction, and Strikeforce.-Mixed martial arts career:... |
Second Row | ||
| 12 | |
Jarrad Stack | Second Row | ||
| 13 | |
Karl Olstrum | Loose Forward | ||
| 14 | |
Jack Pedley | Hooker | ||
| 15 | |
Ruairi McGoff | Prop | ||
| 16 | |
Ryan McDonald Ryan McDonald Ryan James McDonald is a Canadian actor born 5 August 1984 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. He is sometimes mistakenly credited as Ryan MacDonald.-Filmography:* "The Ballad of Jack and Rose" * "Terry"... |
Second Row | ||
| 17 | |
James Robinson James Robinson James Robinson, Jim Robinson, Jimmy Robinson or Jamie Robinson may refer to:-Public officials:*James W. Robinson James Robinson, Jim Robinson, Jimmy Robinson or Jamie Robinson may refer to:-Public officials:*James W. Robinson (Texas and California) James Robinson, Jim Robinson, Jimmy Robinson or... |
Second Row | ||
| 18 | |
Joe McKenna Joe McKenna Joe McKenna is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club South Liberties and with the Limerick senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1985... |
Hooker | ||
| 19 | |
Marc Shackley | Centre | ||
| 20 | |
Stephen Dawes | Prop | ||
| 21 | |
John Patrick John Patrick John Patrick was an American playwright and screenwriter.- Biography :Born John Patrick Goggin in Louisville, Kentucky, his parents soon abandoned him and he spent a delinquent youth in foster homes and boarding schools. At age 19, he secured a job as an announcer at KPO Radio in San Francisco,... |
Full Back | ||
| 22 | |
John Lebbon | Wing | ||
| 23 | |
Marc Bainbridge | Second Row | ||
| 24 | |
Darren Holt | Half Back | ||
| 25 | |
Kieran McAvoy | Second Row | ||
| 26 | |
Darren King Darren King Darren King is the drummer for the band Mutemath. He also played drums for the band Earthsuit for a short time. King is well known for intense drum beats that showcase a vast amount of energy... |
Hooker | ||
| 27 | |
Liam Finch | Stand Off | ||
| 28 | |
Jamie Marshall Jamie Marshall Jamie Marshall is an English singer - songwriter now living and working in Prague, Czech Republic... |
Wing | ||
| 29 | |||||
| 30 | |||||
| 31 | |||||
| 32 | |
Dave Armistead | Loose Forward |
Players earning international caps while at Workington Town
- Harry BeverleyHarry Beverley (rugby league)Glynn Harry Beverley is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Dewsbury, Workington Town, and Fulham RLFC, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at DewsburyDewsbury RamsDewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
1975 Australia, while at Workington 1979 Wales - Edward "Eddie" BowmanEdward Bowman (rugby league)Edward "Eddie" Bowman is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and at club level for Whitehaven, Workington Town, and Leigh, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Great Britain while at Workington 1977 France, New Zealand, Australia (2 matches) - Paul CharltonPaul Charlton (rugby league)Harry Paul Charlton is an English former professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town , and Salford, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at SalfordSalford City RedsSalford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
1975 France won caps for Great Britain while at Workington 1965 New Zealand, while at SalfordSalford City RedsSalford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
1970 New Zealand (sub), 1972 France (2 matches), Australia (2 matches), France, New Zealand, 1973 Australia (3 matches), 1974 France (2 matches), Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches) (World Cup 1970 1-cap, 1972 4-caps, 1-try) - Gareth DeanGareth DeanGareth Dean, born in Ynysybwl, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales is a rugby league player for the South Wales Scorpions in the Championship One and AS Carcassonne in the Elite One Championship. His position is at prop...
won caps for Wales while at Wigan, unattached, Workington Town, AS Carcassonne, and Celtic Crusaders 2001…2007 7(10, 12?)-caps + 4-caps (sub) - Brian EdgarBrian EdgarBrian Edgar was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s who at representative level played for, and captained, Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , or , i.e...
won caps for England while at Workington 1962 France won caps for Great Britain while at Workington 1958 Australia, New Zealand, 1961 New Zealand, 1962 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand, 1965 New Zealand, 1966 Australia (3 matches) - Kevin Ellis won caps for Wales while at Warrington, Workington Town, and Bridgend Blue Bulls 1991…2004 14(15?)-caps + 1-cap (sub) 2(5?)-tries (1-drop-goal?) 13(21?)-points
- David Fraisse won caps for France while at Workington 1995 ?-caps
- Bruce GibbsBruce GibbsBruce Gibbs was an Australian rugby league player. His position of choice was at Prop forward. He first played for Workington Town in England between 1975 and 1976. That year he also played for the Other Nationalities side. He then moved to Australia where he played for his first Australian club,...
won caps for Other Nationalities while at Workington circa-1975 ?-caps - Edward "Eppie" GibsonEdward Gibson (rugby league)Edward "Eppie" Gibson is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s who at representative level has played for England, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , or /, i.e...
won caps for England while at Workington 1947 France, 1951 Other Nations, Wales, 1953 Other Nations - Raymond "Ray" GlastonburyRaymond GlastonburyRaymond "Ray" Glastonbury is a Welsh former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , i.e. number 2 or 5.-International honours:...
won a cap for Wales while at Workington Town 1963 1-cap - Leslie "Les" GorleyLes GorleyLeslie "Les" N. Gorley is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town, and Widnes, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Workington 1977 Wales, 1981 Wales (sub) won caps for Great Britain while at WidnesWidnes VikingsWidnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
1980 New Zealand, New Zealand (sub), 1981 France (2 matches), 1982 Australia - James "Jimmy" HaytonJames HaytonJames "Jimmy" Hayton is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s who at representative level has played for England, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Workington 1949 Other Nations - John HendersonJohn Henderson (rugby league)John Henderson is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s who at representative level has played for England, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, Halifax, and York, playing at , or , i.e...
England while at Workington 1953 Wales - Norman HerbertNorman HerbertNorman Herbert is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Workington 1962 France won caps for Great Britain while at Workington 1961 New Zealand, 1962 France, Australia (3 matches), New Zealand - Stephen HolgateStephen HolgateStephen Holgate born 15 December 1971 is a former rugby league player. He played for Hensingham ARLFC, Workington Town, Wigan, Hull Sharks and Halifax in the European Super League as a . He was capped once by England.-External links:***...
won caps for England while at Workington 1995 France - Lynn HopkinsLynn HopkinsLynn Hopkins is a Welsh former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Workington Town, and Kent Invicta, playing at , i.e...
won a cap for Wales while at Workington Town 1982 1-cap 1-goal 2-points - Frederick "Fred" HughesFrederick Hughes (rugby league)Frederick "Fred" Hughes was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s who at representative level played for Great Britain , Wales, and at club level for Barrow, and Workington Town.-International honours:...
won caps for Wales while at Barrow, and Workington Town 1945…1946 3-caps - William "Billy" Ivison won caps for England while at Workington in 1949 against Wales, and Other Nations, in 1951 against Other Nations, in 1952 against Other Nations, and won caps for British Empire XIII while at Workington Town on Wednesday 23/1/1952 against New Zealand at Stamford Bridge, and represented Great Britain while at Workington Town in 1952 against France (non-Test matches).[3]
- Mark Johnson won caps for South Africa while at Workington 1995 ?-caps
- John "Johnny" LawrensonJohn LawrensonJohn "Johnnie"/"Johnny" Lawrenson was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s, '40s and '50s, and coach of the 1960s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Wigan, and Workington Town, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at WiganWigan WarriorsWigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
: 1939 Wales, 1940 Wales, 1941 Wales, 1946 Wales (2 matches), 1948 Wales, France, 1949 Wales, Other Nations, while at Workington: 1950 [Opposition?] won caps for Great Britain while at WiganWigan WarriorsWigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
1948 Australia (3 matches) - Vincent "Vince" McKeatingVincent McKeatingVincent "Vince" McKeating is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, England, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, and Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Workington 1951 Wales, France won caps for Great Britain while at Workington 1951 New Zealand (2 matches) - William "Bill" MartinBill Martin (rugby league)William "Bill" Martin is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums....
Bill Martin won a cap for Great Britain while at Workington in 1962 against France - John "Johnny" 'Rupert' MudgeRupert MudgeJohn "Rupert" Mudge is an Australian rugby league player. He played both rugby codes in Sydney, New South Wales as well as well as playing rugby league in England....
won caps for Other NationsOther Nationalities rugby league teamThe Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
while at Workington Town circa-1951 ?-caps - William "Bill" PattinsonWilliam Pattinson (rugby league)William "Bill" Pattinson is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Workington Town.-International honours:...
won caps for England while at Workington 1981 France (sub), Wales - Tony PaskinsTony PaskinsTony Paskins was a rugby league footballer who played in the New South Wales Rugby League and English Rugby Football League competition as well as playing rugby union for the Randwick club in Sydney....
won caps for Other NationsOther Nationalities rugby league teamThe Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
while at Workington Town 1948…55 11-caps - Albert PepperellAlbert PepperellAlbert J. Pepperell is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s who at representative level played for Great Britain, Cumberland, and British Empire XIII, and at club level for Seaton, Huddersfield, and Workington Town, playing at /, i.e...
won a cap for British Empire XIII while at Workington in 1952 against New Zealand, and won caps for Great Britain while at Workington in 1950 against New Zealand, and in 1951 against New Zealand
- Rowland PhillipsRowland PhillipsRowland David Phillips is a former rugby union back row forward for Wales where he won 10 caps between 1987-90. He also played rugby union for Neath RFC before moving to rugby league, playing for Warrington, and Workington Town.He also played for Wales and Great Britain rugby league teams...
won caps for Wales while at Warrington, and, Workington Town 1991…1996(1998?) 7(15, 14?)-caps + 10-caps (sub) 2-tries 8-points - John RismanJohn RismanJohn Risman is President of Scotland Rugby League. He is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Workington Town, Fulham RLFC, Blackpool Borough, and Carlisle, playing at , or , i.e. number 1, 3, 4...
won caps for Wales while at Workington Town 1978…1979 2(3?)-caps + 1-cap (sub) - Ike SouthwardIke SouthwardIke Southward was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s, and coach of the 1960s who at representative level played for Great Britain, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town , and Oldham, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Great Britain while at Workington - Raymond "Ray" WilkinsRaymond Wilkins (rugby league)Raymond "Ray" Wilkins is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Wales while at Workington Town 1977 1(2?)-caps + 1-cap (sub) - George 'Happy' WilsonGeorge Wilson (rugby)George 'Happy' Wilson is a Scottish former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s who at representative level has played rugby union for South of Scotland, at club level for Kelso RFC, playing at Wing, i.e...
won caps for ScotlandScotland national rugby union teamThe Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
(RU)Rugby unionRugby 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...
while at Team?TeamA team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
1947 3-caps won caps for Other NationsOther Nationalities rugby league teamThe Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
while at Workington ?-caps won caps for Great Britain RLGreat Britain national rugby league teamThe Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
while at Workington 1951 New Zealand (3 matches) (signed for Workington [date?])
Other Notable Players
These players have either; received a Testimonial matchTestimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
, are "Hall of Fame" inductees, played during Workington Town's Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
season, or were international representatives before, or after, their time at Workington Town.
- Terrence "Terry" Ackerley http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=276&featcat_id=32 (#9) circa-1962 Harry Archer http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend60.htm http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=276&featcat_id=32 (#6) circa-1962…65
- Colin Armstrong http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend90.htm circa-1990s David Beck http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend80.htm (Wing, i.e. number 5) circa-1990 (Testimonial matchTestimonial matchA testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1988) Eric Bell (#3) circa-1965 - Edward "Eddie" Brennan http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=276&featcat_id=32 (#4) circa-1962 John "Jock" Carr http://www.totalrl.com/features/content.php?feat_id=268&featcat_id=32 (#5) circa-1948 Anthony "Tony" Colloby (#5) circa-1965 Colin Falcon http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend80.htm (Hooker, i.e. number 9) circa-1990 (Testimonial matchTestimonial matchA testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1990) - Frank FosterFrank Foster (rugby league)Frank Foster is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s, and coach of the 1970s and 1980s who, at representative level, played for Great Britain, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, Hull Kingston Rovers, Bradford Northern, Barrow, and Oldham,...
- Ken GoodallKen GoodallKenneth George Goodall was a former Irish international rugby union and British and Irish Lions player and vice principal at Faughan Valley High School, which is now part of Lisneal College....
- Peter GorleyPeter GorleyPeter Gorley is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, England, and Cumbria, and at club level for Workington Town, and St. Helens, playing at , i.e...
(Younger brother of Leslie "Les" GorleyLes GorleyLeslie "Les" N. Gorley is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town, and Widnes, playing at , i.e...
) Ian Hartley http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend80.htm (Testimonial matchTestimonial matchA testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1985) - Douglas "Doug" Holland circa-1957
- Andrew "Andy" Key circa-1957
- William "Bill" Kirkbride http://www.totalrl.com/features/content.php?feat_id=269&featcat_id=32 circa-1965 David LowdenDavid LowdenDavid Lowden is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s who at representative level has played for Cumbria, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , or , i.e. number 1, or, 2 or 5....
- Sydney "Syd" Lowdon (#1) http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/1.188686 http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=276&featcat_id=32 circa-1962
- William "Bill" Lymer circa-1957
- Dean Marwood http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend90.htm circa-1990s Iain McCorquodale http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend70.htm
- Matthew "Matt" McLeodMatthew McLeodMatthew "Matt" McLeod is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s who at club level has played for Workington Town, Wakefield Trinity, and Whitehaven playing at , or , i.e...
John 'Spanky' McFarlane (#13) circa-1965 'Big' Jim Mills Gary Nixon (Prop Forward, i.e. number 8) circa-1990 - xJohn 'Loppy Lugs' O'Neill http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=276&featcat_id=32 (#3) circa-1958…62
- Martin OglanbyMartin OglanbyMartin Oglanby , is the joint head coach with Gary Charlton of Co-operative Championship 1 side Workington Town.As a rugby league player he played Workington Town between 1990 and 1995 in the Rugby Football League Championship and the Second Division Championship...
- James PickeringJames Pickering (rugby league)James Pickering is a Australian rugby league player who represented Fiji.-Playing career:A Richmond junior, Pickering played for Auckland and had a New Zealand Kiwis trial in 1992 however was not selected. He played for Fiji at the 1992 Pacific Cup.He made his first grade debut for Workington Town...
http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend90.htm circa-1990s Piet Pretorius http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=276&featcat_id=32 (#5) circa-1962
Geoff Rea (rugby league born 1962)|Geoff Rea 1983-1989]]
Gus Risman
Gus Risman
Augustus "Gus" John F. Risman was a Welsh rugby league footballer of the 1920s through to the 1950s.A devastating three-quarter who also played at , and /, Risman was born in Cardiff, brought up in Barry where he went to Barry County School, and played rugby union in South Wales as a schoolboy...
(Father of John Risman
John Risman
John Risman is President of Scotland Rugby League. He is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Workington Town, Fulham RLFC, Blackpool Borough, and Carlisle, playing at , or , i.e. number 1, 3, 4...
)
- Solomon "Sol" Roper http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend60.htm http://www.rugbyleague.org/features/content.php?feat_id=276&featcat_id=32 (#7) circa-1957…62 (1958 Challenge CupChallenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Captain) - Anthony SamuelAnthony SamuelAnthony Samuel is a Cook Islander former professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Cook Islands, playing in the , or at /.-Playing career:...
http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend90.htm circa-1990s Gary Smith (Testimonial matchTestimonial matchA testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1994) William "Billy" Smith (#7) circa-1965 Bill TelfordBill TelfordBill "Snow" Telford was a New Zealand rugby league player and coach who coached his country several times, including in the 1957 World Cup.-Playing career:Telford played for the Richmond club in the Auckland Rugby League competition....
http://www.totalrl.com/features/content.php?feat_id=268&featcat_id=32 (#12) circa-1948 Cecil "Cec" ThompsonCec ThompsonCec Thompson was a British professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s, '50s and '60s.He was born in County Durham, the son of a mother from Durham and a Trinidadian father. His father died when he was very young and his childhood was spent in a succession of orphanages.Thompson took up...
(#11/#12/#13) Arnold 'Boxer' WalkerArnold WalkerArnold 'Boxer' Walker is a former international rugby league player who plied his trade as a /, or / for Cumbrian rivals Workington Town and Whitehaven....
Ian Wright http://www.sandylonning.u-net.com/wtown/archive/legend70.htm
The Cumbria shootings
Cumbria shootings
The Cumbria shootings was a killing spree that occurred on 2 June 2010 when a lone gunman, Derrick Bird, killed 12 people and injured 11 others before killing himself in Cumbria, England....
victim, Garry Purdham
Garry Purdham
Garry John Purdham was an English professional rugby league player and farmer. He was killed in the 2010 Cumbria shootings.-Career:...
was an ex-player of Workington.
Club honours
- Championship Winners: 1950-51- Beaten Finalists: 1957-58
- Division Two Champions: 1993-94
- Challenge Cup Winners: 1951-52
- Beaten Finalists: 1954-55, 1957–58
- Second Division/Divisional Premiership Winners: 1993-94
- Beaten Finalists: 1992-93
- Lancashire Cup Winners: 1977-78
- Beaten Finalists: 1976-77, 1978–79, 1979–80
- Western Division Championship Winners: 1962-63