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Featherstone Rovers
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Featherstone Rovers are a professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone (near Pontefract), West Yorkshire in England. To many people they are known as Fev or "The Colliers", highlighting the close link between the club and the local mining community. The idea that if they were short of a player or two before match time they would trawl the local collieries to make up the numbers is a myth. They play at Post Office Road which was rebranded in 2007 as The Chris Moyles Stadium.
Featherstone is a small ex-coal-mining town with a population of around 16,000 and for many years "Fev" have graced the top levels of the game in a manner that belies their smalltown background.
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Encyclopedia
Featherstone Rovers are a professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone (near Pontefract), West Yorkshire in England. To many people they are known as Fev or "The Colliers", highlighting the close link between the club and the local mining community. The idea that if they were short of a player or two before match time they would trawl the local collieries to make up the numbers is a myth. They play at Post Office Road which was rebranded in 2007 as The Chris Moyles Stadium.
Featherstone is a small ex-coal-mining town with a population of around 16,000 and for many years "Fev" have graced the top levels of the game in a manner that belies their smalltown background. Their local rivals are Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
They have won the Challenge Cup 3 times, in 1967, 1973 and 1983; and in 1977 won the Championship.
History
Early years
Featherstone Rovers club was formed in the Railway Hotel in 1902 and reformed in 1906. The club were originally made up of local miners and between 1912-3 played at the Featherstone Main Colliery Welfare ground.
Featherstone became a semi-professional club on 14 June 1921, beating Bradford Northern in their first game as a senior club. Their first game at Post Office Road attracted 4,000 fans.
Rovers reached the Championship final after just seven seasons, losing 11-0 to Swinton, and were beaten by Leeds in the following season's Yorkshire Cup decider.
Rovers' first major silverware was won in 1939/40, when they lifted the Yorkshire Cup.
Post-war
Rovers' first visit to Wembley Stadium was in the 1952 Challenge Cup Final, the first to be televised. They were defeated 18-10 by Workington Town in front of a crowd of 72,093.
In 1959, the club's record attendance was set at 17,531 for a third round Challenge Cup match against St Helens. This was more than the population of the village of Featherstone.
Rovers' first ever Challenge Cup Final success came in 1967 when despite their lowly league position they defeated Bradford Northern, Wakefield Tinity, Castleford and Leeds to get to Wembley Stadium. Barrow provided the opposition in the final where a crowd of 77,000 paid a then record £54,435 to watch the game. Rovers won the match 17-12. Only Widnes in 1937 had accomplished the feat from a lower position in the league table.
Rovers repeated the feat seven years later, when Bradford Northern were beaten 33-14. Cyril Kellett's 8-goals for Featherstone Rovers against Bradford Northern in the 1973 Challenge Cup Final is still a record that has only been matched by Iestyn Harris for the Leeds Rhinos against London Broncos 1999 Challenge Cup Final.
In 1966/67, Featherstone Rovers reached the final of the Yorkshire Cup but were beaten 25-12 by Hull Kingston Rovers.
Rovers were crowned Division One champions in 1976/77 and won the Second Division title three years later.
Allan Agar joined Featherstone as captain-coach in December 1982.
Featherstone Rovers won the Challenge Cup as underdogs on May 7 1983 beating Hull 14-12 in front of an 84,969 Wembley crowd. Steve Quinn secured their victory with a late penalty goal.
During the miners' strike of 1984-1985, the club allowed pass holders in for that season free with the understanding they would pay for their passes when the strike had ended.
Rovers won the Second Division title when they were relegated for the 1992-93 season.
Summer rugby era
When a Rupert Murdoch-funded Super League competition was proposed, part of the deal was that some traditional clubs would merge. Featherstone Rovers were asked to merge with local rivals
Castleford and Wakefield Trinity to form a new club, Calder, which would compete in the Super League. This was, however, resisted. Rovers missed the cut for Super League and were beaten by a last-gasp Wakefield Trinity try in the 1998 lower division Grand Final.
Peter Roe was in charge of Featherstone from 1999 to October 2001, before leaving to take charge of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. He was replaced by his assistant Ian Fairhurst.
In November 2002, Featherstone went into administration, owing the Inland Revenue £97,000 and with total debts of £403,000.
In September 2003, Andy Kelly's contract was not renewed following their failure to reach the National League One play-offs for the first time in six years.
In 2005, David Hobbs was appointed coach of Featherstone Rovers half-way through the season after Gary Price left, he failed to save Rovers from relegation to National League Two.
Friends of Featherstone Revolution - 2006 Onwards
In late 2006, the "Friends Of Featherstone" were formed, their main aim being to provide money for contracts for players to ensure that Rovers gained promotion to National League One. The money raised enabled Rovers to sign players such as Paul Handforth, Chris Ross, Tommy Haughey, Jamie Field & Loz Wildbore.
In 2007, Rovers won promotion from National League Two with a 24-6 win over Oldham RLFC at Headingley, on the same day that their local rivals Castleford Tigers gained promotion and amateurs Featherstone Lions beat much fancied Bramley 40-32 to complete a remarkable day for the area.
2008 saw Featherstone announce plans for a new 12,000 capacity stadium. and rebrand themselves with a new logo.
On the coaching side, Daryl Powell was announced as Featherstones full time Head Coach who quickly signed up former Leeds Rhinos team mate Iestyn Harris and appointed Ryan Sheridan as his Assistant Coach.
Club honours
- Championship
- Winners 1976-77
- Runners-up 1927-28
- Division Two
- Division Two Premiership
- Winners 1992-93
- Runners-up 1987-88
- Challenge Cup
- Winners 1967, 1973, 1983
- Runners-up 1952, 1974
- Yorkshire Cup
- Winners 1939-40, 1959-60
- Runners-up 1928-29, 1963-64, 1966-67, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1989-90
- Captain Morgan Trophy
- Yorkshire League
- 1st Division Grand Final
- National League Two Grand Final
2009 Squad
As of 25 December, 2008:
2009 Transfers In
2009 Transfers Out
Players Earning International Caps Whilst At Featherstone Rovers
Country names without capital letters indicate a player’s appearance as a substitute.
- Thomas "Tommy" Askin (#2) , for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone circa-1928 Australia ?-caps
- Christopher "Chris" Bibb, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1990 New Zealand
- John Keith Bridges (Along with whilst at George Fairbairn (1) whilst at Bobbie Goulding (1) whilst at Nigel Wright (1) whilst at Alan Redfearn (1) and whilst at Martin Offiah (1) whilst at John Keith Bridges, is one of only six players to ever score drop goals for England), for England whilst at Featherstone 1975 New Zealand x 2, Australia x 2, Wales, France, Australia, Papua New Guinea; 1977 Wales, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1974 France x 2, Australia
- Ikram Butt, for England whilst at Featherstone 1995 Wales
- Malcolm Dixon, for England whilst at Featherstone 1970 Wales, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1962 France; 1964 France
- Steve Evans, for England whilst at Featherstone 1979 France; 1980 Wales, France, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1979 Australia, australia x 2, New Zealand x 3; 1980 New Zealand, new zealand; whilst at Hull 1982 Australia x 2
- Vince Farrar, for England whilst at Featherstone 1977 France, for Great Britain whilst at Hull 1978 Australia
- Deryck Fox, for England whilst at Bradford 1995 Wales, France, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1985 France x 2, New Zealand x 3; 1986 France x 2, Australia x 2; 1989 new zealand; 1990 papua new guinea; 1991 papua new guinea; 1992 france; whilst at Bradford 1992 Australia
- Donald "Don" Fox (Testimonial match 1963), for England whilst at Featherstone 1956 France, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1963 Australia
- John "Jack" Hirst, for England whilst at Featherstone 1923 Wales
- David Hobbs, for England whilst at Featherstone 1984 Wales, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1984 France x 2, Australia, australia, New Zealand x 3, Papua New Guinea; whilst at Oldham 1987 France x 2; whilst at Bradford 1989 New Zealand, new zealand
- Steve Molloy, for England whilst at Leeds 1992 Wales; whilst at Featherstone 1996 france, Wales; Sheffield 1999 France x 2, for Great Britain whilst at Leeds 1993 France; whilst at Featherstone 1994 France; 1996 fiji, new zealand
- Arnold Morgan (#10), for England whilst at Featherstone 1968 Wales, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1968 France x 2; 1968 France, New Zealand (World Cup 1968 2-caps, 1-try)
- Joseph "Joe" Mullaney (Testimonial match 1963) captain circa-1960, for England whilst at Featherstone 1955 Other Nations
- Steve Nash (Salford Testimonial match 1984) (#7), for England whilst at Featherstone 1975 Wales, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea; whilst at Salford 1978 France, Wales; 1981 Wales x 2, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1971 France, New Zealand; 1972 France x 2, Australia x 2, France, New Zealand; 1973 Australia x 2; 1974 Australia x 3, New Zealand x 3; whilst at Salford 1977 France, New Zealand, Australia x 2; 1978 Australia x 3; 1982 Australia (World Cup 1972 4-caps, 1-try)
- Paul Newlove, for England whilst at Featherstone 1992 Wales; whilst at Bradford 1995 Wales, Australia x 2, Fiji, Wales; whilst at St. Helens 1996 France, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1989 new zealand, New Zealand x 2; 1991 Papua New Guinea; 1992 papua new guinea, Australia x 3, new zealand; 1993 France; whilst at Bradford New Zealand x 3; 1994 France, Australia, australia; whilst at St. Helens 1997, ASL x 3; 1998 New Zealand
- Peter Smith, for England whilst at Featherstone 1980 France, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1977 australia x 2; 1982 Australia; 1983 france x 2; 1984 france
- Richard 'Charlie' Stone, for England whilst at Featherstone 1975 Australia
- James "Jimmy" Thompson (#11), for England whilst at Featherstone 1970 France; 1975 Australia, Australia; 1977 Wales; whilst at Bradford 1978 france, wales, for Great Britain whilst at Featherstone 1970 Australia x 2, New Zealand x 2, Australia x 2, France, New Zealand; 1971 France, france; 1974 Australia x 3, New Zealand x 3; 1977 France, New Zealand, Australia x 2; whilst at Bradford 1978 Australia (World Cup 1970 4-caps)
- Ernest Winter, for England whilst at Featherstone 1933 Other Nations
- Arthur Wood, for England whilst at Featherstone 1951 Other Nations
Other Notable Players
- 1967 Challenge Cup Winners
- Brian Wrigglesworth 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- Vaughn Thomas 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- Keith Cotton 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- Gary Jordan 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- Kenneth "Ken" Greatorex 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- Michael "Mick" Smith 1967 & 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Carl Dooler 1967 Challenge Cup Winner, 1967 Lance Todd Trophy Winner
- Les Tonks 1967 & 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Graham Harris 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- Malcolm Dixon 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- Arnold Morgan 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- James "Jimmy" Thompson 1967 & 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Thomas "Tommy" Smales 1967 Challenge Cup Winner
- 1973 Challenge Cup Winners
- Cyril Kellett 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Paul Coventry 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- John Newlove 1973 Challenge Cup Winner (Testimonial match 1976) (Father of Paul Newlove)
- Kenneth "Ken" Kellett 1973 & 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Mel Mason 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Steve Nash 1973 Challenge Cup Winner, 1973 Lance Todd Trophy Winner
- Keith Bridges 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Vince Farrar 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Alan Rhodes 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Richard 'Charlie' Stone 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- David "Dave" Hartley 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- Barry Hollis 1973 Challenge Cup Winner
- 1983 Challenge Cup Winners
- Nigel Barker 1983 Challenge Cup Winner (Testimonial match 1992)
- John Marsden 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Steve Quinn 1983 Challenge Cup Winner (Testimonial match 1985)
- John Gilbert 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Alan Banks 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Terrence "Terry" Hudson 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Michael "Mick" Gibbins 1983 Challenge Cup Winner (Testimonial match 1982)
- Ray Handscombe 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Steve Hankins 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- David Hobbs 1983 Challenge Cup Winner, 1983 Lance Todd Trophy Winner
- Tim Slatter 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Peter Smith 1983 Challenge Cup Winner (Testimonial match 1982)
- Paul Lyman 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Gary Siddall 1983 Challenge Cup Winner (Testimonial match 1988)
- Neil Pickerill 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Keith Bell 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
- Phil Johnson 1983 Challenge Cup Winner
Sources
External links
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