Nottingham Moderns R.F.C
Encyclopedia
Nottingham Moderns R.F.C is an amateur Rugby Union
team based in Wilford
, a suburb of Nottingham
, England
. The 1st XV currently compete within the RFU English rugby union system
, and as of the 2010/2011 season they compete in Midlands 2 East (North)
. The club plays at their own Ferryfields ground on the banks of the River Trent
, close to the Wilford Toll Bridge
. The club has been in continuous existence since 1956, enjoying a nomadic existence before settling at their current home in 1975. In the 2010/2011 season the club was awarded a prestigious President's XV award from the RFU
, recognising the links the club has formed with the local universities.
The early matches were played on rented pitches around the city.
With the help of old school masters and the youth service, steady progress was made. However, financing the new club was a problem. On most occasions the players would make their way to away matches by public transport, resulting in all day adventures to various parts of the East Midlands.
A good relationship was formed with the local colleges and sports teachers, and with the Welsh Exiles. This led to a period of rapid growth that resulted in sustained fixtures with more established local sides and also games against the 2nd XV teams from the Midlands senior teams.
, Derbyshire
& Lincolnshire
). The 1st XV also reached the semi-final of the Midlands Clubs Championship.
1974/75 was probably the most successful in the clubs history, with the 1st XV, 2nd XV, and 3rd XV losing just three games each all season. The 1st XV and 2nd XV also won the respective County Cup competitions - All of this was accomplished as a nomadic club, with no fixed home, playing on rented parks pitches, and drinking in numerous local public houses to entertain their opposition.
In 1979 the clubhouse was built (extended in 1981) due in no small way to Arthur Luff, then Club President, and a former international referee.
During this successful period, the club produced a number of players who went on to represent many senior rugby clubs and representative sides. Brian Hall captained Leicester as well as representing the Barbarians and The Midlands.
However, the greatest individual achievement from one of the Moderns' players of the time, did not come on the rugby pitch. In 1975, Doug Scott
, a founder member of the club, stood alongside Dougal Haston
on the summit of Mount Everest
- the first Briton to reach the top of the world via the South-West face
, Lincs
., and Derbys
. Divisional League Title, together with three Nottinghamshire Shield victories, and success in the final County Cup Final.
Team of the Month award.
Hard work and determination from many members, most particularly David Hargreaves, resulted in increased sponsorship and finance. In 1996 the ground at Wilford was improved and the clubhouse extended. The opening ceremony was hosted by Dean Richards, the former Leicester Tigers
Captain, who also brought a team of 'Old Tigers' (The Droglites) to play their first game outside of Leicestershire
.
In 1996, the 1st XV won the League and Cup (The Stag & Swan Cup) double, the 2nd XV won the County Shield and the Veterans won the Skegness Trophy and Casuals Trophy.
In 1997, the 1st XV won the Cup (The Stag & Swan Cup) and reached the Three Counties Cup Final, the 2nd Xv retained the County Shield and the Veterans retained the Skegness Trophy.
In the 2010/2011 season, the club continued to improve its position within Midlands 2 East (North)
, ending the season above its nearest rivals West Bridgford RFC
for the third successive season.
The club has also been developing a Junior Rugby section and currently fields teams from under 7 to under 13 level, with the aim to eventually develop a full Junior/Mini rugby section which will feed into the senior teams.
Playing offices:
. The Club lies midway between the University's City and Clifton campuses and will be a stop for the proposed Nottingham City Transport
Tramline Extension which will link to two university campuses. The Club set out a marketing strategy and embarked on a two year plan which would hopefully benefit both the Club and university. This last season has seen Nottingham Trent University
and Nottingham University provide the club with a talented pool of players, with the club in return allowing use of its facilities and providing access to some expert coaching to the universities.
Presidents' XV award in the 'Student Rugby-Play On' category. The clubs' blueprint for forming links with students will be used as a case study by the RFU
in a report it will send out to every registered rugby club in the country.
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 based in Wilford
Wilford
Wilford is a village close to the centre the city of Nottingham, UK, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been described as a semi-rural village in a city. The village is bounded to the north and west by the River Trent and to the east by the embankment of the now closed Great Central Railway...
, a suburb of Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
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...
. The 1st XV currently compete within the RFU English rugby union system
English rugby union system
England has a comprehensive league structure in place, including national fully professional leagues to amateur regional leagues.The format and competitiveness of the leagues have changed greatly since their beginnings in 1987...
, and as of the 2010/2011 season they compete in Midlands 2 East (North)
Midlands 2 East (North)
Midlands 2 East is part of the English Rugby Union Midland Division. Midlands 2 East is a level 7 English Rugby Union League.-Structure:...
. The club plays at their own Ferryfields ground on the banks of the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
, close to the Wilford Toll Bridge
Wilford Toll Bridge
-Wilford Ferry:Until the bridge opened a Wilford Ferry was in operation for some 400 hundred years. This ferry was the scene of a disaster in 1784, when in the midst of a gale an overcrowded ferry boat capsized, and six unfortunate passengers were drowned....
. The club has been in continuous existence since 1956, enjoying a nomadic existence before settling at their current home in 1975. In the 2010/2011 season the club was awarded a prestigious President's XV award from the RFU
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
, recognising the links the club has formed with the local universities.
Inception: the 1950s and 1960s
In 1956 a group of 15 year old school leavers from Players School and Cottesmore School had nowhere to play so they formed their own club. Nottingham Moderns RFC was formed.The early matches were played on rented pitches around the city.
With the help of old school masters and the youth service, steady progress was made. However, financing the new club was a problem. On most occasions the players would make their way to away matches by public transport, resulting in all day adventures to various parts of the East Midlands.
A good relationship was formed with the local colleges and sports teachers, and with the Welsh Exiles. This led to a period of rapid growth that resulted in sustained fixtures with more established local sides and also games against the 2nd XV teams from the Midlands senior teams.
Settling Down: The 1970s
1975 was a momentous year in the history of the club. The club finally secured a home at Wilford where they remain today. In the same year they became the first club from Nottinghamshire to win the Three Counties Cup (NottinghamshireNottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
& Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
). The 1st XV also reached the semi-final of the Midlands Clubs Championship.
1974/75 was probably the most successful in the clubs history, with the 1st XV, 2nd XV, and 3rd XV losing just three games each all season. The 1st XV and 2nd XV also won the respective County Cup competitions - All of this was accomplished as a nomadic club, with no fixed home, playing on rented parks pitches, and drinking in numerous local public houses to entertain their opposition.
In 1979 the clubhouse was built (extended in 1981) due in no small way to Arthur Luff, then Club President, and a former international referee.
During this successful period, the club produced a number of players who went on to represent many senior rugby clubs and representative sides. Brian Hall captained Leicester as well as representing the Barbarians and The Midlands.
However, the greatest individual achievement from one of the Moderns' players of the time, did not come on the rugby pitch. In 1975, Doug Scott
Doug Scott
Douglas Keith Scott CBE, known as Doug Scott , is an English mountaineer noted for the first ascent of the south-west face of Mount Everest on 24 September 1975. Scott and Dougal Haston were the first Britons to climb Everest during this expedition...
, a founder member of the club, stood alongside Dougal Haston
Dougal Haston
Dougal Haston, , was a Scottish mountaineer born in Currie, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.-Climbing achievements:...
on the summit of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
- the first Briton to reach the top of the world via the South-West face
The 1980s
Further County Cup triumphs followed in the 1980s. The hard work of the players was also rewarded with the inaugural Notts.Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, Lincs
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
., and Derbys
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Divisional League Title, together with three Nottinghamshire Shield victories, and success in the final County Cup Final.
The 1990s
1991 proved to be even more successful. The 1st XV lifted the first Three Counties Cup, playing every round away from home and only conceding one try in the process. Not to be outdone, the 2nd XV went the whole season undefeated. At the same time, the club's under-14 side won the Three Counties Cup without conceding a try - a feat they repeated two years later as under-16s while winning the Rugby WorldRugby World
Rugby World is the world's top-selling rugby union magazine. It is published monthly by IPC Media and edited by Paul Morgan. Long considered a leader in the industry, the magazine has benefited from a worldwide rise in interest in rugby following the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup.-See also:* Bill...
Team of the Month award.
Hard work and determination from many members, most particularly David Hargreaves, resulted in increased sponsorship and finance. In 1996 the ground at Wilford was improved and the clubhouse extended. The opening ceremony was hosted by Dean Richards, the former Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
Captain, who also brought a team of 'Old Tigers' (The Droglites) to play their first game outside of Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
.
In 1996, the 1st XV won the League and Cup (The Stag & Swan Cup) double, the 2nd XV won the County Shield and the Veterans won the Skegness Trophy and Casuals Trophy.
In 1997, the 1st XV won the Cup (The Stag & Swan Cup) and reached the Three Counties Cup Final, the 2nd Xv retained the County Shield and the Veterans retained the Skegness Trophy.
The 2000s
The 2007 season was the most successful recent event with the 1st XV winning both the County Cup and the Three Counties Shield.In the 2010/2011 season, the club continued to improve its position within Midlands 2 East (North)
Midlands 2 East (North)
Midlands 2 East is part of the English Rugby Union Midland Division. Midlands 2 East is a level 7 English Rugby Union League.-Structure:...
, ending the season above its nearest rivals West Bridgford RFC
West Bridgford RFC
West Bridgford Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club in West Bridgford, England that plays in the Midlands 2 East league.- History :West Bridgford Rugby Football Club began life at its present home on Stamford Road, West Bridgford in 1945...
for the third successive season.
Teams At The Club
As of the 2010/2011 Season Nottingham Moderns have regularly fielded 4 senior teams:- The 1st XV plays in the RFURugby Football UnionThe Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
league structure, currently in Midlands 2 East (North)Midlands 2 East (North)Midlands 2 East is part of the English Rugby Union Midland Division. Midlands 2 East is a level 7 English Rugby Union League.-Structure:...
. This is the seventh tier of English rugby.English rugby union systemEngland has a comprehensive league structure in place, including national fully professional leagues to amateur regional leagues.The format and competitiveness of the leagues have changed greatly since their beginnings in 1987... - The 2nd XV currently plays in the NLD Security Plus Pennant Leagues, which is mainly a league for 2nd, 3rd and 4th XVs of clubs within NottinghamshireNottinghamshireNottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, LincolnshireLincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
and DerbyshireDerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. in the 2010/2011 season the 2nd XV played in Pennant Group 2, having been promoted from group 3 at the end of the 2009/2010 season. - The 3rd XV (The Mighty) is the clubs' social side, playing a number of friendlies throughout the year.
- The Veterans' XV comprises players aged 35 and over, and plays friendlies every other weekend.
The club has also been developing a Junior Rugby section and currently fields teams from under 7 to under 13 level, with the aim to eventually develop a full Junior/Mini rugby section which will feed into the senior teams.
Club Organisation
The club elects a committee of its members each year. For the 2011/12 Season, the Clubs officers are as follows:- Club President: Neil highfield
- Club Chairman: Jeff Mapp
- Club Secretary: Stewart Newman
- Club treasurer: Matt Vaughan
- Chairman - Junior Section: Alistair Clark
Playing offices:
- Director of Rugby: Nathan Smith
- Club Captain: Rob Freeston
- 1st XV Captain: Austin Hayes
- 2nd XV Captain: Andy Fitton
Links With Local Universities
In the mid 2000s the club recognised that there was a need to re –establish former links with the local universities, the closest of which was Nottingham Trent UniversityNottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
. The Club lies midway between the University's City and Clifton campuses and will be a stop for the proposed Nottingham City Transport
Nottingham City Transport
Nottingham City Transport is the major bus operator of the English city of Nottingham, running a comprehensive network of services in the Greater Nottingham area, with some services continuing to Southwell, Loughborough, and East Midlands Airport. There are over 80 routes across the City, giving...
Tramline Extension which will link to two university campuses. The Club set out a marketing strategy and embarked on a two year plan which would hopefully benefit both the Club and university. This last season has seen Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
and Nottingham University provide the club with a talented pool of players, with the club in return allowing use of its facilities and providing access to some expert coaching to the universities.
RFU Recognition
In 2011, The club submitted for and won a prestigious RFURugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
Presidents' XV award in the 'Student Rugby-Play On' category. The clubs' blueprint for forming links with students will be used as a case study by the RFU
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
in a report it will send out to every registered rugby club in the country.
Notable Players
- Doug Scott
: Doug's greatest achievements were in mountaineering rather than rugby, but he was a club member when he became the first British man to climb Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
via the South-West face in 1975.
- Brian Hall : Brian played for the club during the 1970s before going to to play for, and Captain, Leicester TigersLeicester TigersLeicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
. He also represented the BarbariansBarbarian F.C.The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
twice in 1981.
- Nick Carroll
: Evergreen Fly Half Nick has also excelled at touch rugbyTouch rugbyTouch rugby, Refers to games derived from rugby football in which players do not tackle in the traditional, highly physical way, but instead touch their opponents using their hands on any part of the body, clothing, or the ball....
, representing WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in the 2011 Touch Rugby World Cup in Scotland