Uddingston RFC
Encyclopedia
Uddingston Rugby Football Club is a rugby union
team, based in Uddingston
, South Lanarkshire
, Scotland
. The Club plays its home matches at Bothwell Castle
Policies in Uddingston. Season 2010/11 sees the Club playing in West Division One
, having been crowned Champions of Hydro Electric West Division Two League
at the end of the 2009/10 season.
The 2nd XV will be playing in a Reserve League.
2nd XV. The result, a 21 - 8 victory for Uddingston, known as "the Villagers", put them on the rugby map and their opening season went on to be more successful than they could have hoped. Within 12 months playing numbers had risen and a 2nd XV was established. Guided through the early years by Club President John Walker, and ably assisted by Honorary President, ex-Scottish internationalist, GT Neilson, Uddingston were quick to establish themselves on the fixture lists of some of the country’s well respected clubs.
By their second season Uddingston were regular opponents for the second XV’s of West of Scotland, Glasgow Accies
, Glasgow High School FP and Kelvinside Accies. During those first seasons notable results were achieved with the likes of Craigielea, Glasgow High School FP, Bishopbriggs, Lenzie and Bellahouston Accies all failing to defeat the newcomers. Following such a promising start, and having established themselves on the ‘circuit’, the Great War
brought matters to a temporary halt with play not resuming until 1922 when the Club were members of the West District Union League. It was during this time that A.E. Harris, T.A. Chambers and R.W. Langrish, later to gain 4 caps for Scotland, were involved on the playing side for Uddingston and normal service was quickly resumed. The mid to late 1920s were possibly the most successful period for the Club, winning the league outright and coming second on a number of occasions. With quality right across the park Uddingston supplied the backbone of the Junior District XV for several seasons, 8 players in one match alone, and it is reported that a crowd of 5,000 turned out to watch them in a match against Whitecraigs at Deaconbank.
was to go on to become Uddingston’s most successful player, moving to Glasgow Accies from where he earned 6 Scottish caps between 1936 and 1939, and achieved the ultimate rugby accolade when he was selected to tour South Africa with the 1938 British Lions
. Duff scored the Lions first test try of the tour and securing the winning try in the final test. Laurie never forgot his home club and served as Honorary Vice President from 1968 until well into the 1980s.
, handing out a 45 - 3 thrashing. Things were looking good, but the departure of a number of key players over the next few seasons saw fortunes
dip once more with exception of one notable fixture in 1962 against Hamilton. With Hamilton leading 6 - 0 at half time Uddingston stepped up several gears to secure an 8 - 6 victory, their first against their local rivals, Douglas Steedman scoring the winning try. The match was played in atrocious weather conditions with spectator’s cars supplying makeshift floodlighting to ensure the match could be finished. As the final whistle sounded the car lights flashed on and off, horns were sounded and the celebrations lasted long into the night.
Progress continued over the next few seasons and 1968-69 saw only 4 defeats from 35 matches, 2 early season matches and the final 2 matches when 4 key players were sidelined through injury. In 1972 the Club went down 49 - 0 to West of Scotland in the second round of the Glasgow Cup, not a bad result considering that West only fielded 2 of their internationalists. 1973 saw Uddingston granted full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union
and the restructuring of the Scottish game found the Villagers ‘promoted’ to National Division 5. Life in the National League was not without difficulty and by 1977 Uddingston had been relegated to Division 2 of the Glasgow District league. By 1981 Uddingston had once more climbed into the National Leagues reaching Division 6 in 1983, narrowly losing 16 -6 to Heriots FP in the final of the Kilmarnock
7’s that same season.
and including Mike DeBusk and Jim Calder. The final score of 54 - 17 to the Co-optimists was no disgrace given the quality of the opposition.
Unfortunately their stay in the National Leagues was again short lived and by 1986 Uddingston were back playing their rugby in the Glasgow District Leagues where they stayed until 2003 when they were promoted to National Division 5 West (B). 2005 was a good year for the Club’s 1st XV who lost only one league fixture between January and December. Season 2005/06 finished in style with the Club being crowned Champions of National Division 5 West (B).
's 2nd XV and a 50–7 victory over York Railway Institute on the pre-season tour.
The 1st XV finished lower mid-table. It could have been much higher had injuries at the beginning of the season not taken their toll.
The 2nd XV won their opening game of the season in Reserve League West 4 against CumbernauldRFC 3XV 67-12 and sat top after the opening weekend. Sadly, injuries forced the 2nd XV to withdraw from the league.1
, having been relegated from West Division One
at the end of the 2008/09 season.
The Club managed to field both a 1st XV and a 2nd XV. The 1st XV won all 3 pre-season games and won 12 out of 14 league games thereby securing promotion back to West Division One
as Champions.
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 Uddingston
Uddingston
Uddingston is a small town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the north side of the River Clyde, about seven miles south-east of Glasgow...
, South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The Club plays its home matches at Bothwell Castle
Bothwell Castle
Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located between Uddingston and Bothwell, about south-east of Glasgow. Construction of the castle was begun in the 13th century by the ancestors of Clan...
Policies in Uddingston. Season 2010/11 sees the Club playing in West Division One
West Regional Leagues (Rugby Union)
The West Regional League structure is one of three Scottish Regional Leagues operated by the Scottish Rugby Union, which play at a level below that of the Scottish National Leagues structure...
, having been crowned Champions of Hydro Electric West Division Two League
West Regional Leagues (Rugby Union)
The West Regional League structure is one of three Scottish Regional Leagues operated by the Scottish Rugby Union, which play at a level below that of the Scottish National Leagues structure...
at the end of the 2009/10 season.
Season 2011–12
The 1st XV will be playing in West Division 2 following the latest league re-structing. They also have a pre-season tour of Harrogate.The 2nd XV will be playing in a Reserve League.
Early history
The 6th of October 1906 saw the birth of one of Lanarkshire’s oldest rugby clubs when the newly formed Uddingston Rugby Club played their first competitive fixture at Birkenshaw Park against BearsdenBearsden
Bearsden ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately from the City Centre, and is effectively a suburb, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name...
2nd XV. The result, a 21 - 8 victory for Uddingston, known as "the Villagers", put them on the rugby map and their opening season went on to be more successful than they could have hoped. Within 12 months playing numbers had risen and a 2nd XV was established. Guided through the early years by Club President John Walker, and ably assisted by Honorary President, ex-Scottish internationalist, GT Neilson, Uddingston were quick to establish themselves on the fixture lists of some of the country’s well respected clubs.
By their second season Uddingston were regular opponents for the second XV’s of West of Scotland, Glasgow Accies
Glasgow Academicals RFC
The Glasgow Academical Football Club is one of the oldest rugby football clubs in Scotland. This history is notable for a number of reasons, including the clubs longevity, its early foundation in the timeline of rugby, and the fact that the club produced many internationals...
, Glasgow High School FP and Kelvinside Accies. During those first seasons notable results were achieved with the likes of Craigielea, Glasgow High School FP, Bishopbriggs, Lenzie and Bellahouston Accies all failing to defeat the newcomers. Following such a promising start, and having established themselves on the ‘circuit’, the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
brought matters to a temporary halt with play not resuming until 1922 when the Club were members of the West District Union League. It was during this time that A.E. Harris, T.A. Chambers and R.W. Langrish, later to gain 4 caps for Scotland, were involved on the playing side for Uddingston and normal service was quickly resumed. The mid to late 1920s were possibly the most successful period for the Club, winning the league outright and coming second on a number of occasions. With quality right across the park Uddingston supplied the backbone of the Junior District XV for several seasons, 8 players in one match alone, and it is reported that a crowd of 5,000 turned out to watch them in a match against Whitecraigs at Deaconbank.
Inter-war years
The 1930s saw fortunes change and the Villagers suffered one of their worst ever seasons in 1932-33 with only 1 draw achieved from 22 fixtures. The involvement with the Club of J.A.G. Bisset and P.L. Duff saw this decline reversed and fortunes steadily improved until play was again interrupted, this time by the Second World War.Uddingston's British Lion
P. Laurie DuffLaurie Duff
P. Laurie Duff was a Scottish international rugby union player, who played for and the Lions.He also played for Glasgow Academicals, and Uddingston RFC.He was on the 1938 British Lions tour to South Africa.-References:...
was to go on to become Uddingston’s most successful player, moving to Glasgow Accies from where he earned 6 Scottish caps between 1936 and 1939, and achieved the ultimate rugby accolade when he was selected to tour South Africa with the 1938 British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
. Duff scored the Lions first test try of the tour and securing the winning try in the final test. Laurie never forgot his home club and served as Honorary Vice President from 1968 until well into the 1980s.
Post-war years
With 1948 seeing play restart it was the early 1950s that brought another period of rebuilding within the Club. The arrival of several new players including Jimmy Rhind and Charlie Scott saw the Villagers on the way up. By season 1959-1960 a solid team had been established and on 12 March 1960 Uddingston took on DalzielDalziel RFC
Dalziel Rugby Football Club, formerly known as Dalziel High School Former Pupils Rugby Club, currently has a playing and social membership hailing from Motherwell, Wishaw, Bellshill and other parts of Lanarkshire, Scotland. Historically the club was closely associated with Dalziel High School in...
, handing out a 45 - 3 thrashing. Things were looking good, but the departure of a number of key players over the next few seasons saw fortunes
dip once more with exception of one notable fixture in 1962 against Hamilton. With Hamilton leading 6 - 0 at half time Uddingston stepped up several gears to secure an 8 - 6 victory, their first against their local rivals, Douglas Steedman scoring the winning try. The match was played in atrocious weather conditions with spectator’s cars supplying makeshift floodlighting to ensure the match could be finished. As the final whistle sounded the car lights flashed on and off, horns were sounded and the celebrations lasted long into the night.
Progress continued over the next few seasons and 1968-69 saw only 4 defeats from 35 matches, 2 early season matches and the final 2 matches when 4 key players were sidelined through injury. In 1972 the Club went down 49 - 0 to West of Scotland in the second round of the Glasgow Cup, not a bad result considering that West only fielded 2 of their internationalists. 1973 saw Uddingston granted full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
and the restructuring of the Scottish game found the Villagers ‘promoted’ to National Division 5. Life in the National League was not without difficulty and by 1977 Uddingston had been relegated to Division 2 of the Glasgow District league. By 1981 Uddingston had once more climbed into the National Leagues reaching Division 6 in 1983, narrowly losing 16 -6 to Heriots FP in the final of the Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock RFC
Kilmarnock Rugby Football Club, nicknamed Killie, is a Scottish rugby union club which was founded in 1868, and is based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire in west central Scotland. They play in RBS NATIONAL 1...
7’s that same season.
Recent times
On Sunday the 1st of September 1985 Uddingston celebrated the opening of their new pitch at Bothwell Castle Policies with a fixture between an Uddingston President’s XV, which included Scottish Internationalist John Beattie, ably supported by Uddingston’s Billy Fulton, Andy Braidwood, Robert Allan, Kenny Roberts and captain John McKerron, and the Co-optimists led by Colin DeansColin Deans
Colin Thomas Deans born on 3 May 1955 in Hawick in the Scottish borders was a rugby union player with Hawick RFC and . His nickname was the Hawick Hooker.He made his debut against in 1978 when Scotland lost, 16 - 19...
and including Mike DeBusk and Jim Calder. The final score of 54 - 17 to the Co-optimists was no disgrace given the quality of the opposition.
Unfortunately their stay in the National Leagues was again short lived and by 1986 Uddingston were back playing their rugby in the Glasgow District Leagues where they stayed until 2003 when they were promoted to National Division 5 West (B). 2005 was a good year for the Club’s 1st XV who lost only one league fixture between January and December. Season 2005/06 finished in style with the Club being crowned Champions of National Division 5 West (B).
Season 2010–11
The 1st XV won two out of three pre-season friendlies, which included a 21–12 win over local rivals DalzielDalziel RFC
Dalziel Rugby Football Club, formerly known as Dalziel High School Former Pupils Rugby Club, currently has a playing and social membership hailing from Motherwell, Wishaw, Bellshill and other parts of Lanarkshire, Scotland. Historically the club was closely associated with Dalziel High School in...
's 2nd XV and a 50–7 victory over York Railway Institute on the pre-season tour.
The 1st XV finished lower mid-table. It could have been much higher had injuries at the beginning of the season not taken their toll.
The 2nd XV won their opening game of the season in Reserve League West 4 against CumbernauldRFC 3XV 67-12 and sat top after the opening weekend. Sadly, injuries forced the 2nd XV to withdraw from the league.1
Season 2009/10
Season 2009/10 saw the Club playing in Hydro Electric West Division Two LeagueWest Regional Leagues (Rugby Union)
The West Regional League structure is one of three Scottish Regional Leagues operated by the Scottish Rugby Union, which play at a level below that of the Scottish National Leagues structure...
, having been relegated from West Division One
West Regional Leagues (Rugby Union)
The West Regional League structure is one of three Scottish Regional Leagues operated by the Scottish Rugby Union, which play at a level below that of the Scottish National Leagues structure...
at the end of the 2008/09 season.
The Club managed to field both a 1st XV and a 2nd XV. The 1st XV won all 3 pre-season games and won 12 out of 14 league games thereby securing promotion back to West Division One
West Regional Leagues (Rugby Union)
The West Regional League structure is one of three Scottish Regional Leagues operated by the Scottish Rugby Union, which play at a level below that of the Scottish National Leagues structure...
as Champions.