1980–81 Fulham RLFC season

Avg. attendance7345High attendance15,013 vs. LeedsTop scorersTriesMal Aspey - 16GoalsIain MacCorquodale - 75PointsIain MacCorquodale - 171
Home colours
Away colours
← None List of seasons 1981-82 →

The 1980-81 Fulham RLFC season was the first in the club's history. They entered into the 1980–81 Second Division of the Rugby Football League. They also competed in the 1980–81 Challenge Cup and the 1980–81 League Cup. They finished the season in 3rd place and were promoted to the top tier of professional rugby league in the UK.

Birth of Fulham RLFC

In 1980, Fulham Football Club chairman Ernie Clay, set up a rugby league team at Craven Cottage, with the intention of creating another income stream for the football club. Warrington director Harold Genders, who had helped to persuade Clay of the benefits of starting a rugby league club in the capital, resigned from the Warrington board to become managing director of Fulham R.L.F.C. The Rugby Football League (RFL), keen to encourage the expansion of the sport beyond its traditional Northern heartland, accepted the new club with 26 clubs voting in favour, with three abstentions at the League's AGM.[1]

One of the game's leading players, Reg Bowden, was recruited by Genders to act as player-coach. He cost the club £25,000 at a time when the world record transfer fee was £40,000.[2]

The club's first signing was Roy Lester on a free transfer from Warrington. Within nine weeks, Genders and Bowden had assembled a team of experienced players approaching retirement, together with a few promising youngsters.

Nearly 10,000 Londoners turned up for the opening game at Craven Cottage to see the newly formed side convincingly beat highly regarded Wigan 24–5. The new Fulham RL team quickly proved to be very competitive and went on to win promotion at the end of their inaugural season.

Second Division League Table

Club P W D L PF PA Pts
1 York 28 23 0 5 649 331 46
2 Wigan 28 20 3 5 597 293 43
3 Fulham 28 20 0 8 447 237 40
4 Whitehaven 28 19 1 8 409 250 39
5 Huddersfield 28 18 1 9 429 310 37
6 Swinton 28 18 1 9 440 302 36
7 Keighley 28 14 1 13 445 501 29
8 Hunslet 28 13 1 14 447 430 27
9 Bramley 28 13 1 14 433 418 27
10 Rochdale Hornets 28 13 0 15 406 418 26
11 Batley 28 12 0 16 386 432 24
12 Dewsbury 28 11 1 16 346 364 23
13 Doncaster 28 5 0 23 250 562 10
14 Blackpool Borough 28 4 1 23 212 419 9
15 Huyton 28 2 0 26 211 796 4
  Champions   Play-offs   Promoted   Relegated

[3]

Players

Name Appearances Substitute Total Appearances Tries Goals Drop Goals Points
Dave Allen 23 2 25 4 0 0 12
Mal Aspey 23 4 27 16 0 0 48
Harry Beverley 22 0 22 2 0 0 6
Reg Bowden 28 1 29 4 0 0 12
Adrian Cambriani 26 0 26 13 0 0 39
Joe Doherty 5 1 6 0 0 0 0
David Eckersley 25 2 27 12 5 10 56
Chris Ganley 19 0 19 8 0 0 24
Tony Gourley 21 3 24 1 0 0 3
Martin Herdman 7 6 13 2 0 0 6
David Hull 25 1 26 2 0 0 6
Tony Karalius 20 2 22 2 0 0 6
Roy Lester 15 8 23 3 0 0 9
Iain MacCorquodale 28 0 28 6 75 3 171
Graham Moss 2 0 2 0 0 0 0
Derek Noonan 18 0 18 4 0 0 12
Carl Radbone 9 0 9 2 3 0 12
John Risman 18 4 22 3 0 0 9
Peter Souto 4 7 11 1 0 0 3
Neil Tuffs 7 7 14 3 0 0 9
Ian van Bellen 20 3 23 4 0 0 12
John Wood 23 2 25 4 0 0 12
Graham Worgan 2 0 2 0 0 0 0

[3][4]

Results

Date Competition Opposition Venue Result Score Attendance
14.09.1980 Second Division Wigan Home Win 24-5 9554
21.09.1980 Second Division Keighley Away Loss 24-13 3027
28.09.1980 Second Division Swinton Home Win 25-11 5589
05.10.1980 Second Division Blackpool Away Win 2-15 906
12.10.1980 Second Division Huddersfield Home Win 30-7 5971
19.10.1980 Second Division Doncaster Away Win 16-28 672
26.10.1980 Second Division York Home Win 23-5 7159
09.11.1980 Second Division Bramley Home Win 10-7 5405
16.11.1980 Second Division Dewsbury Away Win 7-9 2500
23.11.1980 John Player Trophy Round 1 Leeds Home Win 9-3 12,583
30.11.1980 Second Division Wigan Away Loss 15-2 8100
07.12.1980 John Player Trophy Round 2 Leigh Away Loss 17-9 7606
21.12.1980 Second Division Hunslet Home Win 19-5 5629
28.12.1980 Second Division Batley Home Win 15-5 6237
04.01.1981 Second Division Whitehaven Away Loss 6-0 4235
11.01.1981 Second Division Rochdale Home Loss 8-24 6162
18.01.1981 Second Division Bramley Away Win 11-21 1750
25.01.1981 Second Division Huyton Home Win 25-4 5805
01.02.1981 Second Division Hunslet Away Win 11-12 1842
08.02.1981 Second Division Swinton Away Loss 13-9 3550
15.02.1981 Challenge Cup round 1 Wakefield Trinity Home Loss 5-9 15,013
01.03.1981 Second Division Blackpool Home Win 8-0 4715
08.03.1981 Second Division Keighley Home Win 24-3 5285
15.03.1981 Second Division Huyton Away Win 3-19 500
22.03.1981 Second Division Dewsbury Home Win 16-4 5258
29.03.1981 Second Division York Away Loss 15-10 7351
05.04.1981 Second Division Whitehaven Home Win 15-0 6707
12.04.1981 Second Division Batley Away Loss 10-8 3250
16.04.1981 Second Division Rochdale Away Win 5-19 2750
19.04.1981 Second Division Huddersfield Away Loss 8-3 2435
20.04.1981 Second Division Doncaster Home Win 37-11 5867
01.05.1981 Challenge Bradford Home Win 20-8 11,926

[3][5]

References

  1. ^ Huxley, John; Howes, David (1980). Encyclopedia of Rugby League Football. London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0709181337.
  2. ^ Farrar, Dave; Lush, Peter (2000). From Fulham to Wembley. London: London League Publications. ISBN 978-0952606444.
  3. ^ a b c Genders, Harold (2000). The Fulham Dream. London: London League Publications. ISBN 978-0952606499.
  4. ^ Gains & Losses
  5. ^ Farrar, Dave; Lush, Peter (1995). Touch and Go: A History of Professional Rugby League in London. London: London League Publications. ISBN 978-0952606406.

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Inaugural Fulham RLFC side
v Wigan, Craven Cottage, Sunday 14 September 1980