Coventry RLFC was a semi-professional rugby league team based in Coventry, West Midlands, England, that played in the Northern Rugby Football Union League in the 1910–11, 1911–12, and 1912–13 seasons.
History
editThe club was formed in 1910 by players converting to Northern Union from rugby union. The club was admitted to the Northern Union in December 1910 in time for the start of the 1910–11 season. The new league club took over the tenancy of the Butts previously the home of Coventry rugby union club. Results on the field were poor and as a consequence, so were attendances. Receipts were not sufficient to sustain the club and Coventry RLFC folded after completion of the 1912–13 season.[1]
Today
editRugby League returned to Coventry in 1998 when Coventry Bears was formed,[2] playing in the third tier League 1, and from 2004 to 2021 also played at the Butts, now called Butts Park Arena. In 2022 the Bears, now renamed Midlands Hurricanes moved out of the city.[3]
Club league record
editFor the 1910–11 to 1912–13 seasons, Coventry RLFC achieved the following record:[4]
| Season | Competition | Pos | Team Name | Pl | W | D | L | PW | PA | Diff | Pts | % Pts | No of teams in league | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910-11 | RL | 27 | Coventry | 32 | 6 | 1 | 25 | 288 | 524 | -236 | 13 | 20.31 | 28 | ||
| 1911-12 | RL | 23 | Coventry | 34 | 6 | 2 | 26 | 208 | 646 | -438 | 14 | 20.58 | 27 | ||
| 1912-13 | RL | 26 | Coventry | 27 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 157 | 896 | -739 | 1 | 1.85 | 26 |
Heading Abbreviations
RL = Single division; Pl = Games played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose; PF = Points for; PA = Points against; Diff = Points difference (+ or -); Pts = League points
% Pts = A percentage system was used to determine league positions due to clubs playing varying number of fixtures and against different opponents
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.
Notable players
edit- John "Jack" Tomes (born 1885 in Rugby, and died 1960 in Coventry) won a cap with England in 1910, when he joined the English side against Wales for a friendly at Coventry.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Delaney, Trevor (1991). The Grounds of Rugby League. Thornton and Pearson. pp. 195–196. ISBN 978-095099822-0.
- ^ "History". Coventry Bears. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ Ibbetson, Stephen (11 November 2021). "Midlands Hurricanes home ground for 2022 revealed". TotalRL.com. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d Winstanley, Jack; Ryding, Malcolm, eds. (1975). John Player Rugby League Yearbook 1975-76. Queen Anne Press. ISBN 9-780-3620-0223-2. OCLC 655669102. Retrieved 26 July 2011 – via WorldCat.
- ^ "ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL STATS - J. Tomes". Rugby Football League/England. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
External links
edit- Kimberley, Steve (2005). "About the Bears". coundonroad.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2011.