Dewsbury Rams
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The Dewsbury Rams are a professional English
rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...
club based in Dewsbury,
West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
that compete in the
Championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...
. They play their home games at the
Tetley's Stadium Crown Flatt, currently known as the Tetley's Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a rugby league stadium in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of the Dewsbury Rams, who play in the Championship. The ground occupies the site of t ...
, on Owl Lane. The Rams' main fanbase comes from their hometown of Dewsbury, but they also hold a strong following in Shaw Cross as well as in neighbouring Gawthorpe and Ossett, among other places. Prior to the 1997 season, the club was known as Dewsbury R.L.F.C. The club won their sole league title in 1972–73, after finishing the regular season in 8th place. The club has also won the Challenge Cup twice.


History


1875–1887: Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club

The idea of establishing a rugby football club in Dewsbury originated among a few friends at a meeting at the Little Saddle Inn in 1875. Established with immediate effect, Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club enrolled between 30 and 40 members. On 20 November 1875, the first recorded match of Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club took place when they played Heckmondwike Church Society XV and lost by one goal, six tries and eight touch downs to nil. The first home game, it is generally held, took place on 4 December 1875 in a field off Sugar Lane, opposite the future Crown Flatt. In a 13-a-side "scratch" game, the two outfits – one selected by the Captain and the other by the Vice-Captain – fought out a draw. The club soon realised they needed a ground and the following year secured a sub tenancy at Crown Flatt for £200. During the course of the 1879–80 season the club colours changed from blue and cardinal to black, crimson and yellow. On 27 March 1880, the Yorkshire Cup semi-final against
Wakefield Trinity Wakefield Trinity is a professional rugby league club in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, that plays in the Super League. One of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, between 1999 and 2016 the ...
drew an estimated 16,000 supporters to Crown Flatt which the local newspaper claimed to be the largest assemblage ever seen on a football ground in Yorkshire. 1881 saw the club's first success in the
Yorkshire Challenge Cup The Yorkshire Cup is an English Rugby Football Union competition founded in 1878. It is organised by the Yorkshire Rugby Football Union and is open to all eligible clubs in the Yorkshire area. It was initially known as the Yorkshire Challenge C ...
beating
Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
, Bradford and Halifax before an Alfred Newsome drop goal gave them victory over
Wakefield Trinity Wakefield Trinity is a professional rugby league club in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, that plays in the Super League. One of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, between 1999 and 2016 the ...
in the final. When York F.C. paid a visit to Crown Flatt on 25 September 1886, the home team took to the field wearing white jerseys that incorporated the borough's coat of arms.


1888–1897: Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club

Crown Flatt was rapidly gaining the reputation as one of the best-equipped ground in Yorkshire. This was further enhanced when the club purchased the famous "Noah's Ark" stand at a cost of £250. In 1888, the club amalgamated with Savile Cricket Club and United Clerks' Cricket Club to form Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club. After the 1890-91 season, Dewsbury along with other Yorkshire Senior clubs Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Liversedge, Manningham and Wakefield decided that they wanted their own county league starting in 1891 along the lines of a similar competition that had been played in Lancashire. The clubs wanted full control of the league but the Yorkshire Rugby Football Union would not sanction the competition as it meant giving up control of rugby football to the senior clubs. The Yorkshire Senior Competition was formed in 1892 and Dewsbury immediately became members. They made their Senior Competition début at Liversedge on 10 September 1892, Dewsbury were beaten 2–10. The club struggled and finished in the bottom three due to financial problems. The arrival of competitive leagues meant that attendances were increasing connected to on-field success. Dewsbury failed to adapt to the new era: attendances from then onwards topped 2,000 only on rare occasions. By 1895, Dewsbury were sporting blue and white. At the famous meeting at the George Hotel in Huddersfield, Dewsbury were the only members of the Yorkshire Senior Competition not to resign from the Rugby Football Union instead requesting permission to consult further. At a special meeting convened at the King's Arms Hotel, Market Place, on 2 September, they elected to remain in the Senior Competition. It was not a popular decision. A local journalist reported that 'there wasn't a single supporter who wouldn't say "Let us have the Northern Union and the sooner the better".' Dewsbury marginally improved their position in the league to 10th. Next season however they were back at the bottom. On 22 November 1897, the General Committee of Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club elected to abandon rugby union with immediate effect. Of the 12 league matches contested by the club that season, all but one – and that a draw – were lost. In reply to the 156 points conceded, the team registered just two tries. The 0–5 loss to
Otley Otley is a market town and civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the population was 13,668 at the 20 ...
on 13 November 1897 was the final rugby union game played at Crown Flatt. By the time of its demise, the football section had contested more than 500 matches. They withdrew from the league concentrating on soccer instead.


1898–1910: Dewsbury R.L.F.C.

On 21 April 1898, a historic meeting was held at the Black Bull public house to consider the possibility of forming a new Northern Union club. The question was discussed at some length and over £100 in donations was promised. Ironically it was local rivals Batley who helped Dewsbury gain election to the Northern Union. They were fully supportive of Dewsbury's bid and obviously looked forward to rekindling the rivalry, as well as their pockets, with the derby matches and also to thank the old Dewsbury supporters who had switched their support to Batley's Mount Pleasant ground during the two or three preceding seasons. At a subsequent discussion at the parish church school on 5 May, it was announced that members of the committee had met with Mr Lipscomb, agent to Lord Savile, and had signed an agreement to lease the Crown Flatt estate as from 1 July 1898. Red, amber and black were adopted as club's colours during June 1898. On 3 September 1898, the players travelled to Normanton for their Northern Union match, they were beaten 3–16. The first home game took place the very next Saturday with visitors Kinsley emerging victorious by a margin of 13–5. During the rest of the season the team played in Yorkshire No. 2 Competition. In 1901–02 the Lancashire and Yorkshire leagues were combined to form a second division. Dewsbury was one of the new teams to join the second division.


1910–1944: Early success

The club's first major success came in 1912, when they beat
Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, amid the Pennines and between the rivers Irk and Medlock, southeast of Rochdale and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham ...
8–5 in the Challenge Cup Final at
Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingley ...
. Dewsbury were even more successful, finishing champions in the 1915–16 and 1916–17 seasons; attracting players and crowds due to the town’s prominence as a manufacturer of woollen cloth for uniforms. They beat the visiting
Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologi ...
n team of the
1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain The 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the third ever Kangaroo tour. Again an Australasian side rather than an Australian team alone (although the 28-man squad featured only one New Zealander) travelled to Great Britain to contest the ...
13–6. When, in 1922, the Northern Union renamed itself the
Rugby Football League The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league in England, and until 1995 for the whole British Isles. The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organisati ...
, the club adopted the title of Dewsbury Rugby Football Club. In 1929, Dewsbury also had the honour of playing in the first
Wembley Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in north-west Londo ...
Challenge Cup final, losing 13–2 to
Wigan Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the north-east and Warrington t ...
. Managed by
Eddie Waring Edward Marsden Waring, MBE (21 February 1910 – 28 October 1986) was a British rugby league football coach, commentator and television presenter. Early life Waring was born on 21 February 1910 in Dewsbury in the West Riding of Yorkshire to Art ...
, Dewsbury enjoyed huge success during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
when their side was boosted by the inclusion of a number of big-name guest players. Dewsbury won the Wartime Emergency League in 1941–42 and again the following season, though that championship was declared null and void when it was discovered they had played an ineligible player. They were also runners-up in 1943–44.


Post Second World War

Vic Hey Victor John Hey (18 November 1912 in Liverpool, New South Wales – 11 April 1995), also known by the nickname of "The Human Bullet", was an Australian rugby league national and state representative and later a successful first-grade and natio ...
was player/coach at Dewsbury from 1944–47. In the first full season after the war, a new record transfer fee of £1,650 was set when Dewsbury bought Bill Davies from
Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
. James "Jimmy" Ledgard left Dewsbury for a record fee of £2,650 in January 1948, bought by Leigh. In 1972, Maurice Bamford arrived at Dewsbury as a coach. Tommy Smales was the coach in 1973. Dewsbury's only championship title came in the 1972–73 season when they beat
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
in the play-off final at Bradford Northern's Odsal Stadium 22–13. They had been hammered 36–9 by the same opposition in the Yorkshire Cup final earlier that season. Dewsbury, captained by
Mike Stephenson Michael Stephenson (born 27 January 1947) is an English rugby league commentator and former player. Stephenson was born in Dewsbury, West Riding of Yorkshire. He is commonly known as "Stevo", the nickname that he is known by in rugby league ...
finished 8th in the league but the title was to be decided through a series of play-offs in which they also defeated
Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, amid the Pennines and between the rivers Irk and Medlock, southeast of Rochdale and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham ...
,
Featherstone Rovers Featherstone Rovers are a professional rugby league club in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England, who play in the Championship. Featherstone is a former coal mining town with a population of around 16,000 and Rovers are one of the last "smal ...
and
Warrington Warrington () is a town and unparished area in the borough of the same name in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Mersey. It is east of Liverpool, and west of Manchester. The population in 2019 was estimat ...
on their way to glory. Many people argued about the validity of the centenary celebrations held in 1975, holding that the centenary should not have been held until 1998. On 13 September 1988, at about 4pm, three youths deliberately set fire to the historic wooden stand erected in 1914. The stand was in excellent condition, the club having just spent £25,000 bringing it up to the required safety standards. The club also lost everything gathered over the past 113 years; programmes, records and memorabilia. However, the fire enabled the club to build a new state of the art stadium at Owl Lane, Shaw Cross, Dewsbury and on 14 April 1991 Dewsbury played their last home game at Crown Flatt against Barrow. As a result, they arranged to play their home games at Batley's Mount Pleasant while the new ground was being built.


1994–1995: New stadium

The club played their first home game at the new, £1.5 million, Crown Flatt stadium (often erroneously called New Crown Flatt) on 6 September 1994 in front of a full-house against Barrow; Dewsbury scoring 12 tries. Dewsbury finished 7th that season in the 16-team second division with the likes of Eddie Rombo and Les Holliday wowing the fans at their new home under coach Norman Smith. Smith was replaced towards the end of that season by Tony Fisher whose time in charge of the first team will be remembered for the recruitment of several South African players. Having coached the national side during the 1995 world cup, Fisher brought Jaco Booysen, Kobus Van Deventer, Tim Fourie, Guy Coombe and Pierre Van Wyk to Dewsbury. Despite the hype surrounding their arrival, the imports failed to make a lasting impression at the club and returned home the following year. That season, rugby league's centenary year, the teams outside the Premiership were divided into two divisions. Dewsbury competed in the first division but finished bottom – A New Year's Eve victory over local rivals
Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
and the form of New Zealand prop Glenn Bell being two of the season's few highlights.


1996–1999: Summer era

A momentous shift in the sport, triggered by significant investment from
Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...
's
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brought about the formation of the Super League and a switch to summer rugby. Despite finishing bottom the previous season, Dewsbury retained their place in the first division and, in the first season of a new era for the sport, the team, now coached by former player Neil Kelly, finished 9th. It was under Kelly that the club would eventually blossom. Increased investment over the next three years saw the club steadily climb the league table season upon season. A 6th-place finish in 1997 was bettered the following year when the newly named Dewsbury 'Rams' finished 3rd, narrowly missing out on the division's play-off final. With Richard Agar and
Barry Eaton Barry Eaton (born 30 September 1973) is a Welsh former international rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Doncaster, Wa ...
guiding the team around the park and Australians Brett Patterson and Brendan Williams giving the Rams real strike power, the club's on-the-pitch fortunes had hit a 15-year peak. Hopes were high of a push for a place in the Super League over the next few seasons, with Neil Kelly and chairman Bob McDermott pressing on with an ambitious recruitment drive. In 1999, the Rams finished top of the
Northern Ford Premiership The Rugby Football League Championship Second Division was founded in 1902 and was the second tier of professional rugby league in the UK until 2003. During the 1990s a third division was established and there is automatic promotion between ...
, the league below the Super League, reaching the Grand Final at
Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingley ...
which unfortunately ended in a narrow defeat to local rivals Hunslet Hawks. The following year Dewsbury came back even stronger, winning the Trans-Pennine Cup with victory over Leigh and topping the league for the second season in a row. The club, once again, reached the Grand Final – this time taking on Leigh at Bury F.C.'s
Gigg Lane Gigg Lane is a football ground in Bury, Greater Manchester, England, built for Bury F.C. in 1885. The first match was played on 12 September 1885 between Bury and a team from Wigan. One of the world's oldest professional football stadiums, G ...
stadium. A dramatic, late drop-goal from man of the match Richard Agar won the day for Dewsbury giving players, supporters and officials genuine hope of a place in Super League. Unable to meet the minimum stadium requirements for Super League (as part of
Rugby Football League The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league in England, and until 1995 for the whole British Isles. The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organisati ...
's new 'framing the future' guidelines), the Rams proposed a ground share with Sheffield Eagles, playing home games at their
Don Valley Stadium Don Valley Stadium was a sports stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The venue, which was completed in September 1990, hosted the 1991 World Student Games. It was designed by Sheffield City Council's Design & Building Services and nam ...
while their own stadium was improved. This proposal was turned down by the RFL and the club was left in a precarious position, having invested heavily in playing staff in the hope of taking their place among the sport's elite. The Rams withdrew their application following this initial rejection and were resigned to remaining in the lower leagues.


2000–2004: Decline

The new century brought with it a gradual decline in the Rams' fortunes on and off the pitch. After being denied entry into Super League, the club's head coach, Neil Kelly, who had guided the team to its recent success moved onto ambitious rivals
Widnes Widnes ( ) is an industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2011 census had a population of 61,464. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form th ...
. Kelly took with him many of the heroes of the 2000 grand final winning squad and, over the two seasons that followed, his multiple-trophy winning side was gradually broken-up to help ease the club's soaring wage bills. The failure to bring Super League to the town came at a heavy price and chairman Bob McDermott left the club in a sorry state, having failed to stabilise it financially. Roy Sampson and Andy Fisher both had spells coaching the club during this period but neither could do much to halt Dewsbury's inevitable decline. Dewsbury finished a respectable 6th in 2001 but found themselves in a relegation play-off the following season. Dewsbury beat
Workington Town Workington Town R.L.F.C. is a semi-professional rugby league club playing in Workington in west Cumbria. Their stadium is Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team. They became Rugby League Champions in 1951 and ...
25–16, thanks, in no small part, to a hat-trick from wily hooker Jimmy Elston, and, as a result, took their place in
National League 1 National One (last season known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Leagu ...
. Despite fantastic performances from Danny Brough, Jimmy Elston, Frank Watene and the vastly experienced Richard Slater, Dewsbury were relegated the following year. Andy Fisher's position as player coach had become increasingly tenuous and it was felt a new start was needed to get the club heading in the right direction again. The financial constraints the club was under by this point were so great that incumbent chairman Mark Sawyer had suggested that the side would be better suited to "take a year out" to find its feet financially. The club instead opted to field a side made up predominantly of local amateurs and, under new coach Andy Kelly, found the going tough in 2004, as their final lowly league position suggested. Plus points during an otherwise forgettable season were the return to the club of popular second rower Kevin Crouthers and the 15 tries of half back Adam Thaler.


2005–2009: Resurgence

After a season in the wilderness, the club was now ready to stage a fightback. A head turning recruitment drive saw the Rams bring in several local ex-Super League stars in the shape of Francis Maloney, Ryan Sheridan, Darren Rogers and Warren Jowitt. The arrival of such big names galvanised the club and, with further recruitment from the local amateur scene, coach Kelly guided the Rams to a 2nd-place finish. The season ended with a narrow defeat in the divisional play-off final to local rivals Batley which would consign them to another season in National League 2. Despite the campaign ultimately ending in disappointment, Dewsbury had come a long way in just 12 months and hopes were high of going one better in 2007. Happily, these hopes became a reality the following season as Dewsbury clinched promotion to
National League 1 National One (last season known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Leagu ...
, completing a remarkable turnaround for the club. Under Andy Kelly's guidance, with outstanding contributions coming from the returning Frank Watene and veteran Francis Maloney, Dewsbury won 19 of their 22 matches to be crowned champions. The following year Dewsbury consolidated their position in the league above, finishing 7th with Dean Lawford and Josh Weeden the stand-out performers in Dewsbury colours. 2008 began with high hopes following the acquisition of highly rated Australian prop Aaron Trinder,
Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...
international Tere Glassie and Super League full-back Mark Field. The season, however, was blighted with injuries to key players whilst several others did not perform to expectations. Coach Kelly left the club by mutual consent midway through the season with the Rams languishing at the foot of the table. Former fans favourite Warren Jowitt was brought in to try to turn the club's season around. Despite a brief revival, the Rams' fate was sealed with two games remaining and Dewsbury, once again, had to plan for life in the third tier of professional Rugby League in the newly named Championship 1. An end of season clear out of the club's high earners by coach Jowitt greatly reduced the Rams' wage bill allowing him to bring in Rob Spicer from
York City York City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. As of the 2022–23 season, the team compete in the National League, at the fifth tier of the English football league sys ...
, Adam Hayes from
Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...
and several more young, lesser known players. The campaign that followed will long be remembered by Dewsbury supporters. The club winning all 18 league matches, becoming only the second team in rugby league history to do so. Following an outstanding 2009, the club were promoted and began preparing for life in the
Championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...
. In the 2022 RFL Championship, Dewsbury were relegated after finishing second last on the table. Dewsbury managed to win only three games for the entire season.


Stadium

Dewsbury play their home games at the
Tetley's Stadium Crown Flatt, currently known as the Tetley's Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a rugby league stadium in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of the Dewsbury Rams, who play in the Championship. The ground occupies the site of t ...
on Owl Lane in Dewsbury. The current name reflects a sponsorship deal with
Tetley's Brewery Tetley's Brewery (Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd) was an English regional brewery founded in 1822 by Joshua Tetley in Hunslet, now a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire. The beer was originally produced at the Leeds Brewery, which was later renamed the ...
that's been in place since 2005. Previously the ground was known as 'Ram Stadium' and, before that, 'New Crown Flatt'. The stadium was once the site of the Shawcross Colliery, which closed in 1968, and the road is still the starting point for the World Championship in Coal Carrying. The stadium was opened in 1994 and consists of a covered all-seated North Stand opposite a covered all-standing South Stand. It has an official capacity of 3,000, in years past extra space was often utilised on the grass bankings behind both sets of posts in the summer. But as of the 2011 season the grass bankings have been closed to spectators for 'health and safety' reasons. Planning applications were submitted during the latter half of 2012 for a new uncovered terracing area at the Eastern Owl Lane End of the stadium. The terrace was completed in time for Dewsbury's 2015 pre-season campaign.


2022 squad


2022 transfers

Gains Losses


Players


Players earning international caps while at Dewsbury

* Alan Bates (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for ''Great Britain'' while at Dewsbury 1974 * Glenn Bell won a cap for ''Scotland'' while at Dewsbury Rams in 1997 against France * Harry Beverley won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1975 Australia, while at
Workington Workington is a coastal town and civil parish at the mouth of the River Derwent on the west coast in the Allerdale borough of Cumbria, England. The town was historically in Cumberland. At the 2011 census it had a population of 25,207. Locat ...
1979 Wales * Harry Bradshaw won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1953 Other Nationalities won caps for Great Britain while at
Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
(World Cup 1954 Squad 0-caps) * Geoffrey "Geoff" Clark won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1949 Other Nationalities, 1951 Other Nationalities * Leonard "Len" Constance won caps for ''Wales'' while at St. Helens, and Dewsbury 1948…1951 3-caps *
Barry Eaton Barry Eaton (born 30 September 1973) is a Welsh former international rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Doncaster, Wa ...
won caps for ''Wales'' while at 1999…2001 1-cap + 4-caps (sub) * Frank Gallagher won caps for ''England'' while at Batley 1923 Other Nationalities, 1924 Other Nationalities, 1925 Wales (2 matches), 1926 Wales, Other Nationalities, 1927 Wales, while at
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
1928 Wales, and won caps for ''Great Britain'' while at Dewsbury 1920 Australia (3 matches), 1921–22 Australia, while at Batley 1924 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), 1926–27 New Zealand (2 matches) * Nathan Graham won caps for ''Scotland'' while at Bradford Bulls, Dewsbury, Featherstone Rovers, and Batley Bulldogs1998…2004 7-caps + 3-caps (sub) * Jeff Grayshon (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1975 Wales, France, New Zealand, Australia, Australia, 1977 Wales, while at Bradford 1979 Wales, France, 1980 Wales (sub), France, 1981 Wales, and won caps for ''Great Britain'' while at Bradford 1979 Australia (2 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), 1980 New Zealand (2 matches), 1981 France (2 matches), 1982 Australia (2 matches), while at
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
1985 New Zealand (2 matches) * Roy Lambert won caps for ''Wales'' while at Neath, Dewsbury, and Warrington 1950…1952 7-caps * James "Jimmy" Ledgard won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1947 France (2 matches), Wales, while at Leigh 1948 Wales, 1949 France, Other Nationalities, 1951 Wales, France, 1952 Other Nationalities (2 matches), Wales, 1953 Wales, 1955 Other Nationalities, and won caps for ''Great Britain'' while at Dewsbury 1947 New Zealand (2 matches), while at Leigh 1948 Australia, 1950 Australia (2 matches), New Zealand, 1951 New Zealand, 1954 France (2 matches), Australia, New Zealand (World Cup 1954 4-caps, 1-try, 13-goals) * Richard "Dicky" Evison Lockwood won caps for England (RU) while at Dewsbury 1889 New Zealand Natives 2 February 1889 The Spa in Gloucester * Ryan McDonald won caps for ''Scotland'' while at Dewsbury Rams, and Halifax 2001…2005 1-cap + 1-cap (sub) * Joseph "Joe" Mahoney won caps for ''Wales'' while at Oldham, and Dewsbury 1948…1950 5-caps * Daniel "Danny" McKelvie won a cap for ''Scotland'' while at Dewsbury Rams in 1997 against France (sub) * Thomas "Tommy" Milner won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1914 Wales * Gilbert "Gil" Morgan won a cap for ''Wales'' while at Dewsbury 1938 1-cap * Roy Pollard (Son of
Wakefield Trinity Wakefield Trinity is a professional rugby league club in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, that plays in the Super League. One of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, between 1999 and 2016 the ...
's Charles "Charlie" Pollard) won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1949 France, 1950 Wales, and won caps for ''Great Britain'' while at Dewsbury 1950 New Zealand * Bryn Powell won caps for ''Wales'' while at Salford, Featherstone Rovers, and Dewsbury 2004…2006 (5?)6-caps 4(3?)-tries 16(12?)-points * William "Billy" Rhodes won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1921 Wales, Other Nationalities * Harry Royal won caps for ''Wales'' while at Dewsbury 1948 2-caps *
William Stadden William James Wood "Buller" Stadden (1861 –30 December 1906) was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Canton, Cardiff and Dewsbury. Stadden won eight caps for Wales over a period of seven years and is mos ...
1-cap for Wales (RU) while at Dewsbury 1890 * Mike 'Stevo' Stephenson (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for ''Great Britain'' while at Dewsbury in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France, and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, France, New Zealand, and Australia (World Cup 1972 4-caps, 3-tries) * Nigel Stephenson (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1975 Australia * Harry Street won caps for ''England'' while at Dewsbury 1950 Wales (2 matches), France, while at
Wigan Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the north-east and Warrington t ...
1951 France, 1952 Wales, 1953 France, and won caps for ''Great Britain'' while at Dewsbury 1950 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand


Other notable players

These players have either; won the
Rugby Football League Championship The Rugby Football League Championship First Division was the top division of rugby league in England between 1895 and 1996, when it was replaced by the Super League. History 1895–1904: Foundations The first season of rugby league (189 ...
, won the Challenge Cup, received a
Testimonial match A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, particularly in association football in the United Kingdom and South America, where a club has a match to honour a player for servic ...
, were international representatives before, or after, their time at Dewsbury, or are notable outside of rugby league. * Allan Agar (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) * Richard Agar * Greg Ashcroft ex-
Pontypridd RFC Pontypridd Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Pontypridd) are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. They compete in the Indigo Group Premiership, which they won for four consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2015, and ...
(1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) * Kevin Ashcroft * Dennis Bailey * Damian Ball * Maurice Bamford * John Bates (
Testimonial match A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, particularly in association football in the United Kingdom and South America, where a club has a match to honour a player for servic ...
1976) (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) * Nathan Batty *
Luke Blake Luke Blake is a professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Batley Bulldogs in the Kingstone Press Championship The Championship, known as the Betfred Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a professional rugby league competit ...
* Harry Bowen ( RU) 1884 * Danny Brough * Archibald "Archie" Brown * Percy Brown * Austin Buchanan * David "Dave" Busfield * Chris Chapman * Leonard Constance * Bert Cook *
Ged Corcoran Ged Corcoran (born 28 March 1983) is an Irish professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of Ireland and a former professional rugby league footballer. He played at international level for Ireland, and at club level for Halifax in ...
* Kenneth "Ken" Crabtree * Kevin Crouthers * A. Dixon circa-1920 * Sid Domic *
Sean Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angli ...
/
Shaun Shaun is an anglicized spelling of the Irish name Seán. Alternative spellings include Shawn, Sean and Shawne. Notable persons with the given name include: People *Shaun (musician) (born 1990), South Korean musician *Shaun (YouTuber), British vi ...
/ Shawn Dunford * Alan Edwards * Kane Epati *
Mark Field Mark Christopher Field (born 6 October 1964) is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cities of London and Westminster from 2001 to 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as a Minister of State at ...
*
Liam Finn Liam Mullane Finn (born 24 September 1983) is a New Zealand singer and musician. Born in Melbourne, Australia, he moved to New Zealand as a child. He is the son of musicians Sharon and Neil Finn. In 2020, he joined his father's band, Crowded ...
* Andy Fisher *
Adrian Flynn Adrian Flynn () is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played at club level for Wakefield Trinity ( Heritage № 1036), the Castleford Tigers ( Heritage № 720), the Dewsbury Rams, the Featherston ...
* Roy Francis *
Tere Glassie Tere Glassie (born 1 December 1977) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a or in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for the Cook Islands, and at club level for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, ...
* Nathan Graham * Chris Green * Tyssul Griffiths * Harry Hammond 1940/50s *
Vic Hey Victor John Hey (18 November 1912 in Liverpool, New South Wales – 11 April 1995), also known by the nickname of "The Human Bullet", was an Australian rugby league national and state representative and later a successful first-grade and natio ...
* Paul Hicks * Les Holliday * John "Jack" Holt * Sylvain Houles *
David Morgan Jenkins David "Dai" Morgan Jenkins (22 May 1901 – 22 April 1968) was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. As an amateur union player he represented Kenfig Hill, Tre ...
* Hampton Jones (
Forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...
) to
Wakefield Trinity Wakefield Trinity is a professional rugby league club in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, that plays in the Super League. One of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, between 1999 and 2016 the ...
circa-1883 * Warren Jowitt * Brian Kelly (circa-1940s/50s) * Neil Kelly * Richard Kelly * Joe Kirkham/ Joseph Kirkham (to
Featherstone Rovers Featherstone Rovers are a professional rugby league club in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England, who play in the Championship. Featherstone is a former coal mining town with a population of around 16,000 and Rovers are one of the last "smal ...
in 1921) * Chris Langley * Dean Lawford * Arnold "Arnie" Long * Davide Longo * Ryan MacDonald *
Dominic Maloney Dominic "Dom" Maloney (born 12 March 1987), also known by the nickname of "Big Dom", is an English rugby league footballer who has played in the 2000s and 2010s. He has played at club level for the Castleford Tigers (List of Castleford Tigers p ...
* Tony Marchant * David Mycoe * Alwyn Newall
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
1960s * Alfred Newsome (brother of Mark) circa-1883 * Mark Newsome (brother of Alfred) circa-1883 * Adrian Plummer * Evan Rees * Donald "Don" Richardson 256-matches 1976…86 (
Testimonial match A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, particularly in association football in the United Kingdom and South America, where a club has a match to honour a player for servic ...
1986) * Gus Risman * Darren Rogers * E. Rogers circa-1920 * Ron Rylance * Derrick Schofield * Charlie Seeling, Jr Captain circa-1930s son of
Charlie Seeling Charles Edward "Bronco" Seeling (14 May 1883 – 29 May 1956) was a New Zealand international rugby football player of the early 20th century. He played in the forwards for the original All Blacks, appearing in 11 tests including the famous "'' ...
* Andy Speak * Tim Spears * Rob Spicer * Christopher "Chris" Squires (
Testimonial match A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, particularly in association football in the United Kingdom and South America, where a club has a match to honour a player for servic ...
1991) *
William Stadden William James Wood "Buller" Stadden (1861 –30 December 1906) was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Canton, Cardiff and Dewsbury. Stadden won eight caps for Wales over a period of seven years and is mos ...
* William Stocks *
Angus Stuart Angus John Stuart (10 June 1858 – 8 October 1923) also known as Angus Stewart was a Scottish-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and Dewsbury. Although never capped at international level in his own country, in 1888 S ...
*
Mick Sullivan Michael Sullivan (12 January 1934 – 5 April 2016), also known by the nickname of "Sully", was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1970s. He set the record fo ...
circa-1966 * Brian Taylor circa-1965 *
Lance Todd Lancelot Beaumont "Lance" Todd (26 May 1883 – 14 November 1942) was a New Zealand-born rugby league footballer and manager of the early 20th century. As a player, he represented New Zealand in 1907 and 1908 and played in England for the Wiga ...
circa-1914 * Aaron Trinder * Chris Vasey (1983…1988/89 to
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
) * Frank Watene * Steven Watkins * Johnny Wolford *
Edward Rombo Edward Rombo is a Kenyan former rugby union and rugby league footballer. He was one of the few Kenya rugby players to turn professional, when he moved to Leeds Rhinos in 1990. Playing career Rombo was born in 1967 in Nairobi, Kenya. He started ...
Brady of Dewsbury played in The Rest's 5–7 defeat to
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
in the 1901–02 Yorkshire Senior Competition Champions versus The Rest match at Headingley Stadium on Saturday 19 April 1902.Dalby, Ken (1955). ''The Headingley Story – 1890–1955 – Volume One – Rugby''. The Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Co. Ltd ASIN: B0018JNGVM


Past coaches

Also see '' :Dewsbury Rams coaches.'' *
Joe Lyman Joseph Lyman (birth unknown – death unknown) was a professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s, and coached in the 1930s. He played at club level for Featherstone Rovers (who were a "junior" club at the time, s ...
*
Eddie Waring Edward Marsden Waring, MBE (21 February 1910 – 28 October 1986) was a British rugby league football coach, commentator and television presenter. Early life Waring was born on 21 February 1910 in Dewsbury in the West Riding of Yorkshire to Art ...
1943-44 *
Vic Hey Victor John Hey (18 November 1912 in Liverpool, New South Wales – 11 April 1995), also known by the nickname of "The Human Bullet", was an Australian rugby league national and state representative and later a successful first-grade and natio ...
1944-47 * Leonard Constance 1951 * Bert Cook 1958 *
Dave Cox David E. Cox (February 20, 1938 – July 13, 2010) was an American politician from Holdenville, Oklahoma. A Republican, he served as a California State Senator, representing the 1st district from December 2004 until his death in July 2010, and ...
1971-72 * Tommy Smales 1973 *
Dave Cox David E. Cox (February 20, 1938 – July 13, 2010) was an American politician from Holdenville, Oklahoma. A Republican, he served as a California State Senator, representing the 1st district from December 2004 until his death in July 2010, and ...
1975-76 * Les Pearce * Bernard Watson 1980–82 * Ray Abbey 1982–83 * Tommy Smales 1983-84 * Jack Addy 1984–86 * David Busfield 1987 * Terry Crook 1988–89 * Maurice Bamford 1990 * Jack Addy 1991 * Jack Addy 1993 * Norman Smith 1994–95 * Tony Fisher 1995–96 * Neil Kelly 1996–00 *
Roy Sampson Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...
2000–02 * Andy Fisher 2002–03 * Andy Kelly 2003–08 * Warren Jowitt 2008–12 * Glenn Morrison 2012–17 * Neil Kelly 2017–18 *
Lee Greenwood Melvin Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He also plays the saxophone. Active since 1962, he has released more than 20 major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the ''Billboa ...
2019–22 * Paul Sykes (interim) 2022-present


Team mascot

The club's match day and community mascot is Roger Ram. Standing at almost over seven feet tall, dressed in the red, amber and black colours of the team. He can be seen regularly entertaining the crowds, at home games played at the Tetley Stadium. He also attends many of the community events, which take place within the Dewsbury area. Occasionally depending upon the season, he can also be seen with decorated horns including flashing lights. Roger took part in the 2012 Sue Ryder gold cup mascot race at Wetherby race course on 31 May, crossing the line in 15th place. At the same event he was awarded the 1st-place trophy for best mascot in parade and a £50 cheque which he donated to Sue Ryder cancer care. Roger intends to better his placing in 2013 when he will return to compete again for the mascot gold cup.


Seasons


Super League era


Honours

Major titles Other titles


Records


Team records

*Biggest victory: 90–5 vs Blackpool Gladiators on 4 April 1993 *Biggest defeat: 82–0 vs
Widnes Widnes ( ) is an industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2011 census had a population of 61,464. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form th ...
on, 30 November 1986 *Highest attendance: **Crown Flatt: 26,584 vs Halifax in the Yorkshire Cup on 30 October 1920 **
Tetley's Stadium Crown Flatt, currently known as the Tetley's Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a rugby league stadium in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of the Dewsbury Rams, who play in the Championship. The ground occupies the site of t ...
: 4,068 vs.
Bradford Bulls The Bradford Bulls are a professional rugby league club in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, playing in the Championship. They have won five Challenge Cups, six league championships and three World Club Challenges. The team jersey is predom ...
on 6 April 2015


Individual records

*Season **Goals: 170 by
Barry Eaton Barry Eaton (born 30 September 1973) is a Welsh former international rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Doncaster, Wa ...
in 2000 **Tries: 40 by Dai Thomas in 1906/07 **Points: 398 by
Barry Eaton Barry Eaton (born 30 September 1973) is a Welsh former international rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Doncaster, Wa ...
in 2000 *Match **Goals: 13 *** Greg Pearce vs Blackpool Gladiators on 4 April 1993. *** Francis Maloney vs Hunslet Hawks on 25 March 2007 **Tries: 8 by Dai Thomas vs Liverpool on 13 April 1907 **Points: 32 by Les Holliday v Barrow on 11 September 1994 *Career **Appearances: 454 by
Joe Lyman Joseph Lyman (birth unknown – death unknown) was a professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s, and coached in the 1930s. He played at club level for Featherstone Rovers (who were a "junior" club at the time, s ...
(1913 to 1931) **Goals: 863 by Nigel Stephenson (1967–78 and 1984–86) **Tries: 144 by
Joe Lyman Joseph Lyman (birth unknown – death unknown) was a professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s, and coached in the 1930s. He played at club level for Featherstone Rovers (who were a "junior" club at the time, s ...
(1913 to 1931)


See also

* Boxing Day Challenge: The annual friendly against local rivals
Batley Bulldogs Batley is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. Batley lies south-west of Leeds, north-west of Wakefield and Dewsbury, south-east of Bradford and north-east of Huddersfield. Batley is part of the ...


Notes


References


External links

*
Dewsbury Rams Fans ForumDewsbury Rams TV dedicated highlights serviceNational League website
{{West Yorkshire Sports Teams Rugby clubs established in 1898 English rugby league teams