A Brief Falcons' History
By Falcon1 (2003)
August 12 2003
Falcon1 has written a brief and totally unofficial history of Newcastle Falcons, we want to add to this section, so if you have a favourite match or past player you'd like to see "immortalised" then send us your contributions!
Club History
Founded : 1877 (as Gosforth Football Club)
Official Club Name : The Newcastle Falcons RFC
The name 'Falcons' reflects the origins of the current club as one of the 'Sporting Club' portfolio that Sir John Hall attempted to establish in Newcastle. Beginning with the football team, nicknamed the Magpies, he established the Newcastle Eagles (basketball) and the Newcastle Falcons (rugby) – Sir John may have moved on but the name remains!
Brief History:
Gosforth Football Club was founded in 1877 and over the years established itself as a top English rugby club, providing a great many players to the international scene. In 1990 the club became Newcastle Gosforth.
By 1995, however, the club was struggling to survive at the foot of Division One. An approach to Newcastle United and Sir John Hall led to the club being taken under the wing of The Sporting Club and the appointment of Rob Andrew as Director of Rugby. With these changes came an eventual split with the Gosforth section of the club and the creation of the Newcastle Falcons based at Kingston Park. Sir John Hall gave Rob the target of creating a winning squad within five years.
In fact the Newcastle Falcons shot to the top of the Allied Dunbar Premiership after only two years under the management of Rob Andrew, Dean Ryan and Steve Bates. A series of astute signings of big names and a policy of development of younger players, saw promotion to the Premiership in 1996/1997. In their very first season in the top flight, the Falcons won the Premiership, taking everyone by surprise. The 1998/1999 season saw the departure of Sir John and the take over by another local businessman with a long standing interest in the game, Dave Thompson.
The second major success for the Newcastle Falcons came in 2000/2001 when they won the Tetley Bitter Cup, defeating Harlequins in the final
Club Honours
As Newcastle Falcons RFC
2001 : Tetley Bitter Cup Winners and Middlesex Sevens Runners-Up
2000: European Shield Semi-Finalists
1999: Tetley Bitter Cup Runners-Up
1998: Allied Dunbar Premiership Champions and European Shield Quarter-Finalists
1997: Allied Dunbar Premiership Division Two Runners-Up
As Gosforth Football Club and Newcastle Gosforth RFC
Courage League Division Two Champions – 1993
Pilkington Cup Winners – 1976 and 1977
John Player Cup Runners Up – 1981
RFU Northern Merit Table Winners - 1977 and 1981, Runners Up in 1978 and 1982
Middlesex Sevens – Runners Up 1977
Sunday Telegraph Pennant Winners – 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1977
Northumberland Senior Cup – Winners on 30 occasions between 1928 and 1994 (including every year from 1971 to 1983) and Runners Up in 9 other seasons
Northumberland Senior Shield – Winners on 14 occasions between 1954 and 1994
Northumberland Junior Cup – Winners on 16 occasions between 1921 and 1995
Northumberland Junior Shield – Winners on 20 occasions between 1895 and 1993
Northumberland Junior Trophy– Winners 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1995
Northumberland County Sevens – Winners 1957, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1972, 1974, 1982 and 1991
Journal Trophy – Winners 1976, 1977, 1978, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1995