Newcastle Thunder
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Club information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Newcastle Thunder Rugby League Football Club | ||
Nickname(s) | Thunder | ||
Short name | Newcastle | ||
Colours | ![]() | ||
Founded | 1999 (as "Gateshead Thunder") | ||
Website | thunderrugby.co.uk | ||
Current details | |||
Ground(s) |
| ||
Chairman | Semore Kurdi | ||
Coach | Eamon O'Carroll | ||
Captain | Bob Beswick | ||
Competition | RFL Championship | ||
2020 season | 3rd (League 1) | ||
Uniforms | |||
| |||
Records | |||
Challenge Cups | Quarter finalists (2009) | ||
League 1 | 1 (2008) | ||
Most capped | 234 - | ||
Highest points scorer | 449 - Benn Hardcastle |
The Newcastle Thunder are a professional rugby league club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. They play in the Betfred Championship competition, the second tier of rugby league in the United Kingdom. They play their home matches at Kingston Park, also home to rugby union side Newcastle Falcons. The club was known as Gateshead Thunder until 2015.
History[]
The club was formerly known as Gateshead Thunder, and played their home games at Gateshead International Stadium in Gateshead. The club was formed by supporters of the original Gateshead Thunder after that organisation made the decision to relocate to Hull at the end of the 1999 season.[1] The new club entered the Northern Ford Premiership for the 2001 season, however they struggled to compete, and eventually finished 17th out of the 19 clubs.[2]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Kingston_Park_-_3_-_geograph-1813910.jpg/220px-Kingston_Park_-_3_-_geograph-1813910.jpg)
Gateshead continued to struggle in the following season, finishing bottom of the league in 2002.[3] When the Northern Ford Premiership was split into two divisions for the 2003 season the club joined National League Two, and again finished in the bottom two, being kept off the bottom only by new entrants London Skolars.[4] The club's fortunes began to improve in 2005, a seventh-place finish being enough to gain a first ever place in the play-offs, before losing to Workington Town in their first ever play-off game.[5] The club again finished seventh in 2006, but went on to lose 46–18 to Featherstone Rovers in the play-offs.[6]
In 2008 the club won its first silverware, finishing the season as League 1 champions.[7] As champions, the club were promoted to the Championship, and avoided on-field relegation by finishing seventh under coach Steve McCormack [8] Thunder's joy at securing a second season in the second tier was however short-lived, as the club was wound up following a dispute between the directors. A new company was formed to continue the club, however the club had to restart as a Championship 1 side, effectively being relegated for the 2010 season.[9]
Gateshead Thunder were taken over by the owners of rugby union side Newcastle Falcons in 2015.[10] The club was rebranded as Newcastle Thunder and applied for permission to use Kingston Park in Newcastle as their home ground.[11]
Further silverware was earned in 2016, when Newcastle defeated North Wales Crusaders to win the League 1 Shield[12]
On 10 December 2020 Thunder were promoted to the Championship by a committee to replace Leigh Centurions who were, in turn, promoted to Super League to replace Toronto Wolfpack, who went out of business. The Thunder will play in the 2021 Championship season.[13]
Kit manufacturers and sponsors[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Gateshead_thunder_shirt_2009.png/150px-Gateshead_thunder_shirt_2009.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ac/Gateshead_Thunder_logo.png/220px-Gateshead_Thunder_logo.png)
Years | Kit Manufacturer | Main Shirt Sponsor |
---|---|---|
1999 | Avec | Northern Electric & Gas |
2000-2001 | exito | none |
2004-2005 | Halbro | Halbro |
2006 | Nike | none |
2010 | XBlades | GMC Transport Limited |
2011-2012 | Puma | |
2013 | Stag | Jack Coupe and Sons |
2014 | Gateshead College | |
2015 | Impact | Gizmowizard |
2016 | Errea | Greene King IPA |
2017 | ISC | |
2018-2019 | Tyne Metropolitan College | |
2020- | Macron |
2021 squad[]
First team squad | Coaching staff | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
|
Head coach Assistant coach
Updated: 16 March 2021 |
2021 transfers[]
![]() | This section does not cite any sources. (February 2021) |
In
Player | Club | Contract length | Date |
---|---|---|---|
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Castleford Tigers | 1 Year | November 2020 |
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Wigan Warriors | 1 Year | November 2020 |
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Warrington Wolves | 1 Year | November 2020 |
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Widnes Vikings | 1 Year | November 2020 |
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Bradford Bulls | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Wigan Warriors | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Wakefield Trinity | Season Loan | December 2020 |
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Warrington Wolves | Season Loan | December 2020 |
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Wigan Warriors | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Wigan Warriors | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Warrington Wolves | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Widnes Vikings | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Widnes Vikings | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Huddersfield Giants | 1 Year | February 2021 |
Out
Player | Club | Contract length | Date |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Keighley Cougars | 1 Year | August 2020 |
![]() |
Salford Red Devils | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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Widnes Vikings | 1 Year | December 2020 |
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N/A | March 2021 | |
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N/A | March 2021 |
Players[]
Notable former players[]
Past coaches[]
Also see Category:Newcastle Thunder coaches
- Andy Kelly (2001-2002)
- Dean Thomas (2005-2006)
- Dave Woods (2006)
- (2009)
- Steve McCormack (2009)
- Richard Pell (2010-2011)
- Stanley Gene (2013-2014)
- Simon Finnigan (2019-2020)
- Eamon O'Carroll (2020–present)
Records[]
- Correct to September 2017 [14]
Player records[]
- Most tries in a match: 5 by vs London Skolars 22 June 2003
- Most points in a season: 246 by Chris Birch, 2005
- Most career tries: 64 by , 2001-2013
- Most career goals: 137 by , 2001–2004
- Most career points: 365 by Paul Thorman, 2001–2004
Team records[]
- Biggest win:
- 98-6 v.
West Wales (at Kingston Park Stadium, 23 September 2018)
- 98-6 v.
- Biggest defeat:
- 132-0 v.
Blackpool (at Memorial Stadium, 16 May 2010)
- 132-0 v.
Attendance records[]
- Highest all-time attendance:
- 6,631 v.
Bradford (at Gateshead International Stadium, 16 May 1999)
- 6,631 v.
Seasons[]
Season (As ![]() |
League | Challenge Cup | Other competitions | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | Play-offs | ||||
Northern Ford Premiership | 28 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 346 | 990 | 4 | 17th | Did not qualify | R4 | |||
Northern Ford Premiership | 27 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 338 | 1108 | 1 | 18th | Did not qualify | R3 | |||
National League Two | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 365 | 663 | 7 | 9th | Did not qualify | R3 | |||
National League Two | 18 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 298 | 715 | 2 | 10th | Did not qualify | R3 | |||
National League Two | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 516 | 508 | 17 | 6th | Lost in Elimination Playoffs | R3 | |||
National League Two | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 547 | 540 | 22 | 7th | Lost in Elimination Playoffs | R3 | |||
National League Two | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 381 | 692 | 21 | 11th | Did not qualify | R4 | |||
National League Two | 22 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 767 | 415 | 59 | 1st | N/A[a] | R3 | |||
Championship | 20 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 4610 | 657 | 32 | 7th[b] | Did not qualify | QF | |||
Championship 1 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 236 | 1232 | -2 | 11th | Did not qualify | R3 | |||
Championship 1 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 268 | 1094 | 2 | 10th | Did not qualify | R4 | |||
Championship 1 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 276 | 824 | 5 | 10th | Did not qualify | R4 | |||
Championship 1 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 356 | 542 | 20 | 7th | Did not qualify | R3 | |||
Championship 1 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 615 | 576 | 36 | 4th | Lost in Semi Final | R3 | |||
Season (As ![]() |
League | Challenge Cup | Other competitions | ||||||||||
Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | Play-offs | ||||
Championship 1 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 555 | 552 | 22 | 8th | Did not qualify | R4 | |||
2016 | League 1 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 404 | 368 | 15 | 9th | Won in Shield Final | R3 | ||
League 1 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 459 | 328 | 18 | 6th | Fifth in Super 8s | R4 | |||
2018 | League 1 | 26 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 841 | 520 | 28 | 8th | Did not qualify | R4 | ||
2019 | League 1 | 20 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 741 | 364 | 29 | 3rd | Lost in Play-off Final | R4 | 1895 Cup | R2 |
League 1 | League abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic | [c] | R6 | ||||||||||
Championship | 20 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 431 | 627 | 15 | 11th | Did not qualify | R3[d] | 1895 Cup | R1 |
Honours[]
- Winners (1): 2008
- Winners (1): 2016
- Winners (1): 2008
Juniors[]
Newcastle Thunder run player development programmes for U12 through to U16's
Thunder also run a U16 Scholarship side and an U19 Academy side that play in the Super League U19's structure
The 2018 u16 team has seen wins against London Broncos, Widnes Vikings and Leeds Rhinos and the u19's picking up an early season win against Wakefield Trinity
Notes[]
References[]
- ^ "Club History". Newcastle Thunder. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
- ^ "2001 Season". Cherry & White (RLFans). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
- ^ "2002 Season". Cherry & White (RLFans). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "2003 Season". Cherry & White (RLFans). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "2005 Season". Cherry & White (RLFans). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "2006 Season". Cherry & White (RLFans). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "Newcastle Thunder". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "McCormack joy as Thunder survive". BBC Sport. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- ^ "Gateshead rescue bid gathers pace". BBC Sport. 26 October 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- ^ "Newcastle Thunder to soar under new ownership, predicts Brian Carney". Evening Chronicle. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
- ^ "Newcastle Thunder: Gateshead rugby league side relocates". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ^ "Sunday 18th September 2016 Match Report". Rugby Football League. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "Thunder awarded Championship place". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "Records and Honours". Newcastle Thunder. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "Newcastle Thunder to join Betfred Championship in 2021". www.rugby-league.com. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
External links[]
- Rugby league teams in Tyne and Wear
- English rugby league teams
- Rugby clubs established in 1999
- 1999 establishments in England
- Gateshead Thunder
- Sport in Newcastle upon Tyne