UK Rugby League Quiz : 20th Century

Here are a few questions you may be interested in answering. The answers appear below. All of the questions are confined to the 21st century only.

Questions:

1) Which club had the longest continuous participation in the Super League grand finals (division one), without promotion or demotion?

2) Which club had the longest continuous presence in the Championship (division two), without promotion or relegation?

3) Which club had the longest continuous presence in League One (division three), without promotion or demotion?

4) Which Club has reached the Challenge Cup quarter finals more often than any other.

Answers below.

Picture source: Hull FC.

Answers: 

1) St Helens. They have been in every finals series going back to the year 2000. Wigan are the closest, having missed out twice, in 2005 and 2006. 

2) Batley. They entered for the 2002 season and have been there up to and including 2024. Halifax ran them close but their first year was 2004. 

3) London Skolars. They were part of this league every year from 2003 to 2023, when they demoted themselves to a regional league. No other side comes close in terms of uninterrupted participation. 

4) Wigan. 21 cup quarter final appearances. St Helens and Warrington have managed 20 each. Wigan didn't miss more than one year in succession and that consistency makes them top of this list. 

UK League One Attendances : 2022-24

Trying to collate attendance numbers for the UK's third division or League One is not easy. Clubs come and go as do the number of teams competing. In 2022, there were eleven sides, 2023 ten and 2024 nine. This issue is being addressed, with eleven clubs in 2025 and twelve in 2026 which is the number being targeted.

The Total figure below is the total average of all clubs. The average figure is the Total figure divided by the number of clubs participating. 

Six clubs have been present over the three years. Oldham had a huge increase in 2024 and Rochdale slightly less overall but nice growth. Midland has also gained. Cornwall started in 2022 and a honeymoon first year held up well in 2023. For 2024 only two game's attendances were provided and the average is based on them. Has it really crashed that much?

Keighley went up a division for 2023 and came straight back down but fewer attendees in 2024. The London Skolars dropped to a lower regional division and West Wales ended I believe. Newcastle also came down a division and is doing it tough. They too provided few attendance figures so again estimates for the missing fixtures have been applied. 

League One has lost funding in recent times and they have done well to adapt and survive. Getting more sides into the league will hopefully reduce the byes that were used in 2024.

Picture source: Oldham RLFC.

UK Clubs Ranked : 1960/1 - 2024

I have created here a history of the top performing clubs in UK Rugby League. To the left are the top six clubs, two each from Lancashire (green), Yorkshire (blue) and Cheshire (red). 

They are scored 6,3,2,1 for the top four league placings. The Challenge Cup 6 and 3 for the finalists. The finals 6,4,2 and 2 for the last four. For winning the World Club Challenge, the UK's top club against Australia's, 4 points. 

There are other points for defunct competitions, the Regal Trophy 4 and 2. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Cups plus the BBC Floodlight Trophy 3 and 1. I could have scored them all three and one but rated the Regal Trophy slightly higher. 

Scoring it slightly higher favoured Wigan as it happens but I'm not a fan of any club in particular so completely impartial. 

In 2024, Wigan scored 22 points, 18 in the UK and four in the World Club Challenge. Warrington and Hull KR 7 each, Leigh 2 and Salford 1. 

To the left is the complete list of successful clubs, divided into regions. Yorkshire is the leading region (43.1%), thanks in part to having the most clubs but also some top club contributions.

Lancashire is next (41.1%), closing in on the top spot for a region, based on the two most successful clubs in Europe. 

Cheshire (13.3%) has only two clubs but both have delivered, Warrington the one of late. France (1.4%) arrived in 2006, Cumbria (0.5%) has seen better days and the South barely registering via London.

UK SL Final Series: 2024

The final eight were brought together to see who would be good enough to win the grand final trophy. Wigan had already won the World Club Challenge, Challenge Cup and finished top of the league so hot favourites to do the domestic treble (international quadruple). However, any side could win the grand final.

Brief history: Over the previous ten years, St Helens had won it five times, Wigan three times and Leeds twice. Leeds last won in 2017, Saints 2022 and Wigan 2023 so the current holders going into the 2024 competition.

First round: Wigan and Hull KR got a bye for finishing in the top two places in the league. The other four played sudden death matches. Leigh prevailed over a dogged Salford 14-6 and Warrington snatched a 23-22 victory over an improved Saints, coming back from being 4-16 down and getting the crucial one pointer in extra time. 

Semi finals: Wigan gave neighbours Leigh a lesson in finals football with a comprehensive drubbing to the tune of 38-0. Meanwhile, Hull KR took a 10-0 lead into the break and was nearly run down in the second half but got home 10-8. I thought then that KR was a notch below Wigan.

Grand final: Held at the famous Old Trafford Football ground, Wigan took a 7-0 lead at half time and went on to take it 9-2. I thought the difference in the score may have been wider but it was a close but in a way decisive victory for the Warriors.

The highlights for the match can be seen by clicking here.

UK Championship League : 2024

The fourteen team UK division two will be thirteen next year as the numbers of teams between this division and the one below it (League One) are brought closer together. So what happened this year?

Most of the top six from last year were back again, the exceptions were Widnes replacing Sheffield and demoted Wakefield replacing promoted London. Doncaster and Dewsbury came up from League One with the former doing well in a higher division but the latter going straight back down. 

Wakefield Trinity dropped from the Super League, a division it had been in since 1999. The new owner (from the end of 2023) is focused on revitalising the club and it is already looking promising for an immediate promotion back to SL. Trin' emphatically won the league with only the playoffs standing between them and a Super League return. 

Toulouse Olympique were hot favourites for promotion in 2023 but a shock result put the London Broncos through and now they will probably have to get past Trinity this year in the decider. Of course, other top six clubs may have a say in that yet. 

The Swinton Lions hosted Hunslet (from League One) to see if one or two sides from League One are promoted and whether two or three sides are relegated to League One. Swinton took a 10-0 lead but in an exciting match, Hunslet came back to win the match 22-20. That sends two League One clubs up and three drop from the Championship. 

UK League One Finals : 2024

 The third division of Rugby League in the UK has concluded with the finals completed and now that the dust has settled, let's see what happened. 

The league winner (Oldham) was automatically promoted to the Championship (division two). The teams from second to sixth battled it out for a playoff match with the third to last Championship side. One less team is going up than coming down to even up numbers between the two. 

First round: In this protracted series, the second placed side Keighley Cougars got a bye while third to sixth got down to business. In the eliminator match, Midlands Hurricanes narrowly saw off Workington Town 24-22 while the have another life game (as I call it) was won by the Rochdale Hornets 30-18. 

Second round: In the eliminator match Hunslet were victors 18-14 over Midlands while the have another life game went to Keighley 26-22 at the expense of Rochdale. 

Semi final: Hunslet and Rochdale went head to head to see who would make the final, with Huslet somewhat comfortable winners 46-26. 

Final: At last the final League One match. Keighley may have had two byes (or rest weeks) leading up to the game but that didn't prove decisive as they went down 6-20 to Hunslet. The highlights can be seen by clicking here.

Hunslet took on the Swinton Lions (from the Championship) to see if one or two sides from League One are promoted and whether two or three sides are relegated to League One. Swinton took a 10-0 lead but in an exciting match, Hunslet came back to win the match 22-20. That sends two League One clubs up and three drop from the Championship. That's a sizable percentage movement considering the number of teams in each league. 

NRLW (Women's) Competition : 2024

Ten teams competed in the 2024 competition, the same as the previous season. Below we see the league standings for the regular season of nine matches. Those shaded blue made the playoffs.

There were some unusual runs. League victors lost their first two games, then won the next seven. Cronulla won their first six then lost the last three. Finally the Wests Tigers lost their first seven before taking the last two. 

Three of last year's finalists returned in 2024. Cronulla replaced the disappointing Titans as the only new side to progress. 

Semi finals: Brisbane has competed in all seven seasons so far and they hosted second season Conulla. It was the seven match winning streak team at home taking on the three match losing run side. Cronulla overcame all that to record a 14-0 victory.  

The other game pitted the Sydney Roosters against last year's league/grand final double winner the Newcastle Knights. Neither league nor grand final ring this time as they went down 16-25. 

Grand Final: It looked like the Sharks had bitten off more than they could chew. When they walked into the sheds at half time, it was 24-0 to the Roosters who were cruising nicely. It was a game of two halves as the Sharks mounted a spirited fightback. 

In the end they had left themselves too much to do and the Roosters prevailed 32-28. The Sharks can be proud of their effort in their first finals series and will presumably learn much from the experience. 

You can see brief highlights by clicking here. 

The Roosters added another grand final win to the one they secured in 2021. They lost the final in 2020 so the adage you have to lose one to win one will no doubt inspire the Sharks women's side.

NRL Men's Finals Series : 2024

The top eight teams in Australasia battled for the coveted grand final victory. This is how it unfolded,

First round: The top four sides met with the winners earning a bye and the other two going into knock out games the following week. The top two finishers in the league got the bye, that is the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers. Fifth to eighth faced knock out games, the Manly Sea Eagles and North Queensland Cowboys progressing in tight contests. 

Quarter Finals: The Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks dusted themselves down after their first round losses and progressed at the expense of the previous round's winners. This meant the top four from the league made the semi finals.

Semi Finals: The top two from the league showed why they earned those places as they were clearly the two best clubs in the competition. It set up a hard to pick grand final.

Grand final: Penrith had been to the last four grand finals, losing in 2020 and winning the last three held. Could they make it four in a row? In contrast, Melbourne defeated the Panthers in their last grand final in 2020 but failed to make an appearance since.

It proved to be a tight, absorbing final with Penrith deservedly prevailing in the end but only just, 14-6. Melbourne took the lead midway through the first half but that proved to be their only scoring for the night. Gradually the Panthers came back and then got in front and held on for an incredible fourth straight grand final victory. 

You can watch brief highlights of the final by clicking here.

Women's UK SL: 2024

The women's game at the top level in the UK had two groups of six teams with the top sides in 1 and the lesser sides in 2. They both had a finals series but it was effectively two divisions masquerading as one. This year, they are now treated as two distinct divisions. Here is the Super League elite division comprised of eight teams.

League: Fourteen games were played by each side, the final rankings as seen below. The top four then moved into the playoffs. There is a clear distinction between the top four and lower four with the top tier having a very positive points difference as opposed to fifth and below. 

St Helens proved a cut above the rest with a solitary loss in the opening game with York. Leeds and York were on a par and Wigan being just below them for games won if not on points difference.

PS. Featherstone took on the Leigh Leopards to decide which team would play in the elite division in 2025. Leigh won convincingly 34-16 to replace Rover at the top level of the sport.

Finals:  There were two close encounters in the semi finals with Saints too good for Wigan and York just edging Leeds, showing how close those two clubs are in terms of standard. It's good to see Yrok Valkyrie doing so well, a club not in the top tier of the men's game. 

For highlights of the semi between Saints and Wigan, click here. For Saints news page: click here. Picture source: St Helens RLFC. For York Valkyie news and video highlights, click here.

The grand final had favourites Saints up against York. York won the gf last year but through the season, they had been overshadowed by Saints. However, the Valkyrie were the better side and deservedly took their second title 18-8. 

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats League Placings : 2000-24

A club with a long, proud history going back to 1895 when the game began. Unfortunately, it's been some time since silverware graced their hall of fame cabinet. In the year 2000, local lad and former player Andy Kelly was ending a four year role as coach, replaced in 2001 by John Harbin. He stayed a season then moved on. Peter Roe passed through briefly and a dual partnership with Shane McNally and Adrian Vowles became must the former and he helped the side to respectable 2004 result. 

On his sacking Tony Smith came in before he was shown the door and John Kear got the poisoned chalice, I mean coaching job. He remained for a colossal 153 games and had some success too in 2009. The club went into administration in 2011 and Richard Agar emerged as the coach for 2012.  A wooden spoon and a revolving door policy for coaches resumed before local man Chris Chester was appointed. 

One issue that wouldn't go away was Wakefield trying to get a better ground to play at. It became a long running saga with one proposal after another biting the dust. Finally, for the 2023 season, a substantial upgrade to the ground commenced. 

The disappointing reality the club came last in the league and automatic relegation to the championship resulted. It could argued the club has been dicing with this for some time as the Manhattan below shows. Still, when they do return, they will have a stadium worthy of that status. 

In late 2023, Matt Ellis became the new owner and it seems that a bright future awaits the club. Of course, time will tell but the fans are optimistic. 

London Broncos League Placings : 2000-24

Rugby league in London has been an interesting journey. It's been a disruptive nomadic life, played in a city that for the most part doesn't know it exists, yet developing young talent as well. It's no longer in the elite Super League as seen below but still has a small but dedicated following. The club was called Harlequins RL between 2006 and 2011.

The coach back in 2000 was John Monie, who did a one year stint after finishing at Wigan. He was replaced by another Australian, Tony Rea who had concluded his playing career in London and been a temporary dual coach for a brief time in 1999. This first period as full coach lasted six seasons and 153 matches. It was a reasonably successful time with the Broncos getting to as high as 4th in the League. 

Brian McDermott arrived for his first top flight coaching job. He finished the last few games in 2006 and continued until 2010 when he departed after a slide in fortunes wasn't arrested. His replacement, Rob Powell came out of relative obscurity to take on the job. 

Despite spending heavily in 2012, results didn't match expectations and Tony Rea stepped in at the end of the season and for the next two seasons. The slide continued as the club was relegated from the top flight in 2014, ending 19 consecutive years at the top. One season back in 2019 under Danny Ward ended with a return to the Championship. He did remarkably well with the squad that he had at his disposal. 

The issue the club faced was where to play in the future as they were informed that the ground they were using would stop them from gaining re-entry into Super League if given the opportunity. That is still being worked out. Some things never change. 

London shocked just about everyone when winning promotion to SL. It was the worst result for IMG who had this year as a transition into more than on field performance being the sole reason for being in SL. London simple doesn't qualify so were going down even if not finishing last. Coach Mike Eccles had his work cut out motivating his squad. 

They retained a Championship (division two) squad too and after some expected hidings, put out some competitive performances and all but avoided coming last. The owner has now come out and said he wants to sell and buyers look thin on the ground. It may finally signal the end of top flight RL in the capital. Thanks for the ride London Broncos.  

Hull FC League Placings : 2000-24

Yet another original side from 1895, Hull FC with a nickname of the All Blacks which has long since fallen into disuse. The ground was on Airlie St so the nickname Airlie Birds came into vogue. In modern times the moniker Sharks was chosen but didn't last long for whatever reason. It's a club that has rarely hit great heights despite a strong following, recent cup wins were their main claim to success. 

Shaun McRae was the coach from 2000 to 2004 with solid league placings during that time. John Kear arrived and the league table results looked OK but a poor start to the season in 2006 had Peter Sharp appointed. He went through the same situation as John Kear and was replaced by Richard Agar. 

Peter Gentle lasted a couple of years as coach before Lee Radford came in for 190 games in charge. 2016 brought a league leader's shield to the club as well as Challenge Cups for 2016 and 2017. He was let go in 2020 and a caretaker coach filled in until Brett Hodgson came onboard in 2021. Quite a good 21st century with a few poor seasons. 

Unfortunately, the last three seasons will have disappointed the faithful. Brian Smith was unable to work any magic to get more out of his charges than he did. Simon Grix stood in until John Cartwright arrives from Australia for the 2025 season. 

The equal poorest result over the century and the fact that the only side that finished below them had a Championship quality squad which showed them up at times too. 2025 will hopefully bring some relief for the faithful.

Castleford Tigers League Placings : 2000-24

The Castleford Tigers (or Cas as they are affectionately referred to) have been around since 1926. There was a team in the town earlier but not connected to the current iteration. Even the current entity was apparently around prior to 1926 but only went professional then. The trophy cabinet hasn't needed to be that large as the club has only ever experienced fleeting glory.

The 21st century commenced with a sound 5th place but descended into relegation in 2003. A season back in 2006 was not productive and with the Catalan club exempt from demotion Cas took its place. Back in 2008 and last again but spared another yo-yo type drop with licencing deciding who plays in the elite competition. 

Mercifully for the fans, when relegation was reintroduced, Cas' hasn't become a victim of that scenario. Under the guidance of coach Daryl Powell, a much better Manhattan skyline can be seen in the graph below. 2017 even brought a league title and grand final appearance to the club. This was his last at the club as he moved to the Warrington Wolves in 2022.

Lee Radford came and went with Andy Last taking the reigns for 2023. The club was looking over its shoulder most of the season, hoping that dreaded relegation would be avoided and so it was...just. Craig Lingard took charge of the 2024 season. 

The last (pun not intended) few years have been poor with results declining and unless something is done to arrest that, it may be heading south sooner rather than later. 

Huddersfield Giants League Placings : 2000-24

Huddersfield was a founding Rugby league club back in 1895. In fact, the meeting that led to the formation of the game started in this very city, at the George Hotel. You can read about the historic Hotel becoming a national RL museum by clicking here. 

The Giants are a team that came back in the early noughties but recently receded again. In the year 2000, the club had been merged with the Sheffield Eagles. This ill-fated venture thankfully only lasted one season, with John Kear being the coach. From 1998 to 2001, there was no promotion-relegation so Huddersfield had a reprieve. 

Back as the Huddersfield Giants, they took on coach Tony Smith in 2001 and tried to rebuild. Relegation followed but they remained fully a professional club and were back in 2003 and stayed there. Tony Smith left for Leeds and in came Jon Sharp. Four years of reasonable placings came to pass but his position was terminated during the 5th season with a poor 10th placing.

Nathan Brown took charge in 2009 and a much improved 3rd placing was achieved. The club won the Club of the Year, Coach of the Year and Man of Steel award. The next three years witnessed a slight annual decline in the finishing position. The coach lost his post and in came Paul Anderson. This resulted in the club winning its first league leader's shield in 81 years. 

Just when things were going so well, it all turned to custard in 2016 with a bottom placing. Rick Stone was then made the new coach and results improved but not that much. Out he went and in came new coach Simon Woolford but it didn't really lift things. He resigned and was replaced by Salford's Ian Watson. 

Since then, things have been up and down. The squad they have should have done better but if they can recruit well then who knows. The town is not a RL stronghold by any means and it is generously assisted by its owner, without whom the club may have left the elite league years ago. Currently, Luke Robinson is the manager, replacing Ian Watson late in the season after a poor run of results.

Leeds Rhinos League Placings : 2000-24

One of the original clubs to form the game of Rugby league, they took the word Rhinos as late as 1996. Perhaps their most successful period came during the earlier part of the period here under discussion. The year 2000 had Dean Lance at the helm but was soon replaced by Daryl Powell who took the club to the second spot on the table. He was relieved from his post to make way for Tony Smith.

That ushered in a five year spell where the team didn't finish below third place and were top in 2004. They also won the grand final twice, in 2004 and 2007. This after years of being in the trophy wilderness. Then in came Brian McLennan who took a second consecutive grand final in 2008. In 2009, the league title was theirs. Brian then resigned to return to New Zealand.

Another Brain Mc arrived in the form of McDermott. League form started to slip but two grand final victories were attained in 2011 and 2012. Heady stuff. A Challenge Cup in 2014 was the only silverware for a couple of years, before achieving the league, cup and grand final treble in 2015. 

After that, retirements of some key players hurt them and consistency eluded the club. 2017 was an exception with a second in the league and a grand final in the bag. After a poor 2018, Brain McDermott was relieved of his post and David Furner reigned for a brief spell before Richard Agar took the coaching role. 

Rohan Smith took charge until recently and it didn't go to plan. The fans will be hoping that Brad Arthur and the others brought in to improve coaching and recruitment will sort things out. The problem is that while the current squad is solid, it lacks the class required to test the best teams going around. Not a bad skyline in the early part of the century when they were the team to beat but lately less than stellar. 

Catalan Dragons League Placings : 2000-24

The Catalan Dragons are a club based in the city of Perpignan located in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the south of France. The club was formed in the year 2000 with a merging of XIII Catalan and AS Saint-Estève (which is just outside Perpignan). 

On gaining entry into Super League in 2006 they were given a three-year exemption from relegation. That proved a life-saving and sensible initiative as the club came last in its first year. It picked up after that but was spared relegation again in 2010 when from the year previous there was an increase to fourteen teams, licencing, and a temporary cessation of relegation.

The first coach was Michael Potter who did rather well with the new team. He was named Super League coach of the year in 2008. He moved on and was succeeded by Kevin Walters who despite the team just squeezing into the top eight, got to within one game of the grand final. 2010 wasn't so good and he returned home to Australia. 

Another Australian arrived as coach in Trent Robinson. As a fluent French speaker, he worked to create a more local flavour into the club, one with several overseas players. He also had two French assistants in Laurent Frayssinous and Jérôme Guisset which would have helped that process. Robinson was named the Super League coach of the year in 2011 but he then went back to Australia. 

Laurent Frayssinous took over as head honcho from 2013, with modest results culminating in a poor season in 2017 costing him his position. In came Yorkshireman Steve McNamara who had spent some time in Australia as an assistant coach. I had misgivings about the appointment but he fashioned a team that steadily improved each season. They won the league in 2021 and nearly replicated that two years later. 2024 was a downer and he needs a better 2025 to restore the fan's faith. 

St Helens RLFC League Placings : 2000-24

This is a club that owns the league like no other. This is the most successful side in the league over the time of the graph below and before. How could another team match that sea of red? So much so that coming third is almost an anticlimax. A foundation Rugby league club in 1895, early success largely eluded it but from the mid 1950's it got into gear. 

Throughout the 21st century, it hasn't had a duff season. 6th in 2017 must have seemed like a disaster to fans. For all the success, the number of coaches the club has had is a surprise, Ian Millward was the longest serving. Overall the league titles, grand final appearances and cup finals are too numerous to itemise here, suffice to say they were plentiful. Kristian Woolf and Paul Wellens have maintained the high standard one could expect. 

On the subject of current coach Wellens, no one could be more passionate about the club than he is but was lacked experience when he took the helm. However, winning the World Club Challenge over a crack Penrith (Australia) side gave the 2023 season a kickstart. Some indifferent form followed but they soon hit their straps and went close to winning the league title. As you would expect.

Now having completed their second year of Paul Wellens as coach, the direction isn't good. Is he the issue or are there other issues affecting their usually high standard of success? Probably both but either way he was fortunate to get another year at the helm. Another year below expectations will definitely be one too many.  

Leigh Leopards League Placings : 2000-24

The Leigh township is within metropolitan Wigan and Greater Manchester. The population is just over 40,000 but supporters presumably come from beyond the town too. Its Super League participation would best be described as sporadic and that's being kind. 

It had a pop in 2005 and then again in 2017 and 2021, all ending in relegation. The 2017 season didn't have automatic relegation for the lowest place in the league but a playoff system that worked against the club in that instance. 

The club took the name Centurions in 1995 and Leopards as late as 2022. They go under the nickname Leythers which applies to people from the town of Leigh. Apparently, it's due to their pronunciation of Leigh as Ley. 

Its most recent foray has been extremely successful with two 5th placings under Adrian Lam. He also led the club to its first trophy in over 50 years when they won the 2023 Challenge Cup. So I've placed Leigh here in a series on SL Clubs in the top flight league in the UK although their lack of participation made it a touch and go decision. 

Salford Red Devils League Placings : 2000-24

Salford was a tad late to the RL party only joining in 1896. This was after being suspended by the Rugby Union for professionalism and then demoted to the bottom of the RU Lancashire League. The 1930's was the club's golden era, considered the best side in the game at the time. Salford was the first club to be invited to tour France in late 1934 to promote Rugby league in the country. They won all six matches in style so the French Press gave them the name Les Diables Rouges (The Red Devils).    

The 21st century hasn't been without issues for the club, perhaps even lucky to be playing in the elite division. I won't mention all the coaches as they have had quite a few. The noughties started with decline and relegation in 2002. Back in 2004 with Karl Harrison as coach they had a few OK seasons but down again in 2007. 

Back up in Super League after a year in the Championship wilderness, they lasted four seasons before a return trip down again. Back again in 2009, they repeated the pattern except they got a reprieve in that while coming last in 2013, relegation had been temporarily suspended. Several more years of survival and a couple of good seasons have been the club's lot since. 

In 2012, the club moved from its long-term residence at The Willows to the Salford City Stadium. While a much improved facility, it wasn't as convenient for locals to attend and away supporters who travel there complain on forums about how difficult it is to access. It seems this lack of convenience has hurt attendance numbers.

At the beginning of 2013, it was made public that there was a winding-up notice against the club. Successful businessman Marwan Koukash stepped in and took the club over. His style of operation was different from other owners, which at times led to his being criticised. He left the club in 2017, handing ownership back to the fans after failing to get more supporters turning up to watch matches. The following year, he wrote off a debt owed to him by the club. 

From 2022 Paul Rowley has done a fine job of keeping the club competitive on a relatively small budget. They can't quite match it with the best sides over a season but during his three year tenure they have been weIl above the relegation scrap. Their fan base is steadily growing too. 

Warrington Wolves League Placings : 2000-24

The Warrington Club is the only one to be in the top flight every year since the game's inception in 1895!  The team is referred to as The Wire due to the industrial process of wire drawing the town was once famous for. The mascot Wolfie was very popular and involved with some clever gags. Despite that history, winning titles has been somewhat elusive. There is a joke among RL fans that this will be Warrington's year. 

Darryl van der Velde was concluding a four year coaching spell in 2000, replaced by Steve Anderson. That lasted 16 matches, as he was then replaced by Paul Cullen who was a long serving player at the club. That brought some stability and improved league placings. A poor run of results ended his 104 game tenure in 2008.

James Lowes was in charge for all of 16 games before being replaced by Tony Smith. That appointment went on for 225 matches through to 2017. It was a very successful period with a league win in 2011 and three second place results. 

Steve Price is the incumbent coach but leaving at the end of the season. He has overseen over 100 games and solid league results. Daryl Powell is moving over from Castleford to replace him. It was hoped silverware would come with the change. Would 2022 be Warrington's year?

In fact, it was a poor result followed by a bright start to 2023 only to have another less than stellar season. The forward pack seemed to be where the issue lay which if you don't get right in RL will always be the problem.

A new coach for 2024 in the form of Sam Burgess has proven a success. At his peak, in my opinion the best forward in the game but being able to use that experience and turn it into a successful coaching career isn't always possible. He was unproven at this level so it was a gamble but it has paid off so credit to the club for taking the chance. 

Hull Kingston Rovers League Placings : 2000-24

The club from Kingston upon Hull on the east side of the city came into Rugby league a few years after its inception. Nicknamed The Robins due to their colours of red and white, success at lifting silverware has largely eluded them. The end of the 1970's and up to the mid 1980's was their moment in the sun. 

In this series, Hull KR wasn't in the top flight until 2007, when under the coaching of Justin Morgan they finally cracked the big time. His 178 game tenure was a successful run as they not only stayed up but also achieved some decent league finishes. After his departure, Craig Sandercock took over but was replaced as the downward trend started.

Chris Chester tried to resurrect the club's fortunes but while not coming last, the playoff series employed at that time had them demoted to the Championship. Tim Sheens took the reigns but poor results were now part of the norm. Tony Smith then tried to do something but after a wooden spoon in 2020 (but without relegation), things improved. 

However, the club parted company with Tony, and in came Wille Peters who has lifted the club to its best finish since 2009. They also made the cup final in 2023 and second in the league in 2024 so happy times for the eastern side of Hull.

Wigan Warriors League Placings : 2000-24

The club from Wigan in Lancashire has a record second to none in UK Rugby league. It has also produced many fine players as well. In the 21st century, it has maintained a record of success as well. Despite that record, they went through a few coaches in the noughties although not always of their doing. 

In the year 2000, the coach was Frank Endacott who was completing a spell from 1999. He was Super League coach of the year in 2000 but was sacked in 2001, such is the life of a sports coach. Stuart Raper took over until during the 2003 season but decided to return home to Australia. 

Mike Gregory then had a year before sickness tragically cut that short. Denis Betts also had a year but had to make way for Ian Millward who had left St Helens. In 2005, Wigan missed the SL playoffs for the first time and after a poor start to 2006 Millward was sent on his way. Brian Noble came in and got the club out of relegation trouble and generally steadied the ship. He then decided to depart at the end of 2009.

Michael McGuire came in for the 2010 season and they won the league for the first time in ten seasons. he was named SL coach of the year for his efforts. After another successful season, he chose to return to Australia. Local lad Shaun Wane took the reins for 2011 and had a reasonably good run until he decided to move on at the end of the 2018 season after winning the grand final. He won the league in his first year as coach but couldn't manage that again. 

Former Wigan and PNG international player Adrian Lam took over in 2019 on a temporary basis and then became the permanent head coach. The success of the club continued with a league title in 2020. The incumbent coach Matt Peet has continued the success of his predecessors, the 2023 and 2024 league titles confirming that. 

Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024 (Summary Including Catalan & Huddersfield)

For a sport that mainly straddles the M62 motorway across the north of England, the attendances are acceptably good. Little was done top spread the word but the game found its way to NZ and Australia, the France, PNG and islands of the Pacific. Some tried to stop the game, usually Rugby Union sympathisers that often viewed Rugby League the same as Catholics viewed Protestants, rebels that should return to the fold.

The game has also lacked a governing body tasked with the job of spreading the word. Two professional competitions basically have run the game and have focused on their own success rather than the game's greater good internationally. Some moves are afoot to change that but unless an international board has reasonable finance, it is stymied in its efforts.

So this series has looked at the best attended clubs in the UK, all professional and part of the top division of the sport. It took a fair bit of time to put together but I think it was worth it, seeing as there is little in the way of attendance data available on the Internet. I have presented it in a way I thought best and attendance statistics can be accessed by clicking on labels to the right with the word attendance.

Finally, I thought I would add two clubs that are presently Super League clubs that didn't meet the criteria I set for the series.

Catalan Dragons. Average 8,451.

The side from the south of France has held on to top flight status for 17 seasons now. It has at times been a struggle but has always found a way. The attendances over the years have been consistent. They were joined by another French side in 2021 so a local derby was be enjoyed. That lasted one year.

Huddersfield Giants. Average 5,691.

Rugby League came into existence at a meeting held in this town in 1895. Success for the club at the highest level has been elusive, but it is now enjoying its 20th consecutive season in the top division. The past three decades have seen crowd growth although the last few seasons have been disappointing. A planned move to a more suitable stadium may be a catalyst for growth in attendance.

Covid didn't allow the years 2020 and 2021 to be included.

Others in the series can be seen by clicking on the following rankings:

1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th, 7th & 8th, 9th & 10th, 11th & 12th. 

Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024 (11th & 12th Salford & London)

The series "Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024" looks at which clubs have the highest attendances but also the evolution that has occurred over the period. A club must have been in the top flight for at least half of the seasons and featured in each decade to be considered. The Lancashire club Salford Red Devils and the London Broncos are featured. The green column is annual averages and the blue column is the average over each decade.

11) Salford Red Devils. Average 4,122.

While they have been mostly in the top division, the Salford club has consistently had relegation to deal with. They have bounced back with haste which is to their credit. The introduction in Super League has helped crowd numbers, to the tune of 20.7%. It may be associated with the city of Manchester but is a small club that battles to retain its top flight status. A nice, recent upturn in spectators is welcome.



12) London Broncos. Average 3,391.

In the city of London, this nomadic club is barely noticed. It has not settled into an area but kept moving, often losing supporters in the process. SL brought an average increase of 15.7%. It is important to have a presence in London, where much youth development has taken place but its future is currently in doubt. Even if the club survives, will it ever be in SL again?

In the chart, London in particular has spent a fair bit of time in a lower division, Salford on occasion too. That doesn't affect the average as only years that the team was in the top flight competition count. The seasons of 1982 and 1984, the London based team was known as Fulham. Covid didn't allow the years 2020 and 2021 to be included.

Others in the series can be seen by clicking on the following rankings:

1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th, 7th & 8th, 9th & 10th, Summary. 

Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024 (9th & 10th Are Widnes & Wakefield)

The series "Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024" looks at which clubs have the highest attendances but also the evolution that has occurred over the period. A club must have been in the top flight for at least half of the seasons and featured in each decade to be considered. We continue with the clubs Widnes Vikings from Lancashire and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats from Yorkshire.

9) Widnes Vikings. Average 5,844.

Widnes had some great sides years ago but of late haven't managed to maintain that standard. That's reflected in a tiny 3.6% increase in crowd numbers since the introduction of Super League. It is now out of the top flight and not looking like making it back anytime soon.

10) Wakefield Trinity. Average 4,978.

In the 80's and 90's there were some periods where they were relegated from the top echelon. However, the past 20 years have been much better. In the SL era, attendances have been up 23%, which isn't as good as I would have expected, given the improved on field performance. A loss of work in the area within this time frame may not have helped. It was relegated from SL in 2024 but should be back soon.

In the chart, both sides missed some seasons due to being in a lower division. That doesn't affect their averages as only years that the team was in the top flight competition count. The green column is annual averages and the blue column is the average over each decade. Covid didn't allow the years 2020 and 2021 to be included.

Others in the series can be seen by clicking on the following rankings:

1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th, 7th & 8th, 11th & 12th, Summary.

Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024 (7th & 8th Are Hull KR & Castleford)

The series "Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024" looks at which clubs have the highest attendances but also the evolution that has occurred over the period. A club must have been in the top flight for at least half of the seasons and featured in each decade to be considered. We continue with Hull KR and the Castleford Tigers, both from Yorkshire.

7) Hull KR. Average 7,077.

It's a club that's had its ups and downs on the field as we can see. However, no one could question the support of its fans. The Robins represent the east side of the city of Hull (we've already had the west side story). Since Super League was introduced, crowds have been up 39%. Success in 2024 has them humming although it's attendance is a good estimate.

8) Castleford Tigers. Average 6,244.

With a 40,000 population, Cas' boxes well above it's weight regarding people through the gate. Over the past 40 odd years, it has had a strong following but still managed to add 41% to the attendance average since SL was introduced. I can't help but feel it has hit a ceiling and retaining its strong support would be the goal of the Tigers. Maybe this is as good as it gets.

In the chart, Hull KR was in a lower division for quite a few years, Castleford less so. That doesn't affect the average as only years that the team was in the top flight competition count. The green column is annual averages and the blue column is the average over each decade. Covid didn't allow the years 2020 and 2021 to be included.

Others in the series can be seen by clicking on the following rankings:

1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th, 9th & 10th, 11th & 12th, Summary.

Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024 (5th & 6th Bradford & Warrington)

The series "Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024" looks at which clubs have the highest attendances but also the evolution that has occurred over the period. A club must have been in the top flight for at least half of the seasons and featured in each decade to be considered. We continue with the Bradford Bulls from Yorkshire and the Warrington Wolves from Lancashire.

5) Bradford Bulls. Average 8,789.

Crowd numbers were poor back in the Bradford Northern days of the early 80's. They were renamed the Bulls for the Super league era, which due to the clubs immediate success and popularity was called Bullmania.  The post-Super League era has seen numbers up 122%! Unfortunately the club got into financial difficulty and is no longer playing in the top flight.

6) Warrington Wolves. Average 7,416.

Also known by the nickname The Wire due to the wire drawing industy the town was associated with. Like Bradford, attendees back in the 80's was much lower than now. The club has been in the elite division for all of the past 40 years without filling the trophy cabinet. Still, the numbers has consistently grown but took a dip in 2022 due to performing poorly. The SL-era has realised an 87% increase.

In the chart, Bradford has missed the last seasons due to being in a lower division. That doesn't affect the average as only years that the team was in the top flight competition count. The green column is annual averages and the blue column is the average over each decade. Covid didn't allow the years 2020 and 2021 to be included.

Others in the series can be seen by clicking on the following rankings:

1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 7th & 8th, 9th & 10th, 11th & 12th, Summary. 

Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024 (3rd & 4th Are Hull FC & St Helens)

The series "Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024" looks at which clubs have the highest attendances but also the evolution that has occurred over the period. A club must have been in the top flight for at least half of the seasons and featured in each decade to be considered. We continue with the clubs just below the top, Hull FC from Yorkshire and the St Helens RLFC from across the Pennines in Lancashire.

3) Hull FC. Average 9,492.

The club was successful in the early 80's but slipped away badly and was out of the top division for three consecutive seasons. They came back and as far as attendances are concerned, are similar to what they were achieving nearly 40 years ago. The crowd numbers have been very consistent in recent times. The post-Super League era has seen numbers up 40%. 

4) St Helens RLFC. Average 9,308.

A very successful club and along with Wigan, Saints have been the most successful club on the field. Off it, the fans have grown solidly. Each decade have produced an increase. The move to SL has produced a 43% gain. Looking at the number of spectators back in the early 80's, the growth has been impressive. Has it reached its zenith yet?

In the chart, Hull FC missed three seasons due to being in a lower division. That doesn't affect the average as only years that the team was in the top flight competition count. The green column is annual average and the blue column is the average over each decade. Covid didn't allow the years 2020 and 2021 to be included.

Others in the series can be seen by clicking on the following rankings:

1st & 2nd, 5th & 6th, 7th & 8th, 9th & 10th, 11th & 12th, Summary. 

Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024 (1st & 2nd Wigan & Leeds)

The series "Best Attended UK Clubs : 1981 - 2024" looks at which clubs have the highest attendances but also the evolution that has occurred over the period. A club must have been in the top flight for at least half of the seasons and featured in each decade to be considered. We start with the top two clubs, the Wigan Warriors from Lancashire and Yorkshire's Leeds Rhinos. Please note 2020 and 21 are missing due to covid restrictions.

1) Wigan Warriors. Average 12,693.

The club dominated UK RL prior to the Super League era and had the best crowds as a result. They have still enjoyed much success since but the crowds haven't swelled. The increase from pre-SL to that period is just 4.6%, much lower than the average. The recent increases from 2018 are a good sign.

2) Leeds Rhinos. Average 12,343.

Back in the pre-SL era, crowds weren't that good but grew by an impressive 51.0% since SL was introduced. The last three years show it is the best supported club for 2024. Attendance for this decade so far is down slightly on the previous two decades.

In the chart, Wigan missed the first season due to being in a lower division. That doesn't affect the average as only years that the team was in the top flight competition count. The green column is annual averages and the blue column is the average over each decade. Covid didn't allow the years 2020 and 2021 to be included.

Others in the series can be seen by clicking on the following rankings:

3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th, 7th & 8th, 9th & 10th, 11th & 12th, Summary.