1980–81 Fulham RLFC season

April 2022 1980-81 black white; border:solid red 1px Second Division 1980–81 RFL season 3rd 20 0 7 447 237 Challenge Cup First Round 0 1 Chairman Ernie Clay Player Coach Reg Bowden Reg Bowden Craven Cottage 7345 15,013 vs. Leeds Mal Aspey - 16 Iain MacCorquodale - 75 Iain MacCorquodale - 171 _chevron_redwhitered 000000 000000 000000 000000 000000 _blackborder _chevron_blackwhiteblack _blackborder FF0000 FF0000 FF0000 FF0000 FF0000 FF0000 FF0000 None 1981-82 yes List of London Broncos seasons The 1980-81 Fulham RLFC season was the first in the club's history. They entered into the 1980–81 Second Division of the Rugby Football League. They also competed in the 1980–81 Challenge Cup and the 1980–81 League Cup. They finished the season in 3rd place and were promoted to the top tier of professional rugby league in the UK. Birth of Fulham RLFC In 1980, Fulham Football Club chairman Ernie Clay set up a rugby league team at Craven Cottage, with the intention of creating another income stream for the football club. Warrington director Harold Genders, who had helped to persuade Clay of the benefits of starting a rugby league club in the capital, resigned from the Warrington board to become managing director of Fulham R.L.F.C. The Rugby Football League (RFL), keen to encourage the expansion of the sport beyond its traditional Northern heartland, accepted the new club with 26 clubs voting in favour, with three abstentions at the League's AGM.Huxley John Howes David Encyclopedia of Rugby League Football 1980 Robert Hale London 0709181337 One of the game's leading players, Reg Bowden, was recruited by Genders to act as player-coach. He cost the club £25,000 at a time when the world record transfer fee was £40,000.Farrar Dave Lush Peter From Fulham to Wembley 2000 London League Publications London 978-0952606444 The club's first signing was Roy Lester on a free transfer from Warrington. Within nine weeks, Genders and Bowden had assembled a team of experienced players approaching retirement, together with a few promising youngsters. Nearly 10,000 Londoners turned up for the opening game at Craven Cottage to see the newly formed side convincingly beat highly regarded Wigan 24–5. The new Fulham RL team quickly proved to be very competitive and went on to win promotion at the end of their inaugural season. Second Division League Table ClubPWDLPFPAPts1York282305649331462Wigan282035597293433Fulham282008447237404Whitehaven281918409250395Huddersfield281819429310376Swinton281819440302367Keighley2814113445501298Hunslet2813114447430279Bramley 28131144334182710Rochdale Hornets28130154064182611Batley28120163864322412Dewsbury28111163463642313Doncaster2850232505621014Blackpool Borough284123212419915Huyton2820262117964  Champions  Play-offs  Promoted  RelegatedGenders Harold The Fulham Dream 2000 London League Publications London 978-0952606499 Players Name Appearances Substitute Total Appearances Tries Goals Drop Goals Points Dave Allen 23 2 25 4 0 0 12 Mal Aspey 23 4 27 16 0 0 48 Harry Beverley 22 0 22 2 0 0 6 Reg Bowden 28 1 29 4 0 0 12 Adrian Cambriani 26 0 26 13 0 0 39 Joe Doherty 5 1 6 0 0 0 0 David Eckersley 25 2 27 12 5 10 56 Chris Ganley 19 0 19 8 0 0 24 Tony Gourley 21 3 24 1 0 0 3 Martin Herdman 7 6 13 2 0 0 6 David Hull 25 1 26 2 0 0 6 Tony Karalius 20 2 22 2 0 0 6 Roy Lester 15 8 23 3 0 0 9 Iain MacCorquodale 28 0 28 6 75 3 171 Graham Moss 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 Derek Noonan 18 0 18 4 0 0 12 Carl Radbone 9 0 9 2 3 0 12 John Risman 18 4 22 3 0 0 9 Peter Souto 4 7 11 1 0 0 3 Neil Tuffs 7 7 14 3 0 0 9 Ian van Bellen 20 3 23 4 0 0 12 John Wood 23 2 25 4 0 0 12 Graham Worgan 2 0 2 0 0 0 0Gains & Losses Results Date Competition Opposition Venue Result Score Attendance 14.09.1980 Second Division Wigan Home Win 24-5 9554 21.09.1980 Second Division Keighley Away Loss 24-13 3027 28.09.1980 Second Division Swinton Home Win 25-11 5589 05.10.1980 Second Division Blackpool Away Win 2-15 906 12.10.1980 Second Division Huddersfield Home Win 30-7 5971 19.10.1980 Second Division Doncaster Away Win 16-28 672 26.10.1980 Second Division York Home Win 23-5 7159 09.11.1980 Second Division Bramley Home Win 10-7 5405 16.11.1980 Second Division Dewsbury Away Win 7-9 2500 23.11.1980 John Player Trophy Round 1 Leeds Home Win 9-3 12,583 30.11.1980 Second Division Wigan Away Loss 15-2 8100 07.12.1980 John Player Trophy Round 2 Leigh Away Loss 17-9 7606 21.12.1980 Second Division Hunslet Home Win 19-5 5629 28.12.1980 Second Division Batley Home Win 15-5 6237 04.01.1981 Second Division Whitehaven Away Loss 6-0 4235 11.01.1981 Second Division Rochdale Home Loss 8-24 6162 18.01.1981 Second Division Bramley Away Win 11-21 1750 25.01.1981 Second Division Huyton Home Win 25-4 5805 01.02.1981 Second Division Hunslet Away Win 11-12 1842 08.02.1981 Second Division Swinton Away Loss 13-9 3550 15.02.1981 Challenge Cup round 1 Wakefield Trinity Home Loss 5-9 15,013 01.03.1981 Second Division Blackpool Home Win 8-0 4715 08.03.1981 Second Division Keighley Home Win 24-3 5285 15.03.1981 Second Division Huyton Away Win 3-19 500 22.03.1981 Second Division Dewsbury Home Win 16-4 5258 29.03.1981 Second Division York Away Loss 15-10 7351 05.04.1981 Second Division Whitehaven Home Win 15-0 6707 12.04.1981 Second Division Batley Away Loss 10-8 3250 16.04.1981 Second Division Rochdale Away Win 5-19 2750 19.04.1981 Second Division Huddersfield Away Loss 8-3 2435 20.04.1981 Second Division Doncaster Home Win 37-11 5867 01.05.1981 Challenge Bradford Home Win 20-8 11,926Farrar Dave Lush Peter Touch and Go: A History of Professional Rugby League in London 1995 London League Publications London 978-0952606406 References External links Rugby League Project Category:London Broncos seasons London Broncos season Fulham RLFC season Fulham RLFC season London Broncos season Fulham RLFC season Fulham RLFC season