Club History

It was in 1966 that a few brave souls banded together in an attempt, thankfully successful, to reform a Rugby Club in Wetherby. There had been rugby played by Wetherby Town prior to the Second World War, but the reformation took 20 years to occur. The new club prospered rapidly, probably helped by the closure of the Tadcaster club, as early reports in the press indicate some of the former Tadcaster players playing for Wetherby.

After a brief spell at Lime Kiln Lane, a ground was obtained at Loshpot Lane and a new base was put down when the clubhouse was acquired some years later in 1971.

Loshpot Lane Club-House, as painted by Clive Wilson

The clubhouse, a former RAF billet was obtained from Cumbria, was erected and this building remains substantially as it was at that time.

In 1986, there was some rumour in the Town that Headingley had been invited to play at Grange Park; this famous old Club had had a multimillion pound offer for their ground and were looking for an alternative place to develop. The alternative Wetherby location suggested was Grange Park, but they subsequently declined to make the move. This followed a meeting some years earlier held in 1982 in Wetherby's Town Hall, when it was voted that the Rugby Club should move to a site on Spofforth Hill at Hill Top Farm. Opposition to the planning application that went in for this site by Leeds City Council, denied the Club the opportunity to make that move, and probably ended any possibility of the Club ever finding a home actually within the town itself.

So, with the apparent availability of Grange Park, contact was sought with Wetherby Cricket Club and in February 1987 an inaugural meeting of the Grange Park Project Committee was held. This was a Committee comprising equally of Wetherby Cricket Club and Wetherby Rugby Club Members, and through their efforts and the enormous amount of support from Sponsors and local people, the new facilities at Grange Park were established.

And so it was that Wetherby played their first game at Grange Park, recording a 20-17 league victory against Burley