Stockton RFC: Difference between revisions

With Scott Powell servingserves as director of football whereasrugby. Mark Skirving, Robert Green, [[Geoff Parling]] and Shaun McLaren are the other members of the coaching staff, their most recent league finish was fifth out of fourteen participating teams in the [[Durham/Northumberland 1#Participating Clubs 2019-20|2019–20 season]]; the season was abandoned prior to the season's conclusion due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19 outbreak]]. The club currently runs six senior teams, four academy teams, six junior teams and three women's teams.<ref name=teams>{{cite web|url=https://www.stocktonrugby.co.uk/teams/|title=Stockton Rugby Club teams|publisher=[[Pitchero]]|accessdate=1 December 2019}}</ref>

During the late 1980s, Stockton were well known for having a fantastic young team; during this time, they gained three promotions within four seasons to the division now known as the [[North Premier]].<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=https://www.stocktonrugby.co.uk/news/great-article-team-photo-on-stockton-rfc-in-journa-429014.html|title=Great article (& team photo) on Stockton RFC in Journal 15 Nov|publisher=Stockton RFC Website|accessdate=14 March 2020|date=15 November 2011|last=Wilson|first=Terry}}</ref> Stockton remained in that league for ten years and during the 1990s won the [[Durham County RFU Senior Cup]] five times in seven times, which included a run which saw Stockton win this competition for three consecutive seasons.<ref name=history/> Stockton won the [[North 1 East#North Division 2|North Division 2]], now known as [[North 1 East]], in the 1990–91 season.<ref name="Wharfedale League Tables">{{cite web|url=http://www.wharfedalerufc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/League-Tables.xls|title=Sheet1 - Wharfedale|website=Wharfedale RUFC|publisher=Wharfedale RUFC|accessdate=19 December 2019}}</ref> When that league was named [[North 1 East#North Division 1|North Division 1]], Stockton finished as runners-up in the 1994–95 season, failing to win promotion.<ref name="Wharfedale League Tables"/> Following the introduction of professionalism to rugby union, Stockton suffered hugely: the club maintained amateur status whilst other clubs began to pay their players in bids to rise to the top (Stockton did not pursue this simply because they did not have the money to do so), this in turn led to many key players departing for brighter things.<ref name=history/>

The 2010s have been more exciting and promising times for Stockton: their league finishing positions have always been reasonable though it was there major ground move that was most notable.<ref name=grangefield/> They moved to The Grangefield Ground, in a partnership with nearby Stockton Cricket Club and [[The Grangefield Academy]] school: the playing pitches and indoor changing room facility (which includes a [[state-of-the-art]] [[sports hall]]) are situated behind the school whereas the clubhouse and two junior rugby pitches are situated across the road at the cricket club.<ref name=grangefield>{{cite news|url=http://www.dnrugby.com/index.php?topic=1017.0|title=Stockton RFC have moved from Norton to Grangefield|publisher=[[Durham County Rugby Football Union]]|date=2 August 2015|accessdate=1 December 2019}}</ref> In October 2019, the club leased a 5-acre site with existing pitch drainage and changing facilities, providing 6 pitches and a floodlit training pitch.<ref name=facebook>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pg/stocktonrugby/posts/|title=Stockton Rugby Club - Posts|publisher=[[Facebook]]|accessdate=1 December 2019}}</ref> The changing rooms and newly- marked pitches were available for usage from 31 October onwards.<ref name=facebook/> This new site is located behind the existing pitches.<ref name=facebook/>

In April 2020, Stockton appointed Scott Powell, Mark Skirving and Robert Green as the coaching staff ahead of the 2020–21 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Fb98eJFAs/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/B_Fb98eJFAs |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=Stockton RFC (@stocktonrugby) on Instagram — Post of New Coaching staff|access-date=6 July 2020|date=17 April 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Further appointments followed, as Shaun McLaren – a former first team player of the club and strength and conditioning coach for the [[Great Britain national rugby league team]] – joined the team as well as a high-profile [[Geoff Parling]] – a notable product of the club's youth system who went on to be capped by [[England national rugby union team|England]] during his professional playing career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CAQX3Z6B2T8/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CAQX3Z6B2T8 |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=Stockton RFC (@stocktonrugby) on Instagram – Post of Geoff Parling's appointment|access-date=6 July 2020|date=16 May 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2015, Stockton departed Norton, relocating to [[The Grangefield Ground]], a newly- constructed [[state-of-the-art]] sporting complex, located in [[Grangefield, Stockton-on-Tees]].<ref name=grangefield/> This move allowed Stockton to become more involved within the local community, as they entered into a partnership with Stockton Cricket Club and [[The Grangefield Academy]].<ref name=grangefield/> Currently, the ground includes six rugby union pitches (1 of which is valid to use for [[Gaelic football]] matches, though this has never occurred), an [[association football]] pitch, a training complex (which includes four changing rooms and a multi-purpose sports hall) and another changing room complex.<ref name=facebook/>

The club's youth system is currently considered as one of the best in the [[North East England|North East of England]].<ref name=history/><ref name=web/> Stockton currently runs an academy set-up which includes an under-16s, under-15s, under-14s and under-13s.<ref name=web/> After an academy players concludes his season with the under-16s, he goes on to play for the "Colts" side, the youngest senior team.<ref name=web/> The Colts team is currently referred to as "Teesside Colts" (they are merged with [[Middlesbrough RUFC|Middlesbrough]] and Acklam) due to low numbers with all three clubs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stocktonrugby.co.uk/teams/27746|title=Stockton RFC Colts|accessdate=14 March 2020}}</ref>

Furthermore, the club runs a "midi" section, which includes an under-12s, under-11s, under-10s, under-9s, under-8s and under-7s.<ref name=web/> The midi players are occasionally mascots and "[[ball boy]]s" at [[Newcastle Falcons]] matches.<ref name=web/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B40iMvjhK2x/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/B40iMvjhK2x |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=Stockton RC (@stocktonrugby)|publisher=[[Instagram]]|access-date=14 March 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

A notable player who came through the Stockton youth system is [[Geoff Parling]], a local rugby player who went on to play for [[Newcastle Falcons]], [[Leicester Tigers]] and [[Exeter Chiefs]].<ref name=history/> Parling has been capped for [[England national rugby union team|England]] on 29 occasions, and was selected for the [[British and& Irish Lions]]' [[2013 British and& Irish Lions tour to Australia|tour to Australia in 2013]].<ref name=history/>

|align=left|G. Naisbitt ||27 ||1997–19941987-1994

|align=left|J. Good ||Northumberland|Notts,Lincs & Derby| 6|| 1999–2004

[[Category:English rugbyRugby union teams in England]]