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Hull FC

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Hull FC is a professional rugby league club formed in 1865 and based in Hull. They were one of the founder members of the Northern Union which was formed in 1895. Later that year they moved to the Hull Athletic Club's ground at the Boulevard, Airlie Street, which gave rise to their nickname "The Airlie Birds". Traditionally people from the west side of Hull supported Hull FC while Hull Kingston Rovers were supported by the east half, the 'border' usually being regarded as the River Hull. The club reverted back to their former name of Hull FC in 1999, after Hull (then known as Hull Sharks) merged with Gateshead Thunder after both clubs ran into financial difficulties.

Contents

History

The club was formed by a group of ex-schoolboys from York, who had been at Rugby school, in 1865. The club immediately took on members who were plumbers and glaziers.

The club moved into the Hull Athletic Club at the Boulevard, and subsequently played their first ever match in September of that year. 8,000 people turned out to witness the first club's match.

The early years of the Northern Union saw Hull prosper, and their famous black and white irregular hooped jerseys became one of the most famous and feared strips in the League. Between 1908-10, Hull lost three consecutive Challenge Cup Finals, and has in fact lost in more major finals than anyone else.

In 1913 they paid a world record £600, plus £14 per match, to Hunslet for Billy Batten. A year later the Airlie Birds won their first Challenge Cup, beating Huddersfield in the semi-final and Wakefield Trinity in the final. In 1920 Batten was once again key in Hull's first ever Championship final, scoring the only try in the 3-2 victory over Huddersfield.

The early 1920s were bittersweet years for the club. In 1921 Hull won the Yorkshire Cup but lost the county championship, both against rivals Hull Kingston Rovers. Hull couldn’t match the successes of 1914, losing a further two consecutive cup finals in 1922-23 to Rochdale Hornets and Leeds respectively, but they managed to win the Yorkshire Cup and finish top of the league.

After the second world war, Hull won two Championship in three years, beating Halifax in 1956 and Workington Town in 1958. These two triumphs healed the wound of two successive Yorkshire Cupfinal defeats in 1955 and 1957. They lost in two further Challenge Cup finals to Wigan and Wakefield in 1959 and 1960. All these reverses, when one hand had been grasping so many trophies, gave Hull a steely resolve and a thirst for success.

With the coaching appointment of Arthur Bunting Hull FC began a period of dominance. Returning to the top flight undefeated in 1978-79, the Airlie Birds lost the 1980 Challenge Cup final against Hull KR 10-5 and have never won at Wembley since. In 1982, Hull, crushed by Widnes in the Premiership final, avenged the defeat with an 18-9 Challenge Cup replay win.

Kingston Communications Stadium.
Enlarge
Kingston Communications Stadium.
Hull eventually won the league in 1983 and also reached the Premiership final, the Challenge Cup final and the Yorkshire Cup final, but the latter trophy would be their only reward from the three finals. The signing of Australian Peter Sterling maintained Hull’s strength, and Bunting’s men went to their third successive Yorkshire Cup, but were edged out in arguably the greatest ever Challenge Cup final by Wigan at Wembley Stadium in 1985with a score of 28 to 24 in Wigans favour. A number of subsequent coaches, such as Brian Smith and Noel Cleal failed to deliver consistent success. Hull lost the Premiership final in 1989 to Widnes, but two years later returned to beat them at Old Trafford.

When the Super League was formed, it was suggested that Hull should merge with Hull Kingston Rovers to form 'Humberside'. This was resisted but the club changed its name to Hull Sharks. It is unclear who came up with the 'Sharks' as a nickname but for a nautical city it was a fairly obvious choice.

The old 'Hull Sharks' logo
The old 'Hull Sharks' logo
The club did not join the Super League until 1997. Hull and Gateshead Thunder merged at the end of 1999, after the owner of the two clubs could not afford to keep both afloat and Hull reverted to their original name, Gateshead later reforming as a new club but retaining the Thunder tag. Ex-St Helens and Gateshead Thunder coach Shaun McRae was at the helm from 2000 up to 2004.
After 107 years at the Boulevard Hull moved in January 2003 to a £44m state-of-the-art council-owned Kingston Communications Stadium, more commonly known as the KC Stadium. They are joint tenants at the stadium alongside city's football team: the two teams have priority use at the stadium at the end of each sport's season, thus Hull FC receive priority during the early part of the football season, the situation being reversed at the early part of the rugby season. Shaun McRae left the club to return to Australia at the end of the 2004 season; he was replaced by former England coach John Kear, who had previously been McRae's deputy.

In his first season at the club, Kear led Hull to the Challenge Cup final for the first time since 1985. Hull defeated Leeds Rhinos 25-24 in a thrilling final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to lift the trophy. Paul Cooke's 77th minute try, which was converted by Danny Brough gave Hull a 1 point lead, which they held onto after Hull captain Richard Swain charged down a drop-goal attempt from Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield in the dying seconds of the match.

John Kear left Hull FC on 3rd April 2006 after a disappointing start to the season, which saw Hull FC lose 4 out of their first 7 league games and also their defence of the Challenge Cup being ended at the first hurdle against the Bradford Bulls in a 23-12 defeat, to be replaced by Peter Sharp who was recruited from Paramatta Eels where he was assistant coach. As of 15 07 2006 Hull F C have won 13 matches in succession, including a 27-26 defeat of the league leaders St Helens on the 8th June 2006. The last time they beat St Helens on their ground was 18 years ago.

Honours

Records

Player records

Career records

Team records

External links


Super League (Europe)
Bradford Bulls | Castleford Tigers | Les Catalans | Harlequins Rugby League | Huddersfield Giants | Hull FC | Leeds Rhinos | Salford City Reds | St Helens | Wakefield Trinity Wildcats | Warrington Wolves | Wigan Warriors

Rugby league in Britain and Ireland
Competitions
Super League | National League | Challenge Cup | National League Cup
National Conference League | Rugby League Conference | Scotland Rugby League
National teams
Great Britain | England | Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Federations
RFL | BARLA | Rugby League Ireland | Wales Rugby League
Former competitions
Championship | Premiership | Lancs/Yorks Cups | Lancs/Yorks League
Regal Trophy | Charity Shield | BBC2 Floodlit Trophy

 

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