A Brief History ...........

PART OF THE folklore of the towns rugby club is founded on myth. Out of the mists of time comes the story of an Anglo Saxon warrior, Elk Froth Udderhands. It was ElkFroth who settled in the area in AD520. This combative challenged Anglo Saxon, wearing a green and white hooped tunic with the emblem of an elk on his shield has his picture hanging in the clubroom to this day. You can believe this story or the one that says the club as formed by a group of local worthies in 1926 ! The original team played on a ground provided by the local colliery, one of the main industries in the area in those days, and after match refreshments were taken at the Brick and Tile pub. The annual subscription was 10/6d ( just over 50p in today's money ) and match tax was 6d. The players were expected to provide their own kit; a shirt cost 6/8d and socks 3/3d. They also had to provide their own white shorts. Quite alot of money when the average wage was in the region of £2 per week.


The club regularly fielded two teams and sometimes a third. The only competition then was a 7-a-side tournament in Chesterfield, considered to be a very long way when most people did not have their own transport. One of the most notable original players was Johnny Johnson who was later to become a very famous World War 11 fighter pilot ace. The rugby club's close association with the town of its name was evident from its inception; the IRUFC Ball and Supper was one of the four main social events of the area and was held in the Town Hall itself.


The outbreak of World War Two saw the club put on hold as the young men were called away. It was not continued until 1950. The pre-war secretary had come through the war and had retained the Club's funds. Together with three other worthies, they held a meeting in The Rutland Cottage and the Club continued its journey. The President was an Australian called Eric George ( his father-in-law built the present clubhouse as the Stanton and Staveley Iron Works Sports and Social Club - it's a small world ! ). Eric retained his strong links with the club right up until his death in 1998.


The team played in emerald green and white hoops as it was the cheapest set available. For their first game back half the Ilkeston team had never played before but they managed a resounding 39-0 victory at a time when the tries were worth only three points. They played on the same ground but the colliery building was allowed to be the changing rooms. It was definitely a time of DIY rugby. The 1st XV had to mark out the pitch themselves and erect their own goal posts. You were the most popular person in the team if you had a car for away games. After a few seasons the Club was offered a 1st XV pitch at Stanton Ironworks where there were, for the first time, hot shower facilities, a great luxury. The 2nd XV stayed at the original colliery ground but after respective games they all met at The Stanhope Arms at Stanton-by-Dale, which became the headquarters.


In 1962 the council owned Gallows Inn Playing Field became available and, with the help of The Playing Fields Association, the Club moved there. It built its first ever clubhouse, which the Mayor of Ilkeston opened. The pitches were regarded as being the finest in the Three Counties ( Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire ). This clubhouse was extended 10 years later and in 1976 the Club held its 50th Anniversary Jubilee Dinner Dance; the guest speaker was John Taylor, the Wales and British Lion flanker. The Club built its own changing rooms next to the clubhouse and in the early 80's extended these and converted them into their new clubhouse and reverting to using the council changing rooms, which had been updated.


The new clubhouse was opened by Brian Moore of Nottingham and England, and The British Lions. The old clubhouse was pulled down, some say only just before it fell down ! It is still sadly missed by those whose mis-spent youth took place in it ! In 1987 the Clubs 60th anniversary celebrations included a match against a Presidents XV captained by Fran O'Neil, a well-respected figure in Derbyshire and 3 Counties rugby circles.
The rugby club spent the early part of the 90's looking for additional facilities as it continued to expand. It was now turning out 4 senior sides sometimes a fifth and had a thriving junior section which met weekly on Sunday mornings. In 1996, negotiations started with Stanton PLC, with a view to moving to their Sports and Social Club ( The Stute ). The 1st XV played their first match there in September 1997. The new clubroom was opened by the Mayor of Erewash in September 1998. The Elk's club facilities have achieved national fame through the BBC series Playing The Field, an everyday story of a ladies' soccer team.
Over the past seven seasons the Elks have been promoted four times. The Elks have regularly supplied players for Derbyshire and the 3Counties, both U21 and senior levels. They have provided players for Nottingham Rugby Club, who play in the National Leagues. They have also had members who have served the world of rugby football in the administrative field who have been elected to the presidency of Derbyshire and the Nottinghamshire Rugby Football Union, and referees to the 3 Counties Referees Society. Their phenomenal National NPI cup run in the 1999 season, when they reached the semi-finals, brought another accolade. They had a beer named after them ! The 'Elks Head' beer is brewed by Castle Rock Brewery in Nottingham. The 2 nd XV, 3rd XV and the occasional 4th XV continue to go from strength to strength, as do the Junior Elks who now turn out 8 sides from U9 - U17 and have over 100 youngsters training and playing on Sunday mornings under their qualified coaches.


Ilkeston Rugby Football Club has a deserved reputation as an extremely friendly and hospitable club. In the 1998/99 season they were awarded the Whistler's Trophy ( for making referees feel welcome ) from the Referees' Society ( The 3 Counties ) and the Tigger Price Award from the Derbyshire RFU for being the club that did the most to promote rugby football in Derbyshire during 1999 season ( this is the second time the Club has been presented with this award ). The Elks won the derbyshire 1st XV Cup for the first time in their long history when they beat Derby Rugby Club and repeated the process the following year when they beat Glossop. They have also won the Derbyshire Annual 7-a-side tournament for two years on the trot. In 1999 the 1st XV reached the semi-final of the NPI Cup and the following year achieved the 5th round, the furthest of any other clubs in the 3 Counties in this competition for these years - no mean achievement. In 2000 the 3 Counties won the Inaugural Plate Competition in the Tetley's Bitter County Championship and the Elks had the distinction of providing four of the side, two of whom scored all of the points.


Many teams from within the United Kingdom make Ilkeston a featured stop of their tours. We have been delighted to welcome teams from Germany and France ( we have a very popular weekend tour with our twin town of Chalon en Champagne ). We have a particular close link with the Cruisermatics/Gentlemen of Dixie, other clubs from America and players, visitors and friends from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

With thanks to Terry Roberts, Hon. Treasurer, who undertook the original research.