 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(March 2008) |
 | |
| Full name | Pilkington Recs A.R.L.F.C |
| Emblem | Pilkington Shield |
| Colours | Red, amber and black |
| Founded | 1949 |
| Sport | Rugby League |
| League | National Conference League |
| Ground | Ruskin Drive, St. Helens (2011–Present) City Road, St. Helens (1949–2011) |
| Official Website | |
The Recs Rugby Football Club is an amateur rugby league team based in St Helens, Merseyside.
In 1949 a group of Pilkington Glass employees submitted an application to the Pilkington Recreation Club Committee at Grove Street to form an amateur rugby league team. Their first match was on 27 August 1949 against a local amateur side, Vine Tavern, and was played away. The Recs lost 32–3 in front of a 2,000 strong crowd. However, later in the season the Recs won a return match by 15–13 in front of an estimated 4,000 crowd.
On 13 February 1977 the Recs drew a home fixture in the Challenge Cup against Wigan. The game was played at Knowsley Road, as the City Road venue could not accommodate the number of spectators expected.
In the 2016 Challenge Cup, Pilks were drawn at home to League One outfit London Skolars for the 3rd round. Despite an instant offer from St Helens to play the game at Langtree Park, Pilks managed to gain acceptance from the Rugby Football League (RFL) to play the game at Ruskin Drive after it met a suitability criteria. Recs won that fixture 13–0 in front of an estimated sell out crowd of 500 people. Playing in the 4th round of the competition, on 19 March 2016 Pilks lost 0–78 to Halifax at 'home' in the Challenge Cup 4th round, the game was played at Langtree Park in front of 987 people.
In 2019, Pilks won their first National Conference League championship, winning Division One
On 10 June 2011, it was reported that the team's clubhouse on City Road was on fire. Club officials, who had been alerted to the blaze, scrambled to save kit and equipment from the changing rooms before the fire tore through the building. [1]
They were among nine clubs invited to join the National Conference League for the 2013 season. Pilks started in NCL Division 3 (4th tier), however 3 consecutive promotions in their first 3 seasons means as of 2016, Pilks will compete in the NCL Premier Division for the first time since 1986.
| First team squad | Coaching staff | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
| Head coach Assistant coach
Updated: 1 March 2024 | ||||||
The National Conference League comprises the five levels of the British rugby league system and is at the top end of the amateur pyramid and sits below the professional League One. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Rugby Football League. The National Conference League has promotion and relegation between the Premier Division and Division Three although there is no promotion or relegation between the Conference League South, Regional Leagues or promotion to League One without an application to the RFL.
Dewsbury Celtic is a rugby league club in the town of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. They play in the NCL Division Two after gaining promotion from Division Three in the Autumn of 2019.
Bradford Dudley Hill RLFC is an amateur rugby league team based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Originally formed after the First World War, the club was re-established in 1948.
Wigan St. Patricks is an amateur rugby league football club based in the Scholes area of Wigan, Greater Manchester. The first team plays in the National Conference League Division One.
Thatto Heath Crusaders is an amateur rugby league club situated in Thatto Heath, St Helens, Merseyside. The club currently competes in the National Conference League Premier Division
Roy Haggerty was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played for St Helens, Barrow and Highfield who began his career playing as a centre before later playing as a second-row forward.
West Hull A.R.L.F.C. is an amateur rugby league football club from Kingston upon Hull, currently playing in the National Conference League Premier Division. The team plays their home matches at West Hull Community Park and their strip colours are green and gold.
Blackbrook Amateur and Junior Rugby League Football Club are an amateur rugby league club based at Blackbrook Sports and Recreational Club in Boardmans Lane, Blackbrook, St. Helens, Merseyside. The first team plays in the National Conference League 3rd Division, whilst the junior section of the club; the Royals, play in the North West Counties Junior Rugby Leagues for ages 12 and up. The club form the basis of the careers of many St Helens R.F.C., Warrington Wolves, Wigan Warriors and in recent years especially, Salford City Reds players, thanks to their highly successful reputation at all ages through to Open Age rugby.
The North West Men's League is a summer rugby league competition for amateur teams in North West England. The competition was formed in 2009 as the RLC North West Premier by splitting the RLC North Premier into two competitions - this and the RLC Yorkshire Premier. The league was renamed to its current name following the 2012 restructure of amateur rugby league in Great Britain.
Lock Lane ARLFC are an amateur Rugby league Club in Castleford, West Yorkshire. Their home ground is the Hicksons Arena, part of the Lock Lane Sports Centre. The first team currently play in the National Conference Division One and the Academy team in the Yorkshire Men's League.
Egremont Rangers is an amateur rugby league club in Egremont, Cumbria, which plays at Gillfoot Park and competes in the National Conference League Division 1.
Myton Warriors are an amateur rugby league club based in the Myton area of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. They compete in the BARLA National Conference League Premier Division, the top tier of amateur rugby league in England, and the fourth overall tier of rugby league in England. The Warriors have local rivalries with Skirlaugh, West Hull, East Hull, and Hull Dockers.
Kurt Haggerty is a professional rugby league coach who is the assistant coach for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League. He played in the 2000s and 2010s as a second-row and loose forward.
Wath Brow Hornets are an amateur rugby league football club from Cleator Moor, Cumbria. The club currently competes in the top division of the National Conference League. The club also operates a number of academy teams.
Siddal are an amateur rugby league football club from Halifax, West Yorkshire. The club currently competes in the Premier Division of the National Conference League. The club also operates a number of academy teams. The club is notable as being the first competitive opponents of Canadian professional club, Toronto Wolfpack, to whom they narrowly lost 14–6 in a match streamed worldwide on the BBC Sports website.
The 1977–78 Challenge Cup was the 77th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.
Kells A.R.L.F.C. is an amateur rugby league football club based in Kells, Whitehaven. The club's first team plays in the National Conference League.
Skirlaugh A.R.L.F.C. are an amateur rugby league football club based in Skirlaugh, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club's first team plays in the National Conference League.
Heworth A.R.L.F.C. is an amateur rugby league football club based in Heworth, York. The first team plays in the NCL Division One.
The 2013 National Conference League was the 28th season of the National Conference League, the top league for British amateur rugby league clubs.
