Streatham-Croydon RFC

The Streatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club, is an historic Rugby Union club, founded in 1871, based at Frant Road, Thornton Heath, in the London Borough of Croydon, south London. Streatham-Croydon currently play in Surrey 4. The club's teams play in cardinal shirts, white shorts and cardinal and white hooped socks.

Streatham
Full nameStreatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club
UnionMiddlesex RFU, Surrey RFU
Founded1871 (1871) as 'Streatham FC'
LocationThornton Heath, Croydon, London, England
Ground(s)Frant Road (Capacity: 1,400 (200 seats))
President R.W. Dean
Captain(s) A. Barnes
League(s)Surrey 3
2019–209th (relegated to Surrey 4)
Official website
streatham-croydon.co.uk

History

Streatham's heyday was arguably during the late 1960s, and 70s, when 9 senior teams and 4 Colts teams were active, combined with an extensive fixture list against top clubs such as Richmond, Bath, Sale, Saracens, London Welsh, London Irish and others. The professional era and the impact of the new RFU Courage League structure through the late 1980s, and 90s led to a decline in the size of the Club as greater attention was paid to the needs of the 1st XV, and Streatham's membership struggle coincided with its drop down the National and then London leagues.

Streatham run three senior men's teams and a senior ladies' XV during the season, as well as a Mini and Junior rugby section, and own a private ground in Thornton Heath (close to the original pitches on Streatham Common), comprising two pitches (one floodlit) and a large clubhouse and grandstand, along with several squash courts, which are all in the process of refurbishment and renovation.

In the club's 140th season the Surrey 4 league title was won following only one defeat and the club were promoted to Surrey 3. As part of the 140th season, a fixture known as 'The Skull' was revived, 20 years after it was last contested. The fixture sees all Streatham-Croydon's teams play against teams from Esher RFC with the club that wins the most matches winning the trophy. The trophy is a human skull set between a pair of rugby goalposts. In the 1960s, and 70s this would have been contested by 12 teams from each club, but now Streatham's team play against Esher's similarly ranked amateur teams.

The Streatham club was featured in a book titled "London's Oldest Rugby Clubs" by Dick Tyson, published in May 2008.

Notable players

John Sharland of Streatham toured with the 1904 British Lions to Australia and New Zealand, playing in 7 matches.[1] W.V. Butcher, capped seven times for England between 1903-05, also playing cricket for Surrey, played for the Streatham club. England prop, and later RFU committee man, Jeff Probyn played at Streatham for a number of seasons in the late 1970s before moving to Wasps and gaining his first England cap. Super League player Will Sharp, played for the 1st XV, before signing his first professional contract with Harlequins RL in 2007. Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson played for the club's Colts side from 1969–71 before touring France to learn his trade. Former Prime Minister James Callaghan played second-row for the Streatham in the 1939 season.[2] Peter Horton, Colts and 1st XV, emigrated to Australia and played hooker 19 times for Australia between 1974 and 1979, gaining his first cap against New Zealand and his last one against Argentina.

Club honours

Notes

  1. Includes 4 titles won as Streatham RFC.

References

  1. "Player archive". British & Irish Lions. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  2. "Season Review 1945 – 1946". Cardiff RFC. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
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