This is a list of defunct professional rugby league clubs. It does not include reformed rugby league clubs, like the Sheffield Eagles or York City Knights. In these cases the spirit of the clubs, and their location, were unchanged, but the club was a new legal entity with a new administration. Where the club relocated to a significantly different town or area, this club can be considered defunct. This eliminates Fulham RLFC, who became the London Crusaders, then the London Broncos who became Harlequins Rugby League
Contents |
| Club | First year | Last Year | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annandale | 1910 | 1920 | |
| Cumberland | 1908 | 1908 | |
| Glebe Dirty Reds | 1908 | 1929 | |
| Newcastle Rebels | 1908 | 1909 | Newcastle exist in the modern day competition, in a new form. The "original" Newcastle side disbanded in 1909 to form the Newcastle competition, and the "modern" Newcastle Knights were formed in 1988. |
| Newtown Jets | 1908 | 1983 | Newtown Jets still exist at New South Wales Cup level. |
| University | 1920 | 1937 |
This section particularly includes the Queensland Rugby League sides which no longer compete in the top level of that league.
| Club | First year | Last Year | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brothers-Valleys | 2002 | 2002 | |
| Bundaberg Grizzlies | |||
| Cairns Cyclones | 1996 | 1996 | |
| Central Capras | |||
| Gold Coast Vikings | 1982 | 1995 | |
| Logan Scorpions | 1987 | 2002 | Merged with Souths Magpies to form Souths Logan Magpies. |
| Mackay Sea Eagles | |||
| Past Brothers | 1917 | 1998 | |
| Port Moresby Vipers | |||
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | 1996 | 1996 | |
| Souths Magpies | 1921 | 2002 | Merged with the Logan Scorpions to form Souths Logan Magpies. |
| Toowoomba Clydesdales | 1996 | 2006 | |
| Townsville Stingers | |||
| Wests Panthers | 1915 | 2003 |
| Club | First year | Last Year | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortitude Valley Diehards | 1909 | 1995 | |
| Milton | |||
| Toombul | 1996 | 1996 | |
| University | 1922 | 1933 |
These clubs competed in the Northern Union and the rugby leagues from 1895. National League 3 (2002-2006), whilst not by strict definition amateur, is not recognised as a professional league.
| Club | First year | Last Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acton & Willesden | 1935 | 1936 | |
| Altrincham | 1901 | 1902 | |
| Birkenhead Wanderers | 1901 | 1904 | Club played at Prenton Park throughout its playing years. |
| Blackpool Borough | 1954 | 1993 | Became Springfield Borough (1987-88); Chorley Borough (1988); Trafford Borough (1989-92).
Moved back to Blackpool in 1992 as Blackpool Gladiators (1992-93). |
| Bradford | 1864 | 1907 | Switched to association football and became Bradford (Park Avenue). |
| Bramley | 1896 | 1999 | Bramley were reformed as Bramley Buffaloes in 2004, joining National League 3. |
| Brighouse Rangers | 1895 | 1906 | Still survives as an amateur club. |
| Broughton Rangers | 1895 | 1946 | Moved and renamed Belle Vue Rangers (1946-55) |
| Carlisle | 1981 | 1997 | Merged with Barrow Braves to become Barrow Border Raiders, now called Barrow Raiders |
| Carlisle City | 1928 | 1928 | Resigned mid season |
| Castleford | 1896 | 1906 | Unrelated to Castleford/Castleford Tigers (founded 1926), or Castleford (RU) (founded 1870) |
| Chorley Borough | 1989 | 1995 | Moved to Altrincham and became Trafford Borough in 1989, causing a boardroom split leading to the formation of a new Chorley Borough club.
Dropped from the league and re-admitted as the Chorley Chieftains who after moving to Preston became Lancashire Lynx and then Chorley Lynx (back in Chorley). In 2004 the club folded. New club formed in Blackpool as Blackpool Panthers. |
| Coventry | 1901 | 1902 | |
| Goole | 1901 | 1902 | |
| Heckmondwike | 1896-1899 | 1901-1902 | |
| Holbeck | 1896 | 1904 | |
| Kent Invicta / Southend Invicta | 1983 | 1985 | Became Southend Invicta for the 1984/85 season |
| Lancaster | 1901 | 1905 | |
| Leeds Parish Church | 1896 | 1901 | |
| Liverpool City | 1906 | 1907 | The original Liverpool City - unconnected to the Liverpool City which played between 1951 and 1968. |
| Liversedge | 1895 | 1902 | |
| Manningham | 1895 | 1903 | Switched to association football and became Bradford City AFC. |
| Mansfield Marksman / Nottingham City | 1984 | 1993 | Moved to Nottingham in 1989 and continued as an amateur club after relegation from the professional leagues in 1993. |
| Millom | 1899 | 1907 | Still survives as an amateur club. |
| Morecambe | 1896-1899 | 1901-07 | |
| Newcastle | 1936 | 1938 | |
| Normanton | 1901 | 1907 | Still survives as an amateur club |
| Pontefract | 1903 | 1907 | |
| Radcliffe | 1901 | 1902 | |
| Runcorn | 1895 | 1914 | |
| Scarborough Pirates | 1991 | 1992 | |
| South Shields | 1902 | 1904 | |
| Sowerby Bridge | 1901 | 1902 | |
| St Helens Rec | 1918 | 1939 | Reformed as an amateur side in 1949. |
| Stockport | 1895 | 1903 | |
| Streatham & Mitcham | 1935 | 1936 | |
| Tyldesley | 1895 | 1900 | |
| Wigan Highfield/ London Highfield / Liverpool Stanley / Liverpool City / Huyton / Runcorn Highfield / Highfield / Prescot Panthers | 1922 | 1997 | Wigan Highfield moved to London in 1933 and played one season as London Highfield.
At the end of the season they moved to Liverpool, becoming Liverpool Stanley (1934-51) and Liverpool City (1951-68). Left Liverpool and continued as Huyton (1969-85); Runcorn Highfield (1985-90); Highfield (1991-96) and Prescot Panthers (1996-97). |
(these teams also competed in the Northern Rugby Football Union)
| Club | First year | Last Year | International capped players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdare RLFC | 1908 | 1909 | Will Hopkins for Wales 1908 against England |
| Barry RLFC | 1908 | 1908 | |
| Ebbw Vale RLFC | 1907 | 1912 | Oliver Burgham for Wales 1908 against New Zealand and England
John "Jack" Foley for Wales 1909 against England W. E. 'Chick' Jenkins for Wales 1908-1912 (7-caps) Lewis Llewellyn for Wales 1910-1912 (4-caps). |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 1907 | 1911 | David Davies for Wales 1909 against England
David 'Dai' 'Tarw' Jones for Wales 1908 against New Zealand, and for Great Britain 1908 against New Zealand (2 matches) |
| Mid-Rhondda RLFC | 1908 | 1909 | |
| Treherbert RLFC | 1908 | 1910 | David Galloway (#9) for Wales 1909 and 1910 against England (2 caps) |
| Club | First year | Last Year | International capped players | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberavon RLFC | 1949 | 1955 | Mel Ford for Wales while at Aberavon 1951 | |
| Amman Valley RLFC | 1949 | 1955 | Played at Brewery Field, with Bridgend RFC temporarily moving out. | |
| Bridgend RLFC | 1949 | 1955 | ||
| Cardiff RLFC | 1951 | 1952 | Milson Hunt for Wales while at Cardiff in 1951
Glyn Morgan for Wales while at Huddersfield, and Cardiff 1947-1949 4-caps Ted Ward for Wales while at Wigan, and Cardiff 1946-1951 13-caps, and for Great Britain while at Wigan in 1946 against Australia (2 matches) and New Zealand |
Also played in the |
| Llanelli RLFC | 1949 | 1955 | ||
| Neath RLFC | 1949 | 1955 | Roy Lambert for Wales while at Neath, Dewsbury, and Warrington 1950-1952 (7 caps) | |
| Swansea RLFC | 1949 | 1955 | ||
| Ystradgynlais RLFC | 1949 | 1955 |
| Club | First year | Last Year | International capped players | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff City Blue Dragons | 1981 | 1984 | Relocated and became
Bridgend Blue Dragons (1984-1985) before disbanding. |
|
| Pontypridd RLFC | 1926 | 1927 | Ponty Davies won caps for Wales 1926-1927 2-caps, and while at Warrington in 1928
Bert Green for Wales 1926-1927 2-caps George Oliver for Wales (RU) for Wales (RU) while at Pontypool RFC in 1920 against England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, and for Wales (RL) while at Hull, and Pontypridd 1921-1927 (4-caps) Billy Rhodes for Wales 1926 Les White for Wales while at Pontypridd and Hunslet 1928-1933 (7-caps)for England while at Hunslet 1933 against Australia, and for Great Britain while at Hunslet in 1932 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches), and in 1933 Australia (2 matches) |
|
| South Wales | 1996 | - | Lasted one season -
by 1996 the season had switched to summer. |