1875–1887: Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club

The idea of establishing a rugby football club in Dewsbury originated among a few friends at a meeting at the Little Saddle Inn in 1875. Established with immediate effect, Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club enrolled between 30 and 40 members.

On 20 November 1875, the first recorded match of Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club took place when they played Heckmondwike Church Society XV and lost by one goal, six tries and eight touch downs to nil. The first home game, it is generally held, took place on 4 December 1875 in a field off Sugar Lane, opposite the future Crown Flatt. In a 13-a-side "scratch" game, the two outfits – one selected by the Captain and the other by the Vice-Captain – fought out a draw. The club soon realised they needed a ground and the following year secured a sub tenancy at Crown Flatt for £200.

During the course of the 1879–80 season the club colours changed from blue and cardinal to black, crimson and yellow.

On 27 March 1880, the Yorkshire Cup semi-final against Wakefield Trinity drew an estimated 16,000 supporters to Crown Flatt which the local newspaper claimed to be the largest assemblage ever seen on a football ground in Yorkshire.

1881 saw the club's first success in the Yorkshire Challenge Cup beating Huddersfield, Bradford and Halifax before an Alfred Newsome drop goal gave them victory over Wakefield Trinity in the final.

When York F.C. paid a visit to Crown Flatt on 25 September 1886, the home team took to the field wearing white jerseys that incorporated the borough's coat of arms.

1888–1897: Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club

Crown Flatt was rapidly gaining the reputation as one of the best-equipped ground in Yorkshire. This was further enhanced when the club purchased the famous "Noah's Ark" stand at a cost of £250. In 1888, the club amalgamated with Savile Cricket Club and United Clerks' Cricket Club to form Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club.

After the 1890-91 season, Dewsbury along with other Yorkshire Senior clubs Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Liversedge, Manningham and Wakefield decided that they wanted their own county league starting in 1891 along the lines of a similar competition that had been played in Lancashire. The clubs wanted full control of the league but the Yorkshire Rugby Football Union would not sanction the competition as it meant giving up control of rugby football to the senior clubs.

The Yorkshire Senior Competition was formed in 1892 and Dewsbury immediately became members. They made their Senior Competition début at Liversedge on 10 September 1892, Dewsbury were beaten 2–10. The club struggled and finished in the bottom three due to financial problems. The arrival of competitive leagues meant that attendances were increasing connected to on-field success. Dewsbury failed to adapt to the new era: attendances from then onwards topped 2,000 only on rare occasions.

By 1895, Dewsbury were sporting blue and white. At the famous meeting at the George Hotel in Huddersfield, Dewsbury were the only members of the Yorkshire Senior Competition not to resign from the Rugby Football Union instead requesting permission to consult further. At a special meeting convened at the King's Arms Hotel, Market Place, on 2 September, they elected to remain in the Senior Competition. It was not a popular decision. A local journalist reported that 'there wasn't a single supporter who wouldn't say "Let us have the Northern Union and the sooner the better".' Dewsbury marginally improved their position in the league to 10th. Next season however they were back at the bottom.

On 22 November 1897, the General Committee of Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club elected to abandon rugby union with immediate effect. Of the 12 league matches contested by the club that season, all but one – and that a draw – were lost. In reply to the 156 points conceded, the team registered just two tries. The 0–5 loss to Otley on 13 November 1897 was the final rugby union game played at Crown Flatt. By the time of its demise, the football section had contested more than 500 matches. They withdrew from the league concentrating on soccer instead.

1898–1910: Dewsbury R.L.F.C.

On 21 April 1898, a historic meeting was held at the Black Bull public house to consider the possibility of forming a new Northern Union club. The question was discussed at some length and over £100 in donations was promised. Ironically it was local rivals Batley who helped Dewsbury gain election to the Northern Union. They were fully supportive of Dewsbury's bid and obviously looked forward to rekindling the rivalry, as well as their pockets, with the derby matches and also to thank the old Dewsbury supporters who had switched their support to Batley's Mount Pleasant ground during the two or three preceding seasons.

At a subsequent discussion at the parish church school on 5 May, it was announced that members of the committee had met with Mr Lipscomb, agent to Lord Savile, and had signed an agreement to lease the Crown Flatt estate as from 1 July 1898. Red, amber and black were adopted as club's colours during June 1898.

On 3 September 1898, the players travelled to Normanton for their Northern Union match, they were beaten 3–16. The first home game took place the very next Saturday with visitors Kinsley emerging victorious by a margin of 13–5. During the rest of the season the team played in Yorkshire No. 2 Competition.

In 1901–02 the Lancashire and Yorkshire leagues were combined to form a second division. Dewsbury was one of the new teams to join the second division.

1910–1944: Early success

The club's first major success came in 1912, when they beat Oldham 8–5 in the Challenge Cup Final at Headingley. Dewsbury were even more successful, finishing champions in the 1915–16 and 1916–17 seasons; attracting players and crowds due to the town’s prominence as a manufacturer of woollen cloth for uniforms.

They beat the visiting Australasian team of the 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain 13–6. When, in 1922, the Northern Union renamed itself the Rugby Football League, the club adopted the title of Dewsbury Rugby Football Club.

In 1929, Dewsbury also had the honour of playing in the first Wembley Challenge Cup final, losing 13–2 to Wigan.

Managed by Eddie Waring, Dewsbury enjoyed huge success during the Second World War when their side was boosted by the inclusion of a number of big-name guest players. Dewsbury won the Wartime Emergency League in 1941–42 and again the following season, though that championship was declared null and void when it was discovered they had played an ineligible player. They were also runners-up in 1943–44.

Post Second World War

Vic Hey was player/coach at Dewsbury from 1944–47. In the first full season after the war, a new record transfer fee of £1,650 was set when Dewsbury bought fullback Bill Davies from Huddersfield.^[3] James "Jimmy" Ledgard left Dewsbury for a record fee of £2,650 in January 1948, bought by Leigh.

In 1972, Maurice Bamford arrived at Dewsbury as a coach. Tommy Smales was the coach in 1973. Dewsbury's only championship title came in the 1972–73 season when they beat Leeds in the play-off final at Bradford Northern's Odsal Stadium 22–13. They had been hammered 36–9 by the same opposition in the Yorkshire Cup final earlier that season. Dewsbury, captained by Mike Stephenson finished 8th in the league but the title was to be decided through a series of play-offs in which they also defeated Oldham, Featherstone Rovers and Warrington on their way to glory.

Many people argued about the validity of the centenary celebrations held in 1975, holding that the centenary should not have been held until 1998. On 13 September 1988, at about 4pm, three youths deliberately set fire to the historic wooden stand erected in 1914. The stand was in excellent condition, the club having just spent £25,000 bringing it up to the required safety standards. The club also lost everything gathered over the past 113 years; programmes, records and memorabilia. However, the fire enabled the club to build a new state of the art stadium at Owl Lane, Shaw Cross, Dewsbury and on 14 April 1991 Dewsbury played their last home game at Crown Flatt against Barrow. As a result, they arranged to play their home games at Batley's Mount Pleasant while the new ground was being built.

1994–1995: New stadium

The club played their first home game at the new, £1.5 million, Crown Flatt stadium (often erroneously called New Crown Flatt) on 6 September 1994 in front of a full-house against Barrow; Dewsbury scoring 12 tries. Dewsbury finished 7th that season in the 16-team second division with the likes of Eddie Rombo and Les Holliday wowing the fans at their new home under coach Norman Smith.

The new Crown Flatt stadium

Smith was replaced towards the end of that season by Tony Fisher whose time in charge of the first team will be remembered for the recruitment of several South African players. Having coached the national side during the 1995 world cup, Fisher brought Jaco Booysen, Kobus Van Deventer, Tim Fourie, Guy Coombe and Pierre Van Wyk to Dewsbury. Despite the hype surrounding their arrival, the imports failed to make a lasting impression at the club and returned home the following year.

That season, rugby league's centenary year, the teams outside the Premiership were divided into two divisions. Dewsbury competed in the first division but finished bottom – A New Year's Eve victory over local rivals Huddersfield and the form of New Zealand prop Glenn Bell being two of the season's few highlights.

1996–1999: Summer era

A momentous shift in the sport, triggered by significant investment from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation brought about the formation of the Super League and a switch to summer rugby. Despite finishing bottom the previous season, Dewsbury retained their place in the first division and, in the first season of a new era for the sport, the team, now coached by former player Neil Kelly, finished 9th.

It was under Kelly that the club would eventually blossom. Increased investment over the next three years saw the club steadily climb the league table season upon season. A 6th-place finish in 1997 was bettered the following year when the newly named Dewsbury 'Rams' finished 3rd, narrowly missing out on the division's play-off final.

With Richard Agar and Barry Eaton guiding the team around the park and Australians Brett Patterson and Brendan Williams giving the Rams real strike power, the club's on-the-pitch fortunes had hit a 15-year peak. Hopes were high of a push for a place in the Super League over the next few seasons, with Neil Kelly and chairman Bob McDermott pressing on with an ambitious recruitment drive.

In 1999, the Rams finished top of the Northern Ford Premiership, the league below the Super League, reaching the Grand Final at Headingley which unfortunately ended in a narrow defeat to local rivals Hunslet Hawks. The following year Dewsbury came back even stronger, winning the Trans-Pennine Cup with victory over Leigh and topping the league for the second season in a row. The club, once again, reached the Grand Final – this time taking on Leigh at Bury F.C.'s Gigg Lane stadium. A dramatic, late drop-goal from man of the match Richard Agar won the day for Dewsbury giving players, supporters and officials genuine hope of a place in Super League.

Unable to meet the minimum stadium requirements for Super League (as part of Rugby Football League's new 'framing the future' guidelines), the Rams proposed a ground share with Sheffield Eagles, playing home games at their Don Valley Stadium while their own stadium was improved. This proposal was turned down by the RFL and the club was left in a precarious position, having invested heavily in playing staff in the hope of taking their place among the sport's elite. The Rams withdrew their application following this initial rejection and were resigned to remaining in the lower leagues.

2000–2004: Decline

The new century brought with it a gradual decline in the Rams' fortunes on and off the pitch. After being denied entry into Super League, the club's head coach, Neil Kelly, who had guided the team to its recent success moved onto ambitious rivals Widnes. Kelly took with him many of the heroes of the 2000 grand final winning squad and, over the two seasons that followed, his multiple-trophy winning side was gradually broken-up to help ease the club's soaring wage bills. The failure to bring Super League to the town came at a heavy price and chairman Bob McDermott left the club in a sorry state, having failed to stabilise it financially.

Roy Sampson and Andy Fisher both had spells coaching the club during this period but neither could do much to halt Dewsbury's inevitable decline. Dewsbury finished a respectable 6th in 2001 but found themselves in a relegation play-off the following season. Dewsbury beat Workington Town 25–16, thanks, in no small part, to a hat-trick from wily hooker Jimmy Elston, and, as a result, took their place in National League 1.

Despite fantastic performances from Danny Brough, Jimmy Elston, Frank Watene and the vastly experienced Richard Slater, Dewsbury were relegated the following year. Andy Fisher's position as player coach had become increasingly tenuous and it was felt a new start was needed to get the club heading in the right direction again.

The financial constraints the club was under by this point were so great that incumbent chairman Mark Sawyer had suggested that the side would be better suited to "take a year out" to find its feet financially.^[4] The club instead opted to field a side made up predominantly of local amateurs and, under new coach Andy Kelly, found the going tough in 2004, as their final lowly league position suggested. Plus points during an otherwise forgettable season were the return to the club of popular second rower Kevin Crouthers and the 15 tries of half back Adam Thaler.

2005–2009: Resurgence

After a season in the wilderness, the club was now ready to stage a fightback. A head turning recruitment drive saw the Rams bring in several local ex-Super League stars in the shape of Francis Maloney, Ryan Sheridan, Darren Rogers and Warren Jowitt. The arrival of such big names galvanised the club and, with further recruitment from the local amateur scene, coach Kelly guided the Rams to a 2nd-place finish. The season ended with a narrow defeat in the divisional play-off final to local rivals Batley which would consign them to another season in National League 2. Despite the campaign ultimately ending in disappointment, Dewsbury had come a long way in just 12 months and hopes were high of going one better in 2007.

Rams players celebrate a try against local rivals Batley

Happily, these hopes became a reality the following season as Dewsbury clinched promotion to National League 1, completing a remarkable turnaround for the club. Under Andy Kelly's guidance, with outstanding contributions coming from the returning Frank Watene and veteran Francis Maloney, Dewsbury won 19 of their 22 matches to be crowned champions. The following year Dewsbury consolidated their position in the league above, finishing 7th with Dean Lawford and Josh Weeden the stand-out performers in Dewsbury colours.

2008 began with high hopes following the acquisition of highly rated Australian prop Aaron Trinder, Cook Islands international Tere Glassie and Super League full-back Mark Field. The season, however, was blighted with injuries to key players whilst several others did not perform to expectations. Coach Kelly left the club by mutual consent midway through the season with the Rams languishing at the foot of the table. Former fans favourite Warren Jowitt was brought in to try to turn the club's season around. Despite a brief revival, the Rams' fate was sealed with two games remaining and Dewsbury, once again, had to plan for life in the third tier of professional Rugby League in the newly named Championship 1.

An end of season clear out of the club's high earners by coach Jowitt greatly reduced the Rams' wage bill allowing him to bring in Rob Spicer from York City, Adam Hayes from Sheffield and several more young, lesser known players. The campaign that followed will long be remembered by Dewsbury supporters. The club winning all 18 league matches, becoming only the second team in rugby league history to do so. Following an outstanding 2009, the club were promoted and began preparing for life in the Championship. In the 2022 RFL Championship, Dewsbury were relegated after finishing second last on the table. Dewsbury managed to win only three games for the entire season. In 2023, Dewsbury earned promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt after finishing top of the division.^[5]

Players earning international caps while at Dewsbury

• Alan Bates (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for Great Britain while at Dewsbury 1974
• Glenn Bell won a cap for Scotland while at Dewsbury Rams in 1997 against France
• Harry Beverley won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1975 Australia, while at Workington 1979 Wales
• Harry Bradshaw won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1953 Other Nationalities won caps for Great Britain while at Huddersfield (World Cup 1954 Squad 0-caps)
• Geoffrey "Geoff" Clark won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1949 Other Nationalities, 1951 Other Nationalities
• Leonard "Len" Constance won caps for Wales while at St. Helens, and Dewsbury 1948…1951 3-caps
• Barry Eaton won caps for Wales while at 1999…2001 1-cap + 4-caps (sub)
• Frank Gallagher won caps for England while at Batley 1923 Other Nationalities, 1924 Other Nationalities, 1925 Wales (2 matches), 1926 Wales, Other Nationalities, 1927 Wales, while at Leeds 1928 Wales, and won caps for Great Britain while at Dewsbury 1920 Australia (3 matches), 1921–22 Australia, while at Batley 1924 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), 1926–27 New Zealand (2 matches)
• Nathan Graham won caps for Scotland while at Bradford Bulls, Dewsbury, Featherstone Rovers, and Batley Bulldogs1998…2004 7-caps + 3-caps (sub)
• Jeff Grayshon (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1975 Wales, France, New Zealand, Australia, Australia, 1977 Wales, while at Bradford 1979 Wales, France, 1980 Wales (sub), France, 1981 Wales, and won caps for Great Britain while at Bradford 1979 Australia (2 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), 1980 New Zealand (2 matches), 1981 France (2 matches), 1982 Australia (2 matches), while at Leeds 1985 New Zealand (2 matches)
• Roy Lambert won caps for Wales while at Neath, Dewsbury, and Warrington 1950…1952 7-caps
• James "Jimmy" Ledgard won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1947 France (2 matches), Wales, while at Leigh 1948 Wales, 1949 France, Other Nationalities, 1951 Wales, France, 1952 Other Nationalities (2 matches), Wales, 1953 Wales, 1955 Other Nationalities, and won caps for Great Britain while at Dewsbury 1947 New Zealand (2 matches), while at Leigh 1948 Australia, 1950 Australia (2 matches), New Zealand, 1951 New Zealand, 1954 France (2 matches), Australia, New Zealand (World Cup 1954 4-caps, 1-try, 13-goals)
• Richard "Dicky" Evison Lockwood won caps for England (RU) while at Dewsbury 1889 New Zealand Natives 2 February 1889 The Spa in Gloucester
• Ryan McDonald won caps for Scotland while at Dewsbury Rams, and Halifax 2001…2005 1-cap + 1-cap (sub)
• Joseph "Joe" Mahoney won caps for Wales while at Oldham, and Dewsbury 1948…1950 5-caps
• Daniel "Danny" McKelvie won a cap for Scotland while at Dewsbury Rams in 1997 against France (sub)
• Thomas "Tommy" Milner won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1914 Wales
• Gilbert "Gil" Morgan won a cap for Wales while at Dewsbury 1938 1-cap
• Roy Pollard (Son of Wakefield Trinity's Charles "Charlie" Pollard) won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1949 France, 1950 Wales, and won caps for Great Britain while at Dewsbury 1950 New Zealand
• Bryn Powell won caps for Wales while at Salford, Featherstone Rovers, and Dewsbury 2004…2006 (5?)6-caps 4(3?)-tries 16(12?)-points
• William "Billy" Rhodes won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1921 Wales, Other Nationalities
• Harry Royal won caps for Wales while at Dewsbury 1948 2-caps
• William Stadden 1-cap for Wales (RU) while at Dewsbury 1890
• Mike 'Stevo' Stephenson (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for Great Britain while at Dewsbury in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France, and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, France, New Zealand, and Australia (World Cup 1972 4-caps, 3-tries)
• Nigel Stephenson (1972/73 Rugby Football League Championship Winner) won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1975 Australia
• Harry Street won caps for England while at Dewsbury 1950 Wales (2 matches), France, while at Wigan 1951 France, 1952 Wales, 1953 France, and won caps for Great Britain while at Dewsbury 1950 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand

Other notable players

These players have either; won the Rugby Football League Championship, won the Challenge Cup, received a Testimonial match, were international representatives before, or after, their time at Dewsbury, or are notable outside of rugby league.

Brady of Dewsbury played in The Rest's 5–7 defeat to Leeds in the 1901–02 Yorkshire Senior Competition Champions versus The Rest match at Headingley Stadium on Saturday 19 April 1902.^[10]

Super League era

Team records

• Biggest victory: 90–5 vs Blackpool Gladiators on 4 April 1993
• Biggest defeat: 82–0 vs Widnes on, 30 November 1986
• Highest attendance:
  • Crown Flatt: 26,584 vs Halifax in the Yorkshire Cup on 30 October 1920
  • Tetley's Stadium: 4,068 vs. Bradford Bulls on 6 April 2015^[12]

Individual records

• Season
  • Goals: 170 by Barry Eaton in 2000
  • Tries: 40 by Dai Thomas in 1906/07
  • Points: 398 by Barry Eaton in 2000
• Match
  • Goals: 13
    • Greg Pearce vs Blackpool Gladiators on 4 April 1993.
    • Francis Maloney vs Hunslet Hawks on 25 March 2007
  • Tries: 8 by Dai Thomas vs Liverpool on 13 April 1907
  • Points: 32 by Les Holliday v Barrow on 11 September 1994
• Career
  • Appearances: 454 by Joe Lyman (1913 to 1931)
  • Goals: 863 by Nigel Stephenson (1967–78 and 1984–86)
  • Tries: 144 by Joe Lyman (1913 to 1931)