Club History
The acceptance of Telford Raiders Rugby League Club into the prestigious Rugby League Conference was a significant step for the game in the West Midlands. It was also a richly deserved reward for the many years of hard work by a few dedicated enthusiasts who have striven to give the thirteen-man code of rugby a presence in their town.
Rugby League has been played in the Telford area for many years with varying degrees of success. The Telford All Blacks played for several years in the Northwest Counties leagues at both senior and youth levels but for a number of reasons they became unable to continue and folded.
In the early 1990's Dave and Janet Berry moved to Telford, determined that their young sons should be able to continue playing the game they had grown up with in their old home of Hull. Over a number of years they built up the Randlay Raiders youth team, which in turn inspired the formation of other boys teams, and a Shropshire league was formed. At it's peak the Shropshire league had more than 150 registered youth players, and the Randlay Raiders also travelled throughout the country to play. However, as so frequently happens, players succumbed to the many distractions available to teenagers, and financial and administrative pressures mounted, other teams ceased to operate, leaving the Raiders on their own. However their enthusiasm and commitment remained undiminished, knowing that the newly created Rugby League Conference gave them something to which they could aspire.
In the autumn of 2002 the committee of the Raiders club applied to enter an open-age (adult) team in the Conference competition, to play under the name of Telford Raiders. Richard Lewis, Executive Chairman of the Rugby Football League, confirmed their acceptance at a ceremony in Portcullis House Westminster, in January 2003.
v Birmingham Bulldogs at Oakengates Leisure Centre
May 3rd. 2003.
Back row: Dave Berry(Head Coach), Jack Baker(Ball boy), Alistair Hendry, Chris Tinsley, Matt Smith, Pete Jones, John Broadhead, Ed Proffitt, Dave Broadhead, Adrian Payne, Tom Broadhead(Ball boy), Fred Baker (Kit man).
Front row: Ben Taylor, Dan Pugh(Captain), Paul Lambert, Chris Dixon, James Pirie, Phil Berry, Jim Berry, Lee Drummond, Chris Watson,Steve Berry(Video cameraman).
In 2003 the young Raiders team had a tough, but enjoyable, first season in which they always gave 100%. They impressed many with their entertaining style of Rugby League, and were always great ambassadors for the Borough of Telford and Wrekin. Everyone at the club was very proud of Phil Berry's nomination as RLC Young Player of the Year. His exciting attacking play, and never-say-die defence made him a worthy nominee.
The Club also won many new friends as a result of its off-field operations, and the committee fully deserved the RLC prize for 'Best Administration' in the Rugby League Conference. In the autumn of 2003 the club won the BBC Radio Shropshire 'Breakthrough' award for its work in promoting and developing Rugby League in the county. The committee continue to work on several new initiatives to build for the future in a planned and structured manner.
None of this could have been achieved without the support of numerous sponsors, and the backing of the local community. The work of building a Rugby League Club that Telford can be proud of has only just started. The club has a long way to go, but enthusiasm for the task is greater now than ever before.
