London Skolars
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Club information | ||
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Full name | London Skolars Rugby League Football Club | |
Nickname(s) | Skolars | |
Colours | ![]() | |
Founded | 1995 (as Student Rugby League Old Boys) | |
Website | skolarsrl.com | |
Current details | ||
Ground(s) |
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CEO | Colin Browne | |
Chairman | Adrian Fraine | |
Coach | Joe Mbu | |
Manager | Charlie DeHaan | |
Captain | Louis Robinson | |
Competition | Conference League South | |
2023 season | 10th (League 1) | |
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Uniforms | ||
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Records | ||
London League | 3(2000, 2001, 2004) | |
RLC Challenge Cup | 1(2004) | |
RLC Southern Division | 1(2000) | |
RLC London & South Division | 1(2002) | |
Middlesex 9s | 1(2003) |
TheLondon Skolarsare arugby leagueclub based at theNew River Stadium,Wood Green,Haringeyinnorth London.They were founded in 1995 and were semi-professional from 2003, operating in theBetfred League 1,until the club withdrew from the professional leagues at the end of 2023.[1][2]
History
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/London_Skolars_v_Gloucestershire_All_Golds_09.jpg/220px-London_Skolars_v_Gloucestershire_All_Golds_09.jpg)
The club was founded by Ian "Hector" McNeil in 1995 asStudent Rugby League Old Boys,created for post-university graduates based in London who wished to continue playing competitive rugby league, with a number of ex-student international rugby league players as members.[1]The team originally played atHackney RFC.The club quickly went "open", drawing not only from players from the student game but also London-basedantipodeansand local rugby players.
The club name was changed toLondon Skolarstwo years later in 1997, partly to refer humorously to their academic origins but primarily due to a potential sponsorship fromSkollager. After initial success in theLondon League,in 1997 the club became a founder member of the Southern Conference League (the forerunner to theRugby League Conference), under the nameNorth London Skolars,and won the inaugural competition.[1]They also moved toNew River Stadiumat this time. Later in 1997, they entered theNational Conference Leagueand were the only club south ofSheffieldin the competition for four consecutive seasons.
In 1998 Skolars hosted Strella XIII, the first time a team fromTatarstanhad toured Great Britain. During the 1999 season, the Skolars toured Russia, the first time that an amateur club had toured the formerSoviet Union.[1]
Skolars first team won the Southern Division of theRugby League Conferencein 2000 and the second team won the London League that same year. The second team won the London League again in 2001.
In 2002 the club applied to join theNational Leaguesand was accepted, the first club in eighty years to make the transition from the amateur ranks to the professional leagues.[1]The A team joined the Conference and won the London & South Division in its first year.
In 2003, the Skolars first season inNational League Two,they finished bottom of the league,[3]but made further progress in 2004. They won the Middlesex 9s whilst the A team won the London League. The club dropped "North" from their name to becomeLondon Skolars.The appointment ofLatham Tawhaias a full-time coach at the end of the 2005 season marked another step forward in the club's progress.
Tawhai left Skolars at the end of 2007 to become assistant coach atHarlequins RLand was replaced byTony Benson.[4]
Tony Benson left his job at London Skolars at the end of the season due to the inconvenience of travelling from his home inLeigh, Greater Manchester.[1][dead link]Callum Irving took over as head coach at the club, Irving was Tony Benson's number two in the 2008 season. He resigned in July 2009, citing personal reasons. Injured player Jermaine Coleman took over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The club appointed its first full-time chief executive officer in 2009, Phillip Browne, who was replaced in 2010 by Howard Kramer. The Skolars finished the 2009 in 10th position of the Championship One table, taking thewooden spoonwith just one win all season and five points. London Skolars announced that James Massara, aHammersmith-born thirty-two-year-old would take the reins as head coach at New River Stadium in 2010. In October 2010 the London Skolars appointed formerHarlequins RLplayerJoe Mbuas their head coach.
In 2013, London finished 4th in the 2013Championship 1season. That was the first time they finished in the play-offs in their Championship 1 venture, although they didn't achieve promotion after being knocked out in the semi-finals.
In 2014,Joe Mbuled the Skolars to 7th place out of 9. After a heavy defeat bySwinton Lionsin theChallenge Cupat the beginning of the 2015 season, London Skolars released Mbu from his contract on 9 March.[5]
On 18 March 2015, Skolars appointed ex-player and then currentHemel Stagsassistant coachJermaine Colemanas head coach.[6]Coleman in his first season 11th out of 14 teams. Recruiting and retaining strongly, Coleman lead the Skolars to a top 8 playoff place after a 23–22 win over theGloucestershire All Golds.[7]
In 2021 Mbu returned to the club as coach. After struggling in the league during 2021 and 2022 where they only finished 9th out of 11 in both seasons, the club had a disastrous 2023 season losing all 18 league matches and their only cup match. On 15 September the club announced that they were withdrawing from the professional structure and would continue as an community club, playing in the Southern Conference.[2]
Past coaches
[edit]- Latham Tawhai2005–2007
- Tony Benson2007–08
- Jermaine Coleman2009
- James Massara 2010
- Joe Mbu2010–2015
- Jermaine Coleman2015–2021
- Joe Mbu2021–2023
Seasons
[edit]Season | League | Challenge Cup | Other competitions | ||||||||||
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Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | Play-offs | ||||
2003 | National League Two | 18 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 222 | 876 | 3 | 10th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2004 | National League Two | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 361 | 583 | 12 | 8th | Did not qualify | R4 | Middlesex 9s | W |
2005 | National League Two | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 258 | 620 | 4 | 10th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2006 | National League Two | 22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 406 | 776 | 11 | 9th | Did not qualify | R4 | ||
2007 | National League Two | 22 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 448 | 610 | 30 | 9th | Did not qualify | R4 | ||
2008 | National League Two | 22 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 449 | 823 | 20 | 11th | Did not qualify | R4 | ||
2009 | Championship 1 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 210 | 927 | 5 | 10th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2010 | Championship 1 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 444 | 900 | 10 | 10th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2011 | Championship 1 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 433 | 678 | 21 | 9th | Did not qualify | R4 | ||
2012 | Championship 1 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 558 | 560 | 26 | 7th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2013 | Championship 1 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 489 | 468 | 32 | 4th | Lost in preliminary final | R3 | ||
2014 | Championship 1 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 443 | 609 | 23 | 7th | Did not qualify | R4 | ||
2015 | Championship 1 | 22 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 388 | 671 | 10 | 11th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2016 | League 1 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 470 | 650 | 16 | 8th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2017 | League 1 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 367 | 453 | 13 | 11th | Lost in Shield Final | R4 | ||
2018 | League 1 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 626 | 887 | 13 | 12th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2019 | League 1 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 440 | 542 | 15 | 8th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2020 | League 1 | League abandoned due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom | R3 | ||||||||||
2021 | League 1 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 372 | 605 | 7 | 9th | Did not qualify | Did not participate | ||
2022 | League 1 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 440 | 827 | 12 | 9th | Did not qualify | R3 | ||
2023 | League 1 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 254 | 897 | 0 | 10th | Did not qualify | R2 |
Honours
[edit]League
- RFL London League:
- Winners (3):2000, 2001, 2004
- Conference South Division:
- Winners (2):2000, 2002
- Conference Eastern Division:
- Winners (1):1997
Cups
- Conference Challenge Cup:
- Winners (1):2004
- Harry Jepson Trophy:
- Winners (2):1997, 2012
Nines
- Middlesex 9s:
- Winners (1):2003
References
[edit]- ^abcdeOxford league inspires: Oxford Rugby League v. London Skolars (match programme).Oxford: Oxford Rugby League. 2013.
- ^abWalker, Callum (15 September 2023)."London Skolars withdraw from League One in rugby league blow".Total Rugby League.Retrieved15 September2023.
- ^"Hull KR shock Salford".BBC Sport.8 September 2003.Retrieved5 January2014.
- ^"'BENSON MAKES SKOLARS SWITCH ".Sportinglife. 3 December 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 5 June 2011.Retrieved3 December2007.
- ^London Skolars » London Skolars Press Release – Joe Mbu Leaves Skolars
- ^London Skolars » Skolars Announce Former Player Jermaine Coleman As New Head Coach
- ^London Skolars » Jy-mel Coleman Secures Top 8 Spot for Skolars
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)