Wakefield Trinity
 | |||
| Club information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wakefield Trinity Rugby League Football Club | ||
| Nickname(s) | The Dreadnoughts / Mighty Trin / Wildcats | ||
| Short name | Trinity | ||
| Colours | Red, white and blue | ||
| Founded | 1873 | ||
| Website | wakefieldtrinity | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) | |||
| CEO | Matt Ellis | ||
| Chairman | Matt Ellis | ||
| Coach | Daryl Powell | ||
| Captain | Matty Ashurst | ||
| Competition | Championship | ||
| 2023 season | 12th (relegated) | ||
 Current season | |||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| Records | |||
| Championships | 2(1967,1968) | ||
| Challenge Cups | 5(1909,1946,1960,1962,1963) | ||
| Other top-tier honours | 18 | ||
| Most capped | 619–Harry Wilkinson | ||
| Highest points scorer | 4,488–Neil Fox | ||
Wakefield Trinityis a professionalrugby leagueclub inWakefield,West Yorkshire,England. The club play their home fixtures atBelle Vueand currently compete in theChampionship,the second tier of theBritish rugby league system.
The club was one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed theNorthern Rugby Football Unionin 1895. They have won theLeague Championshiptwice andChallenge Cupfive times.
Wakefield have local rivalries withCastleford TigersandFeatherstone Roversas well asLeeds Rhinos.Their traditional kit colours are white with a red and or blue V. Between 1999 and 2016 the club was known asWakefield Trinity Wildcats.[1]
History[edit]
Early years[edit]
The club's predecessor was The Young Mens Society, formed in 1867 by the Holy Trinity Church to promote sports, with the team itself formed in 1873 alongside a similarly named athletics club, Wakefield Trinity Cycling and Athletic Club (now Wakefield District Harriers and Athletics Club).[2]Early matches were played at Heath Common (1873), Manor Field (1875–76) and Elm Street (1877) before the club moved toBelle Vuein 1879.
After the 1890–91 season, Wakefield along with other Yorkshire Senior clubs Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Liversedge, Manningham 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.
Prior to schism of 1895 which led to the formation of the Northern Rugby Union, Wakefield Trinity participated nine times in thirteen years in the final of theYorkshire Cup(T'owd Tin Pot), a trophy that is nowadays contested solely by rugby union clubs.
They were one of the initial 22 clubs to form theNorthern Unionafter theacrimonious splitfrom theRugby Football Unionin 1895.
Belle Vuewas purchased in 1895, in order to provide a permanent base for Trinity. The money was provided by the Wakefield Trinity Cycling and Athletic Club and was also initially used forcyclingandathleticscompetitions. The athletic club split from the rugby club as a result of thesplit from the Rugby Football Unionand in 1896 formed a separate limited company to avoid accusations of professionalism, although they continued to use Belle Vue until the 1920s.[2]
Trinity won the Northern UnionChallenge Cupfor the first time in 1909, beatingHull F.C.17–0 atHeadingley.The corresponding 1914 final saw the result reversed, with Hull winning '6–0.'
Jonty Parkinsigned for Wakefield Trinity as a 17-year-old in 1913. Wakefield closed for the 1915–16 season but recommenced playing in 1916 following the introduction of conscription which meant that would not be accused of keeping men from volunteering for the First World War.
In a quiet time for Trinity, they won only one Yorkshire Cup (in 1924–25 againstBatley) and lost four Yorkshire Cups.
Parkin decided he wanted to leave in 1930, at the age of thirty-four, and he was put on the transfer list at £100.Hull Kingston Roverswould not find the money; so Parkin paid the fee himself to secure his release. The game's bylaws were adjusted shortly afterwards, so that no player could ever do that again.
On Saturday 27 October 1934,Leedsand Wakefield Trinity met in the final of the Yorkshire Cup atCrown Flatt,Dewsbury.The match ended in a 5–5 draw. Four days later the two clubs drew again, with Leeds eventually lifting the trophy after a second replay, the only occasion it took three attempts to settle a Yorkshire Cup Final. A total of 52,402 spectators watched the three games.[3]
As of 2017, the1943–44 seasonis the only occasion that Wakefield Trinity have finished top of the league.
In 1947, Wakefield Trinity centreFrank Townsendwas fatally injured in a match atPost Office Road,Featherstone.[4]
Post-war[edit]
If the pre-war years were austere then the post-war period was bright and bullish for the Dreadnoughts. On Saturday, 3 November 1945,Bradford Northernmet Wakefield Trinity in the final of the Yorkshire Cup held atThrum Hall,Halifax.Wakefield began the match as favourites, they had lost only one of thirteen matches thus far in the season. However, Bradford won 5–2 and lifted the Yorkshire Cup for the fourth time in six seasons. The first Wembley final after the war produced a return to winning ways as Trinity, with names such asJames "Jim" CrostonandBilly Stott,pipped Wigan to the Cup 13–12.
On Saturday 27 October 1951, 25,495 were atFartown,Huddersfieldto see Wakefield Trinity defeatKeighley17–3 in the Yorkshire Cup Final. The club was not destined to return toWembleyuntil 1960 and had to slake its thirst for silverware on two Yorkshire Cup and two Yorkshire League victories in the 1950s. Trinity featured in the first league match to be broadcast on British television, a clash withWiganatCentral Parkon 12 January 1952.
1960s and 1970s[edit]
Trinity were runners-up in theleague championship in 1959–60,losing in the Championship Final against Wigan.
Wakefield Trinity beatHuddersfield16–10 in the 1960YorkshireCounty CupFinal atHeadingley,Leedson 29 October 1960.[5]
Wakefield returned to Wembley emphatically with a record 38–5 win vHull F.C.under the guidance of coachKen Trailland loose forwardDerek 'Rocky' Turner.
Wakefield won their fourthChallenge Cupvictory in 1962, running out 12–6 winners against Huddersfield. Many of the scenes from the filmThis Sporting Lifewere filmed at theBelle Vueduring Wakefield's third round Challenge Cup match against Wigan. The club were victorious in a dour 1962 Challenge Cup win over Huddersfield although the Fartowners went on to deny them the double a few days later in the Championship final atOdsal Stadium,Bradford.Wakefield also won the Yorkshire Cup final of 1961–62 and the Yorkshire League of 1961–62.
Wakefield Trinity was invited to visitSouth Africaduring June and July 1962.Neil Fox,Harold Poynton,Gerry Round,Derek Turner andJack Wilkinson,were unable to accompany the team on the six-match tour, as they were inAustraliawith the GB tourists. Wakefield Trinity's ChairmanStuart Hadfieldwas also touring with the national team as Great Britain manager. Trinity therefore added four South African players who were playing for British clubs at that time to their squad. They wereFred Griffiths(Wigan),Tom van Vollenhoven(St. Helens),Wilf Rosenberg(Hull F.C.) andEdward "Ted" Brophy(Leigh). Wakefield had three South Africans of their own in the squad inAlan Skene,Jan PrinslooandColin Greenwood,with the rest of the party made up ofFred Smith,Ken Hirst,Ken Rollin,Keith Holliday,Dennis Williamson,Milan Kosanović,Geoff Oakes,Brian Briggs,Albert FirthandDon Vines.It was some squad so, not surprisingly; they were comfortable winners of all six matches. The tour opened on Saturday 30 June 1962 at Milner Park, Johannesburg, where the local Johannesburg Celtic club were overpowered by 52–6.
Despite winning the Challenge Cup for a fifth time in 1963, Wakefield had still not been able to secure the league championship title. The Holy Grail would be achieved in the 1966–67 season when the experienced Harold Poynton led a powerful side, which included Neil Fox,Don Fox,Gary CooperandRay Owen,to victory over St. Helens in a replay of the championship final. They repeated the title feat the following year againstHull Kingston Roversbut were again denied the double when Leeds defeated them in the 1968 'water splash' final at Wembley, a match played during a downpour that saturated the pitch. The game produced the most dramatic of finishes, when Man-of-the-Match, Don Fox had an under-the-posts conversion to win it for Wakefield, but "topped it" on the saturated turf and missed, to leave Leeds 11–10 winners.
Trinity were crowned Champions for the only time in successive seasons – 1966–67 and 1967–68. Wakefield Trinity beat St. Helens 21–9 in the 1967Rugby Football League ChampionshipFinal atStation Road, Swintonon 10 May 1967, with scrum half Ray Owen winning theHarry Sunderland Trophy.The following season they retained their title in the 17–10 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1968 Championship Final at Headingley on 4 May 1968, this time with Gary Cooper taking home the man of the match award. Wakefield now wear two gold stars above the club crest to signify the two titles won.[5]
Wakefield absorbed a number of different coaches at the helm in subsequent years but did not return to Wembley untilWilliam "Bill" Kirkbride's talented charges fell 12–3 toWidnesin 1979 in front of nearly 100,000 fans.
1980s[edit]
Bill Ashurstcoached Wakefield Trinity while still playing during the 1981–82 season.
Derek Turnerwas Head Coach for Wakefield Trinity from July 1983 until February 1984. As of 2017, 11th in the Second Division during the1984–85 seasonis the lowest position that Wakefield Trinity have ever finished. In December 1985, Wakefield did a deal with the local council to enable them to continue at Belle Vue. Five council delegates joined Wakefield's board giving them the majority vote.
The ensuing decline was temporarily halted whenWally Lewissigned up for a brief spell with the club, playing as astand-off.But Trinity continued to fluctuate between the two divisions.
Former playerDavid Toplissstabilised the Dreadnoughts' ship in 1987. He won immediate promotion in 1988 back to the First Division, retiring as a player after the final match of the campaign.[6]He remained at Wakefield purely as a coach and consolidated the club's top tier status by acquiring the services of seasoned internationals likeSteve Ella,new captainMark Graham,Brian Jacksonas well as now former Trinity coachAndy Kellyand laterJohn Harbin.
Wakefield escaped a threat of closure by forming their first ever board of directors in August 1991. Topliss stepped down as coach to concentrate on his business.[6]David Hobbsjoined Wakefield Trinity as coach in May 1994. He then went toHalifaxas Director of Football in January 1995.
1996–1997: Summer era[edit]
In 1996, the first tier of British rugby league clubs played the inauguralSuper Leagueseason and changed from a winter to a summer season.[7]When theRupert Murdoch-funded Super League competition had been proposed, part of the deal was that some traditional clubs would merge. Wakefield were down to merge withCastlefordandFeatherstone Roversto form a new club,Calder,which would compete in the newly formed Super League. Although Wakefield voted to merge, the other clubs refused to do so; Wakefield finished below the cut-off point of 10th in the existing top flight and were excluded from the new Super League. As the sport in Britain entered a new era, it would be three years before Wakefield rose again to the top level of the game.
1998–2005: Entry to Super League[edit]
Under coachAndy Kelly,Wakefield earned their place in the top flight on the back of their controversial victory over Featherstone Rovers in the inaugural Division One Grand Final in 1998. Wakefield adopted the "Wildcats" nickname in 1998: the year they entered Super League, having won promotion from thefirst division.
Wakefield put together a startling series of results early in the 1999 season, beating some of the most fancied sides and ensuring early in the campaign that they would be safe. The club invested heavily in newcomers. Wakefield also played one of their televised home games at Barnsley F.C's Oakwell stadium against St. Helens.
John Harbinwas the coach of Wakefield between October 2000 and October 2001, Wakefield's final game of the 2001 season was a relegation battle withSalfordwith Wakefield condemningHuddersfieldto relegation. He decided to leave the club at the end of 2001.
Peter Roewas appointed Head Coach in November 2001.[8]After years of struggling to keep up with the Super League pace which saw Trinity finish next to bottom on most of their attempts they finally got around to making headway up the league. Peter Roe was sacked in July 2002 and was replaced by his assistantShane McNally.[9]WithAdrian Vowlesas his co-coach the pair guided Trinity to their first-ever SL play-off position, finishing in 6th place.
In 2004, after a slow start to the season Trinity finished stronger than any other team in the competition giving their fans some hope of a little glory at the club which had been missing for too long. Away at theKC StadiuminHull,Trinity produced a remarkable performance and managed to beat Hull despite having two mensin-binned.
The semis saw a visit to Wigan and there was real hope in the camp that Wakefield would make the elimination final play off and all looked to be going that way when Trinity led 14–0 but some strange decisions went the way of the Wiganers so it wasn't yet to be but Wakefield fans will look back on these two games with fondness for many years. The away support was outstanding for both efforts.
Shane McNallywas sacked in June 2005 after a disappointing start to the season.Tony Smithtook over as caretaker coach from Shane McNally and led Trinity to survival in 2005 but following four straight defeats which saw Wakefield drop into the relegation zone Smith was sacked on Monday, 17 July 2006. Smith's last game in charge was a 26–20 defeat against Huddersfield, a match in which his side squandered a 20-point lead – one of several occasions this season Trinity have collapsed in the second half.
On 24 July 2006, Wakefield announced formerHull F.C.coachJohn Kearas Head Coach until the end of the season.
Trinity defeated their arch-rivalsCastlefordby 29–17 atBelle Vueon Saturday 16 September 2006 to preserve their Super League status in an epic match which saw both teams leading for spells of the game. Had Wakefield not won the match they would have been relegated. Instead, their win, dubbed as the 'Battle of Belle Vue' sent Castleford down to the National League One. The match was attended by a sell out crowd of 11,000.
In November 2006 the Wakefield Metropolitan District Council set out plans for a new sporting village to be built at Thornes Park that would incorporate a new stadium to be used by Trinity, along with gymnastics and bo xing facilities and swimming pools. The council published results of a feasibility study on 12 September 2008, into the project and which concluded that it is not feasible for a new stadium at Thornes Park.
That left Wakefield Trinity in a precarious position –Belle Vueis not suitable for the long-term future, and a new stadium is crucial to their Super League survival. In 2009 a new stadium in Stanley was proposed with planning permission expected to be applied for in October 2009. Planning permission was granted for the new ground in Newmarket, subject to section 106 agreements, and since this news the club have yet again stalled in progress.
The 2009 season was Wakefield's best-ever Super League season with the club finishing 5th on 32 points and qualifying for a home tie in the end of season play-offs.
2010–2015: Financial difficulties[edit]
2010 was a disappointment to the club, after losing Shane Tronc, Terry Newton and Danny Brough, and despite bringing in Danny Kirmond, Charlie Leaeno and Julien Rinaldi, they still finished in 10th position, five places lower than the 2009 season.
In February 2011, the club enteredadministrationto avoid awinding up petitionfromHMRCover £300,000 in unpaid taxes.[10]
Former Hull coach Richard Agar became Wakefield Trinity's head coach before the start of the 2012, Super League XVII season, on a three-year deal.[11]
Agar was replaced byJames Websterafter a poor run of form in June 2014.[12]Webster was sacked halfway into the 2015 season just before the Qualifiers started and was replaced byBrian Smith.They went on to win the inauguralMillion Pound GameagainstBradford Bullsto play another season in Super League. Smith resigned in March 2016.[13]
2016–present: Stability[edit]
Chris Chesterwas appointed head coach 16 March 2016 and revitalised the squad. Compared to the previous season when the team were fighting for survival, Chester guided them to a top 8 finish and a place in theChallenge Cupsemi final. 2017 proved to be more successful than many pundits imagined – once again Trinity were in the top 8 of Superleague, despite being many peoples tip to finish last and face a relegation battle. In 2018, Wakefield finished 7th on the table at the end of theSuper League XXIIIseason. The club went on to finish 5th at the end of the Super 8's.[14] In the2019 Super League season,the club finished ninth on the table.[15] In the2020 Super League season,the club finished second bottom after a difficult campaign.[16]
In the2021 Super League season,Wakefield Trinity finished 10th in the competition. Towards the end of the season, the club terminated head coachChris Chester.Wakefield later appointedWillie Pochingas the new head coach.[17] Wakefield endured a difficult 2022 Super League season with the club struggling near the foot of the table. Following the clubsMagic Weekendloss toToulouse Olympique,Wakefield found themselves in the relegation zone. However, the club would win five of their remaining seven matches to avoid relegation and finish in 10th place.[18]On 12 September 2022, head coach Willie Poching announced he was departing Wakefield Trinity.[19] Wakefield Trinity started the 2023 Super League season poorly losing their opening nine matches in a row. Wakefield also became the first side of the Super League era to be held scoreless in five games throughout a season after losing 32–0 toLeighin round 9.[20] After losing their opening 14 games of the 2023 Super League season, Wakefield Trinity recorded their first win of the campaign defeating Leeds 24-14.[21] In the second last round of the 2023 Super League season, Wakefield were officially relegated after losing 20-19 in golden point extra-time againstLeigh.It ended Wakefield's 24-year stay in the top flight.[22]
Crest and colours[edit]
Crest[edit]
Every crest up until 1999 focused on thefleur-de-lyspresent on theWakefield County Borough coat of arms.When the club was rebranded the Wildcats the fleur-de-lys was dropped although the club was still called WakefieldTrinityWildcats. the new crest was thewildcatwith Wildcats predominantly showing. In 2012 the crest was tweaked to contain the club's full name and the fleur-de-lys symbol. The Wildcats name was still used, but from 2015 the fleur-de-lys featured inside a shield with two stars above it for the two Championship titles they have won. In 2017 the Club reverted to the name Wakefield Trinity and the club badge has been returned to a white fleur-de-Lys in a blue shield with the founding date of 1873 proudly displayed.
Colours[edit]
Wakefield Trinity's colours are red, white and blue. Traditionally most of their kits are predominantly white with a red and blue V or a blue and red hoop although some kits have been predominantly blue or red.
Kit sponsors and manufacturers[edit]
| Year | Kit Manufacturer | Main Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1968–1980 | Adidas | none |
| 1980–1993 | British Coal | |
| 1993–1995 | McEwans Lager | |
| 1995–1997 | Le Coq Sportif | |
| 1998–1999 | White Rose | |
| 2000–2004 | Avec | Sainsbury's |
| 2005 | ISC | |
| 2006 | Errea | Atlantic Solutions |
| 2007 | Eric France | |
| 2008–2009 | Kooga | |
| 2010 | Prostar | |
| 2011 | Macron | |
| 2012–2013 | Fi-Ta | |
| 2014 | Macron | C&D Cleaning Services[23] |
| 2015 | Plumbcare[24] | |
| 2016 | Backstage Academy | |
| 2017 | ISC[25] | |
| 2018 | One World Travel Group | |
| 2019–2020 | ASUS[26] | |
| 2021–2022 | Hummel[27] | |
| 2023 | Ellgren[28] | |
| 2024 | DIY Kitchens[29] |
Rivalries[edit]
Wakefield Trinity's main rivals areCastlefordwho they play in the Calder Derby. The stadiums are only 8 miles apart. Each year Wakefield and Castleford compete for the Adam Watene trophy, named after a much-loved player who played for both teams but was taken tragically too soon. They also have another local rivalry withFeatherstone Roversalthough this is considered a lesser rival in recent years as they play in different leagues. Both Wakefield and Castleford have both been more successful than Featherstone Rovers in recent years.
There is a historic rivalry withLeedsas both were successful in the 60s and 70s and competed in some major games, the most famous being the 1968 challenge cup final where Leeds won in controversial fashion. Wakefield has other West Yorkshire rivalries withHuddersfieldandBradford.
Stadium[edit]
Belle Vue[edit]
The site was purchased in 1895 after the split betweenrugby leagueandrugby union,to provide a permanent base for Wakefield Trinity who had been playing on fields in the area since 1873. Money was provided by the Wakefield Athletic Club, and the ground was also used forcyclingandathleticscompetitions.
Floodlights were installed in 1967 and were upgraded in 1990/91.
On Saturday 16 September 2006, the stadium played host to 'The Battle of Belle Vue' when 11,000 fans from Trinity andCastlefordwatched the match which would decide who was relegated fromSuper League.Wakefield won the match 29–17 sending their nearest rivals Castleford down to the National League.
The capacity of the stadium was increased to 12,600 in 2008, to help with the application for a 2009 Super League licence, which was granted in July 2008.
In June 2015, it was announced Wakefield Trinity would leave Belle Vue at the end of the season as they could not afford to stay. Before the end of the season it was announced Belle Vue was up for sale and was sold in 2016. Although the new owners expressed interest in redeveloping the stadium, no progress has been announced publicly, and notice has once again been given and Trinity expect to leave Belle Vue at some stage. Negotiations and talks on the club's future playing venue continue.
2024 squad[edit]
| First team squad | Coaching staff | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Head coach Assistant coaches
Updated: 19 October 2023 | |||||||
2024 transfers[edit]
Gains[edit]
| Player | Club | Contract | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Losses[edit]
| Player | Club | Contract | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Bowes | Featherstone Rovers | November 2023[30] | |
| Eddie Battye | Sheffield Eagles | 2 Years | November 2023[31] |
Players[edit]
Harry Sunderland Trophy winners[edit]
TheHarry Sunderland Trophyis awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in theSuper League Grand Finalby theRugby League Writers' Association.
| Season | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 1966–67 | Ray Owen |
| 1967–68 | Gary Cooper |
Golden Greats (1945–91)[edit]
The "Golden Greats" side was named on 21 March 1992.[32]
- Gerry Round
- Fred Smith
- Alan Skene
- Neil Fox
- Gert Coetzer
- Harold Poynton
- Keith Holliday
- Jack Wilkinson
- Len Marson
- Don Vines
- Mick Exley
- Bob Haigh
- Derek Turner
Coaches[edit]
| Name | Contract Started | Contract Ended |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Croston | 1946 +/- | 1946 +/- |
 Harry Beverley
|
c. 1951 | c. 1951 |
| John Malpass | c. 1950s | c. 1950s |
| Ken Traill | 1958 | 1970 |
| Neil Fox
|
May 1970 | March 1974 |
| Peter Fox
|
June 1974 | May 1976 |
| Geoff GunneyMBE | June 1976 | November 1976 |
| Brian Lockwood | November 1976 | January 1978 |
| Ian Brooke | January 1978 | January 1979 |
| William Kirkbride | January 1979 | April 1980 |
| Bill Ashurst | June 1981 | April 1982 |
| Ray Batten | May 1982 | July 1983 |
| Derek Turner | July 1983 | February 1984 |
| Geoffrey Wraith | February 1984 | May 1984 |
| David Lamming | October 1984 | April 1985 |
| Len Casey | April 1985 | June 1986 |
| Tony Dean | June 1986 | December 1986 |
| Trevor Bailey | December 1986 | April 1987 |
| David Topliss | May 1987 | April 1994 |
| David Hobbs | May 1994 | January 1995 |
| Paul Harkin | January 1995 | January 1996 |
 Mitch Brennan
|
January 1996 | June 1997 |
| Andy Kelly
|
June 1997 | May 2000 |
 Tony Kemp
|
May 2000 | October 2000 |
| John Harbin
|
October 2000 | October 2001[33] |
| Peter Roe
|
November 2001[8] | July 2002[9] |
| Shane McNally&Adrian Vowles
|
August 2002[34] | August 2003[35] |
| Shane McNally
|
September 2003 | June 2005[36] |
| Tony Smith
|
June 2005[37] | July 2006[38] |
| John Kear
|
July 2006[39] | September 2011[40] |
| Richard Agar
|
September 2011[41] | June 2014[42] |
| James Webster
|
June 2014[42] | May 2015[43] |
| Brian Smith
|
June 2015[44] | March 2016[13] |
| Chris Chester
|
March 2016[45] | August 2021[45] |
| Willie Poching
|
August 2021[45] | September 2022[46] |
| Mark Applegarth
|
September 2022[47] | October 2023[48] |
| Daryl Powell
|
October 2023[49] |
Seasons[edit]
League history[edit]
|
Super League era[edit]
| Season | League | Play-offs | Challenge Cup | Other competitions | Name | Tries | Name | Points | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts[a] | Pos | Top try scorer | Top point scorer | |||||||
| 1996 | Division One | 20 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 485 | 455 | 21 | 6th | QF | |||||||
| 1997 | Division One | 20 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 393 | 419 | 19 | 5th | R5 | |||||||
| 1998 | Division One | 30 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 790 | 506 | 45 | 1st | R4 | |||||||
| 1999 | Super League | 30 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 608 | 795 | 20 | 11th | R5 | |||||||
| 2000 | Super League | 28 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 557 | 771 | 16 | 10th | R5 | |||||||
| 2001 | Super League | 28 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 529 | 817 | 14 | 11th | QF | |||||||
| 2002 | Super League | 28 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 566 | 899 | 12 | 11th | QF | |||||||
| 2003 | Super League | 28 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 505 | 774 | 15 | 11th | R5 | |||||||
| 2004 | Super League | 28 | 15 | 0 | 13 | 788 | 662 | 30 | 6th | Lost in Semi Final | QF | ||||||
| 2005 | Super League | 28 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 716 | 997 | 20 | 10th | R4 | |||||||
| 2006 | Super League | 28 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 591 | 717 | 20 | 10th | R4 | |||||||
| 2007 | Super League | 27 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 596 | 714 | 23 | 8th | R5 | |||||||
| 2008 | Super League | 27 | 11 | 0 | 16 | 574 | 760 | 22 | 8th | SF | |||||||
| 2009 | Super League | 27 | 16 | 0 | 11 | 685 | 609 | 32 | 5th | Lost in Elimination Playoffs | R5 | ||||||
| 2010 | Super League | 27 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 539 | 741 | 18 | 11th | R4 | |||||||
| 2011 | Super League | 27 | 7 | 0 | 20 | 453 | 957 | 10 | 13th | R4 | |||||||
| 2012 | Super League | 27 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 633 | 764 | 26 | 8th | Lost in Elimination Playoffs | R4 | ||||||
| 2013 | Super League | 7 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 660 | 749 | 21 | 11th | R5 | |||||||
| 2014 | Super League | 27 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 557 | 750 | 21 | 12th | R4 | |||||||
| 2015 | Super League | 23 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 402 | 929 | 6 | 12th | Won in Million Pound Game | R6 | ||||||
| The Qualifiers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 153 | 170 | 6 | 4th | |||||||||
| 2016 | Super League | 30 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 571 | 902 | 20 | 8th | SF | |||||||
| 2017 | Super League | 30 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 714 | 679 | 32 | 5th | QF | |||||||
| 2018 | Super League | 30 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 747 | 696 | 27 | 5th | R6 | |||||||
| 2019 | Super League | 29 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 608 | 723 | 22 | 9th | QF | |||||||
| 2020 | Super League | 19 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 324 | 503 | 64.4 | 10th | R6 | |||||||
| 2021 | Super League | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 482 | 548 | 37.50 | 10th | R6[b] | |||||||
| 2022 | Super League | 27 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 497 | 648 | 20 | 10th | QF | |||||||
| 2023 | Super League | 27 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 303 | 742 | 8 | 12th | R6 | |||||||
Honours[edit]
League[edit]
- Winners (7):1909–10, 1910–11, 1945–46, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1965–66
Cups[edit]
- Winners (1):2024
- Winners (4):1879, 1880, 1883, 1887
Records[edit]
Club records[edit]
- Biggest win:
- 110-0 v.Newcastle Thunder(atPost Office Road,2024,RFL 1895 Cup)[50]
- Highest all-time attendance:
- Highest Super League attendance:
- 11,000v.
Castleford(atBelle Vue,2006)
- 11,000v.
Player records[edit]
- Most tries in a match: 7 byFred SmithvsKeighley,1959 &Keith SlatervsHunslet,1971
- Most goals in a match: 13 byMark ConwayvsHighfield RLFC,1992–93 &Mason Linovs Newcastle Thunder, 2024[50]
- Most points in a match: 38 byMason LinovsNewcastle Thunder,2024[50]
- Most tries in a season: 38 byFred Smith1961–62,David Smith1973–74
- Most goals in a season: 163 byNeil Fox,1961–62
- Most points in a season: 407 by Neil Fox, 1961–62
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- General
- Wildcats: history and factsArchived8 June 2008 at theWayback Machine
- Inline
- ^Smith, Peter (24 May 2016)."Chairman confirms Wildcats name to be dropped".Yorkshire Evening Post.Retrieved22 September2016.
The Wildcats suffix, introduced when Wakefield Trinity joined Super League in 1999, will be dropped from the end of this season, chairman Michael Carter has confirmed.
- ^abCunnane, Martin (1995).Wakefield District Harriers and Athletic Club – The First 100 Years!.Yorkshire Sport Publications. pp. 1–8.ISBN0-9525200-0-1.
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