Featherstone Rovers RLFC are a professional rugby league club in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England, who play in the Kingstone Press Championship. Featherstone is a small former coalmining town with a population of around 16,000 and Rovers are one of the last "small town teams" which were common in rugby league in the early 20th century. Known as Fev or the Colliers, the club has produced many junior players who have gone on to play for Super League clubs. Their local rivals are Castleford and Wakefield Trinity, and in the Championship Halifax.
Featherstone Trinity RUFC were formed in 1889. Featherstone Trinity played their first game on the New Inn fields against Castleford Mill Lane Rovers. The following season in 1890, Featherstone had 19 games without defeat. They dropped the Trinity to become simply Featherstone RUFC in 1894. Featherstone voted to join the Northern Union in 1898 and became the town's first rugby league team. They folded in 1902.
Source: Co-Operative Championship Table
Note (a): Toulouse were exempt from relegation.
Note: (b): Doncaster lost 9 competition points for entering administration.
Classification: 1st on league points; 2nd on match points difference.
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.
Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; BP = Bonus Points; Pts = League points.
Despite most population growth taking place around the Industrial Revolution, Featherstone traces its history back much further than this. The Domesday Book (1086) records "In Ferestane [Featherstone] and Prestone [Purston] and Arduwic [Hardwick] and Osele [Nostell], Ligulf had 16 carucates of land for geld, and 6 ploughs may be there." It is thought that a local public house, the Traveller's Rest, can trace its origins to the 17th century whilst the Jubilee Hotel is a listed building which once provided a resting place for wealthy Victorians and their horses.
Like many surrounding areas, Featherstone grew around coal mining. Coal had been mined at Featherstone since the 13th century and remains of bell pits can still be seen to the north of Park Lane at North Featherstone. In 1848, the opening of the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole railway line through Featherstone provided the basis for large scale coal mining in Featherstone, by opening up new markets in the South of England and Europe.
Featherstone Prison was constructed on property previously owned by the Ministry of Defence. Brinsford Prison was opened on the same site, adjacent to Featherstone in 1991.
In a 2001 study by the Prison Reform Trust, Featherstone Prison was revealed to have the highest number of drug-using prisoners in the UK. 34% of all inmates in the jail admitted to taking drugs. A year later it was revealed that inmates were brewing their own beer using Marmite, with fruit and vegetables also being used to make alcoholic drinks. However the governor of the day Mike Pasco stated that, while not condoning the practice, he found it preferable to the inmates smuggling hard drugs into the prison.
In 2004, a report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons stated that the drug problems at Featherstone had been "turned around", and that the prison "was largely calm and efficient with little bullying". However the report also warned that improvements had not been made without a cost, as the new emphasis on security "pervaded the life" of the prison, creating an "over-controlled" environment.
He has been part of some memorable moments at York in that time, including their run to the 2021 AB Sundecks 1895Cup final at Wembley, in which they ultimately fell short to Featherstone Rovers in the trophy-crowning match.
FEATHERSTONE Rovers have confirmed the signing of former York Knights hooker Will Jubb ... Speaking on his move to Featherstone, Jubb commented. “It’s really exciting for me to be joining Featherstone next year.
Recommended reading. ... After a year of rehabilitation, he penned a deal with hometown side Featherstone Rovers and also turned out for Wakefield Trinity before joining Hull last October ... .
Recommended reading. ... He has featured in a series of Under 19 matches against Wales, most recently at Featherstone Rovers’ Millennium Stadium last weekend, impressing with both his influence from full-back and goal-kicking ability ... .
The Hull KR star – among the Knights’ scorers in their 1895Cup final defeat to Featherstone Rovers in 2021 – was on the end of Dom Young’s right-wing break to surge clear across the whitewash in the closing stages ... Recommended reading. ... (Image ... .
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