HISTORY OF TYNEDALE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB - KEY EVENTS

1876
As a result of a letter addressed to the non-existent "Captain of Hexham Rugby Club", Tynedale RFC was founded by a group of enthusiasts in Hexham Town Hall. Tynedale's first match against Elswick, who later became Northern FC, was played at Hexham on 30th December 1876. The game was won by Tynedale by a goal and two tries to nil.

1880
Tynedale and five other clubs (Northumberland FC, Borough of Tynemouth FC, Northern FC, Gosforth FC and Percy Park FC) founded the Northumberland Rugby Union.

1883
Tynedale appeared in their first Northumberland Cup Final but lost to Tynemouth by two tries to nil. The first special train ever run in the North-East for a football match was from Hexham to Tynemouth for this match.

1884
Tynedale were guests at the first Gala Sevens- reaching the final before losing out to the hosts.

1885
Tynedale won both the Gala Sevens and the inaugural Hawick Sevens.

1886
Tynedale won the fourth Melrose Sevens - the first English team to win the tournament (the next being Rosslyn Park 65 years later in 1951)

1887
Tynedale won the Northumberland Cup for the first time when they beat Northern in front of a crowd of 5000.

1887
Three weeks after their cup success, six other local teams (Hexham Excelsior, Heart of All England, Hexham Wanderers, Tyneside Rovers, Parkhead Rangers and Hexham Violets) merged with Tynedale.

1888
Three Tynedale men played for Northumberland in their 3-3 draw against the first ever New Zealand touring side.

1890
Tynedale failed to fulfil a fixture with Percy Park and the Club Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary resigned.

1894
On Whit Monday, May 21st, on the Sele at Hexham, Tynedale hosted, and won, the first ever Sevens competition to be played in England.

1901
Tynedale First XV won only 2 of their 18 matches and the First Team was disbanded.

1902
After temporary stays at the Sele, Tyne Mills and Brewery Field, a new ground was rented by the Club at Dene Park in the East End of Hexham.

1905
Tynedale fielded a side containing five sets of brothers.

1905
The name of the Club changed from "Tynedale Football Club" to "Tynedale Rugby Football Club".

1914
Tynedale beat Percy Park 9-6 to win the last Northumberland Cup Final before the First World War.

1918
Forty-nine Tynedale players, past and present, gave their lives for their country in World War 1.

1919
The building of a new clubhouse at Dene Park, replacing the old ex-Army hut which had been used since the First World War, was celebrated by a match against a County President's XV.

1926
Tynedale's Golden Jubilee was marked by a memorable match against Waterloo which Tynedale won 12-3.

1926
Tynedale bought Dene Park for £1550.

1927
The Northumberland Cup was again lifted by Tynedale, beating Northern 5-3. This was the prelude to the great years of the 'Thirties'.

1928
Tynedale suffered a tragic loss when star player J.E.C.Strang (James Edward Cornish Strang) died, aged 25, in hospital from septicaemia after suffering a leg injury in a match at Durham City.

1933
The Club carried off the Northumberland Senior Cup in four successive seasons from 1933 to 1936.

1936
A Northumberland, Cumberland and Durham side, containing three Tynedale players, lost10-6 to the All Blacks at Gosforth.

1945
World War II ended with 27 Tynedale men having paid the supreme sacrifice.

1948
The Club won the Northumberland Cup, defeating Northern 15-13 in the final.

1951
The club lost a commemorative 75th anniversary match 23-12 against a South of Scotland team containing a number of internationals.

1966
A new bar lounge was added to the Dene Park clubhouse.

1972
The Club were granted permission to incorporate Hexham Urban Council's coat of arms in the design of badges and ties being prepared for the club's centenary 1n 1976.

1976
The Club celebrated their Centenary season.

1976
Tynedale moved from Dene Park, Hexham to a 35 acre site at Tynedale Park, Corbridge, which was bought from the Tynedale Agricultural Society, costing £140,000 to acquire and develop. Fittingly, in their centenary season, the new Clubhouse's opening match was against Scottish champions Hawick on Wednesday 1st September 1976.
Matches had in fact been played at Corbridge during the previous season (1975-76) - players changing at Hexham and being bused down to the new ground.

1976
Tynedale played their first ever game in the National Knockout Cup (John Player Cup) at Sale, losing 15-16 in a thriller to the eventual semi-finalists.

1987
Leagues were introduced in England. Tynedale were positioned in league North1 alongside Harrogate, Hartlepool Rovers, Hull & East Riding, Kendal, Middlesbrough, Otley, West Park(St Helens), Widnes, Wigton and Winninhgton Park. Each team only played each other once for a total of 10 matches.

1988
Tynedale won the Northumberland Senior Cup after a gap of 40 years - beating Gosforth in the final - the last match to be played at the County Ground.
The 2nd XV and the Grasshoppwers also won their respective cups whilst the 3rdXV were beaten in the final. The Under 16's and Under 13's also won their County Cups in what was a magnificent season.

1992
The Club' s new grandstand was opened by Danie Serfontein, President of the RFU, on 26th September 1992.

1993
The Club Constitution was changed, introducing a 7-man Management Committee to replace the 40-man General Committee.

1994
The Centenary Seven's Competition was held at Tynedale - 100 years after Tynedale hosted the first sevens competition in England. (View Programme)

1995
The sport of rugby was changed completely with the advent of professionalism.

2000
Tynedale won all 22 league matches (and the Northumberland Cup) and were promoted to the National Leagues after 14 years of trying.

2000
Tynedale reache the 4th Round of the National Knockout Cup (then the Tetley Bitter Cup) for the first time but lost to the full-time professionals of Worcester.

2001
The club hosted their first ever female contact rugby match on Saturday January 13th when West Northumberland U16s (West Tynedale, Haydon Bridge and Tynedale) played South Tyneside U16s (Westoe and Blyth)

2001
Foot and Mouth Disease devasted Northumberland and Tynedale's first season in the National Leagues ended in early February.

2002
The inaugural Tynedale Beer Festival was held at the club, organised in conjunction with Tynedale Lions.

2004
The Club was incorporated under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 and changed its name to "Tynedale Rugby Football Club Limited"

2004
Young 24 year-old Tynedale prop Alistair Johnson (Ali) suffered a serious spinal injury in a league match at Fylde on 25th September 2004. Ali bravely battling his severe disabilities for 4 years before suffering complications from which he tragically died on 1st December 2008.

2005
Saturday January 8th 2005 - Tynedale's ground was under 8 feet of flood water. The social end of the clubhouse was out of action for almost 4 months and 3 portakabins were used as temporary replacement.

2005
Tynedale's FirstXV, the Raiders, and the Grasshoppers all won their respective Northumberland Cup competitions.

2008
Tynedale won National League 3 (North) winning 24, drawing 1 and only losing 1 of their 26 matches. The second placed team finished 29 points behind Tynedale.

2010
Following re-structuring of the National Leagues Tynedale finished 5th in National League 1 and consequently are ranked the 29th top team in English Rugby.

2015
Tynedale were relegated for the first time and dropped down to National 2 North (level 4 in England)

2015
Saturday December 5th 2015 - The club suffered its second major flood in 10 years.