Gateshead Thunder (1999)


Gateshead Thunder was a professional rugby league club founded in 1999 in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, which merged with Hull Sharks after only one season. A new club, bearing the same name, was later formed to retain rugby league in Gateshead.

History

Super League

In 1998, Gateshead were officially granted a franchise in the Super League ahead of bids from Swansea and Cardiff. The club was named Gateshead Thunder, the name chosen in a contest, with Shaun McRae as head coach.
Fan attendance in the early part of the season was poor, but rose to 3,895 by season's end. The Thunder finished in sixth position, just two points outside the play off places. They had defeated St. Helens home and away, as well as beating Wigan Warriors in the 'on the road' fixture at Tynecastle, Edinburgh. Matt Daylight was the joint leading try scorer in Super League IV and winger Ian Herron was one of the leading goal kickers in the league.
During their sole season in the league, the Thunder claimed to have lost £700,000, so on 15 November 1999, the board announced their intention to merge the Thunder with the Hull Sharks, for which they were paid a fee £1.25 million by Super League Europe. The Association of Premiership Clubs blocked attempts for the newly merged company to enter a separate Hull-based team in the Northern Ford Premiership and so the new club would be called 'Hull FC' and play all their home games in Hull itself. The 'merger' has since been accepted to be a simple takeover of Thunder by Hull F.C. to allow them to retain their Super League status.
Fans of the original Gateshead club who were opposed to the merger established Thunder Storm, a grassroots organization to keep the clubs separate. Although this ultimately proved to be unsuccessful, the degree of local fan support resulted in the formation of a new Gateshead Thunder club. The new Gateshead Thunder was accepted to play in the Northern Ford Premiership for the 2001 season.

Results

DateOppositionVenueResultAttendance
7 MarchLeeds RhinosHL 14-245,960
21 MarchSt HelensAL 22-345,910
2 AprilWakefield TrinityHW 24-63,460
5 AprilWarrington WolvesAL 18-234,919
10 AprilHalifax Blue SoxHW 22-142,340
18 AprilCastleford TigersAW 17-146,489
25 AprilSalford RedsHW 38-141,760
3 MayHuddersfield GiantsHW 36-102,616
9 MayWigan WarriorsAL 13-167,717
16 MayBradford BullsHL 12-226,631
19 MayHull SharksHW 25-61,580
23 MayLondon BroncosAD 18-181,788
30 MaySheffield EaglesHW 26-181,800
4 JuneLeeds RhinosAL 14-3210,821
13 JuneSt HelensHW 32-206,220
20 JuneWakefield TrinityAW 22-183,247
25 JuneWarrington WolvesHW 26-203,457
29 JuneSheffield EaglesAW 23-63,000
4 JulyHalifax Blue SoxAL 14-353,305
11 JulyCastleford TigersHW 24-166,108
18 JulySalford RedsAW 31-185,611
25 JulyHuddersfield GiantsAW 40-162,219
1 AugustWigan WarriorsHW 20-164,978
4 AugustHull SharksAW 40-123,321
8 AugustBradford BullsAL 14-3012,492
15 AugustLondon BroncosHL 22-282,631
22 AugustLeeds RhinosHL 18-305,498
30 AugustSt HelensAW 36-325,993
5 SeptemberWakefield TrinityHW 66-63,286
12 SeptemberWarrington WolvesAW 48-224,834

Coach