This year (2012) will see Sherburn’s 45 year anniversary as an amateur rugby league team.

Despite only being a small village team Sherburn have and managed to field a team without a break for 45 seasons, a feat that many of their more illustrious counterparts in the sport cannot claim. The side have always relied on a good number of players from outside of the village, with local areas such as Selby, Brotherton, Knottingley, Castleford, Pontefract, Featherstone and York being just some of the places that former players have hailed from.

The club formed in 1967, originally played in the Leeds Sunday league on the old bacon factory field on New Lane, just off Milford Road, moving to Eversley Park in the 1970’s when the field was sold for development. The club soon had new changing facilities built and have stayed at the Park ever since, switching to the CMS Yorkshire League and Saturday afternoon matches from the mid 80’s.

The Bears have always returned to one of the village hostelieries for their post match refreshments, and all of the pubs in the village have hosted the team at one time or another, the Elemete Social Club was the first host of the village team, but over the seasons the Odd Fellows Arms (twice), The Bear and The Swan have all looked after the rugby teams after match needs. The team’s current headquarters is the Foresters Arms on Kirkgate, and has been now for 15 years. Hosted by landlord Tony and Kathleen Booth a warm welcome is guaranteed after every game, indeed the Bears post game hospitality is well known throughout the local amateur scene.

The club enjoyed their most successful period from the early to late 90’s, when fielding a core of very talented local players, the team saw successful promotions year on year from the bottom of the Yorkshire League all the way to the first division. It was also during this period that the Sherburn side dominated the local district Cup winning the tournament numerous times throughout the 90’s, before the cups demise.

If you have any more details about the Bears history please contact Matt on 07979 542860 with more details.

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