About Us

FROM small acorns do mighty oaks grow - it's a saying that could hardly be more befitting for one of York's biggest community clubs who this week celebrate a special anniversary.
York Acorn Amateur Rugby League Club, founded by the late Pete Warters and Tony Winn in 1973, were originally based at the Acorn pub in the city centre - hence the name.
Our first team play in amateur rugby league's flagship competition, the National Conference League. Not a bad after 27 years at our current home in Thanet Road.
The recent increase in Acorn's number of teams underlines the club's intentions to continue growing and expanding, something we have done with great success over the last quarter of a century.
Indeed, the community spirit embodied at Acorn, and the desire to develop the club, was shown from day one, and not least when the opportunity arose to acquire the derelict land here at Thanet Road.
That opportunity came in 1990 and saw players, supporters and volunteers - among them builders, plumbers, electricians and plasterers - not only raise the necessary funds but literally roll up their sleeves and help to build our own clubhouse.
This was achieved on January 19, 1991, when the doors opened for the first time.
Exactly 27 years on, and the development has continued apace.
Back then we had a main room, bar area, four changing rooms, two pitches, an all-weather training pitch, and two open-age teams.
Today, Acorn is not only home to 13 different teams from under-7s upwards, but it also harbours a recently refurbished clubhouse, a purpose-built rugby league gym, seven changing rooms, a physio room, a referees room, a washing room, two full-sized pitches, a purpose-built junior pitch and four acres of prime grassland under floodlights for training.

The Acorn is the hub of our community, illustrated through the success of this vibrant rugby and social club. Come along and see for yourself.