Bramley R.L.F.C.
Bramley RLFC was a rugby league club from the Bramley area of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, that folded following the 1999 season. The club is a famous name in rugby league, having existed before the formation of the Northern Union in 1895. The traditional nickname for the club was 'the Villagers'. Following Bramley's demise, an amateur club, Bramley Buffaloes, was formed by the fans of the former club with the desire to return to the professional ranks as quickly as possible, continuing the Bramley name, traditions and history. However, the RFL denied the Buffaloes' applications twice, with the second bid being unsuccessful after the RFL changed the application process after the submission date. The new 'phoenix club' was admitted to National League Three in 2004. A junior club with the Bramley R.L. name was founded in 2015, run from the Bramley Villagers Social Club, and playing on Pollard Lane, Bramley. History Early history Bramley was founded in 1879. They played at Whitegate Farm and Pollard Lane from their founding and moved to the Barley Mow ground in 1890. The city of Leeds had an abundance of rugby football clubs and although these were members of the Yorkshire RFU (which was in turn a Constituent Body of the RFU), it was decided to form a ‘more local’ association. For this reason, a Leeds & District organisation was formalised in a meeting at the Green Dragon Hotel, Leeds on 27 September 1888. The foundation clubs were Bramley, Holbeck, Hunslet, Kirkstall, Leeds Parish Church, Leeds St John's (later to become Leeds) and Wortley. Bramley's England international Harry Bradshaw, was the first test case at Twickenham, over "broken time payments" in 1893, two years before the "great schism" of 1895 that resulted in the formation of the Northern Union, which in time would be renamed as the Rugby League. Bramley was admitted to the new Northern Union on 2 June 1896. The rugby league was then split into two county leagues, Lancashire and Yorkshire. James Lomas became rugby league's first £100 transfer from Bramley to Salford in 1901. On 9 October 1907, they became the first club to entertain a touring side when they played the New Zealand All Golds. On 9 November 1921, the Australian Kangaroos as part of the 1921-22 Kangaroo tour, defeated Bramley 92–7 at Barley Mow. This would remain the highest ever score for an Australian team during a Kangaroo Tour. In 1942–43, Bramley dropped out of the wartime Yorkshire League. They did not return to league competition until 1945–46. Post-war In the 1960s, the club moved to a new ground on land adjacent to Barley Mow, which became known as McLaren Field. Bramley developed the ground into a more modern stadium in 1966 with the hope that the new ground would help to take them up the leagues. In 1973, the clubs voted to split into two divisions. Arthur Keegan became first team coach. Bramley defeated Wakefield Trinity, Castleford and St. Helens in order to reach the 1973