Tadley Tigers
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Tadley Tigers
Rugby FOOTBALL CLUB
F
our Friends, Frank Jose, Roy Mears, John Thomas and Michael Jewell got together
in November 1985 and formed Tadley RFC. The challenge was to provide a
community rugby club owning their own ground.
The first match was played on 28th
September 1986 at The Hurst School
ground between Tadley RFC and the
Chairman’s XV. This game was played
in excellent weather, watched by a large
crowd with post-match festivities at the
Pineapple Inn, Brimpton Common.
The club was now underway. All
matches for the 1986/7 season were
played on Sundays and Tadley RFC
benefitted by being the first winners of
the Berkshire Sunday Cup when they
beat Old Stonehamians by 13 points
to 6. In 1987/8 Saturday fixtures were
arranged with just a few Sunday games.
Matches were played at the Hurst School
ground with refreshments provided in a
classroom. Midway through this season a
move was made to the Wellington Arms
at Baughurst. As a club Headquarters
it was somewhat crowded but it was
an enjoyable period in the club’s early
history.
League Rugby was introduced in
1988, playing in the Berkshire/Dorset
and Wiltshire League III. A second XV
was formed in October, 1988. In 1990/1
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we gained our first promotion which was
to the Berkshire/Dorset and Wiltshire
League II. During this season a third XV
was formed, whic h became known as
“Biffo’s Bandits”.
During our early years the Committee
searched for a ground of our own. Success
came in 1992, Thirteen and a half acres at
Red Lane, Aldermaston being purchased.
With great enthusiasm an enormous
amount of work was done to get the
ground in shape to play the first match
in September 1992. By January 1994 the
old barn at Red Lane had been converted
into a clubhouse and temporary changing
rooms installed.
Dennis Easby the then President of
the Rugby Football Union opened the
clubhouse in September 1994. In 1996
great improvements were made, new
toilets were added, a bar cellar was built
and a new block of changing rooms
added. A netball pitch was marked out,
floodlights installed and a new car park
laid out.
The club progressed slowly up
through the leagues, playing in South
West 2 East in the 2000-2001 season which
was maintained for 2 seasons.
In the 1999-2000 season the club
started Mini/Midi rugby for youngsters
between under 6 and under 12.
On the run up to the 25th Anniversary
in 2009/10, Tadley’s facilities were
extended again with a large club house,
doubling the bar area and redesigning
the club layout, providing a comfortable
venue for club, community and private
functions. A physio room was added and