Quick history

A history of Gosforth FC/Newcastle Gosforth/Newcastle Falcons in significant dates:

03/11/1887 Gosforth FC’s first match, against Northern, is drawn, with a try from Stuart Frederick Bates.

09/03/1901 Win first trophy, Northumberland Third Teams’ Cup, beating Percy Park III in a final replay 10-6.

16/04/1919 First post-WWI match, 0-14 v Old Novocastrians at County Ground.

17/01/1920 First senior post-WWI win, 8-3 away to College of Medicine.

31/03/1928 Win Northumberland Senior Cup for the first time, beating Percy Park 5-3 in the club’s first senior final.

25/12/1931 The last time Gosforth play on Christmas Day, winning 11-3 v Northern.

28/10/1939 Last independent senior match before WWII, 5-22 at Blaydon.

29/09/1945 First post-WWII match, 0-34 v Tynedale at County Ground.

03/11/1945 First senior post-WWII win, 3-0 v Hartlepool Old Boys at County Ground.

08/04/1950 Lose first post-WWII Northumberland Senior Cup Final to Percy Park 3-9.

05/09/1955 Lose 0-3 to Clifton in first match at North Road.

21/04/1956 Win Northumberland Senior Cup for the first time since WWII, beating Northern 6-3 in a replay.

04/09/1971 Lose 9-13 at Halifax in first RFU Cup match.

1975/76 Win first Journal Trophy.

24/04/1976 Beat Rosslyn Park 23-14 at Twickenham to win John Player Cup.

1976/77 Win first Northern Merit Table.

16/04/1977 Beat Waterloo 27-11 at Twickenham to win John Player Cup.

20/04/1980 Beat Alnwick to win Northumberland Senior Cup for tenth successive season.

02/05/1981 Lose 15-22 to Leicester at Twickenham in John Player Cup Final.

12/09/1987 Lose 10-15 at Liverpool St Helens in first league match (Division Two).

22/04/1989 Lose final match at North Road 9-47 to Saracens in Division Two.

09/09/1990 Official opening of Kingston Park stadium. Lose 6-32 to RFU President’s XV including Rob Andrew.

24/04/1993 Secure Division Two Championship and promotion to Division One, despite losing 16-19 at Moseley.

11/09/1993 Lose 12-42 at Orrell in first Division 1 match.

30/04/1994 Relegated after only one season in Division One, losing 23-43 at Northampton on the last day to finish bottom.

05/09/1995 Sir John Hall buys Newcastle Gosforth.

21/09/1995 Rob Andrew announced as Director of Rugby.

07/09/1996 First match as Newcastle Falcons, a 30-13 win over Waterloo at Kingston Park in Division Two.

08/03/1997 £1m signing Va’aiga Tuigamala makes debut in 57-10 home Division Two win over Wakefield.

04/05/1997 A 61-13 defeat of Rotherham secures promotion to new Premiership.

07/09/1997 Beat Biarritz 37-10 at Kingston Park in the club’s first-ever European match.

25/03/1998 Jonny Wilkinson makes first league start in a 30-25 victory over title rivals Saracens at Kingston Park.

17/05/1998 Become English Champions with a 44-20 win at the Stoop against Harlequins.

February 1999 Dave Thompson buys out Newcastle Sporting Club’s 76% stake in the club.

15/05/1999 Lose 19-29 to Wasps at Twickenham in Tetley’s Bitter Cup Final.

24/02/2001 Beat Harlequins 30-27 at Twickenham to win Tetley’s Bitter Cup.

29/09/2001 Lose 21-34 to Newport at Kingston Park in the club’s first ever Heineken Cup match.

01/02/2003 The West Stand at Kingston Park is officially opened. 32-17 home victory against Harlequins is the club’s first Premiership win for over three months.

04/05/2003 Beat Saracens 26-22 at Kingston Park to secure Premiership survival.

22/11/2003 Jonny Wilkinson kicks the winning drop-goal for England in the World Cup Final.

17/04/2004 Beat Sale 37-33 at Twickenham to win Powergen Cup.

16/01/2005 Qualify for European Cup Quarter-Finals for the first time by beating Newport Gwent 25-17 at Kingston Park.

02/10/2005 Become the first club side in the world to field three players that have scored in World Cup Finals (Matthew Burke, Owen Finegan and Jonny Wilkinson) v Sale in the Powergen Cup at Kingston Park.

18/08/2006 Rob Andrew becomes Director of Elite Rugby at the RFU, and is replaced as Director of Rugby by John Fletcher.

18/08/2007 Win Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham.

11/03/2008 John Fletcher and forwards coach Peter Walton sacked. Steve Bates named Director of Rugby until the end of the season.

20/05/2008 Steve Bates appointed permanent Director of Rugby.

04/05/2010 Steve Bates sacked, Alan Tait appointed head coach.

07/05/2011 Avoid relegation on points difference, losing at Bath while Leeds can only achieve a losing bonus point at Northampton.

05/08/2011 Win Premiership Sevens at Twickenham Stoop.

20/09/2011 Semore Kurdi is announced as the club’s new majority shareholder and chairman, replacing Dave Thompson.

12/01/2012 Gary Gold is named as Director of Rugby until the end of the season, with Alan Tait leaving the club.

14/03/2012 Dean Richards is announced as Director of Rugby for the 2012/13 season.

05/05/2012 Falcons beat Wasps at Adams Park but are unable to avoid finishing bottom of the Premiership, eventually being relegated.

12/05/2013 Falcons turn around a first leg deficit to beat Leeds and reach the Championship playoff final.

17/05/2013 Lose 17-18 to Leinster A in the British & Irish Cup Final at Kingston Park.

29/05/2013 Falcons beat Bedford 31-24 at Kingston Park (49-33 on aggregate) to win the RFU Championship and promotion to the Premiership.