Gloucestershire Warriors

Cheltenham Warriors were formed in 1997 and took part in the second season of the Rugby League Conference.{{cite news |last1=Goddard |first1=Derek |title=Town RFC's big link-up |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gloucestershire-echo-town-rfcs-big/165791822/ |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=The Gloucestershire Echo |date=29 October 1997 |pages=43}}{{cite news |title=Warriors set for the Conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gloucestershire-echo-warriors-set-fo/165791668/ |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=The Gloucestershire Echo |date=6 December 1997 |pages=37}} They played at the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham, chosen as the venue for the inaugural Grand Final of the conference.{{cite news |title=Club get an away draw |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gloucestershire-echo-club-get-an-awa/165791544/ |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=The Gloucestershire Echo |date=6 November 1997 |pages=94}} Warriors won the Central Division in their second season in 1999.{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Graham |title=Malamalatabua is recognised as Warriors top man: Bird Flies in for Annual Awards |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-citizen-malamalatabua-is-recognised/165793828/ |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=The Citizen |date=9 October 1999 |pages=59}}

In 2000, the club moved to a new home at Chosen Hill Former Pupils RFC and changed its name to the Gloucestershire Warriors to reflect the fact that it was attracting players from throughout the county.

In 2005, the club won the South West Division defeating Somerset Vikings in the final{{cite news |title=Gloucestershire celebrate Cup win |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/challenge_cup/4591618.stm |access-date=16 February 2025 |date=7 January 2006 |website=BBC Sport}} and reached the RLC Regional final; losing to Wetherby Bulldogs. As a result of their efforts in 2005, in 2006 the club was invited to take part in the Challenge Cup and, despite the early rounds being in the off-season for conference teams, took the opportunity to play in the famous competition.{{cite news |last1=Hadfield |first1=Dave |title=Millward decides to drop compensation case against Saints |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-millward-decides-to-drop/165795448/ |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=The Independent |date=21 January 2006 |pages=63}} In the preliminary round they were drawn away to Pennine League team Illingworth and on a famous day in January beat them by 25-24. In the next round they faced stronger opposition in the St. Helens club Blackbrook, this time at home. The visitors proved too strong but the Warriors gained respectability in the score of 20-36. This cup run gained the club unprecedented national media coverage and augured well for the season in the West Midlands and South West division of the Conference.

The 2006 season saw the Warriors beaten only once in the regular season, finishing top of the West Midlands and South West division and qualifying first for the play-offs. They beat rivals Somerset Vikings twice in the play-offs to qualify for the national quarter-finals. After a walkover against Broadstairs, they lost a semi-final against Thorne Moor Marauders, the winners of the North Midlands division. Also in 2006, the Sonics finished as runners-up to Liban Espoir in the Bristol & SW Nines.

In 2007 the Warriors stepped up to the Midlands Premier division,{{cite news |title=Bulldogs crush nine-man Warriors |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8124688.stm |access-date=16 February 2025 |date=29 June 2009 |website=BBC Sport}} finishing in third place behind Coventry Bears and Nottingham Outlaws, to whom they lost in the play-offs.

The Warriors failed to reach the play-offs in the 2008 season for the first time in many years. The following season the side again failed to reach the post-season play although they did field a number of young players.

The 2010 season saw the Warriors on the move and a new home was found at Old Richians RFC just outside Gloucester. Work off the field stepped up with two junior sides being formed, the Gloucester Meteors and the Cheltenham All Golds with plans to begin a West of England Junior Rugby League. Gloucestershire made their second appearance in the Challenge Cup, falling 36-32 to the Edinburgh Eagles in the first round proper.

Gloucestershire Warriors joined the newly formed RLC West of England division for the 2011 season. They went through the league campaign undefeated and were only beaten in the semi-finals of the RLC regional trophy by eventual champions Elmbridge Eagles. In 2014 they won the West Of England Rugby League Grand Final by beating Swindon St George.{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/25354/west-of-england-grand-final |title=West of England Grand Final |publisher=RFL |date=20 August 2014 |access-date=17 February 2025}}

In 2015 the club moved up to the Conference League South finishing 7th

• RLC Western Division: 1999
• RLC South West Division: 2005
• RLC West Midlands and South West Division: 2006
• RLC West of England: 2011
• West Of England RL: 2014

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.gloucestershirewarriors.co.uk Official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080610003251/http://www.gloucestershirerugbyleague.co.uk/ Gloucestershire rugby league site]
• [http://www.summerconference.net Rugby League Conference] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104062418/http://www.summerconference.net/ |date=4 January 2006 }}

{{Conference League South}}

Category:Rugby League Conference teams

Category:Rugby league teams in Gloucestershire

Category:Rugby clubs established in 1997