Okehampton RFC
| Full name | Okehampton Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | RFU |
| Nickname(s) | The Okes |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Location | Okehampton, Devon, England |
| Region | Devon RFU |
| Ground(s) | Showfield (Capacity: 500 (120 seated)) |
| Chairman | Robert Barkwell |
| President | Andy Ewen |
| Coach(es) | Gareth Evans |
| League(s) | Tribute South West 1 West |
| 2016–17 | 8th |
| Official website | |
| www |
|
Okehampton RFC is an English rugby union team formed in 1884, that is based in Okehampton, Devon. The club has three senior men's teams, a colts team and multiple junior teams (u-7 to u-16). Nicknamed the 'Okes' the clubs colours are maroon and gold and they play home games at the Showfield. The first team currently plays in Tribute South West 1 West having won promotion in 2015–16.
Okehampton had a rugby team dating back as far as 1884, and by 1902 had registered with the Devon Rugby Football Union. The club moved grounds several times during the early days, starting at Northams Meadows in 1902, switching to North Road in 1912 and then Cowlands Field at Mill Road in the 1920s. The outbreak of World War II caused the club to close as many players went into the Armed Forces. After the war was over, the club's former ground, Cowlands Field, was sold for housing development, and they had to share with the local football side, Okehampton Argyle, at Simmonds Park. The club had initially suffered a shortage of senior players after the war but the local grammar school provided a stream of new players, while soldiers at the nearby army camp, some of whom would go on to become international players, were available from time to time.
The 1950s saw the club have a period of mixed fortunes. The introduction of rugby union in the secondary modern school would later pave the way for a colts team, while the men's senior team would go unbeaten between 1951–53. By 1955 many of the players had retired and the club had several seasons of poor results but by 1958 they were back on track. By 1961 the club had moved away from Simmons Park to purchase its own ground at Oaklands, where it has remained ever since. This ground had a small grandstand, a bar, changing room facilities, as well as several school pitches across the road from the main ground, where colts and junior games could take place. With a new ground, Okehampton went from strength to strength winning the Devon County Havill Plate competition in 1979, the Devon Merit Table "B" in 1982–83 and the Devon Merit Table "A" in 1983–84.
On the advent of league rugby union in 1987, Okehampton were placed in the Western Counties league (tier 7 of the English league system) where they remained until 1996–97 when they gained promotion as champions to South West 2 West. Their stay in tier 6 (the highest level the club have reached) was short lived and they were relegated after just one season in the division. The club also punched well above its weight in the Devon Senior Cup, appearing as losing finalists against Plymouth Albion in 1988 and Barnstaple in 1997. After a period of relative stability the club would drop down the leagues, first being relegation from Tribute Western Counties West in 2002–03 and then being relegated from Tribute Cornwall/Devon in 2004–05 in what would be the clubs worst spell in its league history so far.
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