Ramsey R.U.F.C.

Club history

Ramsey RUFC was formed in the late 1970s by a group of old boys from the local comprehensive school, Ramsey Grammar School.

The club was admitted to the Rugby Football Union in December 1981. The club's first success was winning the Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield in the 1988/89 season. It regained the Shield in 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99 and 1999/00. In the 2000/01 season, Ramsey completed their biggest achievement winning the domestic double of the Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield and the Dorchester Maritime Manx Cup. The club also won the Shield in 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2006/07 and 2007/08. In 2006/07, Ramsey completed another double winning the inaugural Shimmin Wilson Manx Trophy. The club also won the Shimmin Wilson Manx Bowl in 2005/06.

Following the consistent domestic success the club was admitted into the English Clubs' Championship in 2008/09. Ramsey played its first ever game in South Lancashire/Cheshire Division 4 of the English league system on 13 September 2008 away to Linley & Kidsgrove RUFC. Tries from Shaun Wyllie and Fintan Cummins ensured Ramsey a 14-5 victory.

In 2003, Ramsey completed the construction of its Club House at The Mooragh Park in Ramsey. In 2013 the club enhanced its facilities with the installation of match standard floodlights and is the only club in the Isle of Man with such facilities.

2008/2009 season

Ramsey finished 2nd in the League and was accordingly promoted to the South Lancs/Cheshire Division 3.

2009/2010 season

Ramsey topped the table for much of the season but successive losses to Holmes Chapel and Prenton left the club needing to win their last two games to be promoted. Win them they did and promotion was secured with a 43-3 win away at Ellesmere Port.

2010/11 Season

Ramsey struggled a little in the new league but settled for a lower mid-table position in South Lancashire/Cheshire Division 2.

2011/12 Season

Vagabonds relegation the previous season saw all three Manx Clubs competing in the same Division. Ramsey settled again for a safe lower mid table position.

2012/13 Season

For the first time in the club's history Ramsey beat Vagabonds in a competitive match - not just once but three times. An Andy Cleator conversion sealed the deal at Ballafletcher while in the return leg Ramsey won more comfortably. Ramsey also beat Vagabonds in the semi final of the Manx Cup. Results-wise however things weren't so good. Ramsey lost the cup final to Douglas and narrowly avoided relegation from the league.

2013/14 Season

After struggling all season in South Lancashire/Cheshire Division 2, the club went into the final match needing a bonus point win against championship contenders Bowdon but failed and were relegated to the South Lancashire/Cheshire Division 3. In the Manx Cup they were beaten 48-0 by Douglas in the semi final. The second team (aka The Mighty Blues) won the Shimmin Wilson Manx Bowl, beating Emerging Nomads 43-5 in the final.

2014/15 Season

South Lancs/Cheshire Division 3 wasn't quite tough enough and Ramsey were cruising to promotion until the ides of March. A shock away defeat at Knutsford took the season to a nailbiting conclusion but a 59-20 win away at Capenhurst was enough to clinch the second promotion spot. An RFU league restructure beckoned however and Ramsey moved into a new league badged Cheshire South. A 32-3 home defeat to Douglas put the reds out of the Manx Cup too. Domestically The Blues finished fourth in the Manx Shield, but lifted the Manx Bowl in an epic match against Emerging Nomads winning in extra time. The Blues also finished runners up in the Manx Plate.

2015/16 Season

Cheshire South turned out to be a mixed bag with on the whole, good competitive fixtures, but with the occasional mismatch thrown in. It was a stiffer contest than the season before and Ramsey toiled away eventually finishing eighth. At the end of the season however the experiment was abandoned and Cheshire South was merged with Cheshire West and then split into South Lancs/Cheshire Divisions 2 & 3. Ramsey just missed the cut and dropped into Division 3. A Manx Cup final at the Mooragh saw a bumper crowd and a heavy defeat to Douglas. The Blues put in a huge shift to finish second in the Manx Shield and runners up again in the Manx Plate.

Club colours

Ramsey initially played in yellow jerseys before adopting red and black hoops. In the late 1980s a change of colours was introduced with a dark blue/light blue quartered design used by the second XV. Various design changes have taken place the main one being the introduction of a red and blue hooped design for the 2012/13 season as part of a new sponsorship deal with Ramsey Bakery Limited. The club however decided to revert to red and black hoops from the beginning of the 2016/17 season

As at 1 September 2016 the playing strip is

First 15 Red and black hoops, black shorts & red and black hooped socks.

Second 15 Dark and light blue hoops, black shorts and dark & light blue hooped socks.