50 years of Dronfield Rugby Club

Dronfield Rugby Union Football Club (DRUFC) was formed in 1969 initially playing their home matches locally at venues including Gosforth School, Rowlinson School and Coal Aston Playing Fields. Very few records exist before 1975 when the club became more established and ran two sides. Expansion continued through the late 70's and early 80's with the ability to run up to five teams and a strong connection with both Jordanthorpe and Ashleigh Comprehensive Schools. In the late 1980's National Leagues evolved with frequent subsequent re-organisation.

The highest league which the club competed at during the period 1969 - 1990’s was during the 1992/93 season when it played against Midlands clubs such as Stoneygate, Hinckley and Ampthill in Midlands East Division One. More recently the club's status has been based in the Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire and Leicestershire regional leagues where they currently play in Midlands 1 (East).

Over the last 10 years the the club has moved up the leagues once again reaching the heights of Midlands 1 (East) during the 2016/17 season but after a number of Plucky’ performances at this higher level the club were relegated after just one season. The clubs league performance in recent years is as follows:

The club enters national and local cup competitions. In the Derbyshire Cup DRUFC were the 1995 Runners-Up,joint winners along with Castle Donnington in 2006 and Winners in 2010 & were also Runners-Up in the NLD Plate Final in 2011. Over the years DRUFC have entered many seven-a-side competitions and had much success being victorious at the last Buxton '7's in 1985(The prize for the winners, a Stags Head has since always been associated with the club and has formed part of the Club Badge).

Annual tours have taken place to many regions in England and also to Wales, Ireland, Scotland and more recently France and Belgium. In the last few seasons the club has developed links with the local colleges and universities, which has resulted in an influx of students representing the club at all levels. In the last few seasons there have been students & other players from France, Fiji, Thailand, Tunisia, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S.A playing for the club.

After a two-year spell based at the Boundary Club in Sheffield (on the County Boundary with Derbyshire) the club then moved, as an interim measure, to Abbeydale Park, the home of Sheffield Rugby Union Club. The club finally moved back to its 'Spiritual Home' and played it's first full season, starting September 2005, at Gosforth Fields, Dronfield Woodhouse.

In 2009 after a lot of hard work involving representatives from the rugby club and the two local football teams AFC Dronfield & Dronfield Town FC (and other partners including Derbyshire Council, The FA, The RFU and Sport England) a £2.5 million redevelopment of the pitches and construction of a new club house at the Gosforth Fields site finally came to fruition

Once established again at ‘Fortress’ Gosforth Fields and with an increasing player base the club has once again provided junior rugby for all ages. This will hopefully strengthen the club and provide a long term future for the sport in the local area. Already Junior Players have been selected for the Leicester Tigers Academy and also at various NLD Age Groups.