Our history with Billingham

Billingham RUFC were formed in 1924 as the rugby section of the Synthonia Sports Club of the Synthetic Ammonia and Nitrates Company which later became the Imperial Chemical Industries.
Who can forget the famous Billingham Synthonia AFC, one of the great names of northern amateur football whose exploits in the FA Cup and the FA Amateur Cup became legendary in the 1940s and 1950s?
Back to rugby.
Playing their games at the company’s Central Road sports ground, the new club became very strong in the 1950s and 1960s.
The decline in the fortunes of ICI in the 1970s was reflected in the fortunes of the rugby club and they led a bit of a nomadic existence before moving to their present Greenwood Avenue ground in 1996, where a new clubhouse was built in 2000.
In 1997-98 Billingham RFC became champions of Durham and Northumberland Division Two and in 2007-08 were champions of Division One of the same competition.
They became champions of North East Division One in 2009-10, were relegated the following season before bouncing back at the first attempt to become champions again in 2011-12.
They have been constant members of National Three North and the new Northern Premier Division since 2012-13.
Our history with Billingham is very brief.
We have played them on four occasions in the last two seasons and have won all four games as follows;
2015-16
19-9-15 – Billingham 21 – Hull 32
9-1-16 – Hull 12 – Billingham 6
2016-17
10-9-16 – Hull 30 – Billingham 17
10-12-16 – Billingham 7 – Hull 38
This season Billingham are lying eighth in the table with 17 points.
They lost their first two games with a home 21-20 defeat to Harrogate followed by a 28-7 defeat at Lymm.
They then beat Morley at home by 47-8 before losing again very narrowly 29-30 at home to Ilkley.
They have won their last two games by 14-10 at Sandal and 37-28 at home to Wirral.
Only five points behind us in the table they will provide a real test for our side this coming Saturday.