ABOUT CRANLEIGH R.F.C

One sunny evening in the Summer of 1967, a small group of rugby-mad locals gathered in the Onslow Arms in Cranleigh to drink beer and talk rugby. And so it began……

A ball was purchased, club colours debated and a kit of navy blue shirt (white collar), navy shorts and red socks, decided upon – the Cranleigh Crane “Forever Vigilant” to be proudly emblazoned on the shirt breast. Games would have to be ‘away’ to begin with – the hindrance of having no home ground wouldn’t be allowed to stop the onward path of this great new club. The primary objectives of the founding committee were to find new players and raise funds. Adverts for players were placed in the Cranfold Life and Surrey Advertiser, subs were set at £2 and 2 Shillings and a Grand Draw was arranged. First prize was a weekend in Paris and a Night at Les Follies. Attempts to fix the draw failed and a Mrs Edwards of Ewhurst scooped first prize.

Cranleigh Rugby Football Club played their first game against a Guildford and Godalming XV in September 1967. Cliff Watson, having offered up his farm land for the team to train on, led the side out and the club’s first try was scored by Tony Campbell.

By 1968 home games were played in the grounds of Knowle Park and Cranleigh were starting to beat far more established sides. With the Knowle pitch sold from under their boots in 1970, home fixtures were soon played at a site handily opposite the Boy and Donkey pub a little further down Knowle Lane. The pub became the adopted clubhouse for the CRFC’s following, formative years. Finally, after much effort, lobbying and lending of professional services by the new members, the current site on Wildwood Lane was purchased by the club in time for the season of 1973. Foundations were laid for a clubhouse and for the future of Rugby in the area.

Now, moving onwards and upwards in their seventh decade in existence, Cranleigh Rugby Club is still home to rugby mad locals. As it ever was, it is still on the look out for new players and new funds! It now runs a full Mini & Youth section developing the next generation of players, supporters and committee members –  growing the same friendships, the and being the same extended family as it became to those who gathered in the Onslow Arms, that night in July 1967. The club, the ground and the clubhouse were fought for, bought and paid for, built and rebuilt – by men and women who poured their hearts and souls into the Club. In 1990 Tony Campbell having touched the club’s first try down all those years ago, was one of many, instrumental in securing the site of the club’s pitch extension. It is named after his late son and former player, Simon.

And so as the saying goes, we stand on the shoulders of giants. And we carry their values, commitment and love of the game on with us.