Explore the History and Heritage of Featherstone Rovers
Season 1978/79
| Played | Won | Drew | Lost | F | A | League | League Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 10 | 1 | 24 | 548 | 597 | First Division | 14th of 16 clubs |
Steve Evans form and his selection for GB tour to Australia
| Leading Try Scorer | Leading Goal Kicker | |
|---|---|---|
| Ken Kellett 19 | David Hobbs 78 |
| Chairman | Club Captain | |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Hewison | Terry Clawson/Keith Bell |
A disastrous season ended in relegation from the first division two years after being league champions. Why? Selling Charlie Stone and John Newlove to Hull on top of previous transfers. Injuries to Bridges, Gibbins, Smith, Bell and Quinn. Record signings Francis Jarvis (£5,500) and Mick Morgan (£10,000) – good players but not of the calibre of those who had left. Continual changes of coach: Keith Goulding went before season started; Terry Clawson went in November; Tommy Smales went in March; and A team coach Pete Bell finished the season in charge. Not playing a home game between Boxing Day and 11th March due to the weather and the way the fixtures fell. Some dire performances notably against sides who would also be relegated – getting thrashed at Rochdale, Barrow doing the double over Rovers and losing a won game at Huddersfield. Luck didn’t fall Rovers way but this wasn’t the reason for finishing third bottom and 8 points from safety.
The last two home games were against the top two sides battling for the title. Eventual champions Hull KR narrowly escaped with a two point victory and Warrington were well beaten. This Rovers team was too good to be relegated but it was!
Dream Team
| Full Back | ||||||
| Harold Box | ||||||
| Winger | Centre | Centre | Winger | |||
| John Gilbert | Steve Quinn | Paul Coventry | Ken Kellett | |||
| Stand Off | Scrum Half | |||||
| Steve Evans | Dale Fennell | |||||
| Prop | Hooker | Prop | ||||
| Alan Bence | Ray Handscombe | Mick Morgan | ||||
| Second Row | Second Row | |||||
| David Hobbs | Peter Smith | |||||
| Loose Forward | ||||||
| Keith Bell | ||||||
Matches
| Date | Venue | Competition | Opponents | Result | Points For | Points Against | Match Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 August 1978 | Post Office Road | Yorkshire Cup | Huddersfield | W | 23 | 8 | View |
| 27 August 1978 | Post Office Road | Yorkshire Cup | Hull | L | 8 | 20 | View |
| 01 September 1978 | The Willows | Division One | Salford | L | 10 | 24 | View |
| 06 September 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | Leeds | L | 17 | 28 | View |
| 10 September 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | Widnes | L | 23 | 27 | View |
| 17 September 1978 | Craven Park Hull | Division One | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | 6 | 36 | View |
| 24 September 1978 | Recreation Ground | John Player Trophy | Whitehaven | W | 9 | 3 | View |
| 01 October 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | Leigh | W | 37 | 21 | View |
| 15 October 1978 | Central Park | Division One | Wigan | L | 14 | 23 | View |
| 22 October 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | Huddersfield | W | 41 | 17 | View |
| 29 October 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | St Helens | L | 11 | 22 | View |
| 04 November 1978 | Derwent Park | Division One | Workington Town | L | 7 | 29 | View |
| 12 November 1978 | Athletic Grounds | Division One | Rochdale Hornets | L | 5 | 33 | View |
| 19 November 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | Wigan | D | 13 | 13 | View |
| 25 November 1978 | Headingley | Division One | Leeds | L | 9 | 26 | View |
| 03 December 1978 | Post Office Road | John Player Trophy | Warrington | L | 0 | 7 | View |
| 10 December 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | Bradford Northern | L | 7 | 18 | View |
| 17 December 1978 | Fartown | Division One | Huddersfield | L | 19 | 20 | View |
| 26 December 1978 | Post Office Road | Division One | Castleford | L | 10 | 14 | View |
| 03 February 1979 | Knowsley Road | Division One | St Helens | L | 16 | 25 | View |
| 04 February 1979 | Naughton Park | Division One | Widnes | L | 9 | 25 | View |
| 25 February 1979 | Belle Vue | Challenge Cup | Wakefield Trinity | L | 7 | 10 | View |
| 04 March 1979 | Craven Park | Division One | Barrow | L | 18 | 19 | View |
| 11 March 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Workington Town | W | 27 | 5 | View |
| 18 March 1979 | Hilton Park | Division One | Leigh | L | 10 | 12 | View |
| 25 March 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Bradford Northern | W | 25 | 11 | View |
| 01 April 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Barrow | L | 7 | 11 | View |
| 04 April 1979 | Wilderspool | Division One | Warrington | L | 10 | 17 | View |
| 13 April 1979 | Belle Vue | Division One | Wakefield Trinity | L | 8 | 16 | View |
| 17 April 1979 | Wheldon Road | Division One | Castleford | L | 7 | 20 | View |
| 22 April 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Rochdale Hornets | W | 50 | 10 | View |
| 25 April 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Wakefield Trinity | W | 38 | 3 | View |
| 29 April 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Salford | W | 20 | 8 | View |
| 02 May 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | 11 | 13 | View |
| 09 May 1979 | Post Office Road | Division One | Warrington | W | 16 | 3 | View |