For 60 years, Shaw Cross Sharks, formerly Shaw Cross Boys' Club, has been well known in Rugby League circles, and particularly for producing young players for the professional game.
More than 250 players have left the club for the professional game, beginning with the likes of Mick Sullivan and Derek Turner to Mick (Stevo) Stephenson (now with Sky TV), David Ward (Father of Danny) and more recent names include the likes of Nick Fozzard and current first team coach Lee Gilmour......just to name a few!
When the club was founded in 1947 it had only one team, and the founder secretary Douglas Hird B.E.M still holds that position!
1949 the club got its first premises costing £30 (an ex-Army Nissen hut).
The club motto "Reaching Forward" was created from the hard days when the club house had a stove in the middle and the coal was rationed in the cold winter, this is where the after match food came from in the Second World war!
Eventually we began to add extensions to our "hut", first some baths and toilets and then a further changing room.
By now the club had several youth teams and was continuing to expand.
In 1970 came the break through in the French exchange this is still running and now more than 1,700 boys from the two countries have taken part in this rugby playing exchange.
In 1977 Shaw Cross made history by taking the first BARLA squad to play in Australia and New Zealand.
In 1998 the club opened its present new premises, thanks to the National Lottery Grant and in the same year the Shaw Cross Club was named "Sports Club of the Year" by Sport England. More recently the club has won "Clubmark" award.
Its Link with South Africa has taken tours to Cape Town in 1999, 2001 and 2003 where as well as playing rugby, the Sharks visited schools in the black townships and coached the young children the game of Rugby League.
In 2004 more records were made when the club won promotion and the championship into the National Conference Premier Division. The elite league in British amateur Rugby League the top league below the National Leagues.
Along with this the club went to on a trip to Serbia & Montenegro taking a touring party to play the Serbian sides in 2005.
In 2006 another chapter was added when the Sharks reached the semi-final of the National Cup and made it to Round 3 of the Challenge Cup.
In 2007 the Sharks celebrated their Diamond Jubilee after 60 years.
A trip to the Czech Republic will be another milestone for Shaw Cross as they cross the borders to take on the national side - the Sharks were relegated to Division One.
The Juniors produced one of the most successful sides ever winning numerous trophies - Under 17's League & Play-Off Champions, U 14's Continuation Cup Champions & Under 12's League & Cup Champions.
