View source for Gala RFC

{{Short description|Scottish rugby union club, based in Galashiels}}
{{Infobox rugby team
  | teamname   = Gala Rugby
  | image      =  Gala RFC Team Crest.svg 
  | imagesize  = 150
  | union      = [[Scottish Rugby Union|SRU]]
  | fullname   = Gala Rugby Football Club
  | nickname   = ''The Maroons''
  | founded    = {{Start date and age|1875}}
  | region     = Scottish Borders 
  | ground     = [[Netherdale]]
  | capacity   = 4,000
  | chairman   = 
  | ceo        = 
  | president  = Sinclair Paterson
  | captain    = Craig Keddie
  | coach      = Ewen Robbie<br/> Dean Keddie<br/> Lewis Bertram
  | caps       = 
  | url        = https://www.galarfc.com/
  | league     = {{Scottish rugby updater|Gala}}
  | season     = {{Scottish rugby updater|Gala2}}
  | position   = {{Scottish rugby updater|Gala3}}
| pattern_la1    = 
| pattern_b1     = _whitecollar
| pattern_ra1    = 
| pattern_sh1    = 
| pattern_so1    = _whitestripe
| leftarm1       = 710037
| body1          = 710037
| rightarm1      = 710037
| shorts1        = ffffff
| socks1         = 710037
}}
'''Gala Rugby Football Club''' is a [[rugby union]] team based in [[Galashiels]] in the [[Scottish Borders]]. Founded in 1875, it plays its home games at [[Netherdale]]. The team currently competes in [[Scottish National League Division One]], the second tier of Scottish club rugby, and the [[Border League]] (the oldest established rugby union league in the world).

==Early history==
The club was formed at a time of change in Galashiels, and the Borders in general, with the increasingly industrial textile industry. Cricket was played by the new influx of workers (particularly Yorkshire) and a winter alternate was needed, so a 'Football club' was formed in 1876. Although named a 'football' club they only ever played [[rugby union football]] and never [[association football]]. Rugby Union Football is now generally referred to as rugby, but at the time it was still commonly regarded as a code of football, as it technically still is.<ref name="galarfc.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.galarfc.com/history.pdf |title=Club History |access-date=2015-08-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719063254/http://www.galarfc.com/history.pdf |archive-date=2015-07-19 }}</ref>

In 1883, the club took part in the first ever Sevens tournament in Melrose and competed in the final with the hosts. Within a year they (and many other Border clubs) had started their own Sevens, also known as 'Sports'. In 1994, these separate tournaments were organized into the Borders Sevens Circuit league structure, the winners are crowned as the "Kings of the Sevens". Gala has been 'the Kings' on two occasions, in 2004 and the first ever winners in 1994.<ref name="galarfc.com"/>

In 1912 the club moved from Mossilee to a new ground at Netherdale, the new pavilion and grandstand built at a cost of 1150. 1931–32 saw Gala's first and only success in the [[Scottish Unofficial Championship]] under the Captaincy of Jimmy Ferguson.

From 1979, with Scottish internationalists Derek White and Peter Dods in the team, Gala won the Division 1 title three consecutive seasons.

==1995–present==
In 1995, Gala was one of eight teams to play in the new Scottish Premier League. In 1999, inspired by a young Chris Patterson at Stand-off, Gala won a treble of medals, the Division 2 title, the Scottish Cup, and Melrose Sevens. The lowest point in modern history came in 2007, when Gala was relegated to Division 3 for the first time in its history. Worse was that it was only points difference of 2 over the whole season. This gave the club the chance to clear out the dead wood and the team bounced back into Division 2 at the first time of asking.

The 2010–11 season saw promotion back into the top flight, its first full season back. 2011–12, saw a 3rd-place finish and the Scottish cup for the second time.
Gala finished 2012–13 as both Premier Division and Scottish cup runners-up.
2013–14 saw Gala finish runners-up in the Premiership again. This was a painful result as they were leading for much of the season only to lose out on the final match of the season to local rivals Melrose. They also reached the semi-finals of the Scottish cup and won the Border League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/fixtures-results/?competition=89818|title=Fixtures & Results - Scottish Rugby Union}}</ref>

In February 2017 the club launched a rugby academy, despite the realisation that they would be relegated from the premiership at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bordertelegraph.com/sport/15087953.Relegated_Gala_launch_new_Academy/ |title=Relegated Gala launch new Academy |first=David |last=Knox |work=Border Telegraph |date=13 February 2017 |access-date=26 September 2017}}</ref>

==Honours==
* '''[[Scottish Premiership (rugby)|Scottish Premiership]]'''
** '''Champions (3): 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982-83'''
** ''Runners-up (8): 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1983-84, 1993-94, 2012-13, 2013-14''
* '''[[Scottish National League Division One|Scottish League Championship, second-tier]]'''
** '''Champions (2): 1998–99, 2003-04'''
* '''[[Scottish National League Division Two|Scottish League Championship, third-tier]]'''
** '''Champions (1): 2007-08'''
* '''[[Scottish Cup]]'''
** '''Winners (2): 1998–99, 2011-12'''
* [[Gala Sevens]]
** Champions (27): 1884, 1887, 1888, 1890, 1891, 1907, 1908, 1913, 1914, 1920, 1922, 1929, 1930, 1934, 1954, 1963, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015
* [[Langholm Sevens]]
** Champions (10): 1908, 1910, 1924, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1993, 1998
* [[Melrose Sevens]]
** Champions (15): 1884, 1890, 1891, 1903, 1932, 1937, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1981, 1994, 1999
* [[Hawick Sevens]]
** Champions (16): 1891, 1893, 1901, 1907, 1919, 1923, 1931, 1940, 1949, 1956, 1967, 1972, 1982, 1995, 1996, 2017
* [[Berwick Sevens]]
** Champions (3): 2004, 2014, 2015
* [[Peebles Sevens]]
** Champions (5): 1924, 1954, 1957, 1961, 2015
* [[Kelso Sevens]]
** Champions (15): 1920, 1922, 1924, 1931, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1961, 1964, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 2003
* [[Earlston Sevens]]
** Champions (18): 1923, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1938, 1952, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1971, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2000, 2004, 2017
* [[Selkirk Sevens]]
** Champions (11): 1921, 1925, 1950, 1952, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1992
* [[Kings of the Sevens]]
** Champions (4): 1994, 1995, 2004, 2015
*[[Walkerburn Sevens]]
** Champions (3): 1924, 1926, 1938
* Portobello Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/portobello-sevens/|title = Portobello Sevens|date = 10 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (2): 1981, 1985
* Gala Thistle Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/gala-thistle-sevens/|title=Gala Thistle Sevens|date=13 July 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (1): 1888
* St. Boswells Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/st-boswells-sevens/|title = St. Boswells Sevens|date = 18 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (1): 1978
* Ardrossan Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/ardrossan-sevens/|title=Ardrossan Sevens|date=11 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (1): 1970
* Edinburgh Borderers Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/edinburgh-borderers-sevens/|title = Edinburgh Borderers Sevens|date = 9 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (1): 1923
* Preston Lodge Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/preston-lodge-sevens/|title = Preston Lodge Sevens|date = 9 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (1): 1985
* Penicuik Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/penicuik-sevens/|title = Penicuik Sevens|date = 7 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (3): 1975, 1977, 1983
* South of Scotland District Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/south-of-scotland-district-sevens/|title = South of Scotland District Sevens|date = 7 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (1): 1974
* Stirling Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/stirling-sevens/|title = Stirling Sevens|date = 7 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (2): 1992, 1996
* Currie Sevens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/currie-sevens/|title=Currie Sevens|date=7 June 2019}}</ref>
** Champions (2): 1994, 1997

==Notable players==

===British and Irish Lions===

{| style="width:100%;"
|-George Wood
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Gregor Townsend]]<ref name=Bath/>
* {{nowrap|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Derek White (rugby union)|Derek White]]}}
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Nathan Hines]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} Tom Smith
* {{nowrap|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Peter Dods]]}}
* {{nowrap|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Rory Sutherland (rugby union)|Rory Sutherland]]}}
|}

===Scotland internationalists===

The following former Gala players have represented [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]] at full international level.

{| style="width:100%;"
|-George Wood
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jim Aitken]]<ref name=Bath/>
* {{flagicon|SCO}} Arthur Brown
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Peter Brown (rugby union)|Peter Brown]]<ref name=Bath>Bath, p87</ref><ref name=Encycl>''Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football'', p41</ref>
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ian Corcoran]]
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Geoff Cross]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bob Cunningham (rugby union)|Bob Cunningham]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Gordon Dickson (rugby union)|Gordon Dickson]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Peter Dods]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Michael Dods]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Tom Elliot (rugby union, born 1880)|Tom Elliot]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Tom Elliot]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jimmy Ferguson (rugby union)|Jimmy Ferguson]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jim Ford (rugby union)|Jim Ford]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[John Fox (rugby union)|John Fox]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[John Frame (rugby union)|John Frame]]<ref name="Encycl"/>
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Drew Gill]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Dod Gray]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Nathan Hines]]
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Kenneth Lawrie]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[David Leslie (rugby union)|David Leslie]]<ref name=Bath/>
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Nairn McEwan]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Alex Moore (rugby union)|Alex Moore]]
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
* {{nowrap|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Chris Paterson]]}}
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Duncan Paterson]]<ref name=Bath/>
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Henry Polson]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} Stevie Scott
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Duncan Shaw (rugby union)|Duncan Shaw]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Brian Shillinglaw]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Tom Smith (rugby union, born 1953)|Tom Smith]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Borth Todd]] 
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Gregor Townsend]]<ref name=Bath/>
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jock Turner]]<ref name=Bath/>
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
* {{nowrap|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Derek White (rugby union)|Derek White]]}}
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bob Wilson (rugby union)|Bob Wilson]]
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Doddie Wood]]
|}

===Notable non-Scottish players===

The following is a list of notable non-Scottish international representative former Gala players:

{| style="width:100%;"
|-
|
* {{flagicon|SAM}} [[Opeta Palepoi]]
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:25%;"|
|}

===[[South of Scotland rugby union team|South]] players===

The following former Gala players have represented [[South of Scotland rugby union team|South]] at provincial level.

{| style="width:100%;"
|-
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"|
* {{flagicon|SCO}} [[John Fox (rugby union)|John Fox]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jUhAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5994,1031487|title=The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search}}</ref>
* Angus Dun
* Ben Gill
* Craig Keddie
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"|
*Gary Isaac
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"|
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"|
|}

===Notable also outside rugby union===

The following is a list of notable former Gala players who have achieved notability in fields outwith rugby union:

* [[P. J. Solomon]] - rugby league international
* [[Tom Smith (rugby union, born 1953)|Tom Smith]] - basketball international
* [[Andrew Murdison]] - rugby league player for Halifax

==See also==
* [[Galashiels]]
* [[Borders Sevens Circuit]]

;Sources
* Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Complete Book of Rugby'' (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 {{ISBN|1-86200-013-1}})
* Godwin, Terry ''Complete Who's Who of International Rugby'' (Cassell, 1987,  {{ISBN|0-7137-1838-2}})
* Jones, J.R. ''Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football'' (Robert Hale, London, 1976 {{ISBN|0-7091-5394-5}})

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{official website}}

{{SRU premiership}}
{{British and Irish Cup}}
{{Border league}}
{{Rugby in the Borders}}

[[Category:Rugby union teams in Scotland]]
[[Category:Rugby clubs established in 1875]]
[[Category:Rugby union clubs in the Scottish Borders]]
[[Category:Galashiels]]
[[Category:1875 establishments in Scotland]]