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More stories will be added on a weekly basis, so keep coming back to see what's new. Very soon the search function will be added allowing you to easily search the entire site for stories, players, games or any other reference.

Learn more about Sheffield Eagles through the stories we've researched and focused on. If you'd like to share your memories and stories with the project then get in touch. 



As well as printed copies we've also made the booklet available as a download below. 

Background Thanks to the funding from ,The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we’ve been able to work with Meghan Tipping of, Rooted in Talk,  and the designers ,Eleven, to create the booklet. The 24 page booklet, aimed at 6-14 years olds will be available free at Sheffield Eagles games and through the work of the Eagles Foundation. The booklets are a chance for younger fans to learn more about the Eagles and include a mix of articles, crosswords, wordsearches and guides to the game as well as a chance for them to write their own match reports, create their own badges, design a new stadium, write their own history of the Club and collect autographs.

Download Here You can read the booklet below and to download it click ,HERE, then save the pdf to your computer from there.
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Author Richard King

A free, 24 page booklet, aimed at 6-14 years olds available for free at Sheffield Eagles games, through the work of the Eagles Foundation and as a download on this page. 

SOAR - Fly with the Eagles



The Sheffield Eagles played a number of games before the first game on 2nd September 1984 when they beat Rochdale 29-10. Before that were a series of tournaments and friendlies to prepare for the game. 

Castleford Tigers - 10th August 1984 It seems that Sheffield played their first ever friendly against Castleford on Friday 10th August 1984. We're currently in the process of finding a programme from that game which we'll upload when we have it. 
The Eagles lost the game 44-20 but try scorers were Mark Campbell, Richard Davies, Mark Q Campbell and Paul McDermott with two goals from Dave Alred.

The Sterling Sevens - Sunday 12th August 1984 On the same weekend that the Eagles played Castleford Tigers the  Eagles took part in the Sterling Sevens tournament in Wakefield. 
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Listed in the programme as playing that day for the Eagles were: Neil Cooper, John Magyar, Andy Tyers, Paul McDermott, Quinten Campbell, Gary Hetherington. Ian Jowitt, Steve Robinson and Mark Campbell. In an annotated version of the programme from the Wakefield Trinity Heritage site the team is actually shown as being Neil Cooper, John Magyar, Steve Robinson, Paul McDermott, Quinten Campbell, Gary Hetherington, Steve Cooper, Richard Davies and Ian Jowitt. 
The Eagles drew Warrington in the first round and lost 16-6 so didn't progress any further with Castleford beating St Helens 16-12 in the final.
The programme we have includes signatures of all the Sheffield players. Not much more is known about the Sterling Sevens so if you have any further information then please share it with us. 

Keighley - 22nd August 1984 The final friendly before the Eagles first competitive game was away to Keighley on a Wednesday night. 
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There were a number of A N Others playing for the Eagles team that day but the team listed included: Ray Smith, Mark Campbell, E Powell (which is presumably Daryl Powell), Dave Alred, Steve Robinson, P Hayden (who doesn't seem to feature again), Billy Harris, Gary Hetherington, Steve Cooper, Ian Jowitt, Paul McDermott, Richard Davies and Steve Harvey. The Eagles went on to win the game 24-15, so this looks like the first ever win for a team playing under the banner of the Sheffield Eagles. 
[Image: Sheffield Eagles v Keighley Pre-Game Team Photo 22/08/1984. Copyright holder unknown.]

Further Information If you've got any further information about any of the pre-season friendlies and games before the 2nd September 1984 then please let us know. You can contact us ,HERE,.

Author Richard King

Sunday 2nd September 1984 is recognised as the first ever competitive  Sheffield Eagles game but there were some friendly games before that to prepare.

Before the first competitive game



The Sheffield Eagles Heritage Project was contacted by long time Sheffield Eagles Fan Dean Palmer to let us know he has a digital version of a VHS tape of the first ever Sheffield Eagles game. We're delighted to be able to share it, but also make sure it as archived for the future. 

Sheffield Eagles v Rochdale Hornets The Heritage Project has produced previous stories about the first Sheffield Eagles game and was able to share digitised versions of the match programme, photos from the game and people's memories. We're delighted now to be able to share a full video, including commentary of that first ever game. Dean's parents were both at that first game and had a VHS copy of the game that was digitised. Dean's parents helped run the Eagles Colts team in the late 1980s with Dean playing for them and the original Hillsborough Hawks team.
Commentary on the game was by Martyn Sadler now the editor of the League Express - at the time he was a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. 
As you can imagine the picture quality isn't what we're used to today - it's transferred from an almost 40 year old VHS tape. It does capture the occasion though and the historic first appearance of the Sheffield Eagles.

[Video: Sheffield Eagles v Rochdale Hornets, 2nd September 1984]
 

Share Your Memories Were you at the first game? What are your memories of it?
We're also keen to track down the players from that first game as we'd like to organise an event with them later in the year. If you were a player in that first game or you are a relative of them then please get in touch.
You can contact the Heritage Project ,HERE,. 

Author Richard King

Below you can find full footage (including commentary) of the first ever Sheffield Eagles game on 2nd September 1984 against Rochdale Hornets.

Footage of the first ever Sheffield Eagles game discovered



A DVD transfer from an original VHS tape that has then been digitised.

A Short History - From the Beginning Long term fan, statistician and Club historian Nigel Borham provided the Heritage Project with a box full of DVDs, programmes and documents that he has collected over the years. It's going to be a long process of recording, digitising and scanning everything in there but one discovery was multiple copies of a DVD titled "The Eagles Fly". They were transfers from the original VHS tapes. Two of the copies were scratched and couldn't be properly digitised. The third after careful cleaning and the use of some additional software was able to converted.
Not much is known about it - it has a narration from Eddie Hemmings, an interview with Gary Hetherington and match footage from the first 10 years - including the Eagles' second ever game against Fulham - finishing at the dawn of the Super League era. 
 


Sheffield Eagles - A Short History 
[Video: A Short History  - From the Beginning]

Share Your Memories Do you know anything else about the video? Do you have a copy of the original tape? Do you have any memories of the games shown? If you do get in touch ,HERE,.

Author Richard King

A 20 minute documentary from 1996 covering the first 10 years of the Sheffield Eagles. It includes interviews and match footage highlighting the challenges and achievements of the first 10 years.

The Eagles Fly



2nd September sees the 40th anniversary of the Sheffield Eagles and the countdown to that day has begun, with an actual countdown. Details of each player will be released on a daily basis.

How the list was developed This list has been put together by the Sheffield Eagles Heritage Project who asked fans to nominate a player from each season. These nominations were then narrowed down to three from each year with fans asked to vote for one. This then created the "40 from 40 years" and we're sure there's going to be plenty of discussions about who has been included and who hasn't. 551 players have played for the men's team so far, so it was really difficult to narrow them down to 40.

1980s For details of all the players from the 1980s that form part of "40 from 40 Years" click ,HERE,.

1990s Coming Soon

2000s Coming Soon

2010s Coming Soon

2020s Coming Soon

Author Richard King

"40 from 40 Years" the 40 Sheffield Eagles players, each representing one season in the Club's history. 

40 from 40 Years



The Heritage Project is working  with the Club to celebrate its 40th anniversary, on 2nd September 2024, with a range of events, activities, booklets and special memorabilia.

How it began You can read more about how the Sheffield Eagles started ,HERE, including video of the whole first game including commentary. Did you also know that before the first ever competitive game on 2nd September, where the Eagles beat Rochdale Hornets 29-10, there were three friendly games. You can read about those ,HERE,. 

How we are celebrating the 40th anniversary Badges - similar to the badge produced for the 25th anniversary of the Challenge Cup last year we'll be producing a badge to mark the 40th anniversary that will be for sale later in the year.
Heritage Game - this year's heritage game (the home game closest to the first ever game on 2nd September 1984) will be on Sunday 8th September, against Bradford. We'll be organising a series of guests and activities for the day, to be announced closer to the match.
Celebration dinner - the Heritage Project is supporting the Club in organising a celebration dinner in September to mark the 40th anniversary. This will similar to the Challenge Cup celebration meal with a three course meal, special guests and videos to mark the 40 years. You can find out more ,HERE,. 
40 years of shirts - we're still in the process of pulling together details of every shirt the Club has ever played in before we photograph them. The photos will then form part of the Heritage Project website as well as being used as a key part of the 40th anniversary celebration.
Commemorative brochure - we're putting together a 24 page booklet celebrating the 40 years of the Sheffield Eagles. We'll cover the highs and lows, the achievements and the memories. 
Heritage numbers - we're in the process of producing the final batches of heritage certificates for the men's, women's and wheelchair teams so that we can hand them out to players throughout the season.

40 from 40 Years 25th July 2024 saw the start of the countdown of "40 from 40 Years" - the list of 40 players each representing a season from the 40 years of the Sheffield Eagles. The final player will be revealed on 2nd September, which will be 40 years to the day of the Sheffield Eagles first competitive game - a 29-10 win against the Rochdale Hornets.
This list has been put together by the Sheffield Eagles Heritage Project who asked fans to nominate a player from each season. These nominations were then narrowed down to three from each year with fans asked to vote for one. This then created the "40 from 40 years" and we're sure there's going to be plenty of discussions about who has been included and who hasn't. 551 players have played for the men's team so far, so it was really difficult to narrow them down to 40.
You can find full details of the list, as they are revealed ,HERE,. 


SOAR - Fly with the Eagles A free, 24 page booklet, aimed at 6-14 years olds available for free at Sheffield Eagles games, through the work of the Eagles Foundation and as a download. Find out more ,HERE,.

Author Richard King