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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. 



Work was completed on the stadium in September 1990 ahead of the World Student Games which were to be held there in July 1991.

The Stadium The grandstand could hold 10,000 spectators with capacity for a further 15,000 in open air terrace seating. The whole of the athletic running track and infield was lit up by floodlights. The track was designed and built sunken 16 feet below ground level resulting in it being sheltered, thus giving ideal viewing conditions for the crowd and the athletes the ability to produce peak performances.
In addition to being a sporting venue Don Valley was also used as an open air concert facility with a 15,000 seating area and room for a further 50,000 standing. The first concert was in 1993 when Sheffield band Def Leppard performed there. Other major stars followed, such as Bon Jovi, U2, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and The Spice Girls.
Don Valley was the training base of the City of Sheffield Athletics Club and held the Sheffield Half Marathon. Rotherham United played their home league games there between 2008 – 2012 when the New York Stadium was being completed. Sheffield FC and Sheffield Wednesday Ladies also for a time played at Don Valley and American football was held at the stadium between 1999 – 2007.
The celebrity sports show The Games also used the facilities at Don Valley as part of its filming.


A home for the Sheffield Eagles  In 1991 Don Valley Stadium was the new home of Sheffield Eagles.The club’s record attendance was set in August 1997 when a crowd of 10,603 watched The Eagles play Bradford Bulls.

Personal Memories At the time, the World Student Games was the largest sporting event to be held in the United Kingdom since the 1948 summer Olympics and the only time the event has taken place in the UK. More than 3,000 athletes took part from 101 nations. Hyde Park flats in Sheffield were refurbished and used to house the athletes village. Three new venues were purpose built, all on land which had previously been industrial works in Sheffield - Don Valley, Ponds Forge and Sheffield Arena.
I can clearly remember attending the opening ceremony and being in awe of the grand spectacle of it all, seeing the athletes proudly parade around the track carrying flags to represent their countries, I had never seen anything like it before. There was a wonderful atmosphere in Don Valley and Sheffield as a whole at that time as the city got behind the event to support it.
As a spectator, I attended the swimming and diving at Ponds Forge and also badminton which was held at a local sports facility close to where I lived at the time, but it was Don Valley which I loved the best. There was something about the venue unlike anything I had experienced before which I think the athletes and spectators alike could appreciate. 
The World Student Games and Don Valley Stadium have remained fondly in my memory and hopefully also in the memories of the competitors who spent a couple of weeks in Sheffield in July 1991.
[Image: Don Valley Stadium - Caroline Guest]
[Image: Don Valley Stadium - Caroline Guest]
[Image: Don Valley Stadium - Caroline Guest]
[Image: Don Valley Stadium - Caroline Guest]
[Image: Don Valley Stadium - Caroline Guest]

Share your memories If anyone else has any memories of what made Don Valley Stadium special to them please do get in touch and let us know, it would be lovely to hear your stories and to remember this special place. Contact us ,HERE,. 

Author Caroline Guest

A short history of Don Valley Stadium and some personal memories

Remembering Don Valley Stadium



If you click on each of the player names you'll be taken to their playing profile showing their heritage number and playing record. We'll be adding profile pictures over the next week. 

2023 Playing Squad 
[Player 401, Cory Aston]
[Player 527, Jason Bass]
[Player 508, Connor Bower]
[Player 485, Blake Broadbent]
[Player 534, Matty Chrimes]
[Player 545, Matty  Dawson-Jones]
[Player 514, Tyler Dickinson]
[Player 533, Brandon Douglas]
[Player 510, Izaac Farrell]
[Player 494, Joel Farrell]
[Player 491, Josh Guzdek]
[Player 542, Titus  Gwaze]
[Player 528, Vila  Halafihi]
[Player 544, Jack Hansen]
[Player 548, Joe Hird]
[Player 522, Evan Hodgson]
[Player 513, Ryan Johnson]
[Player 525, Ben Jones-Bishop]
[Player 529, Liam  Kirk]
[Player 381, Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e]
[Player 535, Bayley Liu]
[Player 543, Aaron Murphy]
[Player 526, Ross Oakes]
[Player 547, Lewis Peachey]
[Player 426, Oliver Roberts ]
[Player 546, Jesse  Sene-Lefao]
[Player 541, Ben Sheils]
[Player 492, Anthony Thackeray]
[Player 530, Kris Welham]
[Player 531, Mikey Wood]
The playing figures were last updated on 13th March 2023. The aim is to update them on a monthly basis but if you want the most up to date figures then go to the Rugby League Record Keepers Club website ,HERE,. 

Author Richard King

This is the 2023 playing squad who currently have heritage numbers. 

2023 Squad



Heritage Certificate Presentation Every player who has ever played for the Sheffield Eagles is given a heritage number to mark the point they played for the Club. The Sheffield Eagles Heritage Project, is going to produce certificates for all players and present them over the next year.
On the evening of 17th February 2023 we were delighted to be able to welcome the player with heritage number one to the field to receive his certificate. Not only is Andy Tyers player number one but he is also Sheffield Eagles Chief Executive. Andy was presented with his certificate by Club President Chris Noble.
[Image: Chris Noble and Andy Tyers]
Andy then went on to present certificates to a number of players who played for the Eagles in the early 2000s or had connections with Jon Bruce who also received his certificate that night. 
Andy Young, heritage number 95, made his debut on 15th November 1987 against Wigan
Gavin Brown, heritage number 230, made his debut against Lancashire Lynx on 28th December 2000
Glen Freeman, heritage number 233, made his debut against Lancashire Lynx on 28th December 2000
Wayne Freeman, heritage number 234, made his debut against Lancashire Lynx on 28th December 2000
Andy Brent, heritage number 239, made his debut against Batley on 16th January 2000
Lee Bettinson, heritage number 240, made his debut against Hull KR on 23rd January 2000
Richard Goddard, heritage number 242, made is debut against Hunslet 25th January 2000
Jack Howieson, heritage number 260, made his debut against Doncaster on 13th April 2001
Greg Hurst, heritage number 276, made his debut against Huddersfield on 11th August 2002

[Image: Andy Young and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Gavin Brown and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Glen Freeman and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Wayne Freeman and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Andy Brent and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Lee Bettinson and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Richard Goddard and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Jack Howieson and Andy Tyers]
[Image: Greg Hurst and Andy Tyers]


RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFCATE If you're a former Sheffield Eagles player or a member of their family and would like to receive your heritage certificate then please get in touch ,HERE,.

Share Your Memories Do you have any memories of the players who received their certificates? Share your memories ,here,. 

Photographer Alex Coleman

Author Richard King

During half time at the Sheffield Eagles v Batley Bulldogs game on Friday 17th February a number of past players were presented with their heritage number certificates. 

Heritage Certificate Presentations



Players from France Sheffield Eagles has a long tradition of players coming to the Club from around the world, many of them from France. The first was David Fraisse playing 31 times for the Eagles in the 1993/94 season. He was followed over the years by Laurent Lucchese, Freddie Banquet, Jerome Vincent, Jean-Marc, Garcia, Freddie Teixido, Théo Gonzales-Trique, Thibault Margalet, Remy Marginet, Nabil Djalout, Thibault Franck, Stan Robin and most recently Max Garcia, playing 17 times in the 2018 season.

Presentation of Certificates Every player who has ever played for the Sheffield Eagles is given a heritage number to mark the point they played for the Club. The Sheffield Eagles Heritage Project, is going to produce certificates for all players and present them over the next year. 
We were fortunate that on a trip to France at the end of 2022 Mark Aston and Ian Swire (former Chair of the Club and advisor to the Heritage Project) were able to present heritage certificates to five of the French former Eagles players.  
Laurent Lucchese - 177
Freddie Banquet - 184
Freddie Teixido - 221
Stan Robin 441
Max Garcia - 481
[Image: Mark Aston, Laurent Lucchese and Ian Swire]
[Image: Mark Aston, Freddie Banquet and Ian Swire]
[Image: Mark Aston, Freddie Teixido and Ian Swire]
[Image: Mark Aston, Stan Robin and Ian Swire]
[Image: Mark Aston, Max Garcia and Ian Swire]
We'll be presenting more certificates over time to French based players.

Share Your Memories Who was your favourite French player who played for the Eagles? Share your memories ,here,. 

Author Richard King

Former Sheffield Eagles Players from France receiving their heritage certificates.

Eagles Players from France



Background This interview was carried out by Dan Fowler of the Sheffield Eagles media team in February 2023. It has been produced here with permission of the Club. 
It was produced to coincide with the presentation of Jon's heritage certificate during half time of the Sheffield Eagles v Batley Game on 17th February 2023.

A Chat Sheffield Eagles cult hero Jon Bruce is currently facing his biggest battle, having recently been diagnosed with terminal back and brain cancer.
Brucie is being cared for at St Gemma’s Hospice and the prop has been overwhelmed with the support he has received there as well as from regular visits by former teammates.
Eagles Director of Rugby Mark Aston, Hall of Fame inductee Gavin Brown and long-time statistician Richard Pepper have been to see the big man.

After the Merger Jon was a part of the original Eagles team post-merger, scoring the club’s first try against Lancashire Lynx, and it’s a time of his life he remembers well.
“I was on the verge of packing in and just playing amateur,” he said.
"I was busy at work, had a few lads working for me.
“I got a phone call out of the blue from Tubby (Mark Aston) asking if I wanted to go down, so I said yes.
“When I went, I knew half of the lads that were there anyway and I thought it could be alright here. They didn’t offer me the world because they didn’t have the world and I didn’t deserve the world.

Coaching “At the end of the day, Tubby is Tubby. He’s the best coach I’ve had. I don’t particularly want you to be putting this in any programme because he’s a big headed **** as it is!
“Him and Howard (Cartwright) were the best coaches. I really enjoyed being around the place. I got to a stage where I didn’t like rugby league. But when I was at Sheffield, there were a car full of us - we had a laugh going down, training was good and it was a great feel.
“The first year I think we underachieved with the team we had. It’s always hard when you throw a team together.

Best Time they Had "The lads who have come to visit me from around that time have all said the same thing - that Sheffield was the best time they had.
“It was the best five or six years I had in my life in rugby league.
“The club during that time were setting the foundations. Building, building and building. Then they got promotion, won a few trophies in the Championship and that all comes from the first few years of foundations.
“It was hard work as well but still enjoyable. Howard Cartwright was a different breed altogether.”

Tubby's Teeth A well-known story from that Lancashire game was the demise of Tubbs’ teeth, or at least a few of them.
“When Mark got his teeth knocked out by the ball, I was stood right next to him when it happened,” Jon chuckled.
“I saw his teeth in the mud, so I stood on them and pushed them further in.
“He didn’t see me do it so I told him after the game.
“You b*****d!”

Illness Despite the circumstances, Jon continues to look on the bright side.
Although he cannot be at tonight’s game between two of his former clubs due to COVID, he’s setting his sights on getting to a home game soon.
“They gave me three months in January but I think I’ll be a bit longer than that,” he said.
“I can’t come on Friday because I’ve got COVID.
“But as soon as I’m alright, I’ll get a home game in before I do clog it.
“You might think I’m talking b******s but I’m not blasé about it, I know it’s coming and what’s going to happen to me.”
Jon is highly regarded by all that played alongside him and those who got to watch him in the Red and Gold.
Chris Minchella, father of former Eagle and current Super League star Elliot Minchella, is a good friend of Jon’s and he set up a fundraiser for St Gemma’s.
A sponsored walk took place over the weekend and the current JustGiving total stands at almost £2,000.
“I’ve known Chris all my life and he said they’d be doing a sponsored walk for St Gemma’s Hospice,” Jon said.
“It has been two to three weeks and they’ve raised £2k online and when they did the walk with the bucket, they raised two and a bit thousand.
“I’m absolutely blown away because I feel so humble to have friends and teammates like this. It’s so emotional but it’s really sad. What a set of guys.
“I must have made some sort of impression for people to be doing this!
“I’m at St Gemma’s and they are absolutely outstanding, they are the top of their game.
“They’re all brilliant and the guys have picked up on it when they’ve come to visit.”
If you wish to donate to St Gemma’s, you can do so ,HERE,. 

Presentation of Jon's Heritage Certificate Every player who has ever played for the Sheffield Eagles is given a heritage number to mark the point they played for the Club. The Sheffield Eagles Heritage Project, is going to produce certificates for all players and present them over the next year. 
Jon started his career in 1996 for Doncaster before playing for Batley in 1997 and then back to Doncaster in 1999. He played his first game for Sheffield Eagles on 28th September 1999 against Lancashire Lynx as part of that historic first game as the new Sheffield Eagles, following the merger with Huddersfield. That first game saw the Eagles win 33-20 including Jon scoring a try. Jon went on to play 129 times for the Eagles, making 89 starts and 40 times from the bench, scoring 8 tries in total. Jon deserves his place in the Eagles’ history just for being part of the new Sheffield Eagles but it goes beyond that. For those that watched him play they’ll never forget the impact he made as a forward with his runs down the field and no nonsense tough tackling. He played his last game for Sheffield on 19th September 2004 against Hunslet having played 177 games in his career scoring 12 tries. 
Unfortunately Jon was not well enough to be present at the match but his son Jacob was there to accept  his certificate as heritage player number 231.
[Image: Presentation by Andy Tyers of Jon Bruce's heritage certificate to Jon's son Jacob ]



Share Your Memories Do you remember watching Jon Bruce? Share your memories ,here,. 

Authors Dan Fowler & Richard King

An interview with Jon Bruce, former Eagles' player and Club captain

A Chat with Big Jon Bruce



For nearly 9 years the club was forced to play at seven temporary venues both in and outside of Sheffield.

The Nomad Years Many of the venues that the Club played at between 2013 and 2022 didn't necessarily have facilities best suited for rugby league, with the RFL providing the club with special dispensation to compete in the Championship on several occasions. Playing in front of dwindling home support, the club was threatened with the very real prospect of folding during much of this time. Once again though the club, with the help of its die-hard supporters, defied the odds and survived.

2014 Owlerton and Keepmoat
For the 2014 season the Eagles returned to the ground where it all began 30 years earlier. However, the romanticism surrounding the club’s return to its roots quickly faded as the team - who had enjoyed such strong home form at Don Valley and Bramall Lane over the previous two years- struggled at home for much of the season. The poor form owed much to the fact that the pitch at Owlerton was extremely narrow. Mats even had to be placed in the corners of the in-goal areas to prevent players from injuring themselves on the speedway track when scoring a try. The narrowness of the pitch meant that the players were unable to play the expansive brand of rugby league that Mark Aston had drilled into them over previous seasons. Opposition teams also complained about the lack of proper changing facilities at the stadium and the view of the pitch was also obstructed by the surrounding speedway and dog track. Although the corporate and catering facilities at the stadium were excellent, overall, the ground was not a suitable venue for rugby league. In a taste of things to come, the Eagles also played at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster for their playoff match against Batley Bulldogs.
[Image: Eagles at Owlerton Stadium 2014]

2015 Keepmoat, Castle Park and Bramall Lane
Unable to secure a home ground in Sheffield, the Eagles were forced to play the majority of the 2015 season at the Keepmoat in Doncaster. Games against Workington and Whitehaven, however, were played at Castle Park - the home of Doncaster Knights RUFC. Despite being exiled from Sheffield the Eagles fared much better at “home”, playing the expansive brand of rugby that they had been unable to play the previous season. The views and facilities at the Keepmoat were excellent, but travelling took its toll and crowds began to drop off. During the “Super 8s” campaign the club played at Bramall Lane for games against Hull KR and Wakefield, with over 1700 attending the Eagles’ victory against the latter.

[Image: Bramall Lane 2015]


2016 Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park
Whilst the club waited patiently for news on the development of a new stadium on the former Don Valley site, the Eagles managed to secure a return to Sheffield for the 2016 campaign. Located a stone’s throw (or more accurately a conversion away!) from Rotherham on Bawtry Road, the venue was made up of two temporary stands behind the posts at one end of the pitch with a third smaller stand for players’ families at the opposite side. There were also corporate facilities in the sports park clubhouse on the touchline. The venue was far from ideal, with very little in terms of facilities for supporters. It was also expensive to operate because the club had to rent the temporary stands, portable toilets, and security staff. 

[Image: Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park 2016]

2017 Belle Vue, Wakefield
Unable to afford the costs of a temporary set up in Sheffield, in 2017 Belle Vue became the home of the Eagles. It was an extremely difficult time for the club off the field. Having narrowly avoided folding at the end of the 2016 season the Eagles were forced to play over 25 miles away in front of dwindling home support in an ageing venue. At some games there were perhaps as little as 100 Eagles supporters, with away supporters sometimes travelling a shorter distance than “home” fans! Despite the problems off field, the team enjoyed a fairly successful season, finishing around mid-table and losing to Toulouse in the Championship Shield final.

[Image: Belle Vue, Wakefield 2017]

2018 & 2019 Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park temporary set up
In 2018 the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park finally opened, and the club made a highly anticipated return to the city. At this stage the OLP was very similar in its setup to Bawtry Road, with a temporary stand on the touchline and limited facilities for Championship rugby league. The facilities were reduced further for the 2019 season, with half of the 500 temporary seats being removed. 

[Image: SOLP 2018 & 2019]

2020 Castle Park and Wakefield
In 2020 the Eagles were once again forced on the road as construction on the main stand at the OLP began. The Eagles faced Toulouse at Castle Park and Halifax in Wakefield before the season was cut short by Covid 19.


[Image: Castle Park, Doncaster 2020]
[Image: Belle Vue, Wakefield 2020]

2021 Keepmoat
As rugby league and a semblance of normal life returned, the Eagles found themselves in the familiar setting of the Keepmoat stadium. It was an unhappy return, with the team finishing the season just one place above the relegation zone.

[Image: Keepmoat, Doncaster 2021]

2022 Keepmoat & Millennium Stadium Featherstone
It was hoped that construction on the main stand at the Olympic Legacy Park would be completed for the beginning of the 2022 season. Continued delays, however, meant that supporters had to wait a few months longer for a permanent home venue. For one final time the Eagles were forced out of the city, once again playing at the Keepmoat before adding the Millennium Stadium in Featherstone to the long list of post-Don Valley venues.

[Image: SOLP - Not Quite Ready 2022]
[Image: Millennium Stadium, Featherstone 2022]
[Image: Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster 2022]

2022 and beyond Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park Community Stadium
You can read more about the return to Sheffield on 23rd May 2022 and the first game at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park Community Stadium ,HERE,. 

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES What are your memories and stories of the Eagles nomad years? You can share them with the Heritage Project ,HERE,.

Author Ciaran Rooney

Photos Richard King