Guys,

Just a quick question.

Do any of you know the Year Leeds RLFC became a Full Time Club?

Thanks.

1896-97?

I would have put same as Rhinoshound, but do you mean when the club formed or became a full time club as in the players being paid full time? which i believe happened somewhere around late 80's early 90's

Hiya mate.

Players fully paid I think.

Ok.I would love to be able to answer this fully but i don't know if for 100% truth, and am not as in the know as some may be on here. From what i have heard and read Wigan were the first to become fully professional sometime in the 80's with Maurice Lindsay on board. I'm sure Leeds did follow suit circa 1990...maybe before that but i'm not sure it ever became official knowledge. Obviously the whole of SL became full time with the advent of the new structure in 1996.

I hope this helps a little, i'm sure there are older posters who can give you more accurate info

It was whichever season John Bentley left for Halifax as he wasn't prepared to give up his career in the Police force to turn full time professional.

According to the Tinter Webs, John Bentley left Leeds and signed for Halifax in 1992.

rlhttps://www.therhinos.co.uk/club/history/#.WDbaK_mLSUkrl

Last paragraph for 1896-97 if it helps?

Or I have got the wrong end of the stick,

You mean when they didnt have to work on building sites etc through the week as in 60's and 70's players,

Oh really you walk up to lads like Roy Dickinson and say that ! nice lad though he is he wont be able to contain himself.

According to urban legend (particularly among fans in places like Leeds and St Helens), Wigan were the first club to turn fully pro, hence why they won all those trophies circa mid-80's to mid-90's because they bought them all.

The psychological damage among the fans from that era (alluded to above) is still clearly evident even today, even after two decades of Stupor League.

If Leeds were the first club to become fully pro, it would be an understatement to suggest it puts a different complexion on how and why Wigan were so dominant for a whole decade.

I am made of scars.

I do recall Leeds were the first to officially go full time pro (required all first team playing squad to not have a second job) and '92 would seem to be about right. Of course, by then most of the first team were entirely employed by Leeds RLFC anyway. There was no requirement to have a second job prior to that.