‘Chasing Dreams at the City on the Hill’ is the 100 year history of Oakdale Rugby Club. Researched and written during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020, the book details the humble beginnings of a small village rugby club borne out of the siting of a coal mine and the need for the miners who came to the village to come together for sporting enjoyment. The book details the struggles the club and the village faced during the turbulent times of the 1920s and 1930s before the hiatus of the Second World War.

Resurrecting when peace was secured, our story details the development of a junior rugby club to climb to the top of the district rugby landscape by the late 1950s, becoming a full WRU member in the 1960s to becoming the Ben Francis champions by the end of the decade.

Later chapters focus on the move into the Monmouthshire league structure through to the Heineken leagues and the pressures competitive rugby placed on the club. Marquee games against illustrious opposition such as Cardiff and Swansea are recorded in detail, and a first ever visit to the Millennium Stadium for the National Bowl final is remembered fondly.

Our book recognises the many people who have given tremendous service to the club and highlights the humorous stories that weave through any rugby club. It’s 208 pages of everything Oakdale Rugby Football Club have had to face and overcome. An ideal gift for anyone who has ever been part of our cherished rugby club.

Our book is priced at £15:00 and is available from the Clubhouse or by contacting us through oakdalerfc@hotmail.com. A postal service is available for a small extra charge