Our History

The story of Westhoughton Lions ARLFC since 1997.

1997

The Beginning

Chris Gregory founded the Westhoughton Lions, starting with an Under 8s team — outside the traditional rugby league heartlands, drawing players from Bolton and the surrounding area.

Club Founded First Under 8s Team

2006

RFL Clubmark Achievement

The club achieved RFL Clubmark status, a testament to our commitment to high standards in club management, safety, and player development.

RFL Clubmark Attained Quality Standards Met

2008

First Open Age Team

The club reached a significant milestone by establishing its first open age team, led by John Thompson.

Open Age Rugby

2009

First Cubs Section

The club started their first cubs sessions, led by Jamie Brown, Tony Grindley & John Thompson.

Cubs Launched

2020

Major Funding Secured

The club secured £300,000 in funding through the RFL's CreatedBy programme, paving the way for the development of our new clubhouse.

£300,000 Secured CreatedBy Programme

2022

New Clubhouse Opens

A major milestone was reached with the opening of our state-of-the-art clubhouse, featuring modern changing rooms, a gym, and community spaces.

Clubhouse Opened

2025

Premier Division Promotion

A historic milestone as our First Team secured promotion and started the 2025 season in the NWML Premier Division, with 12+ junior teams now running.

Premier Division 12+ Junior Teams

Privacy Notice

Last updated: 1 October 2026

Who we are

Westhoughton Lions ARLFC ("the Club", "we", "us") is the data controller for the personal information described in this notice. We're based at The Den, Cunningham Road, Bolton, BL5 2AN.

Information we collect

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We keep enquiry correspondence only for as long as needed to deal with your request, and for a reasonable period afterwards, before deleting it.

Your rights

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If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.

Changes to this notice

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