Mid-way through the 1998 season, Gateshead was granted a franchise in the Super League ahead of Swansea and Cardiff. A competition was held to determine the name for this club, and Gateshead Thunder was born with Shaun McRae as head coach.

Despite early season problems in attracting fans to a new summer sport, by the end of the season the average gate had risen to 3,895. Gateshead finished in sixth place – just two points outside the play-offs. They had beaten St Helens home and away and beaten Wigan on the road in Edinburgh at Tynecastle. Matt Daylight was the joint leading try scorer in Super League and winger Ian Herron was one of the deadliest goal-kickers in the top flight.

In November of that year, Gateshead Thunder’s board announced the club would merge with Hull Sharks. The Association of Premiership Clubs blocked proposals for the newly merged company to enter a separate Hull-based team in the Northern Ford Premiership and so the new club would be called Hull and play all its home games in Hull. This was widely seen as a takeover simply to allow Hull to remain in Super League.

The fans of the Gateshead club set up a campaigning organisation, Thunder Storm, to fight the “merger”. Although this proved unsuccessful, it was the catalyst for a new Gateshead Thunder to be formed. The new Gateshead Thunder was accepted back to play in the Northern Ford Premiership on the 2nd August 2000 with a similar bid from Bramley being rejected. The new board had the stated objective of winning back Gateshead’s place in Super League within five years.

The Keelmen – Forever Thunder

The name pays homage to the historic community of Tyne Keelmen — the hardworking boatmen whose strength and solidarity helped build Newcastle’s industrial legacy. Like their namesakes, Thunder’s 2024/25 squads embodied perseverance and collective pride, playing not for wealth or fame, but for each other and the city they represent.

Their story, now immortalised as “The Keelmen”, stands as a reminder of the club’s deep roots in Geordie heritage and the enduring power of unity in the face of adversity. 

"On the River Tyne, a unique and determined community once thrived—the Keelmen. These were not just labourers; they were the lifeblood of Newcastle's coal trade for centuries, plying the treacherous waters in their flat-bottomed keels. Their existence was a testament to raw grit and unwavering solidarity. They battled against the currents and the elements, their livelihood dependent on their ability to work as one, transporting coal from the riverbanks to the great ships waiting at sea. They stood together against all odds, their fierce loyalty to each other a defining characteristic that allowed them to survive and even flourish. Their legacy is one of resilience and a shared spirit, a powerful example of a community that, despite the hardship, refused to be broken.

Just as the Keelmen faced their own formidable challenges, so too did the Newcastle Thunder squads of 2024 and 2025. This was a team forged not by vast contracts or celebrity status, but by a deeper, more profound bond. They were a young group, many of them friends who had risen through the club's academy ranks, playing for the love of the game and for the city they represented. With the club's future hanging in the balance, they became the living embodiment of the Keelmen's spirit. They played for each other, for their friends, their teammates, and to secure the club’s future. Their dedication on the field, often for little financial reward, was a powerful display of a brotherhood that went beyond the scorecard. They fought together, they drank together, and they gave everything they had to keep Newcastle Thunder alive.

While their time together as a squad will come to an end, their contribution will forever be etched into the club's history. These young men did more than just play rugby; they embodied the very essence of the Keelmen. They were determined, loyal, and committed to a cause bigger than themselves. Their names may not be on the team sheets of the future, but their legacy will be a permanent and cherished part of the Newcastle Thunder story. They are, and always will be remembered as The Keelmen of Newcastle Thunder."