Ryhope Colliery Welfare was founded by the Coal Miners of Ryhope in 1892. It was not until 1927–28 that it won its first league title. However the club enjoyed most of its success in the 1960s, winning the Wearside Football League on four occasions, the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup twice as well as the Sunderland Shipowners Cup and League Challenge Cup during the decade. In the 1967–68 season, the team reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the only time in its history, losing 1–0 at home to then Football League Division 4 side Workington. The club’s next successful season was 1977–78, finishing 3rd in the league, winning the League Cup with the season culminating in winning the Durham Challenge Cup for the only time in the club’s history. Between the 1988–89 and 1991–92 seasons, the club was known as Vaux Ryhope after a merger with Sporting Club Vaux (previously South Hetton FC)[1]
In season 2009–10 under the guidance of newly appointed manager Martin Swales Ryhope won the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup for the first time in 44 years as well as being runners up in the league their highest position also for 44 years.
Season 2010–11 however was the most successful in the club’s history, winning all four competitions the Wearside League Title, Sunderland Shipowners Cup, Monkwearmouth Charity Cup and League Cup.This was only the third time in the history of the League that this has been achieved by a club.
However, in season 2011–12 Ryhope repeated the feat of the previous season winning all four competitions and gained promotion to the Northern League for the first time in its history. It ended the season having only been defeated once in its last 70 Wearside League and Cup games.
The team continued its success in season 2012–13 finishing runners up to Crook Town and gaining promotion to the Northern League 1st Division at its first attempt,losing only three games and scoring 147 league goals. However, due to off the field ground grading issues, rather than making the step up the club was relegated back to the Wearside League. It was a decision taken by the Northern League Management Committee and endorsed by the FA.
Season 2013–14 saw the team back in the Wearside League and finish runners up to Stockton Town and with the ground issues solved the team again was promoted to the Northern League 2nd division for the season 2014–15.
Under Gary Pearson and Stuey Gooden, in 2015-16 the club finished runners up in Northern League Division Two and gained promotion to Division One for the first time in the club’s 124-year history. In their first season in the top flight in 2016-17 the team finished in 17th place, they followed this up with an 11th placed finish in 2017-18
The 2018-19 season showed further progression for the club, both on and off the pitch. Additional off-field support was established and ongoing ties with Sunderland University continued. Gaz strengthened his team throughout the season resulting in a top half finish and a first win ever, over local rivals Sunderland RCA.
Honours
- Wearside Football League: 1927–28, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 2010–11, 2011–12
- Monkwearmouth Charity Cup: 1965–66, 1966–67, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14
- Sunderland Shipowners Cup: 1961–62, 2010–11, 2011–12
- League Challenge Cup: 1963–64, 1977–78, 2010–11, 2011–12
- Durham Challenge Cup: 1977–78
- Northern League Div 2 Runners Up: 2012–13
- Wearside League Runners Up: 2013–14
- Northern League Div 2 Runners Up: 2015–16