Gateshead Storm were formed in September 2002, many of the original squad having played together for a couple of years prior to that as part of the Gateshead Thunder Academy. The initial intention was to apply for membership of the totalRL.com Summer Conference in 2003. To help prepare for this, the club agreed to help out the struggling Durham Tigers in the 2002 competition. The lads who played under the Durham colours made the play-offs that year, giving even the mighty Teesside Steelers a run for their money - despite each player giving his opposite number a sizeable weight advantage. A large proportion of those players now form the backbone of the RLC National side.

 Storm entered the Summer Conference in 2003 with high hopes, and went on to show just how rugby has progressed in the North East - both on and off the field. The side again progressed to the play-offs, going one leg further than local rivals Newcastle Knights who had finished higher than them in the league. The success of the first year was recognised by the RFL with the honour of being awarded the totalRL.com 'Club of the Year 2003'.

 The start of the 2004 campaign saw the Gateshead side progress to the final of the RLC Challenge Cup, where they narrowly lost out to the more experienced London Skolars, 34-38. Skolars later went on to join the games professional ranks.

 That was the start of a hectic few weeks in early 2004 that were to shape the future development of the North East’s most ambitious amateur club. When previous grand finalists Teesside Steelers withdrew from National League 3 with barely two weeks to go until the first game, the club received an 11th hour plea for help from the Rugby Football League. Invited to take the Steelers place in the game’s top amateur competition, Gateshead had only a few days to mull over the offer. The challenge was immense, not only in the lack of preparation time but also, the move represented a major step up in class to a national competition and after only one year in the lower leagues. After some hastily arranged meetings the decision was taken to accept the invitation – a reflection of the ambition of the club. Although nobody was under any illusion as to the hard work that lay ahead, the decision was unanimous.

 The players benefited from the better standard of play, and were able to match the best the league had to offer - even if only for 20 minute periods - and on occasion impressed their more experienced opponents with their fast and inventive style of rugby. Off the field, the backroom staff were able to exploit the move up to NL3 by commanding excellent press coverage, resulting in a healthy increase in the number of fans attending games - all of whom are keen to be involved with a progressive and forward looking club.

 Progress on the field has been steady, the young side gaining an increasing number of victories year on year with primarily the same core of players. More importantly, the side continues to develop during a period that has seen 8 bigger, more established clubs withdraw from the National League.

In 2006 Gateshead again answered a plea for help from the game’s governing body. When history repeated itself following the last minute withdrawal of Winlaton Vulcans from the North East Division of the Rugby League Conference, Storm agreed to establish a second team to fulfil as many of Winlaton’s Conference fixtures as possible. Although things started well, a series of injuries to players caused pressure on the club’s limited resources and with the National League side taking precedence a number of fixtures at the end of the Conference season were sacrificed. 

The lack of a suitable venue for home games in Gateshead has meant a rather nomadic existence for the club, playing at Novocastrians RFC, Winlaton RFC and Rockliffe RFC. This season will see Storm relocate to their new home which as part of a partnership with Team Northumbria (of Northumbria University) will see them take advantage of their Bullocksteads Sports Ground for both Training and Home Matches.

Along with the relocation, this season has seen a change of Personnel within the club with Rob Jones stepping down as Head Coach to take up a role as Chairman. The new Head Coach, John Coutts has played for a number of clubs including York and Gateshead Thunder, in the professional ranks and has joined us with a wish of goodwill from his previous Club Durham Tigers. Steven Thompson continues as Assistant Coach.

The club is envied in North East RL circles for its squad that comprises almost 100% 'league' players, and the fact that they train twice a week from December right through to the end of the season. With an average age of 23, and old heads on young shoulders, Gateshead are well set to move forward over the next few years in the demanding RLC National League, attracting more ambitious players to the club.