Rockcliffe Rugby Football Club was officially formed in 1887, but an earlier club had the same name. Its first ground was a field on Grafton Road in Whitley Bay above Table Rocks swimming pool. It had an ornate oriental-style pavilion, a refreshment kiosk from the North East Coast Exhibition at Tynemouth in 1882. The rugby team included several Cullercoats fishermen. They won the Northumberland Senior Cup in 1890. In 1892 Ernest 'Little Billee' Taylor became the first of eight Rockcliffe players to be capped. He was appointed England Captain in 1894.

In 1901 housing developments forced the club to move a mile or so north. In 1905 they had to move again to make way for a funfair (later Spanish City). In 1907 the rugby club laid out a ground on a field north east of Hill Heads brickworks. By 1909 the club became Rockcliff (dropped the second 'e'). A grandstand was put up in 1922 on the south side of the pitch. It cost £700 and held 600 spectators. It opened for the Northumberland County Rugby Union trial in October 1922.