The club was formed in 1977 by Geoff Owen, Jim Hoffman, John Latham and Alan Prescott.

Junior rugby was always a target for East and was put into action in 1982 when u19s and u17s teams were formed.

In 1979 after campaigning the land at the side of Hilton Park became available on Grasmere St, The clubhouse was started in 1982 and officially opened in 1984.

The following season, the side which could definitely be considered one of the finest amateur teams of all time, won the First Division Championship and the Lancashire Cup, gave Bradford Northern the fright of their lives before losing 24-12 in the Challenge Cup and then beat Chorley Borough in the Regal Trophy to join the elite band of amateur clubs to have defeated professional opposition.

Back in 1977 founders Jim Hoffman, Geoff Owen, Alan Prescott and John Latham would never in their wildest dreams - despite the hopes and ambitions they had for their new club - have imagined just how far this club would progress in such a short period of time.