Chris Hesketh

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Chris Hesketh
Personal information
Full nameChristopher Hesketh
Born(1944-11-28)28 November 1944
Wigan, England
Died10 August 2017(2017-08-10) (aged 72)
Playing information
Position Centre, Stand-off
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1963–67 Wigan 85280084
1967–79 Salford 45212800384
Total53715600468
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1967–74 Lancashire 13+240012
1968–69 England 30000
1970–74 Great Britain 2360018
Source: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Christopher Hesketh MBE (28 November 1944 – 10 August 2017 [4] ) was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire as a centre, and at club level for Wigan and Salford, as a centre, or stand-off. [1]

Contents

Background

Chris Hesketh was born in Wigan, Lancashire, England, and he died aged 72.

Playing career

International honours

Hesketh won caps for England while at Salford in 1968 against Wales, in 1969 against Wales, and France, [2] and won caps for Great Britain while at Salford in 1970 against New Zealand, in the 1970 Rugby League World Cup against France (sub), New Zealand (1-try), and Australia (sub); in 1971 against France, France (sub), and New Zealand (3 matches); in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, France, New Zealand (1-try), and Australia; in 1973 against Australia (3 matches); and in 1974 against France (2 matches), Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches). [3] For the 1974 Great Britain Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand, Hesketh was named as captain. [6]

Rugby League career

Hesketh started his career at Wigan in 1962, and following the rule change to allow of substitutions, along with Laurie Gilfedder he jointly became Wigan's first substitute on Saturday 14 November 1964.[ citation needed ] He moved to Salford in 1967, with whom he remained until retiring in 1979. Hesketh worked as a salesman before retiring in 2006. His death was announced in August 2017. [6]

County Cup Final appearances

Chris Hesketh played at centre in Salford's 25–11 victory over Swinton in the 1972–73 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1972–73 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 21 October 1972, he played at centre in the 9–19 defeat by Wigan in the 1973–74 Lancashire Cup Final at [Wilderspool on Saturday 13 October 1973, [7] and played at centre in the 7–16 defeat by Widnes in the 1975–76 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 4 October 1975.

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final appearances

Chris Hesketh played at centre in Salford's 0–0 draw with Warrington in the 1974 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final at The Willows, Salford on Tuesday 17 December 1974, and played at centre in the 10–5 victory in the replay at Wilderspool on Tuesday 28 January 1975.

Player's No.6 Trophy Final appearances

Chris Hesketh played at centre in Salford's 7–12 defeat by Leeds in the 1972–73 Player's No.6 Trophy Final during the 1972–73 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 24 March 1973.

Testimonial match

Chris Hesketh's Testimonial match at Salford took place in 1977. In the 1976 New Year Honours Hesketh was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to rugby league. [8]

Related Research Articles

David Watkins was a Welsh dual-code rugby international, having played both rugby union and rugby league football for both codes' national teams between 1963 and 1979. He captained the British and Irish Lions rugby union side, and made six appearances for the Great Britain rugby league team. With the Wales national rugby league team he played in every match of the 1975 World Cup, and with English club Salford he played more than 400 games over 12 seasons.

Eric Hughes is a retired English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached rugby league in the 1980s and 1990s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England (Under-15s), and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Widnes, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, St Helens and the Rochdale Hornets, as a wing, centre or stand-off, and coached at club level for Widnes, Rochdale Hornets, St Helens, Leigh and Wigan Warriors. He unwittingly added confusion to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs team as he was unrelated but played at the same time as the three Australian brothers named Hughes; Garry, Graeme and Mark.

Maurice Charles Rees Richards is a Welsh former dual-code international rugby footballer. A wing, he was part of the 1968 British Lions tour to South Africa.

Steve Nash is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s. A Great Britain and England national representative and scrum-half, he played his club rugby for Featherstone Rovers, winning a Challenge Cup title with them and being one of the inaugural inductees into the club's hall of fame. He also played for the Salford club and at representative level for Yorkshire. Nash later coached the Mansfield Marksman club for a season in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Morley</span> Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer

John Cuthbert Morley was a Welsh international rugby wing who played rugby union for Newport and rugby league with Wigan. He won 14 caps for Wales in union, and five caps for Wales in rugby league, and was the first player to tour Australia and New Zealand for both union, and league British teams.

Colin J. Dixon was a Welsh rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Cardiff International Athletic Club, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Halifax (captain), Salford and Hull Kingston Rovers. He played as a centre, second-row or loose forward, and coached club level rugby league (RL) for Salford, and is a Halifax Hall of Fame Inductee.

Harold Paul Charlton is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, Cumberland and Cumbria, and at club level for Kells ARLFC, Workington Town, Salford and Blackpool Borough, as a fullback, and coached at club level for Workington Town. He was part of the Great Britain squad which won the 1972 World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Chisnall (rugby league)</span> Great Britain and England international rugby league footballer

David Chisnall was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Leigh, Warrington (captain), Swinton, St. Helens and Barrow, as a prop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Pawsey</span> Former GB & England international rugby league footballer

Charles "Charlie" H. Pawsey was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Langworthy ARLFC, Belle Vue Rangers, Leigh and Huddersfield, as a scrum cap wearing second-row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Feetham</span> GB & England international rugby league footballer

John Feetham was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Hull Kingston Rovers, and Salford, as a prop or loose forward.

Raymond "Ray" F. Dutton is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Runcorn ARLFC, Widnes Rovers ARLFC, Widnes and Whitehaven, as a right-footed toe-end style goal-kicking fullback, and coached at club level for Whitehaven and Widnes Tigers ARLFC.

Keith Elwell, also known by the nicknames of "The Mole" or "Chiefy", is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for Widnes and on loan to Barrow, as a hooker.

Keith John Fielding is an English dual-code international rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a winger. He played representative level rugby union for England, and at club level for Moseley Rugby Football Club before switching to rugby league in 1973, and went on to play representative level rugby league for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Salford.

Kenneth Gill is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Salford, Widnes and Barrow, as a stand-off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barney Hudson</span> GB & England international rugby league footballer

Bernard "Barney" Hudson was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Horden Rugby Football Club and Hartlepool Rovers, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Salford, as a wing. Whilst serving in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, he was a guest player, and captained Dewsbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emlyn Jenkins</span> Welsh rugby league footballer and coach (1910–1993)

Emlyn Jenkins was a Welsh cinema manager, trainee teacher, landlord of a public house, rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s, and coached rugby league in the 1950s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Treorchy RFC, and Cardiff RFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, Wales and England, and at club level for Salford, Wigan and St Helens, Leigh, as a fullback, wing, centre, stand-off, or scrum-half, and coached club level rugby league (RL) for Leigh and St Helens.

Robert A. Irving was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. A Great Britain and England international, and Yorkshire representative second-row, he played at club level for Oldham, Wigan, Salford, Barrow, Blackpool Borough and Swinton.

John Denis Gray is an English cricketer, rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played cricket for Warwickshire and Marylebone Cricket Club, as a left-hand bat, and right-arm medium-fast bowler, playing representative rugby union (RU) for England (7s), and at club level for Coventry R.F.C., as a Hooker and representative rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Wigan, North Sydney Bears and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles as a round the corner style goal-kicking prop, hooker, second-row or loose forward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Ryan (rugby league)</span> GB & England international rugby league footballer

Martin Ryan was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Wigan, primarily at fullback, or centre. He also made five guest appearances for St Helens in 1943, plus one appearance for Leigh in 1955.

Peter Banner is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a scrum-half in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Salford, Featherstone Rovers and Leeds.

References

  1. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Chris Hesketh - British Lions captain". Rugby League Journal. No. 61. Winter 2017. pp. 26–27.
  5. RL Record Keeper's club
  6. 1 2 "Rugby Football League mourns former GB players". Rugby Football League. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  7. "1973–1974 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. "No. 46777". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1975. p. 14.

Further reading