John Butler (rugby league)

Last updated

John Butler
Personal information
Born (1949-12-12) 12 December 1949 (age 73)
St Helens, Lancashire, England
Playing information
Position Centre, Stand-off, Loose forward, Fullback
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1969–73 Keighley 1234500135
1973–75 Rochdale Hornets 76212271
1975–79 Salford 1355000150
1979–81 Wigan 55180054
1981–84 St Helens 4790028
1983 (loan)Leigh 00000
1983 (loan)Fulham RLFC 00000
Total43614322438
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1975–79 Lancashire 94
Source: [1] [2] [3] [4]

John Butler (born 12 December 1949) is an English former professional rugby league footballer. Born in St Helens, Butler began his career at Keighley, and went on to play for Rochdale Hornets, Salford, Wigan and St Helens. He also represented Lancashire and was selected for the 1974 British Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Contents

Career

Butler started his rugby league career with Keighley, where he played as a loose forward. In April 1973, he was signed by Rochdale Hornets for a fee of £1,000. [5] Under the guidance of coach Frank Myler, he was converted into a stand-off, [6] and his impressive performances earned him a place on the 1974 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand after being named as a replacement for Keith Fielding. [7]

In February 1974, he played for Rochdale in the final of the 1973–74 League Cup against Warrington. He was substituted at half time after suffering a hip injury, [8] and Rochdale went on to lose the game 16–27.

In March 1975, Butler and his teammate Bill Sheffield were signed by Salford for a joint fee of £8,000. [9] Butler went on win the 1976 League Championship with Salford. In 1979, he was signed by Wigan for a fee of £15,000. [2] He finished his career with his hometown club, St Helens Heritage no 950.

Butler is son of former St Helens Heritage no 423 and Keighley star Jack Butler. He is the Father of former Chorley Lynx, Marseille XIII and Swinton Lions player Daniel Butler.


Related Research Articles

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, i.e. number 2 or 5, or, 3 or 4, or 6, and coached at club level for Widnes, Rochdale Hornets, St Helens, Leigh and the 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.

John Charles Bevan is a Welsh international rugby footballer of the 1970s and 1980s. He is one of two John Bevans who played for Wales during the 1970s.

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.

The Rugby League Reserve Team Championship is a rugby league competition for the reserve teams of the British-based Super League clubs. Having a reserve team is a compulsory part of the minimum criteria to hold a Super League licence, but Catalans Dragons have dispensation to run their reserve team in the French Elite League for logistical reasons.

Kevin Ashcroft is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Lancashire, and at club level for the Rochdale Hornets, Dewsbury, Leigh, Warrington and Salford, as a hooker. and coached at club level for Leigh and Salford. Ashcroft is a Warrington Hall of Fame inductee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Chisnall (rugby league)</span> GB & 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">Emlyn Jenkins</span> Welsh RL coach and former GB, England & Wales international rugby league footballer

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, i.e. number 1, 2 or 5, 3 or 4, 6, or 7, and coached club level rugby league (RL) for Leigh and St. Helens.

Neil Holding is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for St Helens, Oldham and Rochdale Hornets, as a stand-off or scrum-half, and coached at club level for Rochdale Hornets.

Paul Groves is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Lancashire, and at club level for Salford, St Helens and Oldham, as a hooker.

Ronald "Ronnie" Duane, also known by the nickname of "Rhino", is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Warrington, Oldham and Rochdale Hornets as a centre, or second-row.

Glyndwr Shaw was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union, and rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and at club level for Neath RFC, as a prop and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Widnes, Wigan, Warrington and Rochdale Hornets, as a prop, or second-row.

The 1990–91 Rugby Football League season was the 96th ever season of professional rugby league football in Britain. Fourteen teams competed from August, 1990 until May, 1991 for the Stones Bitter Championship, Premiership Trophy and Silk Cut Challenge Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parry Gordon</span> England international rugby league footballer

John Parry-Gordon was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England and Lancashire, and at club level for Warrington, as a scrum-half.

Barry Philbin is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s. He played at representative level for England, and at club level for Swinton and Warrington, as a loose forward, i.e. number 13, during the era of contested scrums. He subsequently broke his leg, which he puts down to playing in jersey number unlucky 13.

The 1973–74 Rugby Football League season was the 79th season of rugby league football.

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.

Brian Gregory was a professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Wales and Lancashire, and at club level for Salford, Warrington, Oldham, Wigan and Wakefield Trinity, as a second-row, or loose forward, i.e. number 11 or 12, or 13, during the era of contested scrums.

Robert Wanbon was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and at club level for Aberavon RFC, as a number eight, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for St. Helens and Warrington, as a prop, or second-row, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.

Eric Prescott was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Widnes ICI RUFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Lancashire, and at club level for St Helens, Salford, Widnes and Runcorn Highfield, as a wing, centre, second-row or loose forward. He was the father of England international rugby league player, Steve Prescott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Ashworth</span> English rugby league footballer

Jack Ashworth is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for Hull FC in the Betfred Super League and the England Knights at international level.

References

  1. "John Butler". Rugby League Project. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 Service, Alex. "Johnny Butler". Saints Heritage Society. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  3. Platt, Darrell (1991). A History of Salford Rugby League Club. Salford Rugby League Club.
  4. "John Butler". cherryandwhite.co.uk. RLFANS.com. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  5. "Sport In Brief: Hart in control at City". The Guardian. London. 4 April 1973. p. 23.
  6. Cotter, Garrett (20 January 1974). "First time out". The Observer. London. p. 19.
  7. Mather, Harold (13 March 1974). "Leeds are let down by backs". The Guardian. London. p. 21.
  8. Mather, Harold (11 February 1974). "Muddy mastery by Warrington". The Guardian. London. p. 25.
  9. "St Helens champions". The Guardian. London. 29 March 1975. p. 19.