John Keith Bridges

Last updated

Keith Bridges
Personal information
Full nameJohn Howard Bridges [1]
Born (1952-04-02) 2 April 1952 (age 72) [2]
Pontefract, England
Playing information
Position Hooker
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1970–79 Featherstone Rovers 2354553145
1979–82 Bradford Northern 503009
1982–83 Hull FC 291003
Total3144953157
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1975–77 Yorkshire 51003
1975–77 England 90012
1974 Great Britain 30000
Source: [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

John Howard "Keith" Bridges (born 2 April 1952) 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 Yorkshire, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Bradford Northern and Hull FC, as an occasional goal-kicking hooker. [3] [4]

Contents

Background

Bridges was born in Pontefract, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and he was a pupil at Normanton Grammar School.

Club career

Featherstone Rovers

John "Keith" Bridges made his début for Featherstone Rovers on Wednesday 26 August 1970.

Bridges played hooker in Featherstone Rovers' 33–14 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1973 Challenge Cup Final during the 1972–73 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1973, in front of a crowd of 72,395, and played hooker in the 9–24 defeat by Warrington in the 1974 Challenge Cup Final during the 1973–74 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 11 May 1974, in front of a crowd of 77,400.

He played hooker in Featherstone Rovers' 0–4 defeat by Warrington in the Captain Morgan Trophy Final during the 1973–74 season at The Willows, Salford on Saturday 26 January 1974.

Bridges played hooker in Featherstone Rovers' 12–16 defeat by Leeds in the 1976 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1976–77 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 16 October 1976, and played hooker in the 7–17 defeat by Castleford in the 1977 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1977–78 season, at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 15 October 1977.

He played in Featherstone Rovers' victory in the Championship during the 1976–77 season, [8]

He played his last match for Featherstone Rovers during the 1978–79 Northern Rugby Football League season. [9]

Bradford Northern

Bridges played hooker in Bradford Northern's 6–0 victory over Widnes in the 1979–80 John Player Trophy Final during the 1979–80 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 5 January 1980.

Bridges played in Bradford Northern's victories in the Championship during the 1979–80 season and 1980–81 season.

Hull FC

Bridges played hooker in Hull FC's 18–7 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1982 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1982–83 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday 2 October 1982.

Bridges played in Hull FC's victory in the Championship during the 1982–83 season, and also in their 12–14 defeat by Featherstone Rovers in the 1983 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 7 May 1983, in front of a crowd of 84,969.

Representative honours

John "Keith" Bridges won caps for England while at Featherstone Rovers in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup against New Zealand, Australia, Wales, France, New Zealand, Australia, and Australia, in 1975 against Papua New Guinea (non-test), in 1977 against Wales, [5] and won caps for Great Britain while at Featherstone Rovers in 1974 against France (2 matches), and Australia. [6]

He is one of only eight players who have ever scored a drop goal for England. [10]

He won caps for Yorkshire while at Featherstone Rovers; during the 1975–76 season against Cumbria, Other Nationalities and Lancashire, and during the 1977–78 season against Cumbria, and Lancashire.

Honoured at Featherstone Rovers

John "Keith" Bridges is a Featherstone Rovers Hall of Fame inductee. [11]

Personal life

Bridges is the son of Keith Bridges, who played rugby league for Wakefield Trinity and Castleford between 1954 and 1963. Although born as John Howard Bridges, he is nicknamed "Keith" after his father. [1]

Outside of rugby league

John "Keith" Bridges was the Bar Manager of the Pinnacle Suite Function Room at Dewsbury District Golf Club, Mirfield until 2017. [12]

Related Research Articles

Keith Mumby, also known by the nickname of "Sir Keith", is an English former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, who most famously played for Bradford Northern between 1973 and 1993, and Sheffield Eagles and Wakefield Trinity, as a toe-end style goal-kicking fullback, or centre.

David Hobbs is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Oldham, Bradford Northern and Wakefield Trinity (captain), as a prop, second-row or loose forward, and coached at club level for Bradford Northern, Wakefield Trinity and Featherstone Rovers.

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

Peter J. Flanagan, also known by the nickname of "Flash", was an English rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level as a hooker for Great Britain, England and Eastern Division, and at club level for Hull Kingston Rovers and Hull FC as a hooker.

Deryck Fox is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Western Suburbs Magpies, Bradford Northern, Batley and Rochdale Hornets, as a scrum-half, and coached at club level for Rochdale Hornets, Shaw Cross ARLFC, Batemans Bay Tigers and Dewsbury Celtic. He attended St John Fisher's RC High School in Dewsbury.

Montagu(e) Alan Smith is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Leeds, as a wing.

Robert Haigh is an English former rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity (captain), Leeds and Bradford Northern, as a second-row, or loose forward.

Thomas "Tommy" Smales was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Castleford, Huddersfield (captain), Bradford Northern, North Sydney Bears and Wakefield Trinity as a scrum-half, and coached at club level for Castleford and Featherstone Rovers.

Jeffrey Grayshon MBE was an English 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 and England, and at club level for Dewsbury, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Bradford Northern, Leeds, Featherstone Rovers and Batley, as a fullback, prop, second-row, or loose forward, and coached at club level for Batley. Grayshon continued playing until he was 45 for Batley before taking over as coach at Batley. Grayshon's biography The Warrior: Jeff Grayshon MBE was written by Maurice Bamford.

Malcolm "Mal" Dixon is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers and York, as an occasional goal-kicking prop, and coached at club level for York.

Steve Evans was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Hull FC, Bradford Northern and Wakefield Trinity, as a wing, centre or stand-off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vince Farrar</span> English rugby player and coach (1947–2017)

Vincent Farrar was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers (captain), Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Hull FC and the Sheffield Eagles (captain), as a prop, hooker or loose forward, was captain of Hull during the 1978–79 season and 1979–80 season, and coached at club level for Featherstone Rovers.

James Thompson is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Bradford Northern (captain) and Carlisle, as a prop or second-row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Batten</span> English rugby player and coach (1914–1993)

Frederick "Eric" E. Batten was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and coached rugby league in the 1950s. He played club level rugby league (RU) for Sandal RUFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity, Hunslet, Featherstone Rovers (captain), Leeds, Castleford and Bradford Northern, as a wing, and coached at club level for Featherstone Rovers, and Batley. Eric Batten appeared in eight Challenge Cup Finals; two for Leeds, five for Bradford Northern, and one for Featherstone Rovers, winning three, and losing five, he scored a total of 443 tries during his career, he his third on the all-time try scorers list behind Brian Bevan, and Billy Boston,

Raymond Batten was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Heworth ARLFC and Leeds as a second-row or loose forward, and coached at club level for Wakefield Trinity.

Sydney Hynes is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s and coached rugby league in the 1970s and 1980s. He played club level rugby union for the sports club of the Leeds branch of National and Local Government Officers' Association (NALGO), as well as rugby league at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Leeds RLFC. Hynes played at centre and coached at club level for Leeds.

Kevin Beardmore was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Castleford, as a hooker or prop.

Colin Forsyth was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England, and at club level for Heworth A.R.L.F.C., Oldham, Featherstone Rovers, Bradford Northern and Wakefield Trinity, as a prop. Colin Forsyth broke his arm in the 1974–75 season.

Philip Cookson is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England, and at club level for Leeds, as a second-row.

Mick Morgan is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity (captain), York, Featherstone Rovers (captain), Carlisle, Oldham and Castleford (A-Team) as a centre, prop, hooker or loose forward, and coached at club level for Carlisle and Castleford.

Robert "Bob" Spurr is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Yorkshire, and at club level for Castleford, Featherstone Rovers and Bradford Northern, as a hooker.

References

  1. 1 2 de la Riviere, Richard (28 April 2021). "Rugby League Heroes: John 'Keith' Bridges". Total Rugby League. League Publications. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org I". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org II". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. 1 2 "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. ↑ RL Record Keepers' Club
  8. ↑ "Featherstone then and now". BBC. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. ↑ Bailey, Ron (20 September 2001). Images of Sport – Featherstone Rovers Rugby League Football Club. The History Press. ISBN   0752422952
  10. ↑ "Drop Goal Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "Legendary duo join Featherstone Rovers Hall of Fame". pontefractandcastlefordexpress.co.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "The Pinnacle Suite Function Room (archived by web.archive.org)". dewsburygolf.co.uk. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.