Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 4 May 1939 Sharlston, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 13 st 7 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Don Fox (brother) Peter Fox (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Neil Fox MBE (born 4 May 1939) is an English former professional rugby league footballer and player-coach who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s and 1980s.
A left-footed goal-kicking centre, he set rugby league's all-time points record, scoring 6,220 points during his career. [5] The brother of fellow rugby league players, Peter and Don Fox, Neil played for Yorkshire clubs Wakefield Trinity (two spells), Bradford Northern (two spells), Hull Kingston Rovers, York, Bramley and Huddersfield. [1] [2] [3]
Fox was born in Sharlston, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. [6]
He grew up supporting Huddersfield, and went on to sign for Wakefield Trinity at 16 years of age.
In 1956, Fox became the joint fifth youngest player to make his début for Wakefield Trinity, aged 16 years and 3 months.[ citation needed ] Fox was selected for Yorkshire County XIII whilst at Wakefield Trinity during the 1958–59 and 1959–60 seasons. [7] Fox played as a centre in Wakefield Trinity's 17–12 victory over Australia in a 1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956. [8] Fox scored 2 goals in Wakefield Trinity's 20–24 defeat by Leeds in the 1958–59 Yorkshire Cup Final at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 18 October 1958 during the 1958–59 season. He made his international début in 1959, playing for Great Britain.
Fox played at centre and scored two tries, and 7 goals in Wakefield Trinity's 38–5 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on 14 May 1960 in front of a crowd of 79,773. This was a new record for most points in a Challenge Cup Final. This feat was equalled by Iestyn Harris (1 try and 8 goals) in Leeds Rhinos' victory over the London Broncos in the 1999 Challenge Cup Final.[ citation needed ] The next week, Fox played as a centre in Wakefield Trinity's 3–27 defeat by Wigan in the 1959–60 Championship final at Odsal Stadium on Saturday 21 May 1960. [9]
Fox played centre, and scored two tries and two goals, in the 16–10 victory over Huddersfield in the 1960–61 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960. [10] The following year, he again played at centre and scored 5 goals, in the 19–9 victory over Leeds in the 1961–62 Yorkshire Cup Final at Odsal Stadium on Saturday 11 November 1961.
Fox won the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match in the 1961–62 Challenge Cup Final. He scored a try and kicked 3 drop-goals in the 12–6 victory over Huddersfield at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 12 May 1962, in front of a crowd of 81,263. In 1962, Fox played in his only appearance for England.
Fox played as a centre, and scored 5 goals in the 25–10 victory over Wigan in the 1962–63 Challenge Cup Final on Saturday 11 May 1963, in front of a crowd of 84,492. [10]
Fox played as a centre and scored 2 tries and 3 goals in the 18–2 victory over Leeds in the 1964–65 Yorkshire Cup Final at Fartown, Huddersfield on Saturday 31 October 1964.
Fox played at centre and scored 3 goals in the 21–9 victory over St. Helens in the 1966-67 Championship Final replay during the 1966–67 season at Station Road, Swinton on Wednesday 10 May 1967, scored a try and 2 goals the 17–10 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers in the Championship Final during the 1967-68 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 4 May 1968. [10] 1968 was the final year Fox played for Yorkshire, having made 17 appearances since his début in 1958.
Off the field, circa-1968, Fox owned a Turf accountant's business in Goldthorpe.[ citation needed ] He left Wakefield Trinity for the first time in 1969, joining Bradford Northern. In 1969 he played in his final international match for Great Britain.
Fox returned to Wakefield Trinity in 1970, where he moved to loose forward and became the coach. He scored a goal in Wakefield Trinity's 11–22 defeat by Halifax in the 1971–72 Player's No.6 Trophy Final at Odsal Stadium on Saturday 22 January 1972.
Fox coached Wakefield Trinity to a 2–7 defeat by Leeds in the 1973–74 Yorkshire Cup Final at Odsal Stadium on Saturday 20 October 1973. [10]
He played second row in Wakefield Trinity's 13–16 loss to Hull in the 1974–75 Yorkshire Cup Final at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 26 October 1974. He was substituted during the match, despite scoring 2 goals.
For the 1974–75 season, Fox joined Hull Kingston Rovers. He won the White Rose Trophy as man of the match in Hull KR's 11–15 defeat by Leeds in the 1975–76 Yorkshire Cup on Saturday 15 November 1975. Playing at right second row, Fox scored a try and kicked two goals during the match at Odsal Stadium.
Fox then briefly joined York in 1976, before playing with Bramley in 1976–77. He then spent the 1977–78 season with Huddersfield before rejoining Bradford Northern.
During the 1978–79 season, Fox played as a second-row, and scored 3 goals in Bradford Northern's 18–8 victory over York in the 1978–79 Yorkshire Cup Final at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 28 October 1978. Fox holds the most goals in RFL Yorkshire Cup Finals with 19, and the most points with 53 points.[ citation needed ] Fox, Alex Murphy and Mark Forster are the only British rugby league footballers to have had two Testimonial matches. Fox's were both at Wakefield Trinity, in 1966 and 1979.[ citation needed ]
He was player-coach of Huddersfield Underbank Rangers, and achieved a Holliday Cup and promotion double in 1981–82. Fox retired with the record for most points scored in Anglo-Australian test match history until overtaken by Mal Meninga in 1992. [11]
In the 1983 Birthday Honours, Fox was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to rugby league. [12] Fox was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 1989. On 30 August 2005 Fox, along with Billy Boston and Mick Sullivan, opened the Rugby League Heritage Centre.
In 2005 his autobiography was published by London League Publications Ltd.[ citation needed ]
On Thursday 20 August 2009, at a ceremony at Wheldon Road, the home of Castleford, Fox was named as part of the "Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team" and had a bus named after him by Arriva Yorkshire. [13] In 2010 he was awarded the Freedom of the City of Wakefield.[ citation needed ] The Wakefield Eastern Relief Road, opened in 2017, was named Neil Fox Way in his honour. [14]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
David Donald Valentine was a Scottish representative rugby union and World Cup winning rugby league footballer, a dual-code rugby international who played in the 1940s and 1950s, and coached in the 1960s.
David Topliss was an English World Cup winning 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 Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, at club level for Wakefield Trinity (captain), Penrith Panthers, Balmain Tigers, Hull FC (captain) and Oldham, as a stand-off. and coached at club level for Wakefield Trinity.
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.
Kenneth Traill was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s, and coached in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Hunslet, Bradford Northern, Halifax and Wakefield Trinity, as a loose forward, and coached at club level for Wakefield Trinity.
Jack Wilkinson was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1960s. A Halifax and Wakefield Trinity Hall of Fame inductee, he was a Great Britain and England international forward. Wilkinson also represented Yorkshire, and ended his career as captain-coach of Bradford Northern.
Derek Turner, also known by the nickname of "Rocky", was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, Yorkshire and Great Britain & France, and at club level for Hull Kingston Rovers, Oldham and Wakefield Trinity (captain), with whom he won three Challenge Cup Finals, as a second-row, or more usually loose forward, and coached at club level for Castleford, Leeds and Wakefield Trinity.
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.
Brian Briggs was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for York, Huddersfield, St. Helens and Wakefield Trinity, as a second-row.
Fred "Freddy" Smith was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Yorkshire, and at club level for Leeds and Wakefield Trinity, as a wing.
John Holmes was an English professional rugby league footballer.
Leonard Bratley, was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for York and Wakefield Trinity, and as a wartime guest at Hull FC, as a prop or loose forward.
Leonard Marson was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Fitzwilliam Intermediates, Wakefield Trinity, Hunslet and wartime guest at Hull F.C., as a hooker or loose forward.
Ronald "Ron" Rylance was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played as a fullback, wing, centre and stand-off in the 1940s and 1950s. He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity (captain), Castleford, Dewsbury and Huddersfield.
Harry Wilkinson was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity (captain), as a prop, or loose forward.
Harry Murphy was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity, Castleford, and Keighley, as a second-row, or loose forward.
Donald Robinson was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, Yorkshire and Rugby League XIII, and at club level for St Joseph's School, Airedale Youth Club, Fryston Colliery, Kippax Juniors, Newmarket Colliery, Wakefield Trinity (captain), Leeds and Doncaster, as a centre, prop, second-row or loose forward, and coached at Doncaster and Bramley (late-1970s).
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.
Nigel Stephenson 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 Shaw Cross ARLFC ,, Dewsbury, Bradford Northern, Carlisle, Wakefield Trinity (captain), York and Huddersfield, as a centre, and coached at club level for Hunslet and Huddersfield.
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,
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.
