Nigel Stephenson

Last updated

Nigel Stephenson
Personal information
Full nameNigel Stephenson
Born (1950-10-12) 12 October 1950 (age 73)
Dewsbury, England
Playing information
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight12 st 7 lb (79 kg)
Position Centre
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1968–78 Dewsbury 327+1124826392063
1978–81 Bradford Northern 89+1143617131
1981–82 Carlisle 34140547
1982–84 Wakefield Trinity 69+1251113120
1984–86 Dewsbury 31+970533
1986–88 York 29+27121252
1988–89 Huddersfield 6+51117
Total629197875822453
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1971–78 Yorkshire 7+3913053
1975 England 10000
Coaching information
Club
YearsTeamGmsWDLW%
198182 Carlisle RLFC 0000
1988 Hunslet 910811
198890 Huddersfield 422202052
Total512302845
Source: [1]

Nigel Stephenson (born 12 October 1950), also known by the nicknames of "Nij", and "Stivvy", is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, [2] and coached in the 1980s and 1990s. [3] He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Shaw Cross ARLFC (in Shaw Cross, Dewsbury), , Dewsbury (two spells), Bradford Northern, Carlisle, Wakefield Trinity (captain) (Heritage No. 906), York and Huddersfield, as a centre, i.e. number 3 or 4, and coached at club level for Hunslet and Huddersfield.

Contents

Background

Nigel Stephenson was born in Dewsbury, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Playing career

International honours

Nigel Stephenson played left-centre, i.e. number 4, in England's 0–25 defeat by Australia in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup Final at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Wednesday 12 November 1975. [4]

County honours

Nigel Stephenson was selected for Yorkshire County XIII on ten occasions. and scored 9 tries and won the county championship a record 5 times along with the late David Topliss.

Championship final appearances

Nigel Stephenson played left-centre, i.e. number 4, was captain, and scored a try, 4-goals and a drop goal in Dewsbury's 22–13 victory over Leeds in the Championship Final during the 1972–73 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 19 May 1973.also won the championship with Bradford northern two years running 1980/81 1981/1982. second time as captain.

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final appearances

Nigel Stephenson played stand-off, and scored a goal in Dewsbury's 2–22 defeat by St. Helens in the 1975 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1975–76 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Tuesday 16 December 1975.

John Player Trophy Final appearances

Nigel Stephenson played stand-off, and scored a drop goal in Bradford Northern's 6–0 victory over Widnes in the 1979–80 John Player Trophy Final during the 1979–80 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 5 January 1980.

Career records

Nigel Stephenson holds Dewsbury's career goalscoring record, 863-goals scored during his two spells with the club 1967–78 and 1984–86.

Family

Nigel Stephenson is the father of the rugby league footballer Francis Stephenson, his other son James is a highly regarded Community Coach with Shaw Cross Sharks & Dewsbury Rams and in 2010 James was awarded the RFL Kirklees Coach of the Year Award for his outstanding efforts in rugby league development.

Nigel Stephenson is not related to fellow Dewsbury 1973 Rugby Football League Championship winner Mike "Stevo" Stephenson.

Related Research Articles

Ernest Ward was an English rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s, and coached in the 1950s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, British Empire, Combined Nationalities and England, and at club level for Bradford Northern (captain), and Castleford, as a goal-kicking fullback, centre or second-row, i.e. number 1, 3 or 4, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums, and coached at club level for Castleford. Ernest Ward was a Private in the British Army during World War II.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Traill</span> English RL coach and former GB & England international rugby league footballer

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.

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, i.e. number 7, 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.

John Howard "Keith" Bridges 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 F.C., as an occasional goal-kicking hooker.

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, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.

Len Casey, also known by the nickname of "Cast Iron Casey", 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 Great Britain and England, and at club level for Hull Kingston Rovers, Bradford Northern, Hull F.C. and Wakefield Trinity, as a prop, second-row or loose forward, and coached at club level for Wakefield Trinity, Hull FC, Beverley A.R.L.F.C. and the Scarborough Pirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Batten</span> English RL coach and former GB & England international rugby league footballer

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,

Anthony Fisher, also known by the nickname of "Fishcake", is a Welsh former rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached rugby league in the 1980s and 1990s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Swansea RFC, as a hooker, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Bradford Northern, Leeds and Castleford, as a prop, or hooker, and coached representative level rugby league (RL) for South Africa, and at club level for Bramley, Keighley, Doncaster and Dewsbury.

Alan Redfearn 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 Bradford Northern, as a scrum-half.

David Redfearn is an English former professional World Cup winning rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Bradford Northern, as a wing, i.e. number 2 or 5.

Leslie P. Dyl 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 Leeds and Bramley, as a wing or centre, i.e. number 2 or 5, or, 3 or 4.

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 Rhinos. Hynes played at centre and coached at club level for Leeds.

Roger Simpson is an English former professional rugby league footballer. His most common position was on the wing, but he played at most positions across the backs throughout his playing career. He started his career at Bradford Northern in 1985, making over 250 appearances for the club before joining Batley Bulldogs in 1996. He also received one cap for England in 1995.

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.

David Smith is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity, Leeds, Bradford Northern, Workington Town and Carlisle as a wing, or centre.

Terence "Terry" A. Clawson was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played from the 1950s through to the 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain between 1962 and 1974, and was part of the 1972 Rugby League World Cup winning squad. He also played for Yorkshire, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers (captain), Bradford Northern, Leeds, Hull Kingston Rovers, Oldham, York, Wakefield Trinity, Hull FC and South Newcastle, as a goal-kicking prop or second-row. He coached at club level for South Newcastle and Featherstone Rovers.

Emlyn Walters was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Glynneath RFC and Pontypridd RFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Bradford Northern, as a wing, i.e. number 2 or 5.

Alan Rhodes is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1980s. He played at club level for Bradford Northern, and Huddersfield, as a goal-kicking fullback, or centre, i.e. number 1, or, 3 or 4, and coached at club level for Bradford Northern. Alan Rhodes is a keen golfer, and won the Halifax-Huddersfield Alliance's Geoff Cockin Trophy partnering former Halifax Town chairman Geoff Ralph.

References

  1. RL Record Keepers' Club
  2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.