Coach: Jim Challinor

Won: 155; Lost: 45; Drawn: 10

Honours: European Champions, League Championship [1970-71]; Challenge Cup final winners, Floodlit trophy winners [1971-72]

Jim Challinor began his playing career as a threequarter with his hometown club Warrington, where he won two Championship, a Challenge Cup and County Cup winner’s medals. He became an international, featuring in the famous Battle of Brisbane test match against Australia in 1958 and won a World Cup winner’s medal in 1960. After 282 matches and 108 tries for the Wire [1952-63] he joined Barrow and as Captain/Coach took them to Wembley in 1967 but were defeated by Featherstone Rovers. A final hurrah at Liverpool City ended his playing career.

Mild-mannered and thoughtful, he was appointed as Saints’ coach for the start of the 1970-71 season, with the team as reigning Champions. Challinor coached the club to a second successive title, after a superb, albeit late, victory against Wigan at Station Road, Swinton. He had inherited a team full of stars, such as John Walsh, Frank Wilson, John Mantle and Eric Chisnall, with the organisational expertise of Kel Coslett an able on-field lieutenant.

In his second season, the team won the floodlit trophy against Rochdale Hornets at Knowsley Road before beating Leeds at Wembley in one of the most memorable Challenge Cup finals of all time, when his coaching skills were tested to the full after several injuries to the Saints’ squad prompted an impromptu re-shuffle.

Together with his club role, Jim was the Mastermind of the Great Britain team that won the World Cup after a memorable mid-season campaign in France in 1972. He became only one of two to have played in and coached a World Cup winning team, the other being Eric Ashton, a team-mate from the 1960 squad, who eventually succeeded him as Saints’ coach.

In retrospect, given the quality of the playing squad and Jim’s expertise as a Coach, a solitary Challenge Cup and Championship win seemed somewhat disappointing to some, with the team often on the cusp of further success but without managing to cross the line. They were runner’s up in three cup finals, and semi-finalists in 7 others.

Jim moved on after the 1973-74 season and coached Oldham for a couple of seasons, also coaching Great Britain Down Under in 1974, before illness took him away far too soon at the age of 42 on 18th December 1976. Saints’ players had a great respect for him but one tribute, from future RFL President David Oxley resonates: “He was held in the greatest esteem wherever rugby league is played and his name will live as long the game he loved and served so magnificently.”

Coach from : Aug 01st 1970 to Jul 31st 1974
DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
1970-08-07 --
W
 Salford * Fr Gallie Cup H 29 12 VIEW
1970-08-15 1
D
 Castleford CS A 19 19 VIEW
1970-08-22 2
W
 Bradford Northern L A 42 3 VIEW
1970-08-25 3
W
 Batley L H 35 3 VIEW
1970-08-29 4
W
 Huyton LC1 A 30 3 VIEW
1970-08-31 5
W
 Leigh L H 26 7 VIEW
1970-09-05 6
W
 Bramley L A 15 8 VIEW
1970-09-10 7
W
 Halifax L A 27 4 VIEW
1970-09-12 8
W
 Huddersfield L H 39 0 VIEW
1970-09-15 9
W
 Halifax L H 22 7 VIEW
1970-09-17 10
W
 Swinton LC2 H 20 7 VIEW
1970-09-19 11
L
 Swinton L A 8 22 VIEW
1970-09-22 12
W
 Hull L H 30 9 VIEW
1970-09-26 13
W
 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 38 3 VIEW
1970-09-29 14
W
 Castleford FT1 H 14 7 VIEW
1970-10-03 15
W
 Featherstone Rovers L A 27 18 VIEW
1970-10-07 16
W
 Warrington L A 12 4 VIEW
1970-10-10 17
W
 Wigan LCSF A 23 0 VIEW
1970-10-13 18
W
 Warrington L H 37 6 VIEW
1970-10-19 19
W
 Bradford Northern L H 42 0 VIEW
1970-11-06 20
W
 Hull L A 16 2 VIEW
1970-11-09 21
W
 Australia Tour H 37 10 VIEW
1970-11-14 22
L
 Leigh L A 13 15 VIEW
1970-11-20 23
W
 Salford L A 4 0 VIEW
1970-11-28 24
L
 Leigh LCF N 4 7 VIEW
1970-11-30 25
W
 Leigh FT2 A 10 4 VIEW
1970-12-05 26
W
 St. Gaudens ECF(1) A 30 11 VIEW
1970-12-08 27
D
 Wigan FTSF A 7 7 VIEW
1970-12-12 28
W
 Castleford L H 9 5 VIEW
1970-12-13 29
W
 Wigan FTSF(rep) H 16 15 VIEW
1970-12-15 30
L
 Leeds FTF A 5 9 VIEW
1970-12-19 31
W
 Bramley L H 34 0 VIEW
1970-12-26 32
L
 Wigan L H 5 12 VIEW
1971-01-16 33
L
 Leeds L A 5 12 VIEW
1971-01-23 34
W
 Workington Town CC1 A 8 6 VIEW
1971-01-30 35
W
 Whitehaven L H 27 5 VIEW
1971-02-06 36
W
 Salford L H 26 4 VIEW
1971-02-13 37
L
 Castleford L A 6 12 VIEW
1971-02-20 38
L
 Leeds CC2 A 0 4 VIEW
1971-02-27 39
W
 Whitehaven L A 15 8 VIEW
1971-03-06 40
W
 Featherstone Rovers L H 23 16 VIEW
1971-03-13 41
W
 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 26 9 VIEW
1971-03-20 42
W
 Swinton L H 40 0 VIEW
1971-03-22 43
W
 Leeds L H 30 9 VIEW
1971-04-02 44
W
 Widnes L A 8 5 VIEW
1971-04-09 45
W
 Wigan L A 9 6 VIEW
1971-04-10 46
W
 Batley L A 27 4 VIEW
1971-04-12 47
W
 Widnes L H 14 5 VIEW
1971-04-17 48
W
 Huddersfield L A 11 8 VIEW
1971-04-24 49
W
 Huddersfield Ch1 H 28 5 VIEW
1971-04-30 50
W
 Hull Ch2 H 30 5 VIEW
1971-05-07 51
W
 Leeds ChSF H 22 7 VIEW
1971-05-22 52
W
 Wigan ChF N 16 12 VIEW
1971-06-05 53
W
 St. Gaudens ECF(2) H 62 0 VIEW
1971-07-30 --
L
 Salford * Fr Gallie Cup A 13 28 VIEW
1971-08-06 54
W
 Leigh LC1 H 11 10 VIEW
1971-08-12 55
W
 Warrington LC2 H 23 6 VIEW
1971-08-14 56
W
 Leigh CS H 11 4 VIEW
1971-08-17 57
L
 Widnes LCSF H 10 12 VIEW
1971-08-21 58
W
 Hull L H 30 14 VIEW
1971-08-24 59
L
 Leeds L A 13 20 VIEW
1971-08-27 60
W
 Leigh L A 8 3 VIEW
1971-08-30 61
W
 Workington Town L H 21 14 VIEW
1971-09-04 62
W
 Keighley L H 30 19 VIEW
1971-09-06 63
W
 New Zealand Tour H 18 8 VIEW
1971-09-08 64
L
 Castleford L A 13 22 VIEW
1971-09-11 65
W
 Wakefield Trinity L A 23 12 VIEW
1971-09-18 66
W
 Halifax L H 14 10 VIEW
1971-09-21 67
W
 Swinton FT1 A 14 9 VIEW
1971-10-02 68
W
 Salford L H 23 12 VIEW
1971-10-09 69
L
 Bramley L A 10 15 VIEW
1971-10-18 70
W
 Oldham L H 50 2 VIEW
1971-10-23 71
L
 Huddersfield L A 15 17 VIEW
1971-10-25 72
W
 Batley L H 35 5 VIEW
1971-10-30 73
W
 Bramley L H 37 4 VIEW
1971-11-06 74
W
 Dewsbury L A 4 2 VIEW
1971-11-09 75
W
 Leigh FT2 A 13 4 VIEW
1971-11-13 76
W
 Featherstone Rovers JP1 H 37 7 VIEW
1971-11-20 77
W
 Castleford L H 14 2 VIEW
1971-11-27 78
W
 Whitehaven JP2 A 12 0 VIEW
1971-11-30 79
W
 Leeds FTSF A 17 0 VIEW
1971-12-04 80
W
 Oldham L A 28 0 VIEW
1971-12-11 81
W
 Hull JP3 H 33 5 VIEW
1971-12-14 82
W
 Rochdale Hornets FTF H 8 2 VIEW
1971-12-18 83
L
 Wakefield Trinity JPSF A 9 14 VIEW
1971-12-27 84
L
 Wigan L A 3 8 VIEW
1972-01-01 85
W
 Widnes L H 33 5 VIEW
1972-01-08 86
W
 Wakefield Trinity L H 18 12 VIEW
1972-01-15 87
W
 Keighley L A 24 4 VIEW
1972-01-22 88
D
 Leeds L H 15 15 VIEW
1972-01-29 89
W
 Oldham CC1 A 8 6 VIEW
1972-02-12 90
W
 Leigh L H 20 7 VIEW
1972-02-19 91
W
 Huddersfield CC2 H 32 9 VIEW
1972-02-26 92
L
 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 2 5 VIEW
1972-03-04 93
W
 York CC3 A 32 5 VIEW
1972-03-11 94
W
 Huddersfield L H 27 0 VIEW
1972-03-14 95
W
 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 29 2 VIEW
1972-03-18 96
W
 Dewsbury L H 16 14 VIEW
1972-03-24 97
W
 Salford L A 7 0 VIEW
1972-03-27 98
W
 Halifax L A 19 5 VIEW
1972-03-31 99
W
 Wigan L H 21 4 VIEW
1972-04-03 100
L
 Widnes L A 9 19 VIEW
1972-04-06 101
W
 Workington Town L A 19 10 VIEW
1972-04-08 102
W
 Hull L A 17 7 VIEW
1972-04-15 103
D
 Warrington CCSF N 10 10 VIEW
1972-04-16 104
W
 Batley L A 14 7 VIEW
1972-04-19 105
W
 Warrington CCSF(rep) N 10 6 VIEW
1972-04-22 106
W
 Hull Kingston Rovers Ch1 H 25 5 VIEW
1972-04-28 107
W
 Rochdale Hornets Ch2 H 17 5 VIEW
1972-05-04 108
W
 Bradford Northern ChSF A 14 10 VIEW
1972-05-13 109
W
 Leeds CCF N 16 13 VIEW
1972-05-20 110
L
 Leeds ChF N 5 9 VIEW
1972-08-11 --
D
 Salford * Fr Gallie Cup A 12 12 VIEW
1972-08-20 111
W
 Rochdale Hornets L A 21 3 VIEW
1972-08-22 112
W
 Warrington L H 15 11 VIEW
1972-08-25 113
W
 Huyton L H 41 2 VIEW
1972-08-28 114
W
 Huyton L A 47 6 VIEW
1972-09-03 115
W
 Warrington LC1 A 18 16 VIEW
1972-09-08 116
W
 Leigh L H 9 2 VIEW
1972-09-13 117
L
 Widnes LC2 A 2 13 VIEW
1972-09-17 118
L
 Featherstone Rovers L A 14 19 VIEW
1972-09-23 119
W
 Halifax JP1 A 22 20 VIEW
1972-09-29 120
W
 Swinton L H 33 12 VIEW
1972-10-07 121
D
 Oldham L A 12 12 VIEW
1972-10-10 122
L
 Leeds FT1 H 6 14 VIEW
1972-10-13 123
W
 Bradford Northern L H 22 8 VIEW
1972-10-22 124
W
 Dewsbury L A 17 12 VIEW
1972-10-27 125
W
 Featherstone Rovers L H 33 8 VIEW
1972-11-03 126
W
 Dewsbury L H 12 7 VIEW
1972-11-15 127
L
 Australia Tour H 9 24 VIEW
1972-11-19 128
L
 Workington Town L A 4 12 VIEW
1972-11-24 129
W
 Featherstone Rovers JP2 H 24 8 VIEW
1972-12-01 130
W
 Oldham L H 24 10 VIEW
1972-12-09 131
W
 Widnes JP3 H 10 3 VIEW
1972-12-15 132
L
 Workington Town L H 12 14 VIEW
1972-12-24 133
W
 Blackpool Borough L A 33 14 VIEW
1972-12-26 134
D
 Wigan L H 15 15 VIEW
1973-01-01 135
W
 Widnes L A 22 10 VIEW
1973-01-13 136
L
 Leeds JPSF A 0 19 VIEW
1973-01-20 137
W
 Leeds L A 5 2 VIEW
1973-01-26 138
W
 Doncaster CC1 H 41 0 VIEW
1973-01-30 139
W
 Rochdale Hornets L H 22 7 VIEW
1973-02-02 140
W
 Barrow L H 33 2 VIEW
1973-02-11 141
L
 Warrington L A 11 13 VIEW
1973-02-18 142
L
 Wigan CC2 A 2 15 VIEW
1973-02-23 143
L
 Salford L A 10 15 VIEW
1973-03-02 144
W
 Blackpool Borough L H 29 0 VIEW
1973-03-07 145
L
 Swinton L A 7 11 VIEW
1973-03-11 146
L
 Whitehaven L A 7 9 VIEW
1973-03-16 147
W
 Salford L H 21 4 VIEW
1973-03-25 148
W
 Leigh L A 11 7 VIEW
1973-03-27 149
W
 Leeds L H 19 12 VIEW
1973-03-30 150
W
 Whitehaven L H 15 9 VIEW
1973-04-06 151
W
 Barrow L A 6 5 VIEW
1973-04-17 152
W
 Bradford Northern L A 24 8 VIEW
1973-04-20 153
L
 Wigan L A 2 12 VIEW
1973-04-23 154
W
 Widnes L H 15 5 VIEW
1973-04-27 155
W
 Leigh Ch1 H 29 14 VIEW
1973-05-02 156
W
 Wakefield Trinity Ch2 H 28 0 VIEW
1973-05-06 157
L
 Leeds ChSF A 2 7 VIEW
1973-08-10 --
L
 Salford * Fr Gallie Cup H 15 18 VIEW
1973-08-17 158
W
 Whitehaven L H 26 19 VIEW
1973-08-20 159
W
 Barrow FTP(1) A 12 6 VIEW
1973-08-24 160
W
 Leigh L A 23 2 VIEW
1973-08-27 161
W
 Barrow FTP(2) H 20 8 VIEW
1973-09-02 162
L
 Workington Town LC1 A 5 11 VIEW
1973-09-07 163
W
 Wakefield Trinity L H 30 9 VIEW
1973-09-15 164
W
 Featherstone Rovers JP1 H 34 16 VIEW
1973-09-21 165
W
 Whitehaven L A 26 7 VIEW
1973-09-30 166
W
 Dewsbury L A 21 8 VIEW
1973-10-05 167
W
 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 39 15 VIEW
1973-10-13 168
L
 Leeds L A 15 20 VIEW
1973-10-16 169
W
 Whitehaven FT1 H 35 5 VIEW
1973-10-19 170
W
 Warrington L H 24 6 VIEW
1973-10-28 171
W
 Castleford L A 17 7 VIEW
1973-11-06 172
W
 Rochdale Hornets FT2 H 15 7 VIEW
1973-11-11 173
W
 Warrington L A 11 5 VIEW
1973-11-13 174
W
 Australia Tour H 11 7 VIEW
1973-11-18 175
W
 Dewsbury L H 35 3 VIEW
1973-11-25 176
W
 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 14 9 VIEW
1973-12-04 177
L
 Bramley FTSF A 12 13 VIEW
1973-12-08 178
L
 Oldham L A 11 12 VIEW
1973-12-16 179
W
 Whitehaven JP2 H 28 2 VIEW
1973-12-22 180
L
 Featherstone Rovers L A 8 13 VIEW
1973-12-26 181
W
 Wigan L A 20 10 VIEW
1973-12-29 182
D
 Wakefield Trinity JP3 A 18 18 VIEW
1974-01-06 183
W
 Wakefield Trinity JP3 (rep) H 16 10 VIEW
1974-01-12 184
L
 Warrington JPSF A 9 20 VIEW
1974-01-20 185
L
 Rochdale Hornets L A 7 11 VIEW
1974-01-27 186
W
 Salford L A 12 11 VIEW
1974-02-03 187
W
 Keighley CC1 H 27 5 VIEW
1974-02-10 188
W
 Featherstone Rovers L H 8 0 VIEW
1974-02-17 189
W
 Rochdale Hornets L H 38 5 VIEW
1974-02-24 190
W
 Bramley CC2 H 10 5 VIEW
1974-03-03 191
W
 Castleford L H 25 5 VIEW
1974-03-10 192
L
 Leigh CC3 A 5 11 VIEW
1974-03-16 193
W
 Bramley L A 20 4 VIEW
1974-03-19 194
D
 Salford L H 19 19 VIEW
1974-03-24 195
W
 Leigh L H 44 5 VIEW
1974-03-26 196
L
 Widnes L H 0 5 VIEW
1974-03-31 197
W
 Oldham L H 33 12 VIEW
1974-04-05 198
W
 Leeds L H 17 5 VIEW
1974-04-10 199
W
 Wakefield Trinity L A 15 2 VIEW
1974-04-12 200
D
 Wigan L H 9 9 VIEW
1974-04-15 201
L
 Widnes L A 9 12 VIEW
1974-04-17 202
W
 Bramley L H 19 13 VIEW
1974-04-20 203
W
 Workington Town MCC1 H 24 7 VIEW
1974-04-28 204
W
 Castleford MCC2 H 25 9 VIEW
1974-05-03 205
W
 Leeds MCCSF A 23 10 VIEW
1974-05-18 206
L
 Warrington MCCF N 12 13 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 155 | LOSSES : 45 | DRAWS : 10




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