Coach: Joe Coan |
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![]() Honours: Lancashire Cup winners, Lancashire League winners: 1963-64; Lancashire League winners, League Leaders Bowl, Lancashire Cup winners 1964-65; League Champions, League Leaders Bowl. Challenge Cup winners, Lancashire League winners: 1965-66; Lancashire League winners: 1966-67. The man behind Saints’ four trophy success in the 1965-66 campaign was a rugby union enthusiast from Cumbria who whilst never playing rugby league professionally, enjoyed great success as a coach. A PE teacher at West Park Grammar School, he was asked to take training sessions with the Saints’ players during the 1962-63 winter ‘lockdown’ at the indoor gym at West Park and subsequently was offered the job as Head Coach after a spell helping the A team at Knowsley Road. He replaced the previous incumbent, Stan McCormick and was in his early thirties. Joe turned the training regime at the club on its head. “From pre-season we were metaphorically flogged,” wrote Peter Harvey in his book Redhead with Fire in his Boots. “To win we must be fitter than the opposition.” Joe’s emphasis on physical fitness certainly paid dividends, as the team embarked upon a long unbeaten run of 21 matches during the 1964-65 campaign, including a 12-4 victory against Swinton in the Lancashire Cup final. The Lancashire League trophy also came to Knowsley Road. The 1965-66 season saw the Saints once again as major players in the race for honours. They had a formidable pack and a proverbial ‘points machine’ in winger Len Killeen, who could always be relied upon to get the team out of potential strife with his prodigious goal-kicking ability. The team replicated their league successes from the previous campaign and went further with a glorious Challenge Cup final victory over rivals Wigan at Wembley and thrashed holders Halifax 35-12 in a marvellous Championship final at Station Road, Swinton. Coan had laid down the initial groundwork for success, but he was more than just a fitness man, who made crucial coaching decisions during the four cups triumph. They made a great team, with skipper Alex Murphy making on-field decisions, with Ray French the pack leader. Replicating the triumphs of the 1965-66 campaign was always going to be a tall order, however. There were rumblings that the team relied too much on forward power rather than send it out to the threequarters; Murphy was in dispute, too, before joining Leigh, initially as coach and although the team retained the Lancashire League trophy, they were beaten by Wakefield Trinity in a re-played Championship final at Swinton. Joe went on to coach at Huyton in the early 1970s and from January 1975 to September 1976 he was Coach of Wigan. Ironically, he was superseded at Central Park by former Saints’ legend Vince Karalius, with Kel Coslett a later incumbent. Joe will always be remembered for helping Saints achieve their place in sporting history in 1966 when the team enjoyed a four-cup haul with the Wembley win over Wigan being the centrepiece. And all this during one of sport’s most memorable years. For that he will always have a special place in the club’s history. |
Date | Match | Pos | Opponents | Comp | Venue | FT | FTO | T | G | DG | ||
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1964-08-14 | -- | W |
Swinton* | Fr Gallie Cup | H | 22 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1964-08-22 | 1 | W |
Leigh | L | A | 19 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1964-08-24 | 2 | W |
Rochdale Hornets | L | H | 28 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1964-08-29 | 3 | W |
Widnes | L | H | 29 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1964-08-31 | 4 | W |
Whitehaven | L | A | 15 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1964-09-05 | 5 | W |
Liverpool City | LC1 | A | 41 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1964-09-12 | 6 | W |
Blackpool Borough | L | H | 37 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1964-09-14 | 7 | W |
Barrow | LC2 | A | 22 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1964-09-19 | 8 | W |
Rochdale Hornets | L | A | 17 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1964-09-26 | 9 | W |
Featherstone Rovers | L | A | 30 | 15 | VIEW | ||||
1964-09-29 | 10 | W |
Warrington | LCSF | A | 10 | 8 | VIEW | ||||
1964-10-03 | 11 | W |
Workington Town | L | H | 32 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1964-10-10 | 12 | W |
Blackpool Borough | L | A | 31 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1964-10-17 | 13 | W |
Featherstone Rovers | L | H | 25 | 12 | VIEW | ||||
1964-10-24 | 14 | W |
Swinton | LCF | N | 12 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1964-10-31 | 15 | W |
Oldham | L | H | 22 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1964-11-07 | 16 | W |
Warrington | L | H | 26 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1964-11-14 | 17 | W |
Hull Kingston Rovers | L | A | 25 | 12 | VIEW | ||||
1964-11-21 | 18 | W |
Barrow | L | H | 37 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1964-12-19 | 19 | W |
Leigh | L | H | 10 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1965-01-01 | 20 | W |
Swinton | L | A | 11 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1965-01-09 | 21 | W |
Liverpool City | L | H | 23 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1965-01-16 | 22 | L |
Warrington | L | A | 4 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1965-01-23 | 23 | W |
Whitehaven | L | H | 16 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1965-01-27 | -- | W |
Other Nationalities* | Fr Opening of Floodl | H | 19 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1965-02-06 | 24 | W |
Castleford | CC1 | H | 22 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1965-02-13 | 25 | L |
Workington Town | L | A | 3 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1965-02-16 | 26 | W |
Salford | L | H | 12 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1965-02-20 | 27 | W |
Huddersfield | L | H | 28 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1965-02-27 | 28 | L |
Wigan | CC2 | A | 2 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1965-03-13 | 29 | W |
Oldham | L | A | 15 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1965-03-16 | 30 | L |
Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 2 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1965-03-20 | 31 | L |
Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 4 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1965-03-23 | 32 | L |
Wigan | L | H | 6 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1965-03-27 | 33 | L |
Salford | L | A | 8 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1965-03-30 | 34 | W |
Hull Kingston Rovers | L | H | 8 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-05 | 35 | W |
Barrow | L | A | 21 | 14 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-09 | 36 | W |
Liverpool City | L | A | 11 | 0 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-16 | 37 | W |
Wigan | L | A | 16 | 8 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-17 | 38 | W |
Widnes | L | A | 14 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-19 | 39 | W |
Swinton | L | H | 16 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-21 | 40 | W |
Huddersfield | L | A | 20 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-24 | 41 | W |
Barrow | Ch1 | H | 23 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1965-04-30 | 42 | W |
Hull Kingston Rovers | Ch2 | H | 24 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1965-05-15 | 43 | W |
Wakefield Trinity | ChSF | H | 10 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1965-05-22 | 44 | L |
Halifax | ChF | N | 7 | 15 | VIEW | ||||
1965-08-14 | -- | L |
Swinton * | Fr Gallie Cup | A | 9 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1965-08-20 | 45 | W |
Halifax | L | H | 15 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1965-08-24 | 46 | W |
Rochdale Hornets | L | A | 17 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1965-08-28 | 47 | W |
Castleford | L | A | 19 | 15 | VIEW | ||||
1965-08-30 | 48 | W |
Whitehaven | L | H | 30 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1965-09-04 | 49 | W |
Warrington | L | A | 11 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1965-09-10 | 50 | L |
Swinton | LC1 | H | 7 | 8 | VIEW | ||||
1965-09-15 | 51 | W |
New Zealand | Tour | H | 28 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1965-09-18 | 52 | W |
Castleford | L | H | 21 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1965-09-27 | 53 | W |
Widnes | L | A | 9 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1965-10-01 | 54 | W |
Oldham | L | H | 23 | 17 | VIEW | ||||
1965-10-05 | 55 | W |
Leigh | FT1 | H | 25 | 19 | VIEW | ||||
1965-10-09 | 56 | W |
Barrow | L | H | 18 | 14 | VIEW | ||||
1965-10-16 | 57 | W |
Salford | L | A | 15 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1965-10-23 | 58 | W |
Workington Town | L | H | 43 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1965-10-30 | 59 | W |
Barrow | L | A | 15 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1965-11-09 | 60 | W |
Huddersfield | L | H | 11 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1965-11-13 | 61 | W |
Workington Town | L | A | 7 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1965-11-16 | 62 | W |
Leeds | FT2 | H | 21 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1965-11-19 | 63 | W |
Rochdale Hornets | L | H | 19 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1965-11-27 | 64 | D |
Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 9 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1965-12-04 | 65 | W |
Whitehaven | L | A | 4 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1965-12-07 | 66 | W |
Swinton | FTSF | H | 9 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1965-12-14 | 67 | L |
Castleford | FTF | H | 0 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1965-12-17 | 68 | W |
Blackpool Borough | L | H | 21 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1966-01-01 | 69 | W |
Salford | L | H | 16 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1966-01-08 | 70 | L |
Oldham | L | A | 9 | 13 | VIEW | ||||
1966-01-29 | 71 | W |
Halifax | L | A | 5 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1966-02-01 | 72 | W |
Widnes | L | H | 9 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1966-02-05 | 73 | W |
Blackpool Borough | L | A | 25 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1966-02-14 | 74 | W |
Leigh | L | H | 17 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1966-02-19 | 75 | L |
Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 12 | 20 | VIEW | ||||
1966-02-26 | 76 | W |
Wakefield Trinity | CC1 | A | 10 | 0 | VIEW | ||||
1966-03-01 | 77 | W |
Warrington | L | H | 22 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1966-03-08 | 78 | W |
Liverpool City | L | H | 16 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1966-03-12 | 79 | W |
Huddersfield | L | A | 8 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1966-03-19 | 80 | W |
Swinton | CC2 | H | 16 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1966-03-23 | 81 | W |
Leigh | L | A | 6 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1966-03-26 | 82 | L |
Wigan | L | A | 8 | 17 | VIEW | ||||
1966-04-02 | 83 | W |
Hull Kingston Rovers | CC3 | H | 12 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1966-04-08 | 84 | W |
Wigan | L | H | 17 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1966-04-11 | 85 | L |
Swinton | L | A | 6 | 20 | VIEW | ||||
1966-04-16 | 86 | W |
Dewsbury | CCSF | N | 12 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1966-04-22 | 87 | L |
Swinton | L | H | 10 | 15 | VIEW | ||||
1966-04-25 | 88 | W |
Liverpool City | L | A | 28 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1966-04-30 | 89 | W |
Warrington | Ch1 | H | 35 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1966-05-07 | 90 | W |
Oldham | Ch2 | H | 15 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1966-05-14 | 91 | W |
Hull Kingston Rovers | ChSF | H | 14 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1966-05-21 | 92 | W |
Wigan | CCF | N | 21 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1966-05-28 | 93 | W |
Halifax | ChF | N | 35 | 12 | VIEW | ||||
1966-08-12 | -- | L |
Swinton* | Fr Gallie Cup | H | 13 | 27 | VIEW | ||||
1966-08-19 | 94 | D |
Widnes | L | A | 10 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1966-08-23 | 95 | L |
Warrington | L | H | 6 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1966-08-27 | 96 | W |
Salford | L | H | 42 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1966-08-29 | 97 | L |
Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 15 | 28 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-03 | 98 | W |
Rochdale Hornets | LC1 | A | 18 | 16 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-07 | 99 | W |
Salford | FTP(1) | A | 19 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-10 | 100 | W |
Liverpool City | L | A | 35 | 12 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-12 | 101 | W |
Barrow | L | A | 15 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-14 | 102 | L |
Wigan | LC2 | A | 9 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-17 | 103 | W |
Blackpool Borough | L | A | 23 | 14 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-24 | 104 | D |
Rochdale Hornets | L | A | 17 | 17 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-26 | 105 | W |
Salford | FTP(2) | H | 40 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1966-09-30 | 106 | W |
Whitehaven | L | H | 35 | 12 | VIEW | ||||
1966-10-07 | 107 | W |
Blackpool Borough | L | H | 25 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1966-10-14 | 108 | W |
Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 18 | 15 | VIEW | ||||
1966-10-18 | 109 | W |
Swinton | FT1 | H | 11 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1966-10-22 | 110 | W |
Salford | L | A | 30 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1966-10-28 | 111 | W |
Leeds | L | H | 16 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1966-11-01 | 112 | D |
Barrow | FT2 | A | 11 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1966-11-02 | 113 | L |
Leigh | L | A | 5 | 29 | VIEW | ||||
1966-11-11 | 114 | W |
Castleford | L | H | 13 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1966-11-18 | 115 | W |
Barrow | L | H | 16 | 11 | VIEW | ||||
1966-11-26 | 116 | W |
Huddersfield | L | A | 15 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1966-12-02 | 117 | L |
Castleford | L | A | 7 | 25 | VIEW | ||||
1966-12-09 | 118 | W |
Leigh | L | H | 4 | 0 | VIEW | ||||
1966-12-17 | 119 | W |
Workington Town | L | A | 16 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1966-12-26 | 120 | W |
Wigan | L | H | 8 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1966-12-27 | 121 | W |
Warrington | L | A | 9 | 8 | VIEW | ||||
1967-01-02 | 122 | D |
Swinton | L | A | 9 | 9 | VIEW | ||||
1967-01-21 | 123 | L |
Workington Town | L | H | 5 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1967-01-27 | 124 | W |
Oldham | L | H | 25 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1967-02-03 | 125 | D |
Salford | CC1 | A | 5 | 5 | VIEW | ||||
1967-02-07 | 126 | L |
Salford | CC1(rep) | H | 3 | 8 | VIEW | ||||
1967-02-11 | 127 | W |
Liverpool City | L | H | 23 | 6 | VIEW | ||||
1967-02-17 | 128 | L |
Oldham | L | A | 7 | 8 | VIEW | ||||
1967-03-04 | 129 | L |
Leeds | L | A | 20 | 26 | VIEW | ||||
1967-03-10 | 130 | W |
Rochdale Hornets | L | H | 17 | 2 | VIEW | ||||
1967-03-18 | 131 | W |
Huddersfield | L | H | 11 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1967-03-24 | 132 | W |
Wigan | L | A | 21 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1967-03-25 | 133 | L |
Whitehaven | L | A | 3 | 4 | VIEW | ||||
1967-03-27 | 134 | L |
Swinton | L | H | 5 | 12 | VIEW | ||||
1967-04-07 | 135 | W |
Widnes | L | H | 25 | 10 | VIEW | ||||
1967-04-14 | 136 | W |
Leigh | Ch1 | H | 37 | 12 | VIEW | ||||
1967-04-22 | 137 | W |
Bradford Northern | Ch2 | H | 15 | 8 | VIEW | ||||
1967-04-29 | 138 | W |
Castleford | ChSF | H | 14 | 3 | VIEW | ||||
1967-05-06 | 139 | D |
Wakefield Trinity | ChF | N | 7 | 7 | VIEW | ||||
1967-05-10 | 140 | L |
Wakefield Trinity | ChF(rep) | N | 9 | 21 | VIEW |
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub. |
WINS : 108 | LOSSES : 29 | DRAWS : 7 |
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