MEN'S LEAGUE	32	53	59	66	70	71	75	96	99	00	02	06	14	19	20	21	22	MEN'S WORLD CLUB	01	07	23
MEN'S CHALLENGE CUPS	56	61	66	72	76	96	97	01	04	06	07	08	21					WOMEN'S MATCHES	21	21

Coach: Peter Lyons
Won: Lost: Drawn: Honours: Peter Lyons, from Widnes, coached Saints during some matches during the second world war. In the previous conflict he joined the South Lancashire Regiment in 1914 and at 17 became the youngest Sergeant Major in the Army. Peter was wounded twice and in 1917 was discharged as no longer fit for Army service. When he returned to Blighty, he played for Runcorn and Widnes as a terrier-like scrum-half before joining Salford in 1921. He played one season before taking up junior rugby and had become a first class referee by 1927-28. As trainer at Widnes RLFC, he got them to the Lancashire Cup final in his first season, when they lost 4-5 to Wigan. Peter was also trainer when the Chemics beat the Saints at Wembley in 1930. When the vacancy arose for a Team Manager and Coach before the beginning of the 1949-50 season at Knowsley Road, there were 30 applications from St Helens and surrounding districts for the post and in addition to the local applications half a dozen from notable coaches in other clubs. Peter got the job and set about the task of trying to propel his new charges into a force capable of challenging for major honours. Bolstered by some key signings, especially from the Welsh Valleys, the team finished in 7th place in the league in his first season; 4th in the Lancashire League. Lyons was a strict disciplinarian and although the players casually referred to him as the �Sergeant Major� they all respected him and liked him as a person. Half-way through the 1950-51 campaign, however, the club brought in Emlyn Jenkins as coach, with Peter remaining as trainer, an arrangement that lasted for just twelve months. Jenkins left and Peter was left in charge until the end of the 1951-52 season. It was then that St Helens RFC stunned the rugby league world with the appointment of their first full-time Coach when Jim Sullivan was brought over from Wigan. One newspaper described the situation as follows: �The supporters of the club are determined to know their fate. Even though it means breaking with old friends they mean to get down to the facts of failure to get a winning team Knowsley Road. Since the War they have seen Dolan, Frodsham and Jenkins - three tourist internationals all try their hands without hitting the jackpot. They have also seen that magnificent trainer, Peter Lyons seemingly within sight of success but he too has been unable to break the chain that seems to bind the club.� The press reported that Lyons had taken the Board�s decision with dignity: �The deed is done! Saints have signed on their new white hope Jim Sullivan and signed off the old one Peter Lyons and strange though it may sound everyone is glad that Sullivan is coming and sorry that Lyons is going.� Ill health had also played a part and a few months after leaving Knowsley Road, Lyons died after suffering a brain haemorrhage. �Goodbye Sergeant Major� were the headlines in the local sports pages. A fitting tribute indeed.

Coach: Peter Lyons

Won: Lost: Drawn:

Honours:

Peter Lyons, from Widnes, coached Saints during some matches during the second world war. In the previous conflict he joined the South Lancashire Regiment in 1914 and at 17 became the youngest Sergeant Major in the Army. Peter was wounded twice and in 1917 was discharged as no longer fit for Army service. When he returned to Blighty, he played for Runcorn and Widnes as a terrier-like scrum-half before joining Salford in 1921. He played one season before taking up junior rugby and had become a first class referee by 1927-28. As trainer at Widnes RLFC, he got them to the Lancashire Cup final in his first season, when they lost 4-5 to Wigan. Peter was also trainer when the Chemics beat the Saints at Wembley in 1930.

When the vacancy arose for a Team Manager and Coach before the beginning of the 1949-50 season at Knowsley Road, there were 30 applications from St Helens and surrounding districts for the post and in addition to the local applications half a dozen from notable coaches in other clubs. Peter got the job and set about the task of trying to propel his new charges into a force capable of challenging for major honours.

Bolstered by some key signings, especially from the Welsh Valleys, the team finished in 7th place in the league in his first season; 4th in the Lancashire League. Lyons was a strict disciplinarian and although the players casually referred to him as the �Sergeant Major� they all respected him and liked him as a person. Half-way through the 1950-51 campaign, however, the club brought in Emlyn Jenkins as coach, with Peter remaining as trainer, an arrangement that lasted for just twelve months. Jenkins left and Peter was left in charge until the end of the 1951-52 season.

It was then that St Helens RFC stunned the rugby league world with the appointment of their first full-time Coach when Jim Sullivan was brought over from Wigan. One newspaper described the situation as follows: �The supporters of the club are determined to know their fate. Even though it means breaking with old friends they mean to get down to the facts of failure to get a winning team Knowsley Road. Since the War they have seen Dolan, Frodsham and Jenkins - three tourist internationals all try their hands without hitting the jackpot. They have also seen that magnificent trainer, Peter Lyons seemingly within sight of success but he too has been unable to break the chain that seems to bind the club.�

The press reported that Lyons had taken the Board�s decision with dignity: �The deed is done! Saints have signed on their new white hope Jim Sullivan and signed off the old one Peter Lyons and strange though it may sound everyone is glad that Sullivan is coming and sorry that Lyons is going.� Ill health had also played a part and a few months after leaving Knowsley Road, Lyons died after suffering a brain haemorrhage. �Goodbye Sergeant Major� were the headlines in the local sports pages. A fitting tribute indeed.

Coach from : Jan 19th 1952 to Apr 20th 1952

Date	Match		Opponents	Comp	Venue	FT	FTO
1952-01-19	1	L	Whitehaven	L	A	5	7	VIEW
1952-02-02	2	L	Whitehaven	L	H	6	7	VIEW
1952-02-09	3	W	Belle Vue Rangers	CC1(1)	H	6	5	VIEW
1952-02-16	4	W	Belle Vue Rangers	CC1(2)	A	9	4	VIEW
1952-02-23	5	W	Huddersfield	L	H	37	13	VIEW
1952-03-01	6	W	Liverpool City	L	A	31	6	VIEW
1952-03-08	7	L	Workington Town	CC2	A	4	15	VIEW
1952-03-15	8	W	Belle Vue Rangers	L	A	16	8	VIEW
1952-03-22	9	L	Batley	L	A	5	16	VIEW
1952-03-29	10	L	Oldham	L	H	6	10	VIEW
1952-04-02	11	W	Warrington	L	H	13	5	VIEW
1952-04-05	12	L	Hull	L	A	7	14	VIEW
1952-04-11	13	L	Wigan	L	A	11	15	VIEW
1952-04-12	14	W	Halifax	L	H	16	11	VIEW
1952-04-14	15	L	Huddersfield	L	A	15	34	VIEW

*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.

WINS : 7 \| LOSSES : 8 \| DRAWS :

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