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Walter Delves

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
22-10-1933
N/A
27-12-1951
United Services/ St. Helens B
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
14-08-1954 v Widnes
Whitehaven
1958- Barrow
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1954-1958
102 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
22
0
0
66

Biography of Walter Delves



HERITAGE NO : 723
Walter Delves by Dave Dooley:

Walter Delves was a stalwart for the club playing over 100 matches mostly in the second row position. He was signed from St Helens B on 27th. December 1951. After a long spell in the reserve team he made his debut against Widnes on the 14th. August, 1954. Walter worked as a window cleaner in his early days and the was employed at the Bus Depot. It was a winning start for Walter as Saints beat their local rivals by 31 points to 3. Although his debut was in the number 13 jersey, he was most recognisable as a hard running and tough tackling second row forward who added great steel to the Saints pack at the time. In 102 matches for the Saints Walter scored 22 tries, kicked no goals for a total points aggregate of 66 points. Walters first try for the Saints was in his third match came at Blackpool Borough as Saints cruised to a 34 points to two victory.

Walter must have felt heartbroken as he was injured shortly before Saints won their first Challenge Cup against Halifax in the 1956 Final at Wembley. His place was taken by the young Roy Robinson. Walter also missed out when the Australian Touring side were put to the sword in November, 1956. The same season saw Walter in a try scoring mood as he scored braces of three-pointers against Halifax, Leeds and Blackpool Borough.

His final match for the Club was at Whitehaven on the 29th. November, 1958 as Saints were gearing up for another Championship. Poor old Walter missed out again as he was transferred to Barrow and made 45 appearances [4 tries] from 1958-65.

Denis Whittle provided the following obituary when Walter passed away.

Walter Delves Passes

Former Saints' loose forward Walter 'Digger' Delves passed away on Tuesday 27th of April, 2008 in Wellington, New Zealand at the age of 75 after a battle with cancer. Walter joined the Knowsley Road club from the United Services junior club on 27th December 1951 at the same time as a lad from Widnes called Vince Karalius. Both got a '200 signing-on fee. Delves was 6 feet 2 inches and rarely above 13 and a half stones, but, according to journalist Denis Whittle he had much to offer the team: 'His was a mixture of devastating tackling and skilled ball-handling which saw him top the forwards' try-scoring list during one memorable season.'

He was a versatile player, who could play anywhere in the pack and made his debut in the number 13 jersey on 14th August 1954 at home to Widnes. The pack that day was: Ayles, Lannon, Parr, Parsons, Bretherton and Delves. The home team won 31-3 before a crowd of over 16,000.

'Digger' was born in Westfield Street and one of his most recognisable claims to fame is that he featured in a photograph which won the prestigious Encyclopaedia Britannica Sports Picture of the Year award. It was against Featherstone Rovers, the day the new Best Side stand was opened and Walter can be seen gleefully diving over the line for a brilliant individual try in Saints' 32-9 victory against their Yorkshire rivals. He scored 22 during his Saints' career overall.

Walter's final game for the club was on 29th November 1958, when he appeared at prop against Whitehaven, with the Saints making light of a potentially difficult assignment by winning 25-2. The pack that day featured the likes of Ab Terry, Rose, Delves, Dennis Karalius, Huddart and Vince Karalius. Shortly after this, his 102nd appearance for the club, he was transferred to Barrow, together with team-mate Roy Robinson, for a combined fee of '2,260.

He ran a pub virtually next door to the Barrow club for a spell, before taking up a new life in Wellington, New Zealand, where he remained for the rest of his life, barring several visits back to blighty and Thatto Heath in particular. 'Digger' had ten children and numerous grand and great-grandchildren and it is to wife Doreen and his extended family that we send our deepest sympathy. According to his nephew, Andrew Knowles, 'Wally' as he was also known, remained a keen Saints supporter until his death. A hard man on the field and a true gentleman off it, he will be sadly missed.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1954~555 0 0 21
1955~56 4 0 0 27
1956~578 0 0 16
1957~583 0 0 21
1958~592 0 0 17
TOTALS:22 0 0 102
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1954~552002
1956~570001
1957~582001
1958~590001
TOTALS:4005

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
7th Aug 1954 --
L
 13 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup A 17 31 VIEW
14th Aug 1954 1
W
 13 Widnes L H 31 3 VIEW
18th Aug 1954 2
W
 13 Belle Vue Rangers L A 20 11 VIEW
21st Aug 1954 3
W
 13 Blackpool Borough L A 34 2 1 VIEW
28th Aug 1954 4
L
 13 Oldham L H 16 23 VIEW
13th Nov 1954 5
W
 13 Barrow L H 11 4 VIEW
20th Nov 1954 6
W
 13 Leeds L A 21 10 VIEW
27th Nov 1954 7
D
 13 Warrington L H 8 8 VIEW
11th Dec 1954 8
W
 13 Workington Town L H 16 2 VIEW
18th Dec 1954 9
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets L A 20 9 VIEW
25th Dec 1954 10
L
 13 Leigh L A 13 14 1 VIEW
27th Dec 1954 11
W
 13 Wigan L H 19 7 VIEW
1st Jan 1955 12
W
 13 Leigh L H 27 3 VIEW
8th Jan 1955 13
L
 12 Warrington L A 14 18 VIEW
5th Feb 1955 14
W
 11 Whitehaven L A 8 0 VIEW
21st Mar 1955 15
W
 11 Rochdale Hornets L H 23 3 1 VIEW
26th Mar 1955 16
W
 11 Salford L H 16 8 1 VIEW
2nd Apr 1955 17
W
 12 Belle Vue Rangers L H 31 0 1 VIEW
8th Apr 1955 18
L
 12 Wigan L A 12 16 VIEW
9th Apr 1955 19
W
 11 Halifax L H 14 8 VIEW
11th Apr 1955 20
L
 11 Huddersfield L A 11 35 VIEW
18th Apr 1955 21
L
 13 Barrow L A 3 26 VIEW
7th May 1955 --
W
 13 Leigh* Fr H 40 16 2 VIEW
20th Aug 1955 22
W
 11 Widnes L A 35 18 VIEW
27th Aug 1955 23
L
 11 Barrow LC1 A 12 18 VIEW
31st Aug 1955 24
L
 12 Salford L A 10 11 VIEW
3rd Sep 1955 25
W
 12 York L H 26 18 VIEW
10th Sep 1955 26
W
 12 Keighley L H 52 23 1 VIEW
24th Sep 1955 27
W
 12 Barrow L H 66 15 VIEW
1st Oct 1955 28
W
 11 Blackpool Borough L H 53 19 1 VIEW
8th Oct 1955 29
W
 11 Keighley L A 21 6 VIEW
15th Oct 1955 30
W
 13 Liverpool City L H 32 4 VIEW
22nd Oct 1955 31
W
 12 Blackpool Borough L A 36 4 VIEW
29th Oct 1955 32
W
 11 Rochdale Hornets L H 8 7 VIEW
5th Nov 1955 33
W
 12 Swinton L A 4 0 VIEW
12th Nov 1955 34
W
 13 Halifax L H 13 8 VIEW
26th Nov 1955 35
W
 13 Workington Town L H 36 3 1 VIEW
3rd Dec 1955 36
W
 13 Whitehaven L A 20 12 VIEW
26th Dec 1955 37
L
 13 Leigh L H 9 18 VIEW
27th Dec 1955 38
L
 11 Wigan L A 0 8 VIEW
18th Feb 1956 39
W
 11 Dewsbury L H 36 0 VIEW
25th Feb 1956 40
W
 13 Swinton L H 27 10 VIEW
14th Mar 1956 41
L
 13 Halifax L A 0 12 VIEW
17th Mar 1956 42
W
 12 York L A 13 6 VIEW
24th Mar 1956 43
W
 12 Bradford Northern CC3 H 53 6 1 VIEW
30th Mar 1956 44
W
 12 Wigan L H 29 7 VIEW
31st Mar 1956 45
L
 12 Warrington L H 7 13 VIEW
7th Apr 1956 46
D
 12 Barrow CCSF N 5 5 VIEW
12th Apr 1956 47
W
 11 Workington Town L A 12 9 VIEW
14th Apr 1956 48
L
 11 Oldham L A 8 40 VIEW
11th Aug 1956 --
L
 12 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 22 24 VIEW
18th Aug 1956 49
W
 12 Widnes L H 29 0 VIEW
20th Aug 1956 50
W
 12 Liverpool City L A 56 5 VIEW
25th Aug 1956 51
W
 12 Bradford Northern L A 34 7 VIEW
29th Aug 1956 52
W
 12 Salford L H 40 0 1 VIEW
1st Sep 1956 53
W
 12 Swinton LC1 H 27 7 VIEW
8th Sep 1956 54
L
 12 Oldham L H 16 25 VIEW
15th Sep 1956 55
L
 12 Hull L A 6 17 VIEW
6th Oct 1956 56
W
 9 Liverpool City L H 25 5 VIEW
13th Oct 1956 57
W
 13 Salford L A 27 11 1 VIEW
10th Nov 1956 58
W
 12 Featherstone Rovers L H 21 16 VIEW
2nd Mar 1957 59
W
 13 Halifax L H 31 7 2 VIEW
9th Mar 1957 60
L
 13 Wigan L H 11 20 VIEW
16th Mar 1957 61
W
 12 Bradford Northern L H 23 6 VIEW
6th Apr 1957 62
W
 13 Leeds L H 44 3 2 VIEW
15th Apr 1957 63
L
 13 Barrow L A 8 11 VIEW
22nd Apr 1957 64
W
 12 Blackpool Borough L H 48 10 2 VIEW
10th Aug 1957 --
W
 12 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 79 13 2 VIEW
17th Aug 1957 65
W
 12 Widnes L A 22 13 1 VIEW
21st Aug 1957 66
W
 12 Huddersfield L H 28 8 VIEW
26th Aug 1957 67
W
 12 Oldham L A 21 7 VIEW
7th Sep 1957 68
L
 12 Leeds L A 5 23 VIEW
21st Sep 1957 69
W
 13 Swinton L A 16 14 1 VIEW
28th Sep 1957 70
W
 13 Warrington L H 14 2 VIEW
2nd Oct 1957 71
L
 12 Oldham LCSF H 9 29 VIEW
5th Oct 1957 72
W
 13 Huddersfield L A 35 13 VIEW
12th Oct 1957 73
W
 13 Whitehaven L H 26 9 VIEW
19th Oct 1957 74
W
 9 Liverpool City L A 28 4 VIEW
26th Oct 1957 75
W
 12 Leeds L H 36 7 VIEW
2nd Nov 1957 76
W
 13 Whitehaven L A 15 7 VIEW
9th Nov 1957 77
W
 13 Swinton L H 43 11 1 VIEW
16th Nov 1957 78
W
 13 Barrow L A 18 12 VIEW
23rd Nov 1957 79
W
 13 Workington Town L H 29 6 VIEW
30th Nov 1957 80
W
 13 Warrington L A 13 11 VIEW
4th Apr 1958 81
W
 12 Wigan L H 32 7 VIEW
7th Apr 1958 82
W
 12 Halifax L A 18 2 VIEW
14th Apr 1958 83
W
 12 Salford L H 42 8 VIEW
19th Apr 1958 84
W
 13 Halifax L H 31 4 VIEW
3rd May 1958 85
L
 11 Workington Town ChSF H 13 14 VIEW
9th Aug 1958 --
L
 13 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup A 10 14 VIEW
19th Aug 1958 86
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets L A 15 5 VIEW
23rd Aug 1958 87
W
 13 Featherstone Rovers L H 32 9 1 VIEW
25th Aug 1958 88
W
 13 Warrington L H 15 7 1 VIEW
30th Aug 1958 89
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets LC1 A 20 15 VIEW
6th Sep 1958 90
W
 13 Wakefield Trinity L A 24 14 VIEW
8th Sep 1958 91
W
 12 Leigh LC2 A 12 2 VIEW
13th Sep 1958 92
W
 12 Halifax L H 45 20 VIEW
17th Sep 1958 93
W
 12 Barrow LCSF H 18 6 VIEW
20th Sep 1958 94
W
 13 Warrington L A 29 15 VIEW
27th Sep 1958 95
W
 13 Hunslet L H 31 15 VIEW
4th Oct 1958 96
W
 12 Blackpool Borough L A 26 19 VIEW
11th Oct 1958 97
W
 12 Wakefield Trinity L H 15 8 VIEW
18th Oct 1958 98
D
 12 Workington Town L A 10 10 VIEW
25th Oct 1958 99
L
 12 Oldham LCF N 2 12 VIEW
1st Nov 1958 100
W
 9 Salford L A 28 12 VIEW
8th Nov 1958 101
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 42 12 VIEW
29th Nov 1958 102
W
 10 Whitehaven L A 25 2 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 80 | LOSSES : 24 | DRAWS : 3

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