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Jack Fearnley

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
18-10-1915
N/A
30-08-1935
Local Juniors
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
24-10-1936 v Rochdale Hornets
Swinton
1945- Broughton Rangers
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1936-1945
142 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
36
11
0
130

Biography of Jack Fearnley



HERITAGE NO : 452
Jack Fearnley by Alex Service

Jack Fearnley was a superb second-row forward who played nearly 150 matches for the Saints. Unfortunately his rugby career was inevitably interrupted by the Second World War and but for that he could have made many more appearances for the red and whites. In the Practice Matches at the start of the 1934-35 campaign, the famous reporter Premier [Tom Reynolds] picked out young Fearnley as an embryo talent: "A beautifully-built and alert young lad, Fearnley, at 17 years of age, shows form that may get him anywhere if he is tactfully coached. He takes the ball well, gives it well, runs speedily, has size and courage. Surely there is something there to work on."

A local lad, who went to Cowley Boys Grammar school, he made his debut in a 5-5 draw away against Rochdale Hornets in the right centre berth and scored Saints` only try. Peter Smith was outside him on the flanks. He was strong and athletic, with the ability to play either in the backs or the back row with equal effectiveness and had certainly made a favourable impression in his first few years of senior football. The Saints had started to lose personnel by the start of the 1939-40 campaign and according to Ubique in the Liverpool Echo [02-09-1939] he showed natural leadership qualities: "The appointment of Jack Fearnley as captain of the side for this season is a bold and surprising move by the St. Helens directors and one that I did not anticipate. At 23 years of age, Fearnley has not had the experience one usually looks for, yet there is no doubting the fact that he carries full confidence of the directorate. St. Helens have few players of ripe experience who are likely to command a regular place in the side and as the new captain has often proved himself a sound team player, able to instil his own enthusiasm into others, the distinction of leading the Saints in this season of hoped-for revival, has deservedly gone his way."

After military service, he played his last game as a Saint at Station Road, Swinton on 3rd November 1945, a 5-5 draw when he formed a back row partnership with Frank Riley and Ernie Mills. He was nudging 30 years of age by this time and was subsequently transferred to Belle Vue Rangers.

Jack enjoyed a successful time with the famous Manchester club and associated with his transfer to Rangers, he also became business development manager at Belle Vue. He remained there for the rest of his working life and was dubbed 'Mr Belle Vue' to staff and visitors at the Manchester showgrounds at Hyde Road, Gorton, for almost forty years. Indeed, he had total responsibility for the daily running of the organisation at what was then arguably the world's greatest showground and zoo complex, which included an amusement park, ballroom dancing, concerts, exhibitions and conferences. Fearnley would go to many far-flung destinations as he viewed acts, met agents and negotiated contracts to bring them over to Manchester, especially for the annual circus.

He was also the promoter for Belle Vue Aces speedway team and the stockcar racing. He organised boxing and wrestling and ran brass band concerts. Needless to say, he was such a vital figure in the running of the whole operation that he would be on call 24/7. When he retired, at the age of 66, he and his wife Laura moved initially to Disley and then to Southport, where he passed away in 2004 at the age of 88.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1936~372 0 0 6
1937~3811 0 0 35
1938~39 3 0 0 31
1939~40 8 5 0 28
1940~41 0 6 0 6
1941~425 0 0 15
1942~43 4 0 0 12
1943~44 2 0 0 5
1945~461 0 0 4
TOTALS:36 11 0 142
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1940~41 1001
1942~43 0001
TOTALS:1002

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
24th Oct 1936 1
D
 3 Rochdale Hornets L A 5 5 1 VIEW
31st Oct 1936 2
L
 3 Leigh L A 9 13 VIEW
7th Nov 1936 3
L
 3 Oldham L H 7 16 VIEW
26th Dec 1936 4
L
 3 Wigan L H 2 21 VIEW
2nd Jan 1937 5
L
 4 Broughton Rangers L A 5 23 1 VIEW
16th Jan 1937 6
L
 4 Barrow L H 2 15 VIEW
4th Sep 1937 7
L
 3 Widnes L A 2 14 VIEW
11th Sep 1937 8
L
 3 Broughton Rangers LC1 H 0 11 VIEW
2nd Oct 1937 9
W
 4 Dewsbury L A 18 7 VIEW
9th Oct 1937 10
W
 4 Oldham L H 4 3 VIEW
16th Oct 1937 11
D
 5 Batley L A 10 10 VIEW
23rd Oct 1937 12
D
 5 Featherstone Rovers L H 16 16 VIEW
30th Oct 1937 13
L
 3 Rochdale Hornets L A 11 17 1 VIEW
6th Nov 1937 14
L
 4 Warrington L H 7 25 1 VIEW
20th Nov 1937 15
L
 3 Liverpool Stanley L A 7 9 VIEW
27th Nov 1937 16
L
 4 Salford L H 0 31 VIEW
4th Dec 1937 17
L
 4 Oldham L A 5 18 1 VIEW
11th Dec 1937 18
L
 3 Barrow L H 7 8 VIEW
25th Dec 1937 19
W
 3 St. Helens Recs L A 10 2 VIEW
27th Dec 1937 20
L
 3 Wigan L H 6 15 VIEW
1st Jan 1938 21
W
 3 St. Helens Recs L H 8 3 VIEW
3rd Jan 1938 22
L
 3 Salford L A 5 12 VIEW
8th Jan 1938 23
W
 4 Bramley L A 24 14 VIEW
15th Jan 1938 24
W
 3 Dewsbury L H 11 5 1 VIEW
22nd Jan 1938 25
D
 3 Leigh L A 10 10 VIEW
29th Jan 1938 26
W
 4 Swinton L H 10 2 VIEW
5th Feb 1938 27
L
 4 York L H 15 19 VIEW
12th Feb 1938 28
W
 4 York L A 7 2 1 VIEW
19th Feb 1938 29
W
 4 Pendlebury Juniors CC1 H 39 0 1 VIEW
26th Feb 1938 30
L
 4 Halifax L H 13 17 VIEW
5th Mar 1938 31
L
 4 Halifax L A 8 19 1 VIEW
12th Mar 1938 32
L
 4 Castleford CC2 A 2 18 VIEW
19th Mar 1938 33
L
 4 Warrington L A 8 28 VIEW
26th Mar 1938 34
L
 4 Broughton Rangers L A 12 19 VIEW
2nd Apr 1938 35
W
 4 Batley L H 15 9 VIEW
4th Apr 1938 36
L
 4 Swinton L A 0 19 VIEW
13th Apr 1938 37
L
 4 Barrow L A 13 29 2 VIEW
15th Apr 1938 38
L
 4 Wigan L A 12 27 VIEW
16th Apr 1938 39
L
 4 Liverpool Stanley L H 4 17 VIEW
18th Apr 1938 40
W
 4 Leigh L H 15 3 1 VIEW
30th Apr 1938 41
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets L H 36 13 1 VIEW
27th Aug 1938 42
L
 3 Widnes L A 0 29 VIEW
31st Aug 1938 43
L
 3 Warrington L H 7 20 VIEW
3rd Sep 1938 44
L
 3 Widnes L H 6 11 VIEW
12th Sep 1938 45
L
 3 Liverpool Stanley LC1 H 5 10 1 VIEW
17th Sep 1938 46
L
 3 Barrow L A 2 23 VIEW
24th Sep 1938 47
W
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 11 8 VIEW
15th Oct 1938 48
W
 3 Dewsbury L A 10 5 VIEW
5th Nov 1938 49
W
 4 Dewsbury L H 16 4 VIEW
12th Nov 1938 50
L
 3 Rochdale Hornets L A 8 10 VIEW
19th Nov 1938 51
W
 12 Swinton L H 12 8 VIEW
26th Nov 1938 52
L
 12 Broughton Rangers L A 7 10 VIEW
3rd Dec 1938 53
L
 11 Huddersfield L H 3 10 VIEW
10th Dec 1938 54
W
 11 Liverpool Stanley L A 12 10 VIEW
17th Dec 1938 55
W
 11 Broughton Rangers L H 22 6 VIEW
24th Dec 1938 56
W
 11 Leigh L A 18 10 VIEW
28th Jan 1939 57
L
 11 Huddersfield L A 5 33 VIEW
4th Feb 1939 58
L
 11 Salford CC1 A 0 11 VIEW
11th Feb 1939 59
W
 11 Barrow L H 17 2 VIEW
27th Feb 1939 60
L
 11 Keighley L A 5 8 VIEW
4th Mar 1939 61
W
 11 Bramley L H 13 7 VIEW
11th Mar 1939 62
L
 11 York L A 0 10 VIEW
18th Mar 1939 63
W
 11 Leigh L H 22 12 VIEW
25th Mar 1939 64
L
 11 Oldham L A 0 2 VIEW
3rd Apr 1939 65
L
 11 Halifax L A 5 20 VIEW
7th Apr 1939 66
L
 11 Wigan L A 2 6 VIEW
8th Apr 1939 67
L
 11 Bramley L A 8 10 VIEW
10th Apr 1939 68
W
 11 Rochdale Hornets L H 36 8 1 VIEW
15th Apr 1939 69
L
 11 Oldham L H 10 15 1 VIEW
22nd Apr 1939 70
L
 11 Halifax L H 4 25 VIEW
24th Apr 1939 71
W
 11 Warrington L A 8 7 VIEW
29th Apr 1939 72
W
 11 Featherstone Rovers L H 37 10 VIEW
26th Aug 1939 73
W
 12 Leigh L A 23 3 VIEW
29th Aug 1939 74
W
 12 Swinton L H 13 0 VIEW
2nd Sep 1939 75
L
 12 New Zealand Tour H 3 19 VIEW
29th Sep 1939 76
W
 12 Rochdale Hornets WEL H 28 9 1 VIEW
7th Oct 1939 77
W
 12 Liverpool Stanley WEL A 20 0 VIEW
14th Oct 1939 78
W
 12 Warrington WEL H 13 9 VIEW
28th Oct 1939 79
W
 12 Swinton WEL H 15 7 1 VIEW
4th Nov 1939 80
W
 12 Broughton Rangers WEL H 28 10 1 VIEW
11th Nov 1939 81
L
 12 Salford WEL H 10 15 VIEW
18th Nov 1939 82
L
 12 Oldham WEL A 3 7 VIEW
25th Nov 1939 83
W
 12 Barrow WEL H 23 3 VIEW
2nd Dec 1939 84
L
 12 Salford WEL A 5 10 VIEW
9th Dec 1939 85
W
 12 Broughton Rangers WEL H 27 9 1 VIEW
16th Dec 1939 86
L
 12 Warrington WEL A 6 8 VIEW
25th Dec 1939 87
D
 12 Widnes WEL A 6 6 VIEW
26th Dec 1939 88
L
 12 Wigan WEL H 9 12 VIEW
24th Feb 1940 89
W
 12 Liverpool Stanley WEL H 18 8 VIEW
2nd Mar 1940 90
W
 12 Broughton Rangers LC1 (1) H 26 7 1 VIEW
9th Mar 1940 91
L
 12 Broughton Rangers LC1 (2) A 3 10 VIEW
16th Mar 1940 92
L
 12 Wigan LC2 (1) A 0 5 VIEW
22nd Mar 1940 93
L
 12 Wigan WEL A 0 6 VIEW
23rd Mar 1940 94
W
 12 Leigh WEL H 11 5 1 VIEW
29th Mar 1940 95
W
 12 Wigan LC2 (2) H 10 4 VIEW
6th Apr 1940 96
W
 12 Widnes LCSF (1) H 7 5 VIEW
13th Apr 1940 97
L
 12 Widnes LCSF (2) A 0 13 VIEW
20th Apr 1940 98
L
 12 Barrow WEL A 15 17 1 3 VIEW
27th Apr 1940 99
W
 12 Leigh WEL A 16 5 1 2 VIEW
18th May 1940 100
L
 12 Widnes WEL H 11 20 VIEW
7th Sep 1940 101
W
 11 Liverpool Stanley WEL H 32 15 3 VIEW
21st Sep 1940 102
W
 11 Swinton WEL H 41 0 VIEW
28th Sep 1940 103
W
 11 Oldham WEL A 16 5 1 VIEW
26th Oct 1940 104
L
 11 Salford WEL A 13 15 2 VIEW
11th Jan 1941 105
L
 13 Wigan WEL H 3 6 VIEW
14th Apr 1941 --
W
 12 Dewsbury * Fr A 21 11 1 VIEW
19th Apr 1941 106
L
 11 Castleford CC2 A 13 21 VIEW
13th Sep 1941 107
W
 11 Hull WEL H 11 10 VIEW
20th Sep 1941 108
W
 11 Keighley WEL A 20 2 VIEW
27th Sep 1941 109
L
 12 Huddersfield WEL A 13 21 VIEW
4th Oct 1941 110
W
 13 Batley WEL H 26 16 VIEW
17th Oct 1941 111
W
 13 Castleford WEL H 16 2 VIEW
19th Oct 1941 112
L
 12 Hunslet WEL A 5 13 VIEW
8th Nov 1941 113
W
 12 Featherstone Rovers WEL H 24 10 2 VIEW
15th Nov 1941 114
L
 11 Featherstone Rovers WEL A 13 17 VIEW
22nd Nov 1941 115
W
 11 Keighley WEL H 17 11 1 VIEW
29th Nov 1941 116
L
 11 Castleford WEL A 5 12 VIEW
6th Dec 1941 117
L
 11 Leeds WEL A 8 18 VIEW
25th Dec 1941 118
L
 11 Wigan WEL A 3 8 VIEW
3rd Jan 1942 119
L
 12 Wigan WEL H 0 18 VIEW
14th Jan 1942 120
W
 12 Halifax WEL H 13 9 2 VIEW
18th Apr 1942 121
W
 12 Featherstone Rovers CC1(2) H 8 3 VIEW
5th Sep 1942 122
L
 11 Featherstone Rovers WEL H 2 4 VIEW
10th Oct 1942 123
W
 12 Wakefield Trinity WEL H 15 7 1 VIEW
24th Oct 1942 124
W
 12 Wigan YC2(1) H 21 8 VIEW
7th Nov 1942 125
L
 11 Wigan YC2(2) A 11 32 VIEW
5th Dec 1942 126
L
 11 Halifax WEL A 12 36 1 VIEW
25th Dec 1942 127
L
 11 Wigan WEL A 3 10 VIEW
26th Dec 1942 128
L
 11 Wigan WEL H 8 20 VIEW
6th Feb 1943 --
L
 12 Wigan * Fr H 3 24 VIEW
27th Feb 1943 129
L
 11 Oldham WEL A 6 12 VIEW
13th Mar 1943 130
W
 11 Barrow CC1(1) H 13 2 VIEW
20th Mar 1943 131
L
 13 Barrow CC1(2) A 0 4 VIEW
27th Mar 1943 132
L
 11 Oldham CC2(1) A 12 17 1 VIEW
3rd Apr 1943 133
L
 11 Oldham CC2(2) H 5 20 1 VIEW
4th Sep 1943 134
L
 3 Keighley WEL H 17 23 VIEW
18th Sep 1943 135
L
 11 Dewsbury WEL A 16 48 1 VIEW
25th Sep 1943 136
L
 11 Barrow WEL H 5 24 1 VIEW
2nd Oct 1943 137
L
 4 Barrow WEL A 10 31 VIEW
9th Oct 1943 138
L
 4 Oldham WEL H 2 11 VIEW
6th Oct 1945 139
W
 12 Rochdale Hornets L A 11 4 1 VIEW
17th Oct 1945 140
L
 11 Wigan LCSF A 5 18 VIEW
27th Oct 1945 141
L
 3 Barrow L A 13 23 VIEW
3rd Nov 1945 142
D
 11 Swinton L A 5 5 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 56 | LOSSES : 82 | DRAWS : 6

GALLERY





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