MEN 1873-1895
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Brian Glover

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
13-02-1936
N/A
17-09-1970
Warrington
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
13-10-1970 v Warrington
Wakefield Trinity
1971- Rochdale Hornets
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1970-1971
19 (4)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
8
0
0
24

Biography of Brian Glover



HERITAGE NO : 867
Brian Glover by Dave Dooley:
St.Helens-born, Brian began his rugby career as a hooker. He signed for Warrington in 1956 and became one of the most reliable wingers in the game, earning a Testimonial with the Wilderspool club. A Lancashire County threequarter, he was a try-scorer in Warrington`s 1965 Lancashire Cup Final victory over Rochdale Hornets. He also played in the 1967 replayed final when the Wires were beaten by the Saints. Brian joined his hometown team on a free transfer in 1970 and served the Saints well as a utility back, playing mostly in the centre. He moved to Rochdale Hornets in October 1971 and appeared against his former team-mates in the 1971 BBC2 Floodlit Final, which St.Helens won 8-2.

Fittingly, Brian made his debut for the Saints against the `Wires` on the 13th of October 1970 in a 37 points to 6 home league victory. In all he made 15 starts and four substitute appearances that season scoring eight tries along the way. His debut try for the club came in the 42 points to nil victory over Bradford Northern. This haul also included a brace as Brian used his substantial frame to help demolish Swinton by 40 points to nil. At the start of the 1971/2 campaign Brian featured in just two fixtures against Castleford and Wakefield Trinity before moving on to Rochdale Hornets.

One who got away! Brian Glover's Obituary by Alex Service

The well-known club and county winger passed away on Monday 3rd July 2017. He was 81. Born in St. Helens and a former pupil of Grange Park Secondary School, his rugby career began as a hooker for the famous amateur outfit Pilkington Recs in the mid-1950s. Switched to centre for a spell, he impressed the watching former Warrington winger Albert Johnson, who suggested he have a trial with the Wilderspool club and found himself on the wing. This was not easy, as in one of the trial matches he was pitted against legendary winger Brian Bevan! He came through the test with flying colours and he proved to be a valuable acquisition indeed for the Wires, with his great power, pace, and finishing ability. He could play with equal effectiveness on either flank and Brian only knew the direct route to the line! Perhaps his route one almost confrontational style was similar to the Saints' Welsh winger Roy Mathias of the 1970s.

He made his senior debut for the Wires in somewhat unexpected circumstances. In what could have been a scene from the film 'This Sporting Life' he was en route to an A team match at Wilderspool on Saturday 14th September 1957, when he was intercepted by a Warrington Director in his Jaguar and told he was needed for the First Team at Oldham. Brian arrived only just in time for his debut and Warrington lost 15-17. Yet he had come through the test with flying colours.

His early career was interrupted with National Service with the Army, where, based at Rhyl, he played rugby union for the Western Command. Yet by the 1962-63 season he was a regular choice, roaring in for 24 tries [10th in the try-scorers' charts] and was unlucky not to make a Wembley appearance after Warrington's defeat against Wakefield in the Challenge Cup semi-final. After Brian Bevan's retirement, in particular, he became a permanent fixture on the flanks and a real fans' favourite. Although the Warrington team did not hit that many high spots during Brian's tenure, he still won a Lancashire Cup winner's medal after the defeat of Rochdale Hornets at Knowsley Road in 1965, when he scored a memorable try. Brian also was also a losing finalist when St. Helens won the 1967 County Cup final after a replay, where he marked his old adversary, Tom van Vollenhoven, the Saints' captain. One particular highlight of his club career was when the Wires won the Lancashire League title in 1968. He also defied a nasty facial injury sustained in a car accident and continued to play as only he could: full throttle and without fear!

Overall he played 332 times for Warrington, racking up 130 tries. His last game in the primrose and blue was at Barrow on 3rd April 1970. Brian enjoyed a Testimonial Year at Wilderspool and is held in such esteem that he was later enrolled in the club's prestigious Hall of Fame. He made his county debut for Lancashire on the right wing against Blackpool in 1964, with club-mate Keith Holden as his centre. Overall, he played for the Red Rose county on ten occasions and could count the likes of Alan Buckley, Billy Benyon and Frank Myler as his centres. He was a centre himself in his last match, against Yorkshire at Hull, with Saints young gun Les Jones outside him. International recognition escaped him, although his team-mates felt that he would not have been overawed in such company. Yet Brian valued the camaraderie of his team-mates just as much as any major honours!

He joined his home town club St. Helens for a spell and made his full debut on 13th October 1970 in a 37-6 victory over Warrington! Brian also scored a try when Saints thrashed the Australian tourists 37-10 and made his 19th and final [full] appearance at Wakefield Trinity on 11th September 1971. He then spent a further two years at Rochdale Hornets before retirement. Throughout his life he remained an engaging character, who had a wide circle of friends, many, of course, from his time in the Greatest Game of All! In his boyhood he lived in Lugsmore Lane, St Helens and later Owen Street, before moving to the Eccleston district. Brian died in St Helens in July 2017, aged 79.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1970~718 0 0 17
1971~720 0 0 2
TOTALS:8 0 0 19
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
TOTALS:

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
10th Oct 1970 --NPS
W
 14 Wigan LCSF A 23 0 VIEW
13th Oct 1970 1
W
 2 Warrington L H 37 6 VIEW
19th Oct 1970 2
W
 4 Bradford Northern L H 42 0 1 VIEW
6th Nov 1970 3
W
 4 Hull L A 16 2 VIEW
9th Nov 1970 4
W
 2 Australia Tour H 37 10 1 VIEW
14th Nov 1970 5
L
 2 Leigh L A 13 15 1 VIEW
20th Nov 1970 6
W
 2 Salford L A 4 0 VIEW
30th Nov 1970 7
W
 14 Leigh FT2 A 10 4 VIEW
5th Dec 1970 --NPS
W
 14 St. Gaudens ECF(1) A 30 11 VIEW
8th Dec 1970 --NPS
D
 14 Wigan FTSF A 7 7 VIEW
12th Dec 1970 8
W
 4 Castleford L H 9 5 VIEW
19th Dec 1970 9
W
 4 Bramley L H 34 0 1 VIEW
26th Dec 1970 10
L
 4 Wigan L H 5 12 VIEW
16th Jan 1971 --NPS
L
 14 Leeds L A 5 12 VIEW
6th Feb 1971 11
W
 3 Salford L H 26 4 VIEW
13th Feb 1971 12
L
 3 Castleford L A 6 12 VIEW
20th Feb 1971 13
L
 14 Leeds CC2 A 0 4 VIEW
27th Feb 1971 14
W
 4 Whitehaven L A 15 8 1 VIEW
6th Mar 1971 15
W
 14 Featherstone Rovers L H 23 16 1 VIEW
13th Mar 1971 16
W
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 26 9 VIEW
20th Mar 1971 17
W
 4 Swinton L H 40 0 2 VIEW
8th Sep 1971 18
L
 3 Castleford L A 13 22 VIEW
11th Sep 1971 19
W
 14 Wakefield Trinity L A 23 12 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 16 | LOSSES : 6 | DRAWS : 1

GALLERY





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