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Peter Harvey

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
24-10-1940
N/A
Date unknown.
Liverpool RU
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
24-08-1963 v Huddersfield
Leigh
1966- Warrington
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1963-1966
120 (8)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
48
8
0
144

Biography of Peter Harvey



HERITAGE NO : 807


Peter Harvey by Alex Service

Peter has the unusual distinction of being born in Scotland, in Johnstone to be precise, possibly the only Saints' player, apart from John McCallum in 1921, to have done so. Both codes of rugby have loomed large in Peter's sporting life since his schooldays at West Park Grammar School in St.Helens. Keith Northey was a contemporary. There, of course, it was Rugby Union and Peter built up a formidable reputation as a top-class threequarter at schoolboy level. He was awarded the coveted Victor Ludorum Bowl as West Park's Sportsman of the Year in 1959. He originally captained Lancashire Schoolboys, but such was his progress that he captained the England Under 18 team against France (he scored a crucial try in the 11-all draw) and played in the England youth team against Wales in the same year (1959). Peter was the first player from Lancashire to play for England schools at that level!

The 'redhead with fire in his boots' joined Liverpool RFC, together with stints at St.Mary's College, Twickenham and Loughborough College as part of his Teacher Training. Whilst in London, he also turned out for Rosslyn Park and Blackheath. He played over 20 times for the full Lancashire XV, either in the centre, or wing, wherever his electric pace and guile could be utilised fully - a fine pedigree indeed. Peter also played in a full England trial in 1963 before joining the Saints and becoming a professional Rugby League player. Indeed, he was not selected for the England tour to Australia that same year, which was a catalyst for him to switch to League. He became one of several high-profile signings by the club from the Union code. Names like Ray French, Kel Coslett, John Mantle, John Warlow, Keith Northey, Len Killeen and, of course, Tom van Vollenhoven, spring to mind in this respect.

Peter made quite an impact early on in the 13 a side code, with selection for Lancashire in October 1963 (against Cumbria at Whitehaven) and in 1964, when he appeared in the centre. He made his First Team debut at stand-off against Huddersfield at Knowsley Road at the start of the 1963-64 season, with Wilf Smith at scrum-half. Although the home team lost 7-10, Peter was to hit the headlines a few weeks later with a two-try performance in the win at Swinton playing on the left wing. He could certainly operate with great effectiveness out wide, after all, one scribe from his Union days talked about his 'speed, a safe pair of hands and an eagle eye for the half chance.' Peter finished joint top scorer at the end of the 1963-64 season with 22 tries (level with Tom van Vollenhoven) and only Kel Coslett and Ray French played more matches. In the five major finals he won as a Saint, however, four were in the number six jersey! His first was in the 1963 Lancashire Cup final against Leigh at Swinton, when he played on the left wing, with former school chum Keith Northey as his centre. Towards the end of his debut season came his second major final in the short-lived Western Division Championship. Saints won 10-7 with Peter back at stand-off partnering scrum-half Alex Murphy. The same partnership was again in operation for the 1964 Lancashire Cup final against Swinton, with another Saints victory (12-4). Although the team went on to win the League Leaders Shield in 1964-65, there was defeat at the end of the campaign in the Championship final at Swinton, where un-fancied Halifax triumphed 7-15. Peter played on the right wing that day, with Tom van Vollenhoven as his centre!

This was to be a mere inconvenience for what was to follow during the 1965-66 season, however, when he appeared for the Saints at Wembley in his more accustomed stand-off position during the 21-2 demolition of Wigan and in the Championship final shortly after, when the Saints thrashed Halifax 35-12 on the way to an eventual four-trophy haul. Tommy Bishop this time was his partner at 7, with skipper Alex Murphy switched to the centre. Indeed, word of his prowess reached the front page of the Johnstone Advertiser for 27th May 1966: 'Johnstonian Plays in Wembley Cup Final. With the Egg-Shaped Ball.'

Unfortunately, Peter's career at Knowsley Road never reached the same level of success. For a variety of reasons, it must have been difficult for the team to replicate their marvellous achievements of the 1965-66 campaign. Although they eventually reached the Championship Final in 1966-67, where they lost to Wakefield Trinity after a replay, it was without Peter Harvey. Matters became untenable between club and player, as Peter himself recalls: "The club told me that I would never play for them again either in the First or the A Team. They put me 'in dispute', brought Peter Douglas in from Barrow and I was eventually transferred to Warrington in about July 1967."

It was such a pity that his departure came in such fashion. Peter showed that he was effective wherever he played, especially at stand-off and made a vital contribution to the Saints' success of the mid 1960s.

A retired Primary School Headteacher, Peter was an active Committee Member of the Saints Past Players Association and retains a keen interest in all matters connected with the oval ball and local and family history.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1963~6422 0 0 39
1964~65 13 0 0 31
1965~668 0 0 42
1966~67 5 0 0 11
TOTALS:48 0 0 123
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1964~651001
1965~66 0001
TOTALS:1002

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
24th Aug 1963 1
L
 6 Huddersfield L H 7 10 VIEW
28th Aug 1963 2
W
 6 Castleford L H 20 11 VIEW
31st Aug 1963 3
W
 6 Keighley L A 18 6 VIEW
7th Sep 1963 4
W
 5 Swinton LC1 A 12 2 2 VIEW
14th Sep 1963 5
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 40 5 2 VIEW
16th Sep 1963 6
W
 5 Workington Town LC2 H 28 4 1 VIEW
21st Sep 1963 7
L
 5 Halifax L A 5 13 VIEW
23rd Sep 1963 8
W
 5 Warrington LCSF A 21 14 VIEW
28th Sep 1963 9
L
 5 Australia Tour H 2 8 VIEW
5th Oct 1963 10
W
 5 Barrow WDC H 19 15 1 VIEW
12th Oct 1963 11
W
 5 Leeds L A 10 2 1 VIEW
19th Oct 1963 12
W
 5 Hull L H 11 10 1 VIEW
26th Oct 1963 13
W
 5 Leigh LCF N 15 4 VIEW
2nd Nov 1963 14
W
 5 Warrington L H 19 8 1 VIEW
16th Nov 1963 15
D
 5 Featherstone Rovers L H 11 11 1 VIEW
30th Nov 1963 16
W
 5 Liverpool City WDC H 16 0 VIEW
7th Dec 1963 17
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity L A 8 7 1 VIEW
14th Dec 1963 18
L
 6 Halifax L H 12 13 VIEW
28th Dec 1963 19
W
 5 Workington Town L A 5 0 VIEW
1st Jan 1964 20
L
 3 Swinton L H 6 8 VIEW
4th Jan 1964 21
W
 5 Salford WDC A 15 5 VIEW
11th Jan 1964 22
L
 6 Hunslet L H 10 12 VIEW
25th Jan 1964 23
W
 5 Keighley L H 28 3 4 VIEW
1st Feb 1964 24
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 9 5 1 VIEW
8th Feb 1964 25
L
 5 Castleford CC1 H 6 13 VIEW
15th Feb 1964 26
W
 5 Barrow WDC A 14 10 1 VIEW
22nd Feb 1964 27
L
 5 Leeds L H 6 14 VIEW
29th Feb 1964 28
W
 5 Warrington L A 17 10 VIEW
7th Mar 1964 29
W
 5 Huddersfield L A 16 11 VIEW
14th Mar 1964 30
W
 5 Workington Town L H 14 8 1 VIEW
30th Mar 1964 31
W
 5 Swinton L A 10 7 1 VIEW
8th Apr 1964 32
L
 5 Featherstone Rovers L A 12 19 VIEW
18th Apr 1964 33
W
 5 Liverpool City WDC A 32 7 2 VIEW
22nd Apr 1964 34
W
 2 Wigan L A 22 13 VIEW
25th Apr 1964 35
W
 2 Widnes L A 19 8 1 VIEW
1st May 1964 36
W
 6 Oldham WDCSF H 22 11 VIEW
6th May 1964 37
W
 6 Hull L A 17 9 VIEW
16th May 1964 38
W
 6 Swinton WDCF N 10 7 VIEW
27th May 1964 39
L
 6 Castleford L A 10 11 VIEW
14th Aug 1964 --
W
 6 Swinton* Fr Gallie Cup H 22 2 1 VIEW
22nd Aug 1964 --NPS
W
 14 Leigh L A 19 6 VIEW
24th Aug 1964 40
W
 6 Rochdale Hornets L H 28 4 2 VIEW
29th Aug 1964 41
W
 6 Widnes L H 29 6 VIEW
31st Aug 1964 42
W
 6 Whitehaven L A 15 5 VIEW
5th Sep 1964 43
W
 6 Liverpool City LC1 A 41 11 VIEW
12th Sep 1964 44
W
 14 Blackpool Borough L H 37 5 1 VIEW
14th Sep 1964 45
W
 6 Barrow LC2 A 22 11 VIEW
19th Sep 1964 46
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 6 VIEW
26th Sep 1964 47
W
 6 Featherstone Rovers L A 30 15 1 VIEW
29th Sep 1964 48
W
 6 Warrington LCSF A 10 8 1 VIEW
3rd Oct 1964 49
W
 6 Workington Town L H 32 6 2 VIEW
10th Oct 1964 50
W
 6 Blackpool Borough L A 31 9 VIEW
17th Oct 1964 51
W
 6 Featherstone Rovers L H 25 12 VIEW
24th Oct 1964 52
W
 6 Swinton LCF N 12 4 VIEW
31st Oct 1964 53
W
 6 Oldham L H 22 6 1 VIEW
7th Nov 1964 54
W
 6 Warrington L H 26 10 VIEW
14th Nov 1964 55
W
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 25 12 VIEW
21st Nov 1964 56
W
 3 Barrow L H 37 3 2 VIEW
19th Dec 1964 57
W
 6 Leigh L H 10 7 VIEW
1st Jan 1965 58
W
 2 Swinton L A 11 5 VIEW
9th Jan 1965 59
W
 2 Liverpool City L H 23 3 1 VIEW
16th Jan 1965 60
L
 6 Warrington L A 4 6 VIEW
13th Feb 1965 --NPS
L
 14 Workington Town L A 3 4 VIEW
16th Mar 1965 61
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity L H 2 9 VIEW
20th Mar 1965 62
L
 2 Wakefield Trinity L A 4 5 VIEW
23rd Mar 1965 63
L
 6 Wigan L H 6 10 VIEW
27th Mar 1965 64
L
 6 Salford L A 8 11 VIEW
9th Apr 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Liverpool City L A 11 0 VIEW
17th Apr 1965 65
W
 14 Widnes L A 14 2 1 VIEW
19th Apr 1965 66
W
 6 Swinton L H 16 5 VIEW
21st Apr 1965 67
W
 6 Huddersfield L A 20 6 1 VIEW
24th Apr 1965 68
W
 6 Barrow Ch1 H 23 7 VIEW
30th Apr 1965 69
W
 14 Hull Kingston Rovers Ch2 H 24 6 VIEW
15th May 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Wakefield Trinity ChSF H 10 5 VIEW
22nd May 1965 70
L
 2 Halifax ChF N 7 15 VIEW
14th Aug 1965 --
L
 2 Swinton * Fr Gallie Cup A 9 11 VIEW
20th Aug 1965 71
W
 6 Halifax L H 15 4 1 VIEW
24th Aug 1965 72
W
 6 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 9 VIEW
28th Aug 1965 73
W
 6 Castleford L A 19 15 1 VIEW
30th Aug 1965 74
W
 6 Whitehaven L H 30 5 VIEW
4th Sep 1965 75
W
 6 Warrington L A 11 2 VIEW
10th Sep 1965 76
L
 6 Swinton LC1 H 7 8 VIEW
15th Sep 1965 77
W
 6 New Zealand Tour H 28 7 1 VIEW
27th Sep 1965 78
W
 6 Widnes L A 9 4 VIEW
1st Oct 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Oldham L H 23 17 VIEW
5th Oct 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Leigh FT1 H 25 19 VIEW
9th Oct 1965 79
W
 6 Barrow L H 18 14 VIEW
16th Oct 1965 80
W
 6 Salford L A 15 11 1 VIEW
23rd Oct 1965 81
W
 6 Workington Town L H 43 4 1 VIEW
30th Oct 1965 82
W
 6 Barrow L A 15 10 VIEW
9th Nov 1965 83
W
 5 Huddersfield L H 11 4 VIEW
13th Nov 1965 84
W
 6 Workington Town L A 7 3 VIEW
16th Nov 1965 85
W
 6 Leeds FT2 H 21 9 VIEW
19th Nov 1965 86
W
 14 Rochdale Hornets L H 19 7 VIEW
27th Nov 1965 --NPS
D
 14 Wakefield Trinity L H 9 9 VIEW
4th Dec 1965 87
W
 6 Whitehaven L A 4 2 VIEW
7th Dec 1965 88
W
 14 Swinton FTSF H 9 5 VIEW
14th Dec 1965 --NPS
L
 14 Castleford FTF H 0 4 VIEW
17th Dec 1965 89
W
 6 Blackpool Borough L H 21 9 1 VIEW
1st Jan 1966 90
W
 6 Salford L H 16 3 VIEW
8th Jan 1966 91
L
 6 Oldham L A 9 13 VIEW
29th Jan 1966 92
W
 14 Halifax L A 5 2 VIEW
1st Feb 1966 --NPS
W
 14 Widnes L H 9 4 VIEW
5th Feb 1966 93
W
 4 Blackpool Borough L A 25 11 VIEW
14th Feb 1966 94
W
 4 Leigh L H 17 2 VIEW
19th Feb 1966 95
L
 14 Wakefield Trinity L A 12 20 VIEW
26th Feb 1966 96
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity CC1 A 10 0 VIEW
1st Mar 1966 97
W
 6 Warrington L H 22 6 1 VIEW
8th Mar 1966 98
W
 6 Liverpool City L H 16 2 VIEW
12th Mar 1966 99
W
 6 Huddersfield L A 8 7 VIEW
19th Mar 1966 100
W
 6 Swinton CC2 H 16 4 VIEW
23rd Mar 1966 101
W
 6 Leigh L A 6 5 VIEW
26th Mar 1966 102
L
 6 Wigan L A 8 17 VIEW
2nd Apr 1966 103
W
 14 Hull Kingston Rovers CC3 H 12 10 VIEW
8th Apr 1966 104
W
 6 Wigan L H 17 10 VIEW
11th Apr 1966 105
L
 6 Swinton L A 6 20 VIEW
16th Apr 1966 106
W
 6 Dewsbury CCSF N 12 5 VIEW
22nd Apr 1966 107
L
 6 Swinton L H 10 15 VIEW
25th Apr 1966 108
W
 14 Liverpool City L A 28 3 VIEW
30th Apr 1966 109
W
 3 Warrington Ch1 H 35 7 1 VIEW
7th May 1966 110
W
 2 Oldham Ch2 H 15 10 VIEW
21st May 1966 111
W
 6 Wigan CCF N 21 2 VIEW
28th May 1966 112
W
 6 Halifax ChF N 35 12 VIEW
19th Aug 1966 113
D
 6 Widnes L A 10 10 VIEW
23rd Aug 1966 114
L
 6 Warrington L H 6 10 VIEW
27th Aug 1966 115
W
 4 Salford L H 42 7 VIEW
29th Aug 1966 116
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity L A 15 28 VIEW
3rd Sep 1966 117
W
 6 Rochdale Hornets LC1 A 18 16 1 VIEW
7th Sep 1966 --NPS
W
 14 Salford FTP(1) A 19 10 VIEW
10th Sep 1966 118
W
 14 Liverpool City L A 35 12 VIEW
12th Sep 1966 119
W
 5 Barrow L A 15 9 VIEW
14th Sep 1966 120
L
 14 Wigan LC2 A 9 11 VIEW
17th Sep 1966 --NPS
W
 14 Blackpool Borough L A 23 14 VIEW
24th Sep 1966 --NPS
D
 14 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 17 VIEW
30th Sep 1966 121
W
 2 Whitehaven L H 35 12 4 VIEW
7th Oct 1966 --NPS
W
 14 Blackpool Borough L H 25 6 VIEW
18th Oct 1966 122
W
 6 Swinton FT1 H 11 9 VIEW
2nd Nov 1966 123
L
 2 Leigh L A 5 29 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 105 | LOSSES : 29 | DRAWS : 4

GALLERY





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