Wilf Smith

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
26-07-1935
N/A
15-09-1955
Clock Face ARL
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
12-11-1955 v Halifax
Wigan
1969- when he Retired
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1955-1968
200 (5)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
55
1
0
167

Biography of Wilf Smith



HERITAGE NO : 733
Wilf Smith by Alex Service

Wilf was a stalwart of the St.Helens club for 14 years, winning virtually every honour in the game during his career at Knowsley Road. Rugby League was in his blood as his father, Tommy, was a fine second row forward with the mighty St.Helens Recs in the 1920s and part of the famous `Smith, Fildes and Mulvanney` back three! A great all-round footballer, with good hands and a clinical tackler, he signed for the Saints from the Clock Face amateur club on 15 September 1955 and learned his trade in the `A` team before emerging as a stand-off outside the legendary scrum-half Alex Murphy in 1958/59, a season when the Saints won the Championship Final after an epic 44-22 victory over Hunslet. Wilf scored a magical try in the second half, slicing through the opposition defence in a 30 yard run to the line.

The Smith-Murphy combination at half-back was once again seen at its best at Wembley in 1961, when the Saints beat deadly rivals Wigan 12-6 in the baking sun. Wilf`s prodigious work-rate and solid defence were one of the features of his team`s success. He appeared in three more Championship Finals, in 1965, when the Saints lost to a powerful Halifax side at Swinton and two years later, when Wakefield Trinity lifted the silverware after a replay at the same venue, in front of 33,000 spectators! Wilf played in every position in the backs for Saints during his career and never gave anything less than one hundred percent! It was indeed a pity that such a fine player never achieved county recognition, but competition in those days was tough.

Wilf played just 15 matches in Saints four cups season in 1965/66, as a result of a persistent knee injury, although he appeared in five Lancashire Cup Finals for the club, winning four, against Swinton (1961 and 1962), Leigh (1963), when he played left centre and scored a memorable try and in the replayed final against Warrington in 1967, when he was centre to the great Tom Van Vollenhoven. His much-needed experience in the back line was a major contribution to Saints 13-10 success. All told, he played in ten major finals for the club, including replays, a fantastic achievement. He will always be remembered as a solid, reliable footballer and he was awarded a well-earned Benefit in 1967.

Wilf took up a coaching position with Blackpool Borough and became Assistant Coach at Wigan, with George Fairburn and Maurice Bamford in the early 1980s, before becoming involved with the amateur game at Blackbrook and Bold. A member of the prestigious St. Helens Players Association Hall of Fame, he remained knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the modern game until his death in June 2014, aged 78.

The image of Wilf in his National Service days with the Queen Elizabeth Medical Corps seven a side team was sent in by Darrell Highcock


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1955~560 0 0 5
1958~5913 1 0 15
1959~60 13 0 0 29
1960~616 0 0 25
1961~62 8 0 0 30
1962~63 7 0 0 37
1963~64 6 0 0 26
1964~65 0 0 0 10
1965~66 1 0 0 11
1966~67 1 0 0 6
1967~68 0 0 0 3
1968~69 0 0 0 3
TOTALS:55 1 0 200
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1955~561001
1958~592004
1959~603001
1960~610001
1961~621001
1962~631001
1963~641001
1966~670001
TOTALS:90011

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
12th Nov 1955 1
W
 6 Halifax L H 13 8 VIEW
26th Dec 1955 2
L
 6 Leigh L H 9 18 VIEW
12th Apr 1956 3
W
 7 Workington Town L A 12 9 VIEW
14th Apr 1956 4
L
 3 Oldham L A 8 40 VIEW
16th Apr 1956 5
W
 6 Whitehaven L H 22 7 VIEW
20th May 1956 --
L
 5 Hull* Fr A 20 23 1 VIEW
9th Aug 1958 --
L
 7 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup A 10 14 VIEW
11th Oct 1958 6
W
 4 Wakefield Trinity L H 15 8 1 VIEW
27th Dec 1958 7
W
 4 Oldham L H 22 6 VIEW
24th Jan 1959 8
L
 4 Hunslet L A 11 19 VIEW
7th Feb 1959 9
W
 7 Hull L A 19 9 VIEW
27th Mar 1959 10
L
 7 Wigan L A 14 19 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1959 11
W
 7 Liverpool City L A 40 20 VIEW
30th Mar 1959 12
W
 3 Blackpool Borough L H 46 11 1 VIEW
4th Apr 1959 13
W
 7 Halifax L A 25 19 VIEW
14th Apr 1959 14
W
 3 Hull L H 37 16 1 1 VIEW
18th Apr 1959 15
L
 1 Swinton L A 11 19 VIEW
21st Apr 1959 16
W
 7 Workington Town L H 36 14 3 VIEW
25th Apr 1959 17
W
 6 Liverpool City L H 41 22 4 VIEW
27th Apr 1959 18
L
 6 Oldham L A 14 15 1 VIEW
2nd May 1959 19
W
 6 Oldham ChSF H 42 4 VIEW
16th May 1959 20
W
 6 Hunslet ChF N 44 22 1 VIEW
18th May 1959 --
W
 6 Welsh XIII* Fr Tour P 44 28 VIEW
20th May 1959 --
W
 6 Welsh XIII* Fr Tour L 35 19 1 VIEW
23rd May 1959 --
W
 6 Welsh XIII* Fr Tour C 47 31 1 VIEW
8th Aug 1959 --
W
 6 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 50 3 3 VIEW
15th Aug 1959 21
W
 6 Widnes L A 27 14 1 VIEW
17th Aug 1959 22
W
 6 Blackpool Borough L H 59 17 1 VIEW
22nd Aug 1959 23
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity L H 40 7 VIEW
26th Aug 1959 24
W
 6 Swinton L A 32 9 VIEW
29th Aug 1959 25
W
 6 Swinton LC1 A 17 9 VIEW
5th Sep 1959 26
W
 4 Leeds L H 23 9 1 VIEW
9th Sep 1959 27
W
 7 Widnes LC2 A 24 9 VIEW
12th Sep 1959 28
W
 7 Wakefield Trinity L A 16 2 VIEW
19th Sep 1959 29
W
 6 Hunslet L H 38 17 2 VIEW
26th Sep 1959 30
W
 7 Liverpool City L A 45 6 3 VIEW
30th Sep 1959 31
W
 6 Whitehaven LCSF A 18 2 VIEW
3rd Oct 1959 32
W
 6 Salford L H 40 11 VIEW
10th Oct 1959 33
L
 6 Australia Tour H 2 15 VIEW
17th Oct 1959 34
W
 7 Whitehaven L A 15 12 VIEW
24th Oct 1959 35
W
 6 Hull L H 29 11 VIEW
31st Oct 1959 36
L
 6 Warrington LCF N 4 5 VIEW
7th Nov 1959 37
W
 7 Liverpool City L H 40 17 1 VIEW
14th Nov 1959 38
W
 6 Dewsbury L A 20 15 1 VIEW
21st Nov 1959 39
W
 7 Halifax L H 25 10 VIEW
28th Nov 1959 40
L
 7 Leeds L A 11 24 VIEW
5th Dec 1959 41
L
 6 Workington Town L H 11 12 VIEW
12th Dec 1959 42
W
 6 Rochdale Hornets L A 40 4 1 VIEW
19th Dec 1959 43
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets L H 26 2 VIEW
25th Dec 1959 44
W
 7 Leigh L H 14 10 1 VIEW
6th Feb 1960 45
W
 6 Blackpool Borough L A 26 7 1 VIEW
13th Feb 1960 46
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity CC1 H 10 15 VIEW
20th Feb 1960 47
W
 7 Dewsbury L H 25 4 VIEW
5th Mar 1960 48
W
 6 Warrington L A 19 16 VIEW
12th Mar 1960 49
W
 7 Barrow L H 13 12 VIEW
6th Aug 1960 --
W
 7 Liverpool City* Fr Charity Cup H 34 10 VIEW
13th Aug 1960 50
L
 6 Oldham L A 4 16 VIEW
15th Aug 1960 51
W
 7 Liverpool City L H 17 9 VIEW
20th Aug 1960 52
W
 7 Hunslet L H 22 10 1 VIEW
27th Aug 1960 53
W
 7 Widnes LC1 A 19 17 VIEW
3rd Sep 1960 54
L
 7 Wakefield Trinity L H 5 18 VIEW
7th Sep 1960 55
W
 4 Wigan LC2 H 7 4 VIEW
21st Sep 1960 56
W
 7 Swinton L A 15 7 VIEW
26th Sep 1960 57
W
 7 Halifax L H 32 4 1 VIEW
12th Oct 1960 58
W
 7 Australia Tour H 15 12 1 VIEW
15th Oct 1960 59
W
 6 Blackpool Borough L A 34 13 VIEW
5th Nov 1960 60
W
 7 Whitehaven L H 18 8 VIEW
7th Jan 1961 61
W
 7 Warrington L A 8 5 VIEW
16th Jan 1961 62
W
 6 Hull L H 22 15 VIEW
11th Feb 1961 63
D
 7 Widnes CC1 H 5 5 VIEW
16th Feb 1961 64
W
 7 Widnes CC1(rep) A 29 10 VIEW
18th Feb 1961 65
W
 6 Widnes L H 44 7 VIEW
25th Feb 1961 66
W
 6 Castleford CC2 A 18 10 VIEW
4th Mar 1961 67
W
 7 Liverpool City L A 52 2 VIEW
31st Mar 1961 68
L
 7 Wigan L A 2 12 VIEW
15th Apr 1961 69
W
 7 Hull CCSF N 26 9 2 VIEW
19th Apr 1961 70
W
 7 Widnes L A 17 5 VIEW
22nd Apr 1961 71
L
 7 Featherstone Rovers L A 11 28 VIEW
29th Apr 1961 72
W
 7 Featherstone Rovers L H 38 0 1 VIEW
6th May 1961 73
L
 7 Leeds ChSF A 4 11 VIEW
13th May 1961 74
W
 7 Wigan CCF N 12 6 VIEW
12th Aug 1961 --
W
 7 Liverpool City* Fr Charity Cup H 29 14 1 VIEW
19th Aug 1961 75
W
 6 Leeds L H 20 5 VIEW
26th Aug 1961 76
L
 6 Swinton L A 6 15 VIEW
30th Aug 1961 77
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity L H 10 5 1 VIEW
2nd Sep 1961 78
W
 7 Leigh LC1 H 43 8 1 VIEW
9th Sep 1961 79
W
 6 Salford L A 24 7 VIEW
12th Sep 1961 80
W
 6 Rochdale Hornets L A 14 2 VIEW
30th Sep 1961 81
L
 7 Hull L H 22 25 1 VIEW
2nd Oct 1961 82
W
 6 Oldham LC2 H 30 7 VIEW
11th Nov 1961 83
W
 6 Swinton LCF N 25 9 VIEW
18th Nov 1961 84
L
 6 Widnes L A 12 13 VIEW
25th Nov 1961 85
W
 6 Workington Town L H 16 7 VIEW
2nd Dec 1961 86
L
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 5 12 VIEW
9th Dec 1961 87
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity L A 10 12 VIEW
16th Dec 1961 88
L
 7 Oldham L H 8 9 VIEW
6th Jan 1962 89
W
 7 Barrow L H 30 6 VIEW
13th Jan 1962 90
L
 7 Leeds L A 3 20 VIEW
20th Jan 1962 91
W
 7 Warrington L H 11 7 VIEW
3rd Feb 1962 92
W
 7 Huddersfield L H 36 5 1 VIEW
10th Feb 1962 93
W
 7 Salford CC1 A 15 2 1 VIEW
17th Feb 1962 94
W
 7 Salford L H 17 12 VIEW
24th Feb 1962 95
L
 7 Leigh L A 6 7 VIEW
3rd Mar 1962 96
L
 7 Huddersfield CC2 H 2 13 VIEW
10th Mar 1962 97
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets L H 16 5 1 VIEW
24th Mar 1962 98
W
 7 Widnes L H 13 8 1 VIEW
31st Mar 1962 99
W
 7 Swinton L H 5 2 VIEW
3rd Apr 1962 100
W
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 27 2 1 VIEW
7th Apr 1962 101
W
 7 Hull L A 12 8 VIEW
9th Apr 1962 102
W
 7 Leigh L H 42 4 VIEW
14th Apr 1962 103
W
 7 Blackpool Borough L A 15 2 VIEW
20th Apr 1962 104
L
 7 Wigan L H 16 18 VIEW
10th Aug 1962 --
W
 7 Liverpool City* Fr Charity Cup H 33 2 1 VIEW
18th Aug 1962 105
W
 7 Salford WDC A 35 24 VIEW
22nd Aug 1962 106
W
 7 Leigh WDC H 21 3 VIEW
25th Aug 1962 107
W
 7 Blackpool Borough WDC H 21 12 2 VIEW
30th Aug 1962 108
W
 6 Liverpool City WDC A 16 9 VIEW
1st Sep 1962 109
W
 6 Salford WDC H 59 0 1 VIEW
8th Sep 1962 110
W
 6 Liverpool City LC1 H 22 0 VIEW
15th Sep 1962 111
W
 6 Leigh WDC A 20 10 VIEW
18th Sep 1962 112
W
 7 Blackpool Borough LC2 A 14 3 VIEW
29th Sep 1962 113
D
 4 Blackpool Borough WDC A 12 12 1 VIEW
2nd Oct 1962 114
W
 4 Oldham LCSF A 10 8 VIEW
6th Oct 1962 115
L
 6 Warrington L A 13 21 VIEW
9th Oct 1962 116
L
 7 Widnes WDCSF H 9 10 VIEW
13th Oct 1962 117
D
 7 Castleford L H 10 10 VIEW
20th Oct 1962 118
W
 4 Huddersfield L A 22 9 VIEW
27th Oct 1962 119
W
 4 Swinton LCF N 7 4 VIEW
10th Nov 1962 120
L
 4 Warrington L H 2 4 VIEW
17th Nov 1962 121
W
 6 Castleford L A 8 7 VIEW
15th Dec 1962 122
L
 7 Wakefield Trinity L A 7 10 VIEW
22nd Dec 1962 123
W
 3 Hull L H 27 14 VIEW
9th Mar 1963 124
L
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 2 3 VIEW
11th Mar 1963 125
L
 6 Halifax CC1 A 2 9 VIEW
23rd Mar 1963 126
W
 6 Bramley L H 38 0 VIEW
26th Mar 1963 127
W
 6 Wigan L H 20 11 VIEW
30th Mar 1963 128
W
 6 Featherstone Rovers L A 17 10 VIEW
6th Apr 1963 129
W
 4 Halifax L H 33 3 VIEW
12th Apr 1963 130
W
 3 Wigan L A 24 4 VIEW
13th Apr 1963 131
L
 4 Swinton L A 8 9 VIEW
15th Apr 1963 132
L
 3 Swinton L H 9 24 VIEW
27th Apr 1963 133
L
 3 Hull L A 7 15 VIEW
29th Apr 1963 134
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity L H 15 16 VIEW
4th May 1963 135
W
 6 Widnes L A 25 2 1 VIEW
6th May 1963 136
W
 6 Oldham L H 22 8 VIEW
13th May 1963 137
W
 6 Widnes L H 14 6 VIEW
18th May 1963 138
W
 6 Bramley L A 21 9 1 VIEW
25th May 1963 139
W
 6 Halifax L A 33 5 1 VIEW
27th May 1963 140
W
 6 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 16 15 VIEW
30th May 1963 141
W
 7 Oldham L A 24 9 VIEW
17th Aug 1963 --
W
 6 Liverpool City* Fr Charity Cup H 34 8 1 VIEW
24th Aug 1963 142
L
 7 Huddersfield L H 7 10 VIEW
28th Aug 1963 143
W
 7 Castleford L H 20 11 1 VIEW
31st Aug 1963 144
W
 7 Keighley L A 18 6 VIEW
2nd Sep 1963 145
W
 6 Hunslet L A 15 7 VIEW
26th Oct 1963 146
W
 6 Leigh LCF N 15 4 1 VIEW
2nd Nov 1963 147
W
 6 Warrington L H 19 8 VIEW
16th Nov 1963 148
D
 6 Featherstone Rovers L H 11 11 VIEW
30th Nov 1963 149
W
 6 Liverpool City WDC H 16 0 VIEW
14th Dec 1963 150
L
 3 Halifax L H 12 13 VIEW
4th Jan 1964 151
W
 3 Salford WDC A 15 5 VIEW
25th Jan 1964 152
W
 7 Keighley L H 28 3 VIEW
1st Feb 1964 153
W
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 9 5 VIEW
8th Feb 1964 154
L
 7 Castleford CC1 H 6 13 VIEW
15th Feb 1964 155
W
 7 Barrow WDC A 14 10 VIEW
22nd Feb 1964 156
L
 7 Leeds L H 6 14 1 VIEW
29th Feb 1964 157
W
 6 Warrington L A 17 10 VIEW
7th Mar 1964 158
W
 6 Huddersfield L A 16 11 1 VIEW
14th Mar 1964 159
W
 6 Workington Town L H 14 8 VIEW
28th Mar 1964 160
W
 6 Salford WDC H 24 13 1 VIEW
30th Mar 1964 161
W
 6 Swinton L A 10 7 VIEW
4th Apr 1964 162
L
 6 Widnes L H 6 10 VIEW
8th Apr 1964 163
L
 6 Featherstone Rovers L A 12 19 1 VIEW
11th Apr 1964 164
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity L H 24 10 VIEW
15th Apr 1964 165
W
 6 Whitehaven WDC A 3 0 VIEW
22nd Apr 1964 166
W
 6 Wigan L A 22 13 VIEW
25th Apr 1964 167
W
 6 Widnes L A 19 8 VIEW
23rd Jan 1965 168
W
 7 Whitehaven L H 16 3 VIEW
13th Feb 1965 169
L
 7 Workington Town L A 3 4 VIEW
13th Mar 1965 170
W
 6 Oldham L A 15 9 VIEW
23rd Mar 1965 --NPS
L
 14 Wigan L H 6 10 VIEW
27th Mar 1965 171
L
 7 Salford L A 8 11 VIEW
30th Mar 1965 172
W
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 8 2 VIEW
5th Apr 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Barrow L A 21 14 VIEW
9th Apr 1965 173
W
 7 Liverpool City L A 11 0 VIEW
16th Apr 1965 174
W
 7 Wigan L A 16 8 VIEW
21st Apr 1965 175
W
 7 Huddersfield L A 20 6 VIEW
15th May 1965 176
W
 7 Wakefield Trinity ChSF H 10 5 VIEW
22nd May 1965 177
L
 7 Halifax ChF N 7 15 VIEW
20th Aug 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Halifax L H 15 4 VIEW
24th Aug 1965 178
W
 14 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 9 VIEW
28th Aug 1965 179
W
 4 Castleford L A 19 15 VIEW
30th Aug 1965 180
W
 4 Whitehaven L H 30 5 VIEW
9th Oct 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Barrow L H 18 14 VIEW
23rd Oct 1965 181
W
 3 Workington Town L H 43 4 VIEW
30th Oct 1965 182
W
 3 Barrow L A 15 10 VIEW
9th Nov 1965 183
W
 3 Huddersfield L H 11 4 VIEW
13th Nov 1965 184
W
 3 Workington Town L A 7 3 VIEW
16th Nov 1965 185
W
 3 Leeds FT2 H 21 9 1 VIEW
19th Nov 1965 186
W
 3 Rochdale Hornets L H 19 7 VIEW
17th Dec 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Blackpool Borough L H 21 9 VIEW
1st Jan 1966 187
W
 14 Salford L H 16 3 VIEW
8th Jan 1966 188
L
 3 Oldham L A 9 13 VIEW
30th Apr 1966 --NPS
W
 14 Warrington Ch1 H 35 7 VIEW
12th Aug 1966 --
L
 6 Swinton* Fr Gallie Cup H 13 27 VIEW
12th Sep 1966 189
W
 14 Barrow L A 15 9 VIEW
25th Mar 1967 190
L
 14 Whitehaven L A 3 4 VIEW
27th Mar 1967 191
L
 4 Swinton L H 5 12 VIEW
29th Apr 1967 192
W
 4 Castleford ChSF H 14 3 1 VIEW
6th May 1967 193
D
 4 Wakefield Trinity ChF N 7 7 VIEW
10th May 1967 194
L
 4 Wakefield Trinity ChF(rep) N 9 21 VIEW
21st Oct 1967 --NPS
L
 14 Whitehaven L A 6 11 VIEW
2nd Dec 1967 195
W
 3 Warrington LCF(rep) N 13 10 VIEW
26th Dec 1967 --NPS
W
 14 Wigan L A 16 10 VIEW
3rd Feb 1968 --NPS
L
 14 Huddersfield CC1 H 0 5 VIEW
9th Mar 1968 196
W
 7 Blackpool Borough L A 23 7 VIEW
16th Mar 1968 197
W
 7 Widnes L H 18 13 VIEW
23rd Sep 1968 198
L
 7 Barrow FTP(2) A 11 18 VIEW
9th Nov 1968 199
W
 1 Doncaster L A 22 8 VIEW
16th Nov 1968 --NPS
D
 14 Salford L H 9 9 VIEW
4th Apr 1969 200
L
 14 Wigan L A 10 34 VIEW
7th Apr 1969 --NPS
W
 14 Swinton L H 40 5 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 159 | LOSSES : 57 | DRAWS : 6

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