Bill Francis | |||||||
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OVERALL STATISTICS | |||||||
BIRTH | AGE | SIGNED ON | FROM | ||||
DEBUT | LAST MATCH | LEFT | |||||
CAREER | APPEARANCES (SUBS) | ||||||
TRIES | GOALS | DGOALS | PTS | ||||
Biography of Bill Francis |
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HERITAGE NO : 925 Bill Francis by Dave Dooley: Featherstone-born, yet qualified for Wales by descent, Bill Francis shot to international fame in the late 1960s and early 70s as a utility back with Wigan. Renowned for his deceptive pace, deft passing skills and magical sidestep, he joined rivals St.Helens for an 8,000 pound fee early in the 1977/78 season after 13 years at Central Park Under his steadying influence at stand-off, Saints played some brilliant football and reached the 1978 Challenge Cup Final in his first season. Although Francis scored a memorable try, he had to settle for a loser`s medal when Leeds staged a late rally to lift the trophy. In his first season at Knowsley Road Bill scored nine tries 36 matches including a brace against Bramley in the record 71 points to 7 home victory. Indeed, he made a tryscoring debut in the 52 points to 14 home demolition of Hull. In that particular game Peter Glynn, playing centre three-quarter, benefited from Bill`s excellent service as he raced in for five tries. In Bill`s second and final season, he notched a brace of tries against Rochdale Hornets in the infamous Lancashire Cup First Round second replay as the Saints finally disposed of the recalcitrant bunch of stingers. On the 30th of April 1979 Bill played his last match for the club and collected two tries in the 31 points to 15 home league victory. Bill left Knowsley Road for Salford and finished his career with Oldham. A former Yorkshire County player, Bill`s international honours include 4 Great Britain appearances and 19 for Wales. He went to Australia with the Welsh International Championship Squad in 1975 and the 1977 British World Cup Squad. He is a member of Saints Past Players Association. |
SEASON STATISTICS | ||||
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Season (Official Matches) | Tries | Goals | DGoals | Matches |
1977~78 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
1978~79 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
TOTALS: | 22 | 0 | 0 | 73 |
Season (Other Matches) | Tries | Goals | DGoals | Matches |
1978~79 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
TOTALS: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
ALL MATCHES |
Date | Match | Pos | Opponents | Comp | Venue | FT | FTO | T | G | DG | ||
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16th Oct 1977 | 1 | W |
6 | Hull | L | H | 52 | 14 | 1 | VIEW | ||
23rd Oct 1977 | 2 | W |
6 | Swinton | JP1 | A | 28 | 11 | 1 | VIEW | ||
30th Oct 1977 | 3 | W |
6 | Featherstone Rovers | L | A | 12 | 5 | VIEW | |||
6th Nov 1977 | 4 | L |
6 | Featherstone Rovers | JP2 | A | 10 | 17 | VIEW | |||
13th Nov 1977 | 5 | W |
6 | Leeds | L | H | 19 | 10 | VIEW | |||
20th Nov 1977 | 6 | W |
6 | Bramley | L | A | 36 | 11 | VIEW | |||
27th Nov 1977 | 7 | W |
6 | Salford | L | H | 13 | 12 | VIEW | |||
4th Dec 1977 | 8 | L |
6 | Workington Town | L | A | 3 | 16 | VIEW | |||
6th Dec 1977 | 9 | W |
6 | Salford | FTSF | H | 7 | 4 | VIEW | |||
10th Dec 1977 | 10 | W |
6 | Featherstone Rovers | L | H | 20 | 19 | VIEW | |||
13th Dec 1977 | 11 | L |
6 | Hull Kingston Rovers | FTF | A | 11 | 26 | VIEW | |||
18th Dec 1977 | 12 | L |
6 | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | A | 9 | 21 | 1 | VIEW | ||
26th Dec 1977 | 13 | W |
6 | Wigan | L | A | 24 | 13 | VIEW | |||
27th Dec 1977 | 14 | W |
4 | Workington Town | L | H | 11 | 0 | VIEW | |||
31st Dec 1977 | 15 | W |
6 | Widnes | L | H | 16 | 3 | VIEW | |||
8th Jan 1978 | 16 | W |
6 | Dewsbury | L | H | 23 | 7 | VIEW | |||
22nd Jan 1978 | 17 | W |
6 | New Hunslet | L | H | 39 | 7 | VIEW | |||
29th Jan 1978 | 18 | W |
6 | Hull | L | A | 18 | 12 | VIEW | |||
5th Feb 1978 | 19 | W |
6 | Warrington | L | H | 17 | 6 | 1 | VIEW | ||
24th Feb 1978 | 20 | W |
6 | Huyton | CC1 | H | 36 | 8 | VIEW | |||
1st Mar 1978 | 21 | W |
6 | Castleford | L | A | 29 | 12 | VIEW | |||
5th Mar 1978 | 22 | W |
6 | Bramley | L | H | 71 | 7 | 2 | VIEW | ||
12th Mar 1978 | 23 | W |
6 | Oldham | CC2 | A | 26 | 11 | VIEW | |||
19th Mar 1978 | 24 | W |
6 | Huddersfield | CC3 | H | 31 | 5 | VIEW | |||
21st Mar 1978 | 25 | W |
6 | Salford | L | A | 24 | 11 | 1 | VIEW | ||
24th Mar 1978 | 26 | L |
6 | Wigan | L | H | 17 | 22 | VIEW | |||
27th Mar 1978 | 27 | L |
6 | Widnes | L | A | 5 | 33 | VIEW | |||
30th Mar 1978 | 28 | W |
6 | Bradford Northern | L | H | 28 | 13 | VIEW | |||
2nd Apr 1978 | 29 | W |
6 | Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 36 | 5 | VIEW | |||
8th Apr 1978 | 30 | W |
6 | Warrington | CCSF | N | 12 | 8 | VIEW | |||
12th Apr 1978 | 31 | D |
4 | Bradford Northern | L | A | 9 | 9 | VIEW | |||
22nd Apr 1978 | 32 | W |
6 | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | H | 23 | 13 | VIEW | |||
30th Apr 1978 | 33 | W |
6 | Salford | PT1 | H | 29 | 11 | VIEW | |||
3rd May 1978 | 34 | W |
6 | Bradford Northern | PTSF(1) | H | 14 | 10 | 1 | VIEW | ||
7th May 1978 | 35 | L |
6 | Bradford Northern | PTSF(2) | A | 12 | 19 | VIEW | |||
13th May 1978 | 36 | L |
6 | Leeds | CCF | N | 12 | 14 | 1 | VIEW | ||
4th Aug 1978 | -- | D |
6 | Widnes* | Fr Testimonial | H | 31 | 31 | VIEW | |||
13th Aug 1978 | -- | W |
6 | Oldham* | Fr Charity | H | 44 | 20 | VIEW | |||
20th Aug 1978 | 37 | D |
6 | Rochdale Hornets | LC1 | H | 14 | 14 | VIEW | |||
23rd Aug 1978 | 38 | D |
6 | Rochdale Hornets | LC1 (rep) | A | 8 | 8 | VIEW | |||
25th Aug 1978 | 39 | W |
6 | Rochdale Hornets | LC1 (2nd rep) | N | 28 | 9 | 2 | VIEW | ||
27th Aug 1978 | 40 | L |
6 | Leigh | LC2 | A | 4 | 21 | VIEW | |||
3rd Sep 1978 | 41 | W |
3 | Huddersfield | L | A | 18 | 11 | VIEW | |||
6th Sep 1978 | 42 | W |
4 | Barrow | L | H | 21 | 7 | 1 | VIEW | ||
10th Sep 1978 | 43 | W |
6 | Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 20 | 15 | 1 | VIEW | ||
12th Sep 1978 | 44 | W |
6 | Warrington | FTP | H | 13 | 9 | VIEW | |||
17th Sep 1978 | 45 | D |
6 | Barrow | L | A | 16 | 16 | VIEW | |||
23rd Sep 1978 | 46 | W |
6 | Leeds | JP1 | H | 16 | 11 | VIEW | |||
1st Oct 1978 | 47 | W |
6 | Castleford | L | H | 48 | 14 | VIEW | |||
8th Oct 1978 | 48 | W |
6 | Rochdale Hornets | L | H | 33 | 5 | VIEW | |||
17th Oct 1978 | 49 | W |
6 | Salford | FT1 | A | 17 | 15 | 1 | VIEW | ||
29th Oct 1978 | 50 | W |
4 | Featherstone Rovers | L | A | 22 | 11 | 1 | VIEW | ||
3rd Nov 1978 | 51 | W |
6 | Leigh | L | H | 27 | 20 | 1 | VIEW | ||
7th Nov 1978 | 52 | W |
4 | Castleford | FT2 | H | 47 | 5 | 3 | VIEW | ||
12th Nov 1978 | 53 | L |
4 | Australia | Tour | H | 4 | 26 | VIEW | |||
19th Nov 1978 | 54 | L |
4 | Rochdale Hornets | L | A | 3 | 7 | VIEW | |||
26th Nov 1978 | 55 | L |
6 | Huddersfield | L | H | 15 | 16 | VIEW | |||
28th Nov 1978 | 56 | W |
4 | Hull | FTSF | A | 13 | 5 | VIEW | |||
2nd Dec 1978 | 57 | L |
6 | Widnes | JP2 | A | 10 | 11 | VIEW | |||
10th Dec 1978 | 58 | W |
6 | Salford | L | A | 16 | 13 | VIEW | |||
12th Dec 1978 | 59 | L |
6 | Widnes | FTF | H | 7 | 13 | VIEW | |||
26th Dec 1978 | 60 | W |
6 | Wigan | L | H | 18 | 11 | VIEW | |||
13th Jan 1979 | 61 | L |
6 | Leeds | L | A | 11 | 26 | VIEW | |||
11th Feb 1979 | 62 | W |
6 | Doncaster | CC1 | H | 34 | 9 | 1 | VIEW | ||
20th Feb 1979 | 63 | W |
6 | Workington Town | L | H | 10 | 6 | VIEW | |||
4th Mar 1979 | 64 | W |
4 | Rochdale Hornets | CC2 | A | 11 | 10 | VIEW | |||
7th Mar 1979 | 65 | W |
6 | Warrington | L | A | 15 | 8 | VIEW | |||
10th Mar 1979 | 66 | W |
6 | Castleford | CC3 | A | 10 | 6 | VIEW | |||
18th Mar 1979 | 67 | L |
6 | Leeds | L | H | 15 | 20 | VIEW | |||
1st Apr 1979 | 68 | L |
6 | Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 3 | 23 | VIEW | |||
7th Apr 1979 | 69 | L |
3 | Wakefield Trinity | CCSF | N | 7 | 9 | VIEW | |||
13th Apr 1979 | 70 | L |
6 | Wigan | L | A | 5 | 7 | VIEW | |||
16th Apr 1979 | 71 | L |
1 | Widnes | L | H | 16 | 18 | VIEW | |||
29th Apr 1979 | 72 | W |
6 | Bradford Northern | L | A | 13 | 12 | VIEW | |||
30th Apr 1979 | 73 | W |
6 | Bradford Northern | L | H | 31 | 15 | 2 | VIEW |
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub. |
WINS : 50 | LOSSES : 20 | DRAWS : 5 |
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GALLERY |
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