Players Biography





Further Info: Nicknamed

_______________________________________

Biography

Paul Groves by Dave Dooley:
This will o' the wisp was signed from Salford for a fee of `£40 000 on October 14th 1987. Four days later he made a winning debut for the Saints against Leigh as part of a 23 points to 14 victory. Alex Murphy recognised the need for a player with pace from the dummy half position and Groves fitted the bill perfectly. Gifted with exceptional pace and elusive skills for a player in his position, Paul soon made a big impact during his first season. Paul scored his first try for the club in the John Player Trophy Third Round against Hull on November the 29th 1987 as Saints prevailed over the men from East Yorkshire. Indeed this competition was to provide Paul with his first taste of success as Saints reached the Final against a talented Leeds outfit at Central Park Wigan in January 1988. He demonstrated all his grit and determination when he helped the Saints defeat Leeds by 15 points to 14 in an absolute cliff-hanger of a contest. Groves enjoyed fantastic form with the Saints and a series of high profile games together with a hat trick against Castleford in the First Round of the Premiership Trophy competition resulted in his selection for the Australasian Tour that summer.

The following season brought about a reality check for all at Knowsley Road as Saints had a miserable season finishing seventh in the league and being whitewashed by the old enemy Wigan at Wembley. Paul suffered along with the rest as Alex Murphy chopped and changed attempting to come up with a wining combination but to no avail. The 1989/90 season saw Paul back to his best as Saints progressed without actually capturing any trophies. A highlight of the campaign was a fabulous hat trick scored by Paul in the 34 points to 24 away victory over Hull on November 21st., 1989.

The 1990/91 season promised much for Paul and the Saints as the Saints rattled up the points unfortunately the side was defensively stretched in many games and 11 losses in the league left Cooper's men in sixth position. After a fabulous 19 points to 2 semi-final win over Widnes in the Challenge Cup semi-final, Saints fell at the final hurdle as Wigan held on to a handy half time lead to prevail by 13 points to 8. In the semi-final Paul dropped his one and only goal for the club. Many felt that Wigan were there for the taking on that day and this made the club even more determined to bring some silverware to Knowsley Road.

This ambition was soon fulfilled in the following campaign as the Saints and Paul had a blinder against Wigan in the Lancashire Cup semi-final. The Saints overcame the old enemy and ten days later his dummy half play and support work helped Saints to a 24 points to 14 win over Rochdale Hornets in the Lancashire Cup Final at Warrington. He scored a brace of tries that season against Trafford Borough as Saints did the ton-up against modest opposition. The side also settled down that season and finished a comfortable second position in the league but still somewhat adrift from Wigan at the top.

At the start of the 1992/3 season Saints were blessed with players who could fill the number 9 shirt. Bernard Dwyer was at the peak of his game and Saints had acquired Gus O' Donnell from Wigan over the summer break. Paul did not figure in the plans of coach Mike McClennan and so he found himself being transferred to Oldham after just four outings in the campaign. Paul Groves was a natural footballer who played some exceptional games for the Saints amid some 158 matches for the club. His representative profile reflects the quality of Paul's play when he was at the top of his game. Great Britain selection, Lancashire caps and an Australasian Tour place are entries on a C.V. that most rugby league players can only dream of; for Paul Groves they are personal memories to be cherished.





Player match listings are a work in progress.
Competitions:



Paul Groves : Season Stats

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1987~889 0 0 30
1988~892 0 0 27
1989~909 0 0 37
1990~912 0 0 30
1991~926 0 0 30
1992~930 0 0 4
TOTALS:28 0 0 158
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1989~900001
1991~920001
1992~930001
TOTALS:0003
W/D/LPosDateOpponentsCompSeasonVenueFTFTOTGDGNPS**
W 9 18th Oct 1987 Leigh L 1987~88 H 23 14 0 0 0 View
W 9 25th Oct 1987 Salford L 1987~88 A 18 8 0 0 0 View
L 9 8th Nov 1987 Leeds L 1987~88 A 21 24 0 0 0 View
W 9 14th Nov 1987 Widnes JP1 1987~88 H 12 10 0 0 0 View
W 9 22nd Nov 1987 Mansfield Marksmen JP2 1987~88 H 40 0 0 0 0 View
W 9 29th Nov 1987 Hull JP3 1987~88 H 20 16 1 0 0 View
L 9 6th Dec 1987 Hull K.R. L 1987~88 A 16 25 0 0 0 View
W 9 13th Dec 1987 Warrington L 1987~88 H 17 14 0 0 0 View
W 9 19th Dec 1987 Oldham JPSF 1987~88 N 18 8 0 0 0 View
W 9 27th Dec 1987 Wigan L 1987~88 A 32 22 0 0 0 View
W 9 3rd Jan 1988 Widnes L 1987~88 H 25 0 0 0 0 View
W 9 9th Jan 1988 Leeds JPF 1987~88 N 15 14 0 0 0 View
W 9 17th Jan 1988 Bradford Northern L 1987~88 A 13 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 31st Jan 1988 Leigh CC1 1987~88 A 22 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 7th Feb 1988 Halifax L 1987~88 H 16 4 0 0 0 View
W 9 13th Feb 1988 Warrington CC2 1987~88 A 24 20 0 0 0 View
W 9 21st Feb 1988 Leigh L 1987~88 A 50 12 1 0 0 View
L 9 28th Feb 1988 Salford CC3 1987~88 A 18 22 0 0 0 View
W 9 1st Mar 1988 Hunslet L 1987~88 H 70 6 0 0 0 View
W 9 6th Mar 1988 Hunslet L 1987~88 A 14 10 1 0 0 View
W 9 13th Mar 1988 Castleford L 1987~88 H 14 6 0 0 0 View
W 9 16th Mar 1988 Salford L 1987~88 H 24 10 0 0 0 View
W 9 20th Mar 1988 Swinton L 1987~88 A 34 18 1 0 0 View
L 9 1st Apr 1988 Wigan L 1987~88 H 9 10 0 0 0 View
L 9 4th Apr 1988 Widnes L 1987~88 A 6 16 0 0 0 View
L 9 10th Apr 1988 Leeds L 1987~88 H 23 28 0 0 0 View
W 9 17th Apr 1988 Swinton L 1987~88 H 52 4 1 0 0 View
W 9 24th Apr 1988 Castleford PT1 1987~88 H 40 8 3 0 0 View
W 9 8th May 1988 Bradford Northern PTSF 1987~88 H 24 10 1 0 0 View
L 9 15th May 1988 Widnes PTF 1987~88 N 14 38 0 0 0 View
L 9 18th Sep 1988 Widnes LC1 1988~89 A 24 32 0 0 0 View
W 9 2nd Oct 1988 Wakefield Trinity L 1988~89 H 30 14 0 0 0 View
W 9 9th Oct 1988 Hull K.R. L 1988~89 A 30 22 0 0 0 View
L 9 16th Oct 1988 Hull L 1988~89 H 9 20 0 0 0 View
W 9 23rd Oct 1988 Oldham L 1988~89 A 26 22 0 0 0 View
W 9 18th Dec 1988 Halifax L 1988~89 H 50 16 0 0 0 View
L 9 26th Dec 1988 Wigan L 1988~89 H 11 18 0 0 0 View
L 9 1st Jan 1989 Widnes L 1988~89 A 22 29 1 0 0 View
W 9 8th Jan 1989 Leeds L 1988~89 H 15 6 0 0 0 View
L 9 15th Jan 1989 Featherstone Rovers L 1988~89 A 12 13 0 0 0 View
W 9 22nd Jan 1989 Hull K.R. L 1988~89 H 29 0 0 0 0 View
W 9 29th Jan 1989 Swinton CC1 1988~89 A 16 5 0 0 0 View
W 9 12th Feb 1989 Barrow CC2 1988~89 H 28 6 1 0 0 View
W 9 19th Feb 1989 Bradford Northern L 1988~89 A 16 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 26th Feb 1989 Featherstone Rovers CC3 1988~89 H 32 3 0 0 0 View
W 9 1st Mar 1989 Oldham L 1988~89 H 58 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 11th Mar 1989 Widnes CCSF 1988~89 N 16 14 0 0 0 View
L 9 14th Mar 1989 Salford L 1988~89 A 4 22 0 0 0 View
L 9 19th Mar 1989 Featherstone Rovers L 1988~89 H 10 31 0 0 0 View
L 9 27th Mar 1989 Widnes L 1988~89 H 16 44 0 0 0 View
L 9 2nd Apr 1989 Wakefield Trinity L 1988~89 A 14 21 0 0 0 View
W 9 9th Apr 1989 Warrington L 1988~89 H 30 16 0 0 0 View
L 9 12th Apr 1989 Wigan L 1988~89 A 7 14 0 0 0 View
L 9 16th Apr 1989 Halifax L 1988~89 A 8 40 0 0 0 View
W 9 23rd Apr 1989 Wigan PT1 1988~89 A 4 2 0 0 0 View
L 9 29th Apr 1989 Wigan CCF 1988~89 N 0 27 0 0 0 View
L 9 7th May 1989 Widnes PTSF 1988~89 A 14 38 0 0 0 View
W 9 20th Aug 1989 Widnes* Fr Charity 1989~90 A 24 16 0 0 0 View
W 9 3rd Sep 1989 Sheffield Eagles L 1989~90 A 36 20 0 0 0 View
L 9 10th Sep 1989 Castleford L 1989~90 H 24 26 1 0 0 View
W 9 17th Sep 1989 Runcorn Highfield LC1 1989~90 H 78 10 0 0 0 View
L 9 24th Sep 1989 Bradford Northern L 1989~90 A 18 28 0 0 0 View
L 9 27th Sep 1989 Oldham LC2 1989~90 H 6 36 0 0 0 View
W 9 1st Oct 1989 New Zealand Tour 1989~90 H 27 26 0 0 0 View
W 9 8th Oct 1989 Wakefield Trinity L 1989~90 A 24 21 0 0 0 View
W 9 15th Oct 1989 Featherstone Rovers L 1989~90 H 50 11 1 0 0 View
W 9 29th Oct 1989 Warrington L 1989~90 A 15 3 0 0 0 View
W 9 4th Nov 1989 Salford L 1989~90 H 40 16 1 0 0 View
W 9 12th Nov 1989 Barrow L 1989~90 H 62 18 0 0 0 View
W 9 21st Nov 1989 Hull L 1989~90 A 34 24 3 0 0 View
W 9 26th Nov 1989 Featherstone Rovers L 1989~90 A 24 23 0 0 0 View
W 9 2nd Dec 1989 Hull K.R. RT1 1989~90 H 40 26 0 0 0 View
D 9 10th Dec 1989 Dewsbury RT2 1989~90 H 12 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 13th Dec 1989 Dewsbury RT2 (rep) 1989~90 A 14 0 0 0 0 View
W 9 17th Dec 1989 Oldham RT3 1989~90 H 32 18 1 0 0 View
L 9 23rd Dec 1989 Halifax RTSF 1989~90 N 9 10 0 0 0 View
L 9 26th Dec 1989 Wigan L 1989~90 A 6 38 0 0 0 View
L 9 1st Jan 1990 Widnes L 1989~90 H 8 18 0 0 0 View
L 9 7th Jan 1990 Leigh L 1989~90 A 18 30 0 0 0 View
W 9 14th Jan 1990 Castleford CCP 1989~90 H 39 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 4th Feb 1990 Leeds L 1989~90 H 32 26 0 0 0 View
W 9 10th Feb 1990 Hull CC2 1989~90 A 24 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 18th Feb 1990 Barrow L 1989~90 A 46 6 0 0 0 View
W 9 25th Feb 1990 Whitehaven CC3 1989~90 H 44 10 1 0 0 View
D 9 28th Feb 1990 Warrington L AB 1989~90 H 0 0 0 0 0 View
L 9 4th Mar 1990 Castleford L 1989~90 A 24 34 0 0 0 View
L 9 10th Mar 1990 Wigan CCSF 1989~90 N 14 20 0 0 0 View
L 9 14th Mar 1990 Warrington L 1989~90 H 14 23 0 0 0 View
W 9 17th Mar 1990 Wakefield Trinity L 1989~90 H 44 21 1 0 0 View
W 9 25th Mar 1990 Leigh L 1989~90 H 12 6 0 0 0 View
L 9 1st Apr 1990 Leeds L 1989~90 A 14 50 0 0 0 View
W 9 8th Apr 1990 Sheffield Eagles L 1989~90 H 42 26 0 0 0 View
W 9 13th Apr 1990 Wigan L 1989~90 H 35 10 0 0 0 View
L 9 16th Apr 1990 Widnes L 1989~90 A 16 34 0 0 0 View
L 9 22nd Apr 1990 Bradford Northern PT1 1989~90 A 8 25 0 0 0 View
W 9 26th Aug 1990 Trafford Borough LC1 1990~91 H 56 24 1 0 0 View
L 9 2nd Sep 1990 Salford LC2 1990~91 A 7 21 0 0 0 View
L 9 9th Sep 1990 Hull L 1990~91 A 14 20 0 0 0 View
W 9 16th Sep 1990 Bradford Northern L 1990~91 H 24 20 0 0 0 View
L 9 7th Oct 1990 Australia Tour 1990~91 H 4 34 0 0 0 View
L 9 21st Oct 1990 Castleford L 1990~91 H 16 29 0 0 0 View
W 9 4th Nov 1990 Rochdale Hornets L 1990~91 A 30 18 0 0 0 View
W 9 11th Nov 1990 Sheffield Eagles L 1990~91 H 34 17 0 0 0 View
L 9 21st Nov 1990 Bradford Northern L 1990~91 A 16 18 0 0 0 View
W 9 25th Nov 1990 Rochdale Hornets L 1990~91 H 44 14 0 0 0 View
L 9 16th Dec 1990 Warrington RT3 1990~91 A 12 18 0 0 0 View
L 9 23rd Dec 1990 Sheffield Eagles L 1990~91 A 8 18 0 0 0 View
L 9 26th Dec 1990 Wigan L 1990~91 H 15 28 0 0 0 View
L 9 1st Jan 1991 Widnes L 1990~91 A 8 14 0 0 0 View
W 9 6th Jan 1991 Wakefield Trinity L 1990~91 H 36 14 0 0 0 View
W 9 13th Jan 1991 Featherstone Rovers L 1990~91 A 36 28 0 0 0 View
W 9 20th Jan 1991 Leeds L 1990~91 H 22 16 0 0 0 View
D 9 27th Jan 1991 Hull K.R. L 1990~91 A 26 26 0 0 0 View
W 9 3rd Feb 1991 Oldham L 1990~91 A 20 16 0 0 0 View
L 15 3rd Mar 1991 Warrington L 1990~91 A 20 34 0 0 0 View
W 15 10th Mar 1991 Halifax CC3 1990~91 A 24 16 0 0 0 View
W 9 13th Mar 1991 Oldham L 1990~91 H 33 22 0 0 0 View
W 9 17th Mar 1991 Featherstone Rovers L 1990~91 H 54 38 1 0 0 View
L 9 24th Mar 1991 Castleford L 1990~91 A 4 28 0 0 0 View
W 15 30th Mar 1991 Widnes CCSF 1990~91 N 19 2 0 0 0 View
L 9 1st Apr 1991 Widnes L 1990~91 H 12 20 0 0 0 View
L 9 4th Apr 1991 Wigan L 1990~91 A 14 28 0 0 0 View
W 9 14th Apr 1991 Warrington L 1990~91 H 62 16 0 0 0 View
L 15 21st Apr 1991 Hull PT1 1990~91 A 12 28 0 0 0 View
L 15 27th Apr 1991 Wigan CCF 1990~91 N 8 13 0 0 0 View
W 9 18th Aug 1991 Widnes* Fr Charity 1991~92 A 30 26 0 0 0 View
W 9 1st Sep 1991 Hull L 1991~92 A 31 10 1 0 0 View
W 9 8th Sep 1991 Warrington L 1991~92 H 27 20 0 0 0 View
W 9 15th Sep 1991 Trafford Borough LC1 1991~92 H 104 12 2 0 0 View
W 9 26th Sep 1991 Oldham LC2 1991~92 H 39 26 0 0 0 View
W 9 10th Oct 1991 Wigan LCSF 1991~92 H 28 16 0 0 0 View
W 9 13th Oct 1991 Bradford Northern L 1991~92 H 30 12 1 0 0 View
W 9 20th Oct 1991 Rochdale Hornets LCF 1991~92 N 24 14 0 0 0 View
W 9 23rd Oct 1991 Salford L 1991~92 H 25 16 1 0 0 View
D 9 27th Oct 1991 Leeds L 1991~92 A 8 8 0 0 0 View
W 15 1st Dec 1991 Bradford Northern RT3 1991~92 H 30 12 0 0 0 View
L 9 4th Dec 1991 Featherstone Rovers L 1991~92 A 6 8 0 0 0 View
W 9 8th Dec 1991 Swinton L 1991~92 H 28 4 1 0 0 View
L 15 21st Dec 1991 Widnes RTSF 1991~92 N 10 18 0 0 0 View
L 9 26th Dec 1991 Wigan L 1991~92 A 6 16 0 0 0 View
W 9 1st Jan 1992 Widnes L 1991~92 H 24 22 0 0 0 View
W 9 5th Jan 1992 Salford L 1991~92 A 15 6 0 0 0 View
W 9 12th Jan 1992 Featherstone Rovers L 1991~92 H 28 10 0 0 0 View
W 9 19th Jan 1992 Wakefield Trinity L 1991~92 H 40 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 2nd Feb 1992 Widnes CC1 1991~92 A 10 2 0 0 0 View
W 9 8th Feb 1992 Leeds CC2 1991~92 A 32 12 0 0 0 View
W 9 16th Feb 1992 Bradford Northern L 1991~92 A 20 8 0 0 0 View
L 9 22nd Feb 1992 Wigan CC3 1991~92 H 6 13 0 0 0 View
W 9 1st Mar 1992 Leeds L 1991~92 H 19 8 0 0 0 View
D 9 8th Mar 1992 Castleford L 1991~92 A 8 8 0 0 0 View
W 9 22nd Mar 1992 Halifax L 1991~92 H 30 28 0 0 0 View
W 15 29th Mar 1992 Hull L 1991~92 H 42 12 0 0 0 View
L 9 4th Apr 1992 Warrington L 1991~92 A 18 30 0 0 0 View
W 9 26th Apr 1992 Halifax PT1 1991~92 H 52 6 0 0 0 View
W 15 10th May 1992 Castleford PTSF 1991~92 H 30 14 0 0 0 View
L 15 17th May 1992 Wigan PTF 1991~92 N 16 48 0 0 0 View
W 15 16th Aug 1992 Widnes* Fr Charity 1992~93 H 22 12 0 0 0 View
W 15 4th Oct 1992 Wakefield Trinity L 1992~93 A 18 5 0 0 0 View
W 14 7th Oct 1992 Salford LCSF 1992~93 H 18 5 0 0 0 View
W 15 11th Oct 1992 Hull L 1992~93 H 38 8 0 0 0 View
W 9 27th Oct 1992 Huddersfield RTP 1992~93 H 44 18 0 0 0 View


*Unofficial Match.
**Non Playing Sub.
CALCULATED APPEARANCES : OFFICIAL 155 OTHER 3 = 158
ACTUAL APPEARANCES (inc 13 Subs) = 158
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