Tommy Bishop

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
15-10-1940
N/A
01-1966
Barrow
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
29-01-1966 v Halifax
Castleford
1969- Cronulla- Aus
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1965-1968
135 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
47
17
0
175

Biography of Tommy Bishop



HERITAGE NO : 830
In a remarkable three and a half seasons at Knowsley Road, Bishop won a total of 15 Caps for Britain and was appointed Captain for the French Tests in 1968/69 - a season in which he also skippered his Club and County. The capture of Tommy Bishop from Barrow for £5,500 completed the pieces in the Saints team-building jigsaw before the 1966 Challenge Cup-ties began. A small, tough scrum half who never shirked a tackle regardless of the size of an opponent, 26 year old Bishop had starred with Blackpool Borough and Barrow before joining his home town team.

"I was never allowed to influence transfers," recalls Joe Coan, "but this lad Bishop was the exception. I said at the time that he was the best in the league and could do a job for us. He always wanted to play. The best players are those who play the most matches."

The arrival of the `mighty atom` caused some controversy regarding Alex Murphy`s position in the team. Peter Harvey was established as stand off and with Bob Prosser also available Coan had no hesitation in asking Murphy to turn out in the centre. Although unhappy in his new role, the Skipper did a fine job alongside his co-centre 21 year old Billy Benyon - the `Babe` of the team.

"A lot of rubbish was talked at the time about what was best for the team," explains Coan. "Murphy was the best player we had in any position - the greatest player you will ever see in your lifetime. Of course there was Vollenhoven - but he was a specialist. Alex was the complete footballer, a fine athlete and a tremendous trainer. "

Tommy had an immediate effect on the team. He was inspirational and could switch effortlessly from being the creator to the motivator. His individual brilliance was best demonstrated in the 1966 Challenge Cup Final against Wigan when Cliff Watson barged to a central position just 12 yards from the Wigan tryline. Tommy Bishop at acting half back tried one of his trademark grubber kicks. The ball bounced off the Wigan full-back Ray Ashby and right into the little maestro`s hands. Bishop dived beneath the Wigan posts to take the Saints out of sight in the contest by 17 points to 2 with a conversion to come. A week later Tommy seemed content to feed his classy backs and the rampant Albert Halsall as destroyed Halifax in the Championship Final by 35 points to 12.

With Saints winning the Lancashire League title in 1965/6 and 1966/7 Tommy just needed a Lancashire Cup winner`s medal to complete a full collection. He did not have to wait very long as Saints waltzed off with that particular trophy in December 1967 with a hard fought 13 points to 10 victory over Warrington. Tommy was appointed captain of the club with the retirement of Tom Van Vollenhoven for the 1968/9 campaign and in October 1968 Bishop lifted his first trophy with the Saints as they retained the Lancashire Cup with a stunning record 30 points to 2 win over Oldham. For good measure Tommy chipped in with a try against his own name. Indeed the `Mighty Atom` was a regular feature on the score-sheet during his time at Knowsley Road with 47 tries in 147 appearances.

His last season at the Saints was a transitional one for the side and despite winning the Lancashire Cup and Lancashire League again it could have been an even better farewell for Tommy. Saints had only lost three league games up to the away Good Friday fixture against Wigan and were neck and neck with Leeds at the top of the league. Saints crashed against Wigan that day and lost one further fixture at home to Workington Town. One wouldn`t be that surprised to learn that Tommy did not play in those two fixtures. He was a great captain and an inspirational leader on the pitch.

In the summer of 1969, St. Helens Supporters mourned the departure of the man who was expected to lead the Club into anew decade of success as Tommy Bishop became the latest big name `Saint` to be lured by the Australian scene. Tough, cheeky and skilful, the `Mighty Atom` captured the hearts of the sporting public `Down Under` with some exhilarating displays during the 1966 Great Britain Tour and had become quite a celebrity. Like Ken Killeen before him, `Bish` had achieved all that he could in England and relished the challenge offered to him by the Cronulla Sutherland Club. Under Tommy`s tremendous influence, the Sharks rose from being the `whipping boys` of the Sydney Competition to Grand Final participants in 1973. Opponents Manly won an exciting game 10-7, but for many in the crowd, Bishop`s side were the heroes! Former Saints prop Cliff Watson was also a Cronulla player by this time.

By Alex Service and Dave Dooley
The Era of the Biff website has a GREAT article on Tommy, please visit them here.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1965~66 9 0 0 21
1966~67 9 10 0 36
1967~6810 6 0 36
1968~6919 1 0 42
TOTALS:47 17 0 135
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1967~68 0001
TOTALS:0001

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
29th Jan 1966 1
W
 6 Halifax L A 5 2 VIEW
1st Feb 1966 2
W
 6 Widnes L H 9 4 VIEW
5th Feb 1966 3
W
 6 Blackpool Borough L A 25 11 1 VIEW
14th Feb 1966 4
W
 6 Leigh L H 17 2 1 VIEW
19th Feb 1966 5
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity L A 12 20 VIEW
26th Feb 1966 6
W
 7 Wakefield Trinity CC1 A 10 0 1 VIEW
1st Mar 1966 7
W
 7 Warrington L H 22 6 VIEW
8th Mar 1966 8
W
 7 Liverpool City L H 16 2 2 VIEW
12th Mar 1966 9
W
 7 Huddersfield L A 8 7 VIEW
19th Mar 1966 10
W
 7 Swinton CC2 H 16 4 1 VIEW
26th Mar 1966 11
L
 7 Wigan L A 8 17 VIEW
2nd Apr 1966 12
W
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers CC3 H 12 10 VIEW
8th Apr 1966 13
W
 7 Wigan L H 17 10 VIEW
16th Apr 1966 14
W
 7 Dewsbury CCSF N 12 5 VIEW
22nd Apr 1966 15
L
 7 Swinton L H 10 15 VIEW
25th Apr 1966 16
W
 7 Liverpool City L A 28 3 1 VIEW
30th Apr 1966 17
W
 7 Warrington Ch1 H 35 7 1 VIEW
7th May 1966 18
W
 7 Oldham Ch2 H 15 10 VIEW
14th May 1966 19
W
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers ChSF H 14 6 VIEW
21st May 1966 20
W
 7 Wigan CCF N 21 2 1 VIEW
28th May 1966 21
W
 7 Halifax ChF N 35 12 VIEW
27th Aug 1966 22
W
 6 Salford L H 42 7 1 VIEW
3rd Sep 1966 23
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets LC1 A 18 16 1 VIEW
7th Sep 1966 24
W
 7 Salford FTP(1) A 19 10 VIEW
10th Sep 1966 25
W
 7 Liverpool City L A 35 12 VIEW
12th Sep 1966 26
W
 7 Barrow L A 15 9 1 VIEW
14th Sep 1966 27
L
 7 Wigan LC2 A 9 11 VIEW
17th Sep 1966 28
W
 7 Blackpool Borough L A 23 14 VIEW
26th Sep 1966 29
W
 7 Salford FTP(2) H 40 5 VIEW
14th Oct 1966 30
W
 7 Wakefield Trinity L H 18 15 VIEW
18th Oct 1966 31
W
 7 Swinton FT1 H 11 9 VIEW
22nd Oct 1966 32
W
 7 Salford L A 30 3 1 VIEW
28th Oct 1966 33
W
 7 Leeds L H 16 3 VIEW
1st Nov 1966 34
D
 7 Barrow FT2 A 11 11 VIEW
11th Nov 1966 35
W
 7 Castleford L H 13 2 1 VIEW
18th Nov 1966 36
W
 7 Barrow L H 16 11 1 1 VIEW
26th Nov 1966 37
W
 7 Huddersfield L A 15 10 1 VIEW
9th Dec 1966 38
W
 7 Leigh L H 4 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1966 39
W
 7 Wigan L H 8 3 VIEW
27th Dec 1966 40
W
 7 Warrington L A 9 8 VIEW
21st Jan 1967 41
L
 7 Workington Town L H 5 6 VIEW
27th Jan 1967 42
W
 7 Oldham L H 25 7 1 VIEW
3rd Feb 1967 43
D
 7 Salford CC1 A 5 5 VIEW
7th Feb 1967 44
L
 7 Salford CC1(rep) H 3 8 VIEW
11th Feb 1967 45
W
 7 Liverpool City L H 23 6 VIEW
17th Feb 1967 46
L
 7 Oldham L A 7 8 VIEW
4th Mar 1967 47
L
 7 Leeds L A 20 26 1 VIEW
10th Mar 1967 48
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets L H 17 2 1 VIEW
18th Mar 1967 49
W
 7 Huddersfield L H 11 4 VIEW
24th Mar 1967 50
W
 7 Wigan L A 21 7 1 VIEW
27th Mar 1967 51
L
 7 Swinton L H 5 12 VIEW
7th Apr 1967 52
W
 7 Widnes L H 25 10 1 1 VIEW
14th Apr 1967 53
W
 7 Leigh Ch1 H 37 12 2 1 VIEW
22nd Apr 1967 54
W
 7 Bradford Northern Ch2 H 15 8 1 VIEW
29th Apr 1967 55
W
 7 Castleford ChSF H 14 3 VIEW
6th May 1967 56
D
 7 Wakefield Trinity ChF N 7 7 VIEW
10th May 1967 57
L
 7 Wakefield Trinity ChF(rep) N 9 21 1 VIEW
11th Aug 1967 --
W
 14 Swinton * Fr Gallie Cup A 9 7 VIEW
18th Aug 1967 58
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets LC1 H 7 4 VIEW
23rd Aug 1967 59
W
 7 Leeds L A 13 12 VIEW
26th Aug 1967 60
W
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 13 8 VIEW
1st Sep 1967 61
W
 7 Salford L A 15 3 VIEW
9th Sep 1967 62
W
 7 Liverpool City L A 32 5 VIEW
15th Sep 1967 63
W
 7 Leigh L H 22 0 VIEW
19th Sep 1967 64
W
 7 Swinton LCSF A 12 8 1 1 VIEW
23rd Sep 1967 65
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets L A 8 2 VIEW
7th Oct 1967 66
D
 7 Warrington LCF N 2 2 VIEW
14th Oct 1967 67
W
 7 Liverpool City L H 15 7 VIEW
24th Oct 1967 68
W
 7 Australia Tour H 8 4 2 VIEW
27th Oct 1967 69
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets L H 14 7 VIEW
7th Nov 1967 70
W
 7 Oldham FT1 H 14 0 2 VIEW
11th Nov 1967 71
W
 7 Blackpool Borough L H 17 3 1 VIEW
18th Nov 1967 72
W
 7 Leigh L A 7 4 VIEW
22nd Nov 1967 73
L
 7 Wigan FT2 H 11 22 1 VIEW
2nd Dec 1967 74
W
 7 Warrington LCF(rep) N 13 10 VIEW
16th Dec 1967 75
W
 7 Oldham L H 10 2 VIEW
26th Dec 1967 76
W
 7 Wigan L A 16 10 VIEW
30th Dec 1967 77
D
 7 Batley L H 9 9 VIEW
5th Jan 1968 78
L
 7 Barrow L A 7 17 1 VIEW
15th Jan 1968 79
W
 7 Barrow L H 6 2 1 VIEW
20th Jan 1968 80
W
 7 Oldham L A 26 14 VIEW
22nd Jan 1968 81
L
 7 Swinton L H 10 17 VIEW
27th Jan 1968 82
L
 7 Workington Town L A 5 14 VIEW
3rd Feb 1968 83
L
 7 Huddersfield CC1 H 0 5 VIEW
17th Feb 1968 84
W
 7 Batley L A 18 12 VIEW
23rd Feb 1968 85
L
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 10 12 1 VIEW
26th Feb 1968 86
W
 7 Whitehaven L H 31 8 1 3 VIEW
30th Mar 1968 87
W
 7 Workington Town L H 18 11 VIEW
12th Apr 1968 88
W
 7 Wigan L H 24 13 VIEW
13th Apr 1968 89
L
 7 Widnes L A 7 24 VIEW
15th Apr 1968 90
W
 7 Swinton L A 19 16 VIEW
19th Apr 1968 91
W
 7 Halifax Ch1 H 31 2 1 VIEW
24th Apr 1968 92
W
 7 Warrington Ch2 H 20 0 VIEW
27th Apr 1968 93
L
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers ChSF A 10 23 VIEW
14th Aug 1968 94
W
 7 Wakefield Trinity L A 5 0 VIEW
20th Aug 1968 95
W
 7 Whitehaven L H 28 9 VIEW
24th Aug 1968 96
L
 7 Leeds L A 13 20 VIEW
28th Aug 1968 97
W
 7 Wakefield Trinity L H 24 8 1 VIEW
31st Aug 1968 98
W
 7 Widnes L H 24 9 1 VIEW
2nd Sep 1968 99
W
 7 Barrow L A 17 2 VIEW
7th Sep 1968 100
W
 7 Wigan LC1 H 19 16 1 VIEW
10th Sep 1968 101
W
 7 Barrow FTP(1) H 21 5 1 VIEW
14th Sep 1968 102
W
 7 Leigh L H 27 2 VIEW
18th Sep 1968 103
W
 7 Widnes LC2 A 20 17 1 VIEW
20th Sep 1968 104
W
 7 Huyton L H 11 10 VIEW
27th Sep 1968 105
W
 7 Warrington L H 24 11 1 VIEW
4th Oct 1968 106
D
 7 Salford L A 10 10 VIEW
7th Oct 1968 107
W
 7 Leigh LCSF A 17 6 VIEW
12th Oct 1968 108
W
 7 Leeds L H 28 3 VIEW
14th Oct 1968 109
W
 7 Swinton FT1 H 12 10 1 VIEW
25th Oct 1968 110
W
 7 Oldham LCF N 30 2 1 VIEW
30th Oct 1968 111
L
 7 Rochdale Hornets L A 2 13 VIEW
9th Nov 1968 112
W
 7 Doncaster L A 22 8 VIEW
23rd Nov 1968 113
W
 7 Warrington L A 20 5 1 VIEW
26th Nov 1968 114
W
 7 Hull FT2 H 14 10 1 VIEW
4th Dec 1968 115
W
 6 Blackpool Borough L H 13 10 VIEW
10th Dec 1968 116
W
 7 Warrington FTSF H 29 6 2 VIEW
17th Dec 1968 117
L
 7 Wigan FTF A 4 7 VIEW
26th Dec 1968 118
W
 7 Wigan L AB H 11 3 VIEW
1st Jan 1969 119
W
 7 Swinton L A 15 5 VIEW
6th Jan 1969 120
W
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 16 5 1 1 VIEW
11th Jan 1969 121
W
 7 Whitehaven L A 9 7 1 VIEW
14th Jan 1969 122
W
 7 Wigan L H 13 3 VIEW
18th Jan 1969 123
W
 7 Rochdale Hornets L H 17 7 VIEW
25th Jan 1969 124
W
 7 Hull CC1 A 13 3 1 VIEW
25th Feb 1969 125
W
 7 Oldham CC2 A 15 6 VIEW
1st Mar 1969 126
L
 7 Warrington CC3 A 2 4 VIEW
6th Mar 1969 127
W
 7 Huyton L H 37 6 1 VIEW
11th Mar 1969 128
W
 7 Barrow L H 32 7 1 VIEW
15th Mar 1969 129
L
 7 Leigh L A 10 12 VIEW
21st Mar 1969 130
W
 7 Widnes L A 18 4 VIEW
24th Mar 1969 131
W
 7 Blackpool Borough L H 43 12 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1969 132
W
 7 Oldham L H 19 4 VIEW
26th Apr 1969 133
W
 7 Keighley Ch1 H 25 7 VIEW
3rd May 1969 134
W
 7 Featherstone Rovers Ch2 H 47 4 1 VIEW
10th May 1969 135
L
 7 Castleford ChSF H 6 18 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 106 | LOSSES : 24 | DRAWS : 6

GALLERY





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