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Dave Cotton

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
29-03-1909
N/A
27 -02-1930
Unknown.
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
30-08-1930 v Widnes
Castleford
1944- Warrington
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1930-1935
168 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
9
0
0
27

Biography of Dave Cotton



HERITAGE NO : 387
Dave Cotton by Dave Dooley:

Dave Cotton was a durable and rugged hooker who played for the Saints in the 1930s. He was signed on the 27th. of February, 1930 and made his debut in the 21 points to 7 away victory over Widnes on the 30th of August 1930. He went on to play in 23 matches that season including a try-scoring performance in 20 points to 19 away win at Leigh on the 14th. of March, 1931. Dave was an exceptional hooker in the scrum and a solid tackler. Once established in the Saints` first team Dave was virtually ever-present for five seasons.

The following season was a great one for the club and Dave. He played in 39 matches as the Saints romped to the Lancashire League Championship and were crowned Champions of the Rugby Football League for the first time after defeating Huddersfield by 9 points to 5 in the 1932 Mayday Championship Final at Oldham. That season Dave helped himself to two tries in the home league victories over Dewsbury and Halifax and was the Club`s second highest player in the appearances charts.

The 1932-33 season was a disappointment for the Champions but Dave again played 36 times in the number 9 shirt. These matches included a try for the Saints against Rochdale in a 47 points to 19 victory.

Dave probably played his best rugby in the 1933/34 season and this was reflected in a bumper five-try haul. The two tries against Dewsbury demonstrated Dave`s support play and strength near the line. Cotton `netted` further tries in victories over Leigh, Bradford Northern and Leeds.

The following season saw Saints further slip down the league ladder as financial crises bit hard at the Club and nationally. Dave played 34 times for the Club in a tryless season for the tough number nine. The paucity of points for hookers was not unusual in the game. Indeed following Dave`s departure to Warrington after the second game of the 1935/36 campaign Saints` hookers only scored 3 tries in the next four seasons. This statistic encapsulates the role of the hooker in those days - his primary concern was to win the ball in matches that could yield up to 50 scrums. In this respect Dave Cotton was one of the best specialist hookers of his time. Dave returned to play for the Saints as a guest in September 1944 in an away fixture at Castleford.

In 1921 Dave was living in Pottery Street, Wigan. He lived with his father, Isaac a Coal Miner at the Garswood Hall Colliery, mother Margaret, three brothers and a servant. Dave Cotton is the father of Fran Cotton who starred as a prop forward for England and the British Lions Rugby Union teams in the 1970s. Dave`s brother, Sol, also played 16 matches for the Saints in the early 1930s. Outside rugby Dave was an Engineer's Labourer Underground. In 1939 he was living in Edge Green Lane, Golborne. He died in December 1999, aged 90 and his death was registered in Wigan and Leigh.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1930~311 0 0 23
1931~322 0 0 39
1932~33 1 0 0 36
1933~345 0 0 33
1934~350 0 0 34
1935~360 0 0 2
1944~45 0 0 0 1
TOTALS:9 0 0 168
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1930~31 0001
1932~32 0001
TOTALS:0002

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
30th Aug 1930 1
W
 9 Widnes L A 21 7 VIEW
6th Sep 1930 2
L
 9 Widnes L H 5 9 VIEW
13th Sep 1930 3
L
 9 Swinton L A 3 12 VIEW
1st Jan 1931 4
L
 9 St. Helens Recs L A 3 5 VIEW
17th Jan 1931 5
W
 9 Swinton L H 8 3 VIEW
24th Jan 1931 6
D
 9 Broughton Rangers L A 0 0 VIEW
31st Jan 1931 7
L
 9 Huddersfield L H 0 10 VIEW
7th Feb 1931 8
W
 9 Keighley CC1 H 46 4 VIEW
14th Feb 1931 9
W
 9 Bramley L A 19 8 VIEW
21st Feb 1931 10
W
 9 Castleford CC2 A 8 2 VIEW
28th Feb 1931 11
W
 9 Barrow L H 30 0 VIEW
7th Mar 1931 12
W
 9 Broughton Rangers CC3 A 8 7 VIEW
14th Mar 1931 13
W
 9 Leigh L A 20 19 1 VIEW
17th Mar 1931 14
W
 9 Dewsbury L A 10 7 VIEW
21st Mar 1931 15
W
 9 Leigh L H 23 3 VIEW
28th Mar 1931 16
L
 9 Halifax CCSF N 2 11 VIEW
3rd Apr 1931 17
L
 9 Wigan L A 2 5 VIEW
4th Apr 1931 18
L
 9 Oldham L A 7 28 VIEW
6th Apr 1931 19
W
 9 York L H 13 3 VIEW
7th Apr 1931 20
L
 9 Halifax L A 13 15 VIEW
11th Apr 1931 21
W
 9 Broughton Rangers L H 37 5 VIEW
22nd Apr 1931 22
W
 9 Wigan Highfield L H 40 17 VIEW
25th Apr 1931 23
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 25 5 VIEW
9th May 1931 --
W
 9 Barrow * Fr Carnival Cup L 33 7 VIEW
29th Aug 1931 24
W
 9 Widnes L H 39 2 VIEW
5th Sep 1931 25
D
 9 Widnes L A 7 7 VIEW
9th Sep 1931 26
W
 9 Barrow L A 12 0 VIEW
12th Sep 1931 27
W
 9 Wigan Highfield L H 14 10 VIEW
19th Sep 1931 28
L
 9 Huddersfield L A 2 5 VIEW
26th Sep 1931 29
W
 9 Dewsbury L H 49 0 1 VIEW
3rd Oct 1931 30
L
 9 Oldham L A 13 16 VIEW
10th Oct 1931 31
L
 9 Salford LC1 A 5 16 VIEW
17th Oct 1931 32
W
 9 Oldham L H 31 17 VIEW
24th Oct 1931 33
L
 9 Broughton Rangers L A 12 24 VIEW
31st Oct 1931 34
W
 9 Bradford Northern L H 35 5 VIEW
7th Nov 1931 35
W
 9 Wigan Highfield L A 19 4 VIEW
14th Nov 1931 36
W
 9 Salford L H 10 2 VIEW
21st Nov 1931 37
W
 9 Warrington L A 23 8 VIEW
28th Nov 1931 38
W
 9 Warrington L H 38 8 VIEW
5th Dec 1931 39
W
 9 Bradford Northern L A 31 5 VIEW
12th Dec 1931 40
W
 9 Leigh L A 16 8 VIEW
19th Dec 1931 41
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 33 12 VIEW
25th Dec 1931 42
L
 9 St. Helens Recs L A 2 13 VIEW
26th Dec 1931 43
W
 9 Wigan L H 10 4 VIEW
1st Jan 1932 44
D
 9 St. Helens Recs L H 7 7 VIEW
2nd Jan 1932 45
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 5 3 VIEW
9th Jan 1932 46
W
 9 Wakefield Trinity L H 11 2 VIEW
13th Jan 1932 47
L
 9 Salford L A 3 9 VIEW
23rd Jan 1932 48
W
 9 Halifax L H 24 10 1 VIEW
30th Jan 1932 49
W
 9 Swinton L A 8 7 VIEW
6th Feb 1932 50
L
 9 Keighley CC1 A 6 12 VIEW
27th Feb 1932 51
L
 9 Castleford L A 0 5 VIEW
5th Mar 1932 52
W
 9 Barrow L H 36 15 VIEW
12th Mar 1932 53
W
 9 Huddersfield L H 21 8 VIEW
19th Mar 1932 54
W
 9 Dewsbury L A 24 15 VIEW
25th Mar 1932 55
W
 9 Wigan L A 12 3 VIEW
29th Mar 1932 56
W
 9 Halifax L A 13 3 VIEW
2nd Apr 1932 57
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 16 3 VIEW
16th Apr 1932 58
W
 9 Swinton L H 17 5 VIEW
18th Apr 1932 59
W
 9 Broughton Rangers L H 21 10 VIEW
23rd Apr 1932 60
W
 9 Wakefield Trinity L A 25 8 VIEW
30th Apr 1932 61
W
 9 Leeds ChSF H 9 0 VIEW
7th May 1932 62
W
 9 Huddersfield ChF N 9 5 VIEW
27th Aug 1932 63
L
 9 Widnes L A 10 12 VIEW
3rd Sep 1932 64
W
 9 Widnes L H 16 9 VIEW
10th Sep 1932 65
W
 9 Swinton L A 12 7 VIEW
8th Oct 1932 66
W
 9 Widnes LC1 A 10 5 VIEW
15th Oct 1932 67
W
 9 Barrow L H 18 11 VIEW
22nd Oct 1932 68
D
 9 Wigan Highfield L A 11 11 VIEW
24th Oct 1932 69
W
 9 Broughton Rangers LC2 H 22 4 VIEW
29th Oct 1932 70
W
 9 Batley L H 14 7 VIEW
2nd Nov 1932 71
D
 9 Salford LCSF A 2 2 VIEW
5th Nov 1932 72
W
 9 Leigh L A 13 3 VIEW
7th Nov 1932 73
W
 9 Salford LCSF(rep) H 17 10 VIEW
12th Nov 1932 74
W
 9 Wigan Highfield L H 34 7 VIEW
19th Nov 1932 75
L
 9 Warrington LCF N 9 10 VIEW
26th Nov 1932 76
W
 9 Leeds L H 21 5 VIEW
29th Nov 1932 77
L
 9 Batley L A 12 17 VIEW
3rd Dec 1932 78
W
 9 Castleford L A 10 7 VIEW
27th Dec 1932 79
W
 9 Wigan L H 13 10 VIEW
31st Dec 1932 80
L
 9 Leeds L A 0 27 VIEW
2nd Jan 1933 81
W
 9 St. Helens Recs L A 10 5 VIEW
7th Jan 1933 82
W
 9 Salford L H 12 5 VIEW
14th Jan 1933 83
L
 9 York L A 5 11 VIEW
4th Feb 1933 84
W
 9 Halifax L H 5 3 VIEW
11th Feb 1933 85
W
 9 Bradford Northern CC1 A 24 3 VIEW
18th Feb 1933 86
W
 9 Oldham L H 23 0 VIEW
2nd Mar 1933 87
W
 9 Hunslet CC2 H 14 3 VIEW
4th Mar 1933 88
D
 9 Broughton Rangers L A 8 8 VIEW
11th Mar 1933 89
W
 9 Halifax CC3 H 18 6 VIEW
13th Mar 1933 90
W
 9 York L H 9 8 VIEW
18th Mar 1933 91
L
 9 Huddersfield L A 4 27 VIEW
25th Mar 1933 92
L
 9 Warrington CCSF N 5 11 VIEW
1st Apr 1933 93
L
 9 Huddersfield L H 8 31 VIEW
4th Apr 1933 94
L
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 38 VIEW
8th Apr 1933 95
L
 9 Halifax L A 18 25 VIEW
17th Apr 1933 96
W
 9 Broughton Rangers L H 26 0 VIEW
22nd Apr 1933 97
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 47 19 1 VIEW
29th Apr 1933 98
W
 9 Castleford L H 39 5 VIEW
18th May 1933 --
W
 9 Halifax * Fr Carnival Cup L 35 13 VIEW
26th Aug 1933 99
W
 9 Widnes L H 29 14 VIEW
2nd Sep 1933 100
L
 9 Widnes L A 4 12 VIEW
4th Sep 1933 101
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 21 11 VIEW
9th Sep 1933 102
W
 9 Warrington L A 11 7 VIEW
18th Sep 1933 103
L
 9 Oldham L A 3 16 VIEW
23rd Sep 1933 104
L
 9 Huddersfield L A 0 10 VIEW
30th Sep 1933 105
W
 9 Salford LC1 H 12 8 VIEW
14th Oct 1933 106
W
 9 Leigh L H 20 13 1 VIEW
16th Oct 1933 107
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets LC2 H 52 14 VIEW
21st Oct 1933 108
W
 9 Dewsbury L A 11 0 VIEW
28th Oct 1933 109
L
 9 Salford L H 2 17 VIEW
2nd Nov 1933 110
L
 9 St. Helens Recs LCSF A 2 9 VIEW
4th Nov 1933 111
L
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 20 VIEW
11th Nov 1933 112
W
 9 Dewsbury L H 30 13 2 VIEW
25th Nov 1933 113
W
 9 Bradford Northern L H 28 0 1 VIEW
2nd Dec 1933 114
L
 9 Australia Tour H 11 20 VIEW
9th Dec 1933 115
W
 9 Broughton Rangers L A 11 9 VIEW
25th Dec 1933 116
L
 9 St. Helens Recs L A 9 11 VIEW
13th Jan 1934 117
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 29 13 VIEW
20th Jan 1934 118
W
 9 Leeds L H 21 19 1 VIEW
27th Jan 1934 119
L
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 8 23 VIEW
3rd Feb 1934 120
L
 9 Huddersfield L H 7 20 VIEW
10th Feb 1934 121
W
 9 Bradford Northern CC1 A 34 6 VIEW
17th Feb 1934 122
L
 9 Halifax L A 8 16 VIEW
24th Feb 1934 123
L
 9 Bramley CC2 A 12 17 VIEW
14th Mar 1934 124
L
 9 London Highfield L A 8 16 VIEW
19th Mar 1934 125
W
 9 Warrington L H 7 3 VIEW
24th Mar 1934 126
W
 9 Swinton L H 25 5 VIEW
30th Mar 1934 127
L
 9 Wigan L A 3 27 VIEW
3rd Apr 1934 128
W
 9 Keighley L H 23 14 VIEW
7th Apr 1934 129
W
 9 Barrow L H 31 23 VIEW
9th Apr 1934 130
L
 9 Halifax L H 9 19 VIEW
14th Apr 1934 131
W
 9 London Highfield L H 34 12 VIEW
22nd Sep 1934 132
W
 9 Hunslet L H 30 10 VIEW
24th Sep 1934 133
D
 9 Liverpool Stanley LC2 H 9 9 VIEW
26th Sep 1934 134
D
 9 Liverpool Stanley LC2(rep) A 3 3 VIEW
28th Sep 1934 135
L
 9 Liverpool Stanley LC2(2nd rep) N 9 12 VIEW
29th Sep 1934 136
L
 9 Halifax L A 13 21 VIEW
6th Oct 1934 137
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 7 2 VIEW
13th Oct 1934 138
L
 9 Hunslet L A 0 15 VIEW
20th Oct 1934 139
L
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 6 15 VIEW
27th Oct 1934 140
L
 9 Warrington L A 5 10 VIEW
3rd Nov 1934 141
W
 9 Barrow L H 13 6 VIEW
10th Nov 1934 142
L
 9 Broughton Rangers L A 2 31 VIEW
8th Dec 1934 143
W
 9 Castleford L H 19 11 VIEW
15th Dec 1934 144
W
 9 Swinton L H 7 0 VIEW
22nd Dec 1934 145
L
 9 Barrow L A 5 7 VIEW
25th Dec 1934 146
W
 9 St. Helens Recs L H 6 2 VIEW
26th Dec 1934 147
W
 9 Wigan L H 5 3 VIEW
29th Dec 1934 148
W
 9 Liverpool Stanley L A 4 3 VIEW
1st Jan 1935 149
D
 9 St. Helens Recs L A 2 2 VIEW
5th Jan 1935 150
L
 9 Liverpool Stanley L H 5 7 VIEW
12th Jan 1935 151
L
 9 Hull L A 7 17 VIEW
19th Jan 1935 152
L
 9 Hull L H 2 5 VIEW
26th Jan 1935 153
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 5 2 VIEW
2nd Feb 1935 154
D
 9 Oldham L A 5 5 VIEW
9th Feb 1935 155
L
 9 Oldham CC1 A 0 3 VIEW
16th Feb 1935 156
L
 9 Halifax L H 3 4 VIEW
23rd Feb 1935 157
W
 9 Leigh L H 25 5 VIEW
2nd Mar 1935 158
L
 9 Castleford L A 4 14 VIEW
9th Mar 1935 159
L
 9 Warrington L H 2 14 VIEW
16th Mar 1935 160
L
 9 Salford L H 8 26 VIEW
23rd Mar 1935 161
L
 9 Salford L A 5 9 VIEW
30th Mar 1935 162
W
 9 Leigh L A 8 7 VIEW
6th Apr 1935 163
W
 9 Wakefield Trinity L H 6 4 VIEW
13th Apr 1935 164
D
 9 Bradford Northern L A 5 5 VIEW
1st May 1935 165
L
 9 Broughton Rangers L H 2 8 VIEW
31st Aug 1935 166
L
 9 Widnes L H 2 9 VIEW
7th Sep 1935 167
L
 9 Widnes L A 6 8 VIEW
16th Sep 1944 168
L
 9 Castleford WEL A 11 26 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 98 | LOSSES : 61 | DRAWS : 11

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