Henry Greenall

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
10-03-1891
N/A
Date unknown.
St.Helens Rovers
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
19-11-1913 v Wakefield Trinity
Oldham
1919-
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1913-1919
63 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
24
0
0
72

Biography of Henry Greenall



HERITAGE NO : 235
Henry Greenall: Biography by Alex Service with additional career statistical comments by Dave Dooley. Thanks to Gerry Greenall for his contribution and interest.

A member of one of the Town`s great rugby families, Henry began his career with the Junior team St.Helens Rovers and joined the Saints as a powerful, stocky wing threequarter. He made 64 appearances for the Knowsley Road club from 1913-19, scoring 24 tries. He also played in the infamous 1915 Challenge Cup Final against Huddersfield, at Watersheddings, when the Saints received a 37-3 drubbing at the hands the Team of All the Talents, Huddersfield.

Henry`s younger brothers were both scrum halves and Recs` Legends in the 1920s and 1930s, although it could have been so different. Johnny Greenall, together with several of his team-mates, Bill Mulvanney, Joe McComas and Frank Bowen were invited to sign for the Saints. However, the Committee told Johnny that he would have to stay for another year in the Junior Leagues because he wasn`t considered big enough. The rest of his team-mates would not sign without him and they all ended up joining the Recs - and thus the nucleus of a great team was born! Billy, the youngest, took over Johnny`s number seven jumper on his retirement and nearly led the Recs to a place in the first-ever Wembley Challenge Cup Final. They drew the first Semi-Final at Swinton (the first-ever match at Station Road) and were beaten 13-12 in the replay!

Billy recalls watching his elder brother Henry at Knowsley Road on many occasions and remembers one try in particular against Widnes, where he carried three burly tacklers for quite a distance before plunging over the line. Henry had a good job with Pilkington Brothers and was a quiet, unassuming fellow, who liked nothing better than a game of billiards - often in brother Johnny`s pub, the Black Bull. No matter where he was, he would never have more than two glasses of bitter. He lived in Thatto Heath and used to be sent the length and breadth of the country with his job.

His father was a full-back with the Recs, affectionately known as the `Lancaster Castle` and his mother was renowned for following the fortunes of her boys with a certain protective zeal. Although she followed the fortunes of Henry closely, she saw most of Johnny`s matches at City Road and would watch all of Billy`s games for the Recs both home and away. She would not think twice about berating a member of the opposition in the street if they had given her sons a bad time. Indeed, her name appears more than once in the Minutes of the Saints` Committee and the club had to write to her on several occasions, the most famous being after a street `set-to` with loose forward Ernie Shaw, who had obviously not given Johnny an easy time around the scrum base during one particularly fiery derby encounter. Gerry Greenall is a descendant and takes up the tale:

"Regarding my grandma who I`m sure many of the older folk in the town will remember as a real old time character - I don`t know whether she had the same level of support for Henry as for the other two later Recs. players but I do know she made history in 1926 B.M. ( not B.C - before Minnie Cotton) by invading the pitch to attack one of the Widnes playerswith her umbrella!"

I have no doubt that Henry would have been rather embarrassed by such behaviour. An almost shy, gentle man, he rarely talked of his rugby exploits in the Tap Room of his local, The British Lion in Thatto Heath. Unlike his younger brothers, he never entered the licensing trade, although he was the only one of the three to appear in a Challenge Cup Final. There are very few players who can say that!

Henry made his debut for the club in the 24 points to 8 away victory over Wakefield Trinity on the 19th of November, 1913. He scored his first points for the Saints when he crossed the tryline twice against Runcorn on December 13th later that year. In his first season at Knowsley Road he scored 9 tries in 18 matches including another brace in the first round Challenge Cup tie against Wigan Highfield. The following season was a successful campaign for the Saints as they finished a creditable seventh place in the league. Henry was a regular member of the team netting 8 tries, including braces against Bramley and Salford. In the latter match Henry played centre. He played for the Saints throughout the First World War in the War Emergency League though these games are not included in official records. In fact the 66 matches Henry played for the Saints during the hostilities were three more than the `official` seasons. His haul of 25 tries during World War I included his only ever hat trick for the club against Runcorn on the third of November, 1917. St Helens Recs played in the WEL and in the 1915/16 season Saints played their local rivals no fewer than six times (plus a game which had to be abandoned). Henry played in all these matches. Greenall played a further 13 matches for the club at the end of the War and played his final match in the 26 points to 3 away loss to Oldham with Henry scoring Saints only points in the encounter. In 1939 Henry was living in Leslie Road, St Helens and working as a Galss Works Clerk. He died in July 1970 at the age of 79.



SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1913~149 0 0 18
1914~15 8 0 0 32
1918~19 4 0 0 8
1919~203 0 0 5
TOTALS:24 0 0 63
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1915~16 110026
1916~1750022
1917~18 50018
1918~19 2005
TOTALS:230071

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
19th Nov 1913 1
W
 2 Wakefield Trinity L A 24 8 VIEW
22nd Nov 1913 2
L
 2 Barrow L H 11 18 VIEW
29th Nov 1913 3
L
 2 Hunslet L A 11 20 VIEW
6th Dec 1913 4
W
 2 Swinton L H 19 5 VIEW
13th Dec 1913 5
W
 2 Runcorn L H 18 5 2 VIEW
20th Dec 1913 6
L
 2 Rochdale Hornets L A 2 31 VIEW
25th Dec 1913 7
W
 2 Widnes L H 10 3 1 VIEW
26th Dec 1913 8
L
 2 Wigan L H 3 17 VIEW
27th Dec 1913 9
L
 2 Broughton Rangers L A 0 11 VIEW
1st Jan 1914 10
D
 2 Huddersfield L H 8 8 1 VIEW
3rd Jan 1914 11
W
 2 Hull L A 8 6 1 VIEW
24th Jan 1914 12
L
 2 Swinton L A 3 16 VIEW
31st Jan 1914 13
W
 2 Dewsbury L A 12 11 1 VIEW
28th Feb 1914 14
W
 2 Wigan Highfield CC1 H 27 4 2 VIEW
21st Mar 1914 15
L
 2 Leigh L A 6 7 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1914 16
L
 2 Salford L H 2 8 VIEW
10th Apr 1914 17
L
 2 Wigan L A 2 30 VIEW
11th Apr 1914 18
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L H 47 5 VIEW
5th Sep 1914 19
W
 5 Runcorn L H 26 0 1 VIEW
12th Sep 1914 20
L
 5 Swinton L A 3 12 VIEW
19th Sep 1914 21
W
 5 Oldham L H 10 4 VIEW
10th Oct 1914 22
W
 5 Widnes L H 12 5 VIEW
17th Oct 1914 23
L
 5 Swinton LC1 A 11 13 VIEW
24th Oct 1914 24
L
 5 Bradford Northern L A 3 28 VIEW
14th Nov 1914 25
W
 5 Barrow L H 13 12 VIEW
19th Dec 1914 26
W
 2 Bramley L H 24 0 2 VIEW
26th Dec 1914 27
L
 2 Wigan L H 6 15 VIEW
1st Jan 1915 28
W
 2 Runcorn L A 10 4 VIEW
2nd Jan 1915 29
W
 2 Warrington L H 25 0 2 VIEW
9th Jan 1915 30
W
 4 Salford L A 9 3 2 VIEW
16th Jan 1915 31
W
 5 Leigh L A 6 2 VIEW
23rd Jan 1915 32
W
 5 Hull L H 11 9 VIEW
30th Jan 1915 33
W
 5 Keighley L A 20 2 VIEW
6th Feb 1915 34
W
 5 Salford L H 23 2 VIEW
13th Feb 1915 35
L
 5 Barrow L A 0 10 VIEW
20th Feb 1915 36
W
 5 Swinton L H 10 0 VIEW
27th Feb 1915 37
W
 5 Featherstone Rovers CC1 A 6 0 VIEW
6th Mar 1915 38
L
 5 Dewsbury L A 3 13 VIEW
13th Mar 1915 39
W
 5 Swinton CC2 A 5 0 VIEW
20th Mar 1915 40
W
 5 Leigh L H 14 8 VIEW
27th Mar 1915 41
W
 5 Keighley CC3 A 3 2 VIEW
29th Mar 1915 42
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 12 3 1 VIEW
2nd Apr 1915 43
L
 5 Wigan L A 11 13 VIEW
3rd Apr 1915 44
W
 5 Bradford Northern L H 19 3 VIEW
5th Apr 1915 45
L
 5 Hull L A 6 46 VIEW
10th Apr 1915 46
D
 5 Rochdale Hornets CCSF N 5 5 VIEW
14th Apr 1915 47
L
 5 Broughton Rangers L A 8 31 VIEW
17th Apr 1915 48
L
 5 Widnes L A 0 21 VIEW
24th Apr 1915 49
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets CCSF(rep) N 9 2 VIEW
1st May 1915 50
L
 5 Huddersfield CCF N 3 37 VIEW
4th Sep 1915 --
L
 5 Swinton * Fr WEL A 5 26 VIEW
11th Sep 1915 --
L
 4 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 5 10 VIEW
25th Sep 1915 --
W
 5 Broughton Rangers * Fr WEL H 11 5 1 VIEW
2nd Oct 1915 --
W
 5 Swinton * Fr WEL H 7 3 1 VIEW
9th Oct 1915 --
W
 5 Salford * Fr WEL H 27 8 2 VIEW
16th Oct 1915 --
W
 3 Oldham * Fr WEL A 13 0 VIEW
23rd Oct 1915 --
W
 5 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL H 12 5 VIEW
30th Oct 1915 --
D
 3 Broughton Rangers * Fr WEL H 11 11 VIEW
7th Nov 1915 --
D
 3 Runcorn * Fr WEL A 0 0 VIEW
14th Nov 1915 --
L
 3 Salford * Fr WEL A 5 18 VIEW
11th Dec 1915 --
W
 5 Runcorn * Fr WEL H 6 2 VIEW
18th Dec 1915 --
L
 5 Wigan * Fr WEL A 8 11 VIEW
25th Dec 1915 --
D
 5 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL H 0 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1915 --
W
 5 Wigan * Fr WEL H 8 2 VIEW
1st Jan 1916 --
W
 2 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL *AB A 2 0 VIEW
8th Jan 1916 --
L
 5 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 3 8 1 VIEW
22nd Jan 1916 --
L
 5 Wigan * Fr WEL H 0 6 VIEW
29th Jan 1916 --
L
 5 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL H 3 6 VIEW
12th Feb 1916 --
L
 5 Hull * Fr WEL A 3 22 1 VIEW
17th Mar 1916 --
W
 5 Runcorn * Fr WEL H 19 11 2 VIEW
8th Apr 1916 --
L
 5 Barrow * Fr WEL H 3 16 VIEW
15th Apr 1916 --
W
 5 Runcorn * Fr WEL H 12 2 1 VIEW
21st Apr 1916 --
L
 5 Wigan * Fr WEL A 16 29 2 VIEW
22nd Apr 1916 --
L
 5 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 3 11 VIEW
24th Apr 1916 --
L
 5 Barrow * Fr WEL A 0 23 VIEW
29th Apr 1916 --
W
 5 Swinton * Fr WEL H 5 3 VIEW
2nd Sep 1916 --
L
 2 St. Helens Recs* Fr WEL H 0 24 VIEW
9th Sep 1916 --
L
 2 Swinton* Fr WEL A 3 24 VIEW
14th Oct 1916 --
L
 2 Broughton Rangers* Fr WEL H 8 9 VIEW
21st Oct 1916 --
L
 2 Warrington* Fr WEL A 2 6 VIEW
28th Oct 1916 --
W
 2 Swinton* Fr WEL H 10 3 VIEW
11th Nov 1916 --
W
 2 Widnes* Fr WEL H 13 12 1 VIEW
18th Nov 1916 --
L
 2 Salford* Fr WEL A 0 8 VIEW
25th Nov 1916 --
W
 2 Warrington* Fr WEL H 5 3 VIEW
9th Dec 1916 --
L
 2 Runcorn* Fr WEL H 6 7 VIEW
25th Dec 1916 --
L
 2 St. Helens Recs* Fr WEL A 0 7 VIEW
26th Dec 1916 --
W
 2 Wigan* Fr WEL H 11 3 VIEW
30th Dec 1916 --
L
 2 Barrow* Fr WEL A 0 36 VIEW
2nd Jan 1917 --
W
 2 St. Helens Recs* Fr WEL H 15 0 VIEW
24th Feb 1917 --
L
 2 Warrington* Fr WEL A 8 9 1 VIEW
3rd Mar 1917 --
W
 2 South Lancs Regiment* Fr H 33 5 1 VIEW
17th Mar 1917 --
W
 2 Barrow* Fr WEL H 6 3 VIEW
31st Mar 1917 --
W
 2 Salford* Fr WEL H 8 6 VIEW
6th Apr 1917 --
L
 2 Wigan* Fr WEL A 3 25 1 VIEW
7th Apr 1917 --
L
 2 Leigh* Fr WEL A 5 19 VIEW
9th Apr 1917 --
L
 2 Widnes* Fr WEL A 5 14 VIEW
14th Apr 1917 --
L
 2 St. Helens Recs* Fr WEL A 0 11 VIEW
21st Apr 1917 --
W
 2 Broughton Rangers* Fr WEL A 11 6 1 VIEW
1st Sep 1917 --
L
 2 Wigan * Fr WEL A 8 14 VIEW
15th Sep 1917 --
L
 2 Leigh * Fr WEL A 0 13 VIEW
29th Sep 1917 --
L
 2 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 0 8 VIEW
6th Oct 1917 --
W
 3 Widnes * Fr WEL H 9 3 1 VIEW
13th Oct 1917 --
W
 2 Warrington * Fr WEL H 9 8 1 VIEW
20th Oct 1917 --
L
 2 Broughton* Fr WEL A 2 20 VIEW
27th Oct 1917 --
L
 2 Swinton * Fr WEL A 2 5 VIEW
3rd Nov 1917 --
W
 2 Runcorn * Fr WEL H 30 0 3 VIEW
10th Nov 1917 --
L
 2 Barrow * Fr WEL A 3 50 VIEW
17th Nov 1917 --
L
 2 Leigh * Fr WEL H 2 22 VIEW
1st Dec 1917 --
L
 2 Leigh* Fr WEL A 0 38 VIEW
25th Dec 1917 --
L
 2 St. Helens Recs* Fr WEL A 3 24 VIEW
26th Dec 1917 --
L
 2 Wigan * Fr WEL H 2 5 VIEW
30th Dec 1917 --
W
 2 Warrington* Fr WEL A 8 3 VIEW
1st Jan 1918 --
L
 2 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 0 14 VIEW
5th Jan 1918 --
D
 2 Widnes * Fr WEL A 10 10 VIEW
12th Jan 1918 --
L
 2 Widnes * Fr WEL H 6 18 VIEW
31st Jan 1918 --
L
 2 Widnes * Fr WEL A 0 22 VIEW
14th Jan 1919 --
L
 5 Barrow * Fr A 3 27 VIEW
18th Jan 1919 51
L
 2 St. Helens Recs L H 3 24 1 VIEW
1st Feb 1919 52
W
 2 Warrington L H 8 3 VIEW
8th Feb 1919 53
L
 2 Warrington L A 0 16 VIEW
1st Mar 1919 54
L
 2 Leigh L H 0 10 VIEW
29th Mar 1919 55
L
 2 Leigh L A 0 9 VIEW
5th Apr 1919 56
W
 2 Warrington LC1 H 11 5 1 VIEW
12th Apr 1919 57
L
 2 Oldham LC2 A 8 16 1 VIEW
18th Apr 1919 --
W
 2 Widnes * Fr H 16 10 1 VIEW
21st Apr 1919 --
D
 2 Widnes * Fr A 3 3 VIEW
26th Apr 1919 --
L
 2 St. Helens Recs * Fr H 6 8 VIEW
3rd May 1919 58
W
 2 St. Helens Recs L A 8 2 1 VIEW
24th May 1919 --
L
 2 Wigan * Fr N 3 16 1 VIEW
23rd Aug 1919 59
W
 2 Broughton Rangers L H 28 2 1 VIEW
6th Sep 1919 60
L
 2 Oldham L H 3 12 1 VIEW
13th Sep 1919 61
L
 5 Swinton L A 5 7 VIEW
4th Oct 1919 62
L
 5 Widnes L A 0 13 VIEW
25th Oct 1919 63
L
 2 Oldham L A 3 26 1 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 57 | LOSSES : 70 | DRAWS : 7

GALLERY





Copyright © Saints Heritage Society 1999-2024.