Lou Houghton

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
25-01-1903
N/A
04-01-1924
Pocket Nook Shamrocks
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
13-11-1924 v Swinton
Wigan
1930- Wigan
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1924-1930
233 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
17
0
0
51

Biography of Lou Houghton



HERITAGE NO : 331
Lou Houghton by Alex Service

Once described as a 'big bear' of a forward, Lou Houghton holds the distinction of scoring the first-ever try for St. Helens in a Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, against Widnes in 1930. He followed up a cross-kick from winger Alf Ellaby and was on hand to touch down. Unfortunately, his try came to nothing, as the struggling Saints were beaten 10-3 by a much livelier Widnes outfit. A local lad from Haydock, Lou signed from Pocket Nook Shamrocks on 4 January 1924, making his debut in the First Team the following November in a 6-20 defeat against Swinton at Knowsley Road. Despite his size, he was a mobile forward, who went on to notch 17 tries in his career from 233 appearances.

The Saints had started to build a team capable of challenging for major honours by the mid-1920s and played their neighbours St. Helens Recreation in the Lancashire Cup Final at Warrington on 20 November 1926. In a rain-lashed encounter, the Saints were always in command and Houghton's unstinting tackling and work-rate was a key factor in the first major honour won by the St. Helens club in the Northern Rugby League. The Recs gained revenge in the League Championship semi-final at City Road, however, with a resounding 33-0 victory. After a mass brawl, Lou, together with his team-mate Walter Groves and the Recs loose forward Mulvanney, was dismissed by referee Chambers. A fiery character on occasions, he could certainly look after himself on the field!

Lou was selected for Lancashire on three occasions, his first being against New Zealand at Mather Lane, Leigh, on 3 January 1927, when the Red Rose county recorded a resounding 28-3 success. His other county matches were in 1930/31, against Yorkshire and Cumberland. Lou also played once for England as a Saint, when they beat the Welsh 11-8 at The Cliff, Broughton on 6 April 1927, although he never appeared in any of the Trials for the Australian Tour in 1928. He won a Lancashire League Winner's medal in 1929/30 but fell out of favour with the St. Helens club half-way through the next campaign, when he was transferred to rivals Wigan for a bargain £325 fee, on 9 January 1931. Lou's last match for St. Helens was against Wigan on Boxing Day! The club's wages book reveals he got paid two pounds and five shillings for the match, somewhat below that of star winger Alf Ellaby who received seven pounds!

Lou was a member of Wigan's Championship-winning squad of 1933/34, although he missed the Championship Final against Salford. He made 96 appearances for the Riversiders, including a further England appearance, against Wales at Huddersfield on 18 March 1931. A popular character, his transfer was met with much sadness amongst St. Helens supporters. In 1939, Lou was living in Park Street, Haydock and working as a Builder's Labourer. He also worked as Groundsman at Knowsley Road for a spell in the early 1960s. He died in St Helens in March 1974, aged 71.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1924~251 0 0 20
1925~263 0 0 34
1926~27 4 0 0 39
1927~282 0 0 32
1928~29 1 0 0 40
1929~306 0 0 51
1930~31 0 0 0 17
TOTALS:17 0 0 233
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1926~270001
1929~30 1001
TOTALS:1002

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
13th Nov 1924 1
L
 10 Swinton L H 6 20 VIEW
15th Nov 1924 2
L
 10 Salford L A 3 13 VIEW
22nd Nov 1924 3
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L H 12 2 VIEW
29th Nov 1924 4
W
 10 Keighley L A 5 4 VIEW
6th Dec 1924 5
W
 10 Dewsbury L H 21 2 VIEW
13th Dec 1924 6
W
 10 Leigh L H 21 3 VIEW
20th Dec 1924 7
L
 10 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 11 VIEW
25th Dec 1924 8
W
 10 St. Helens Recs L H 7 5 VIEW
26th Dec 1924 9
L
 10 Wigan L H 7 13 VIEW
27th Dec 1924 10
L
 10 Dewsbury L A 0 8 VIEW
1st Jan 1925 11
D
 10 St. Helens Recs L A 5 5 VIEW
3rd Jan 1925 12
W
 10 Wakefield Trinity L H 15 2 1 VIEW
10th Jan 1925 13
L
 10 Wigan Highfield L A 8 12 VIEW
17th Jan 1925 14
L
 10 Oldham L H 5 24 VIEW
24th Jan 1925 15
L
 10 Swinton L A 3 49 VIEW
31st Jan 1925 16
W
 10 Salford L OBJ H 14 0 VIEW
2nd Feb 1925 17
W
 10 Barrow L H 12 8 VIEW
7th Feb 1925 18
L
 10 Oldham L A 5 32 VIEW
10th Apr 1925 19
L
 10 Wigan L A 4 51 VIEW
13th Apr 1925 20
W
 10 Hull L H 10 8 VIEW
5th Sep 1925 21
L
 10 Widnes L A 5 11 VIEW
12th Sep 1925 22
W
 10 Barrow L H 22 3 VIEW
19th Sep 1925 23
L
 10 Broughton Rangers L A 3 7 VIEW
26th Sep 1925 24
W
 10 Batley L H 15 3 VIEW
3rd Oct 1925 25
L
 10 Swinton L A 5 12 VIEW
10th Oct 1925 26
L
 11 Leigh LC1 A 7 10 VIEW
17th Oct 1925 27
L
 11 Oldham L H 3 16 VIEW
24th Oct 1925 28
W
 10 Hunslet L A 14 5 VIEW
31st Oct 1925 29
L
 10 Rochdale Hornets L H 3 9 VIEW
21st Nov 1925 30
W
 10 Warrington L H 12 9 VIEW
28th Nov 1925 31
W
 10 Bradford Northern L A 25 6 VIEW
12th Dec 1925 32
L
 10 Salford L A 3 17 VIEW
16th Dec 1925 33
W
 10 Dewsbury L H 7 0 VIEW
19th Dec 1925 34
L
 10 Swinton L H 9 10 VIEW
25th Dec 1925 35
D
 10 St. Helens Recs L A 3 3 VIEW
26th Dec 1925 36
L
 10 Wigan L H 5 10 VIEW
1st Jan 1926 37
W
 10 St. Helens Recs L H 4 2 VIEW
2nd Jan 1926 38
L
 10 Oldham L A 6 24 VIEW
9th Jan 1926 39
W
 10 Wigan Highfield L H 16 6 1 VIEW
16th Jan 1926 40
L
 10 Warrington L A 7 9 VIEW
23rd Jan 1926 41
W
 10 Salford L OBJ H 13 10 VIEW
30th Jan 1926 42
W
 10 Batley L A 7 0 VIEW
6th Feb 1926 43
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L H 24 8 VIEW
13th Feb 1926 44
W
 10 Widnes CC1 A 10 7 VIEW
20th Feb 1926 45
W
 10 Leigh L A 6 0 VIEW
27th Feb 1926 46
L
 10 Hull CC2 H 7 10 VIEW
6th Mar 1926 47
W
 10 Wigan Highfield L A 15 10 VIEW
15th Mar 1926 48
W
 10 Hunslet L H 16 8 1 VIEW
20th Mar 1926 49
L
 10 Barrow L A 2 9 VIEW
27th Mar 1926 50
W
 10 Keighley L H 34 10 VIEW
2nd Apr 1926 51
L
 10 Wigan L A 18 30 VIEW
5th Apr 1926 52
W
 10 Leigh L H 37 2 VIEW
6th Apr 1926 53
W
 10 Keighley L A 12 2 1 VIEW
10th Apr 1926 54
D
 10 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 0 VIEW
28th Aug 1926 55
W
 10 Widnes L A 8 5 VIEW
4th Sep 1926 56
L
 10 Widnes L H 7 10 VIEW
11th Sep 1926 57
W
 10 Featherstone Rovers L A 15 0 VIEW
18th Sep 1926 58
W
 10 Barrow L H 38 3 VIEW
25th Sep 1926 59
W
 10 Wigan Highfield L A 15 7 VIEW
2nd Oct 1926 60
W
 10 Pontypridd L H 35 13 VIEW
7th Oct 1926 61
W
 10 Pemberton LC1 H 51 8 VIEW
16th Oct 1926 62
L
 10 Warrington L A 5 16 1 VIEW
21st Oct 1926 63
W
 10 Swinton LC2 H 29 18 VIEW
23rd Oct 1926 64
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets L H 48 3 VIEW
30th Oct 1926 65
W
 10 Barrow L A 11 10 VIEW
13th Nov 1926 66
L
 10 Salford L A 5 8 VIEW
20th Nov 1926 67
W
 10 St. Helens Recs LCF N 10 2 VIEW
27th Nov 1926 68
W
 10 York L H 54 3 VIEW
4th Dec 1926 69
L
 10 Oldham L A 5 26 VIEW
8th Dec 1926 70
W
 10 New Zealand Tour H 22 12 VIEW
11th Dec 1926 71
W
 10 Warrington L H 31 11 2 VIEW
18th Dec 1926 72
L
 10 Leigh L A 3 6 VIEW
25th Dec 1926 73
D
 10 St. Helens Recs L H 6 6 VIEW
27th Dec 1926 74
L
 10 Wigan L H 13 14 VIEW
1st Jan 1927 75
L
 10 St. Helens Recs L A 8 17 VIEW
8th Jan 1927 76
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L A 15 7 VIEW
15th Jan 1927 77
W
 10 Featherstone Rovers L H 17 8 VIEW
22nd Jan 1927 78
W
 10 Batley L A 15 5 VIEW
29th Jan 1927 79
W
 8 Leeds L H 18 6 VIEW
5th Feb 1927 80
L
 10 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 4 VIEW
12th Feb 1927 81
L
 10 York CC1 A 3 9 VIEW
19th Feb 1927 82
W
 10 Batley L H 13 8 VIEW
5th Mar 1927 83
L
 10 Swinton L A 3 24 VIEW
8th Mar 1927 84
W
 10 Oldham L H 21 10 VIEW
19th Mar 1927 85
L
 10 York L A 6 15 VIEW
26th Mar 1927 86
W
 10 Pontypridd L A 10 5 VIEW
2nd Apr 1927 87
W
 10 Salford L H 8 3 VIEW
9th Apr 1927 88
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L H 16 0 1 VIEW
15th Apr 1927 89
W
 10 Wigan L A 10 8 VIEW
16th Apr 1927 90
W
 10 Swinton L H 27 0 VIEW
18th Apr 1927 91
W
 10 Leigh L H 18 5 VIEW
20th Apr 1927 92
W
 10 Leeds L A 21 10 VIEW
23rd Apr 1927 93
L
 10 St. Helens Recs ChSF A 0 33 VIEW
12th May 1927 --
L
 8 Barrow* Fr Lonsdale Hospital L 8 16 VIEW
29th Aug 1927 94
L
 10 Leeds L A 7 18 VIEW
10th Sep 1927 95
L
 10 Swinton L H 20 26 VIEW
14th Sep 1927 96
W
 10 Dewsbury L H 8 2 VIEW
17th Sep 1927 97
L
 10 Hunslet L A 10 12 VIEW
24th Sep 1927 98
W
 10 Featherstone Rovers L H 21 8 VIEW
1st Oct 1927 99
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L A 6 2 VIEW
8th Oct 1927 100
L
 10 Swinton LC1 H 7 13 VIEW
15th Oct 1927 101
W
 10 Salford L H 44 10 VIEW
22nd Oct 1927 102
D
 10 Hull L A 5 5 VIEW
29th Oct 1927 103
W
 10 Wigan Highfield L H 15 5 1 VIEW
5th Nov 1927 104
W
 10 Warrington L A 8 4 VIEW
12th Nov 1927 105
W
 10 Warrington L H 13 0 VIEW
19th Nov 1927 106
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets L H 10 2 VIEW
26th Nov 1927 107
L
 10 Oldham L A 2 11 VIEW
3rd Dec 1927 108
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 25 7 VIEW
26th Dec 1927 109
L
 10 Wigan L H 13 20 VIEW
29th Dec 1927 110
L
 10 St. Helens Recs L H 5 22 VIEW
7th Jan 1928 111
W
 10 Leeds L H 8 0 1 VIEW
18th Jan 1928 112
W
 10 Dewsbury L A 6 0 VIEW
21st Jan 1928 113
W
 10 Hull L H 14 5 VIEW
4th Feb 1928 114
L
 10 Leigh L A 5 10 VIEW
11th Feb 1928 115
L
 10 Oldham CC1 A 5 15 VIEW
18th Feb 1928 116
L
 10 Oldham L H 13 14 VIEW
3rd Mar 1928 117
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 11 0 VIEW
10th Mar 1928 118
W
 10 Barrow L H 15 6 VIEW
17th Mar 1928 119
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L H 24 0 VIEW
24th Mar 1928 120
L
 10 Swinton L A 3 5 VIEW
31st Mar 1928 121
L
 10 Barrow L A 10 14 VIEW
6th Apr 1928 122
L
 10 Wigan L A 11 21 VIEW
7th Apr 1928 123
L
 10 Wigan Highfield L A 15 20 VIEW
9th Apr 1928 124
W
 10 Hunslet L H 30 10 VIEW
10th Apr 1928 125
L
 10 Rochdale Hornets L A 5 15 VIEW
25th Aug 1928 126
L
 10 Widnes L A 0 2 VIEW
1st Sep 1928 127
D
 10 Widnes L H 12 12 VIEW
8th Sep 1928 128
W
 10 Carlisle City L A 8 5 VIEW
15th Sep 1928 129
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L H 12 5 VIEW
19th Sep 1928 130
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 6 0 VIEW
22nd Sep 1928 131
W
 10 Dewsbury L A 17 7 VIEW
29th Sep 1928 132
D
 10 Hunslet L H 13 13 VIEW
6th Oct 1928 133
W
 10 Wigan Highfield L A 27 5 VIEW
13th Oct 1928 134
W
 10 Broughton Rangers LC1 A 15 10 VIEW
20th Oct 1928 135
W
 10 Dewsbury L H 22 9 VIEW
24th Oct 1928 136
L
 10 Warrington LC2 A 11 14 VIEW
10th Nov 1928 137
D
 10 Leeds L A 8 8 VIEW
17th Nov 1928 138
W
 10 Halifax L H 12 6 VIEW
22nd Dec 1928 139
W
 10 Warrington L A 13 4 VIEW
25th Dec 1928 140
L
 10 St. Helens Recs L H 0 5 VIEW
26th Dec 1928 141
L
 10 Wigan L H 2 10 VIEW
29th Dec 1928 142
W
 10 Leigh L A 3 0 VIEW
1st Jan 1929 143
L
 10 St. Helens Recs L A 2 8 VIEW
5th Jan 1929 144
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets L H 23 3 VIEW
12th Jan 1929 145
L
 10 Salford L A 7 10 VIEW
19th Jan 1929 146
L
 10 Swinton L H 2 3 VIEW
26th Jan 1929 147
L
 10 Barrow L A 6 16 VIEW
2nd Feb 1929 148
D
 10 Salford L H 11 11 VIEW
9th Feb 1929 149
W
 10 Lindley CC1 H 32 2 VIEW
23rd Feb 1929 150
W
 10 Keighley CC2 H 26 5 VIEW
2nd Mar 1929 151
W
 10 Leigh L H 23 2 VIEW
9th Mar 1929 152
D
 10 Wigan CC3 H 2 2 VIEW
13th Mar 1929 153
L
 10 Wigan CC3(rep) A 5 25 VIEW
16th Mar 1929 154
L
 10 Leeds L H 5 20 VIEW
23rd Mar 1929 155
L
 10 Halifax L A 8 19 VIEW
29th Mar 1929 156
L
 10 Wigan L A 8 28 VIEW
30th Mar 1929 157
W
 10 Bradford Northern L H 47 5 VIEW
1st Apr 1929 158
W
 10 Barrow L H 9 5 VIEW
3rd Apr 1929 159
L
 10 Hunslet L A 3 53 VIEW
6th Apr 1929 160
L
 8 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 0 12 VIEW
13th Apr 1929 161
W
 8 Rochdale Hornets L A 12 5 VIEW
20th Apr 1929 162
W
 10 Warrington L H 29 8 1 VIEW
22nd Apr 1929 163
W
 10 Bradford Northern L A 28 19 VIEW
27th Apr 1929 164
W
 10 Hull L H 24 7 VIEW
30th Apr 1929 165
L
 10 Broughton Rangers L A 7 14 VIEW
31st Aug 1929 166
L
 12 Widnes L H 0 3 VIEW
4th Sep 1929 167
L
 10 Leeds L A 5 7 VIEW
7th Sep 1929 168
W
 10 Widnes L A 21 8 VIEW
14th Sep 1929 169
D
 10 Hunslet L H 8 8 1 VIEW
19th Sep 1929 170
W
 10 Leeds L H 22 7 VIEW
22nd Sep 1929 171
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets L A 11 7 VIEW
24th Sep 1929 172
W
 10 Oldham L H 20 13 VIEW
2nd Oct 1929 173
L
 10 Hull L A 5 8 VIEW
5th Oct 1929 174
L
 10 Halifax L A 13 19 VIEW
12th Oct 1929 175
W
 10 Broughton Rangers LC1 A 10 9 VIEW
19th Oct 1929 176
W
 10 Salford L H 18 12 VIEW
23rd Oct 1929 177
D
 10 Salford LC2 H 8 8 VIEW
26th Oct 1929 178
L
 10 Castleford L H 10 20 VIEW
30th Oct 1929 179
L
 10 Salford LC2(rep) A 3 13 VIEW
2nd Nov 1929 180
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L A 8 3 VIEW
9th Nov 1929 181
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 24 5 VIEW
16th Nov 1929 182
D
 10 Australia Tour H 18 18 VIEW
23rd Nov 1929 183
L
 10 Leigh L A 3 5 VIEW
30th Nov 1929 184
W
 10 York L A 18 5 VIEW
7th Dec 1929 185
W
 10 Wigan Highfield L H 8 0 VIEW
14th Dec 1929 186
W
 10 Barrow L A 12 2 VIEW
21st Dec 1929 187
W
 10 Barrow L H 19 6 VIEW
25th Dec 1929 188
W
 10 St. Helens Recs L H 8 3 VIEW
26th Dec 1929 189
W
 10 Wigan L H 14 5 VIEW
28th Dec 1929 190
L
 10 Castleford L A 0 5 VIEW
1st Jan 1930 191
L
 10 St. Helens Recs L A 0 3 VIEW
4th Jan 1930 192
L
 10 Oldham L A 4 20 VIEW
11th Jan 1930 193
W
 10 Halifax L H 23 2 VIEW
18th Jan 1930 194
L
 10 Warrington L A 5 22 VIEW
25th Jan 1930 195
W
 10 Rochdale Hornets L H 32 5 VIEW
1st Feb 1930 196
W
 10 Wigan Highfield L A 22 0 VIEW
8th Feb 1930 197
W
 10 St. Helens Recs CC1 H 9 7 VIEW
15th Feb 1930 198
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 16 5 1 VIEW
22nd Feb 1930 199
W
 10 Leeds CC2 A 18 5 VIEW
1st Mar 1930 200
W
 10 Leigh L H 23 2 VIEW
8th Mar 1930 201
W
 10 Hunslet CC3 H 22 7 VIEW
15th Mar 1930 202
L
 10 Salford L A 2 11 VIEW
22nd Mar 1930 203
W
 10 Hull L H 23 4 1 VIEW
29th Mar 1930 204
D
 10 Wigan CCSF N 5 5 VIEW
2nd Apr 1930 205
W
 10 Wigan CCSF(rep) N 22 10 VIEW
5th Apr 1930 206
L
 10 Hunslet L A 11 14 1 VIEW
9th Apr 1930 207
W
 10 Swinton L A 8 3 VIEW
12th Apr 1930 208
W
 10 Batley L H 19 3 VIEW
14th Apr 1930 209
W
 10 Warrington L H 23 15 VIEW
17th Apr 1930 210
W
 10 Batley L A 15 11 VIEW
18th Apr 1930 211
W
 10 Wigan L A 8 3 VIEW
19th Apr 1930 212
W
 10 Broughton Rangers L H 31 17 VIEW
21st Apr 1930 213
W
 10 York L H 29 0 1 VIEW
22nd Apr 1930 214
W
 10 Swinton L H 8 4 VIEW
26th Apr 1930 215
L
 10 Leeds ChSF H 6 10 VIEW
3rd May 1930 216
L
 10 Widnes CCF N 3 10 1 VIEW
10th May 1930 --
W
 10 Wigan * Fr L 21 14 1 VIEW
30th Aug 1930 217
W
 10 Widnes L A 21 7 VIEW
6th Sep 1930 218
L
 10 Widnes L H 5 9 VIEW
10th Sep 1930 219
L
 10 Salford L A 5 11 VIEW
13th Sep 1930 220
L
 10 Swinton L A 3 12 VIEW
20th Sep 1930 221
W
 10 Warrington L H 18 12 VIEW
27th Sep 1930 222
W
 10 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 21 5 VIEW
11th Oct 1930 223
L
 10 Wigan LC1 A 7 24 VIEW
25th Oct 1930 224
W
 10 York L A 10 4 VIEW
1st Nov 1930 225
W
 10 Bramley L H 34 14 VIEW
8th Nov 1930 226
W
 10 Huddersfield L A 10 5 VIEW
22nd Nov 1930 227
W
 10 Barrow L A 7 4 VIEW
29th Nov 1930 228
W
 8 Rochdale Hornets L H 33 15 VIEW
6th Dec 1930 229
W
 8 Wigan Highfield L A 10 7 VIEW
13th Dec 1930 230
W
 10 Oldham L H 7 2 VIEW
20th Dec 1930 231
W
 8 Rochdale Hornets L A 9 2 VIEW
25th Dec 1930 232
W
 8 St. Helens Recs L H 7 6 VIEW
26th Dec 1930 233
L
 8 Wigan L H 2 23 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 134 | LOSSES : 87 | DRAWS : 14

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