Bert Unwin

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
26-06-1904
N/A
28-08-1929
St. Helens Recreation
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
30-10-1929 v Salford
Hull K.R.
1932- Wigan Highfield
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1929-1931
37 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
1
0
0
3

Biography of Bert Unwin



HERITAGE NO : 382
Bert Unwin by Alex Service

Bert was a local lad who could be described as a bread and butter player. He was signed from rivals St. Helens Recreation when England international hooker Harold Smith left Knowsley Road in the autumn of 1929. A worker at the Pilkington Glass works, Bert made his St. Helens debut against Salford at the Willows on 30th October 1929 in a replayed second round Lancashire Cup tie. Saints lost 3-13, with Bert forming a front-row partnership with New Zealander Lou Hutt and Haydock-born Lou Houghton.

Bert played against the visiting Australians in an entertaining 18-18 draw at Knowsley Road, but did not feature at Wembley at the end of the season against Widnes in the Challenge Cup final. He was selected for the infamous Championship semi-final against Leeds at Knowsley Road when Alf Ellaby was marked out of the game somewhat illegally by his opposite number and Saints lost 5-8.

The 1929-30 campaign was his most successful in terms of appearances, with 23 all told. He went on to play on 13 occasions for the First Team during the following campaign. His last match was on 13th February 1932 against Hull KR at Knowsley Road which the visitors won 5-8. At least he played his part in the team that finished as League Champions for the first time at the end of the 1931-32 season.


Bert went on to Wigan Highfield and stayed with them when they relocated, lock, stock and barrel to London, to become London Highfield. In fact Bert was hooker for the London club when the Saints made their first-ever visit to the capital to play a club match on Wednesday 14th March 1934. It was also the first occasion that the team had appeared under floodlights in the professional game. The home side won by 16 points to 8, although the experiment in the capital was to last just one season for this particular club. As for Bert, we are not certain whether he retired from rugby at that time or went elsewhere. In 1939 he was living in Roland Avenue, St Helens and working at the local glass works. He passed away in St Helens on 3rd January 1980, aged 75.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1929~30 0 0 0 23
1930~31 1 0 0 13
1931~32 0 0 0 1
TOTALS:1 0 0 37
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
TOTALS:

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
30th Oct 1929 1
L
 9 Salford LC2(rep) A 3 13 VIEW
2nd Nov 1929 2
W
 9 Broughton Rangers L A 8 3 VIEW
9th Nov 1929 3
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 24 5 VIEW
16th Nov 1929 4
D
 9 Australia Tour H 18 18 VIEW
23rd Nov 1929 5
L
 9 Leigh L A 3 5 VIEW
30th Nov 1929 6
W
 9 York L A 18 5 VIEW
7th Dec 1929 7
W
 9 Wigan Highfield L H 8 0 VIEW
14th Dec 1929 8
W
 9 Barrow L A 12 2 VIEW
21st Dec 1929 9
W
 9 Barrow L H 19 6 VIEW
25th Dec 1929 10
W
 9 St. Helens Recs L H 8 3 VIEW
26th Dec 1929 11
W
 9 Wigan L H 14 5 VIEW
28th Dec 1929 12
L
 9 Castleford L A 0 5 VIEW
1st Jan 1930 13
L
 9 St. Helens Recs L A 0 3 VIEW
4th Jan 1930 14
L
 9 Oldham L A 4 20 VIEW
18th Jan 1930 15
L
 9 Warrington L A 5 22 VIEW
5th Apr 1930 16
L
 9 Hunslet L A 11 14 VIEW
9th Apr 1930 17
W
 9 Swinton L A 8 3 VIEW
14th Apr 1930 18
W
 9 Warrington L H 23 15 VIEW
17th Apr 1930 19
W
 9 Batley L A 15 11 VIEW
19th Apr 1930 20
W
 9 Broughton Rangers L H 31 17 VIEW
21st Apr 1930 21
W
 9 York L H 29 0 VIEW
22nd Apr 1930 22
W
 9 Swinton L H 8 4 VIEW
26th Apr 1930 23
L
 9 Leeds ChSF H 6 10 VIEW
10th Sep 1930 24
L
 9 Salford L A 5 11 VIEW
20th Sep 1930 25
W
 9 Warrington L H 18 12 VIEW
27th Sep 1930 26
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 21 5 VIEW
4th Oct 1930 27
W
 9 Dewsbury L H 12 10 VIEW
11th Oct 1930 28
L
 9 Wigan LC1 A 7 24 VIEW
18th Oct 1930 29
L
 9 Leeds L H 8 20 1 VIEW
25th Oct 1930 30
W
 9 York L A 10 4 VIEW
8th Nov 1930 31
W
 9 Huddersfield L A 10 5 VIEW
15th Nov 1930 32
W
 9 Salford L H 7 0 VIEW
22nd Nov 1930 33
W
 9 Barrow L A 7 4 VIEW
27th Dec 1930 34
L
 9 Leeds L A 0 23 VIEW
3rd Jan 1931 35
W
 9 Halifax L H 20 6 VIEW
10th Jan 1931 36
L
 9 Warrington L A 3 14 VIEW
13th Feb 1932 37
L
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 5 8 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 22 | LOSSES : 14 | DRAWS : 1




Copyright © Saints Heritage Society 1999-2024.