John Walsh

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
13-06-1946
N/A
13-04-1968
Moss Bank ARL
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
15-04-1968 v Swinton
Leeds
1975- when he Retired
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1967-1974
185 (4)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
48
156
0
456

Biography of John Walsh



HERITAGE NO : 852
John Anthony Walsh by Dave Dooley:

As you progress in years there is a sudden realisation that certain people criss-cross your timeline - John Walsh was such a character. I recall as a first year pupil at Grange Park Technical School hearing a tale about a fourth former who had put a hole in the reinforced glass window of the `Technical Block` with a football. I believe `Waller` was responsible - he was having soccer trials for Everton at the same time.

At school John Walsh was an enigma - he was a leading light in the school First XV and achieved five `A` levels in Maths, Further Maths and Science with a couple of Special subjects thrown in. My form teacher, the charismatic Sam Hill, put his achievements down to `hard graft`. As a youngster I could never understand how such a talent was never made a prefect! Doubtless Waller`s schoolmates can throw some light on this recollection?

It was a tradition for Grange Park pupils to work in the school holidays at Ravenhead Glass - `tekin in` (transferring mad hot glasses from one machine to the next carousel without setting yourself and clothes on fire - something I managed to do most weeks). It used to take a few days to train you up to achieve `machine speed` but John Walsh had the dexterity and coordination to master the technique within five minutes. He later worked as a student at Boundary Road baths and allowed me to stay in the baths as long as I wanted (no overdue bills please!).

When he was at Hull University he returned to St Helens and trained one summer at Moss Lane "I was playing for the Colts there at the time. Everybody knew what a rugby talent he was and were stunned when the committee only picked John for the second team in the first match of the season. Within a fortnight some enthusiasts had formed a RL club at Moss Bank that included John Walsh and Ken Gill (later to become the GB and Salford half back). During that season the Club hit the local headlines and unsurprisingly lifted the Lancashire Amateur Cup. Towards the end of the campaign, 1968 to be precise, John Walsh was selected to tour Australia with the GB Amateur RL team. At the same time, Saints stepped in to sign John and he was soon making his debut on the 15th. of April 1968. against Swinton on the left wing, notching two goals in a hard fought 19-16 away victory.

In the following season 1968-69, John played seventeen matches at full back, kicking 27 goals and crossing the line for four tries. It is interesting to note that on the Saints` books at the time were full backs Frankie Barrow and Austin Rhodes in his second spell with club. In the team were the established `toe enders` Kel Coslett and Austin Rhodes, John Walsh preferred to use the new fangled instep, soccer style of goal-kicking. During this season he notched 12 goals and scored a try in the 57-5 demolition of Doncaster (19/4/69).

The championship side of 1969-70 saw John play in 46 matches, twenty four at full back and 22 games in the centre. The move to centre allowed the creative side of John`s play to flourish and fed Frank Wilson for a feast of tries. The Champions of 1970 also featured all time Saints` greats including Billy Benyon, Les Jones, Frank Myler, Cliff Watson, Bill Sayer, Tony Karalius, Eric Chisnall, John Mantle and Kel Coslett. The Championship Final at Odsal was a stage made for Walsh. The team were magnificently led by Frank Myler but for me John Walsh was our man of the match - running rings around the Leeds backs and dropping a goal from the most acute of angles - just after a wicked hailstorm (yes it was the middle of May in Bradford!).

Saints retained the Championship the following season with a remarkable 16-12 last minute victory over arch-rivals Wigan at Swinton. I remember hitch-hiking to the match from Padgate College and reliving the golden moments in the college bar for most of the night. It was the fortuitous bounce of the ovoid from an attempted drop goal by John Walsh that led to the famous Billy Benyon try. I was on the `25` opposite `Waller` as he delivered the present to Billy and there no was no offside to be seen!

In season 1971-72 John Walsh paved the way for a BBC2 Floodlight Trophy win with a devastating man of the match performance over Leeds in the semi-final (17-0 at Headingly). Leeds were again victims in the Challenge Cup final of 1972 when the magnificent boot of Kel Coslett was ably augmented by a fabulous defensive display led by Walsh in the centre who snuffed out the highly rated Syd Hynes. The season saw John gain his county cap for Lancashire. In a season of many highlights John Walsh played centre in the Great Britain team that became World Champions in the tournament held in France.

The Saints` side of 1972-73 found itself in a period of rebuilding with John Walsh only playing in less than half of the matches. Supporters were then rocked with the news that 1973-74 would see John Walsh taking a sabbatical to concentrate in his examinations. This decision probably resulted in John missing out on the Lions Tour to Australia.

The Championship side of 1974-75 saw a rejuvenated John Walsh play a key role in Saints losing only three matches in the league season. His creative play and dominance in the centre resulted in John Walsh being named as England captain for the World Cup of 1975.

At the end of the season John announced his `early retirement` prior to his 29th. birthday.

I can still see the writhing of some Grange Park teachers as `Waller`, bedecked in the red of Windsor, powered his way to another cross country victory along the red rocks. I wonder if any witnessed his triumphs at Knowlsey Road, Wembley or Odsal? Perhaps it was part of a cunning plan to bring the best out of him - it certainly worked!

John Walsh, forever an enigma now living in Canada. He recently attended the 1972 Challenge Cup winning side reunion dinner at John Stephens restaurant in Liverpool.



SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1967~68 0 2 0 1
1968~69 3 29 0 18
1969~70 7 41 0 46
1970~71 15 36 0 45
1971~72 15 6 0 28
1972~73 0 6 0 16
1974~75 8 36 0 31
TOTALS:48 156 0 185
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1969~700001
1970~71 0001
1972~73 1301
1974~75 1202
TOTALS:2505

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
15th Apr 1968 1
W
 5 Swinton L A 19 16 2 VIEW
28th Aug 1968 --NPS
W
 14 Wakefield Trinity L H 24 8 VIEW
31st Aug 1968 --NPS
W
 14 Widnes L H 24 9 VIEW
2nd Sep 1968 2
W
 14 Barrow L A 17 2 VIEW
14th Sep 1968 3
W
 1 Leigh L H 27 2 6 VIEW
18th Sep 1968 --NPS
W
 14 Widnes LC2 A 20 17 VIEW
20th Sep 1968 4
W
 1 Huyton L H 11 10 VIEW
23rd Sep 1968 5
L
 1 Barrow FTP(2) A 11 18 VIEW
27th Sep 1968 6
W
 1 Warrington L H 24 11 VIEW
14th Oct 1968 --NPS
W
 14 Swinton FT1 H 12 10 VIEW
11th Mar 1969 7
W
 1 Barrow L H 32 7 3 VIEW
15th Mar 1969 8
L
 1 Leigh L A 10 12 VIEW
21st Mar 1969 9
W
 1 Widnes L A 18 4 VIEW
24th Mar 1969 10
W
 1 Blackpool Borough L H 43 12 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1969 11
W
 1 Oldham L H 19 4 VIEW
4th Apr 1969 12
L
 1 Wigan L A 10 34 1 VIEW
7th Apr 1969 13
W
 1 Swinton L H 40 5 VIEW
12th Apr 1969 14
L
 1 Workington Town L H 5 8 VIEW
15th Apr 1969 15
W
 1 Oldham L A 17 2 VIEW
19th Apr 1969 16
W
 1 Doncaster L H 57 5 12 VIEW
26th Apr 1969 17
W
 1 Keighley Ch1 H 25 7 1 5 VIEW
3rd May 1969 18
W
 1 Featherstone Rovers Ch2 H 47 4 3 VIEW
10th May 1969 19
L
 1 Castleford ChSF H 6 18 VIEW
9th Aug 1969 --
W
 3 Swinton* Fr Gallie Cup A 32 4 VIEW
16th Aug 1969 20
W
 3 Castleford L H 27 3 VIEW
20th Aug 1969 21
L
 1 Widnes L A 5 17 VIEW
23rd Aug 1969 22
W
 1 Workington Town L H 31 11 VIEW
29th Aug 1969 23
W
 1 Warrington L A 14 7 VIEW
1st Sep 1969 24
W
 1 Maryport LC1 H 58 5 VIEW
5th Sep 1969 25
W
 4 Huyton L H 31 0 VIEW
10th Sep 1969 26
L
 1 Castleford L A 3 9 VIEW
20th Sep 1969 27
W
 1 Rochdale Hornets L H 63 10 1 9 VIEW
27th Sep 1969 28
W
 1 Workington Town L A 17 5 4 VIEW
29th Sep 1969 29
L
 1 Widnes LC2 A 14 22 1 VIEW
4th Oct 1969 30
W
 1 Warrington L H 11 7 VIEW
7th Oct 1969 31
L
 4 Leeds L A 7 13 VIEW
11th Oct 1969 32
W
 4 Huyton L A 28 5 1 VIEW
13th Oct 1969 33
W
 4 Swinton FT1 A 17 9 4 VIEW
29th Oct 1969 34
L
 4 Salford L A 12 16 3 VIEW
4th Nov 1969 35
W
 4 Barrow FT2 A 11 6 VIEW
15th Nov 1969 36
L
 4 Featherstone Rovers L A 6 13 VIEW
17th Nov 1969 37
W
 4 Barrow L H 31 9 VIEW
22nd Nov 1969 38
W
 4 Oldham L H 41 10 VIEW
9th Dec 1969 39
D
 4 Wigan FTSF A 13 13 VIEW
13th Dec 1969 40
W
 1 Blackpool Borough L H 26 9 VIEW
26th Dec 1969 41
W
 1 Wigan L A 53 11 VIEW
1st Jan 1970 42
D
 1 Swinton L H 18 18 1 VIEW
10th Jan 1970 43
W
 1 Batley L H 22 9 3 VIEW
27th Jan 1970 44
L
 1 Salford L H 15 16 2 VIEW
31st Jan 1970 45
L
 1 Leigh L A 3 6 VIEW
7th Feb 1970 46
W
 1 Bradford Northern CC1 H 16 3 2 VIEW
21st Feb 1970 47
W
 1 Bramley CC2 H 17 2 VIEW
27th Feb 1970 48
W
 1 Barrow L A 6 0 VIEW
2nd Mar 1970 49
W
 1 Whitehaven L H 37 5 VIEW
10th Mar 1970 50
D
 1 Doncaster CC3 A 4 4 VIEW
14th Mar 1970 51
W
 1 Featherstone Rovers L H 22 4 1 VIEW
16th Mar 1970 52
W
 1 Doncaster CC3(rep) H 36 0 VIEW
21st Mar 1970 53
W
 1 Batley L A 8 7 VIEW
23rd Mar 1970 54
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets L A 10 0 VIEW
27th Mar 1970 55
L
 1 Wigan L H 16 23 VIEW
28th Mar 1970 56
W
 4 Leeds L H 12 5 VIEW
30th Mar 1970 57
L
 4 Swinton L A 9 10 VIEW
4th Apr 1970 58
L
 3 Castleford CCSF N 3 6 VIEW
6th Apr 1970 59
W
 3 Oldham L A 43 0 8 VIEW
10th Apr 1970 60
W
 3 Widnes L H 15 12 3 VIEW
18th Apr 1970 61
W
 4 Warrington Ch1 H 36 8 1 VIEW
25th Apr 1970 62
W
 4 Leigh Ch2 H 16 5 VIEW
2nd May 1970 63
D
 4 Castleford ChSF A 9 9 1 VIEW
4th May 1970 64
W
 4 Castleford ChSF(rep) H 21 12 VIEW
16th May 1970 65
W
 4 Leeds ChF N 24 12 1 2 VIEW
7th Aug 1970 --
W
 4 Salford * Fr Gallie Cup H 29 12 VIEW
15th Aug 1970 66
D
 4 Castleford CS A 19 19 1 VIEW
22nd Aug 1970 67
W
 4 Bradford Northern L A 42 3 VIEW
25th Aug 1970 68
W
 4 Batley L H 35 3 2 VIEW
29th Aug 1970 69
W
 4 Huyton LC1 A 30 3 VIEW
31st Aug 1970 70
W
 4 Leigh L H 26 7 1 1 VIEW
5th Sep 1970 71
W
 4 Bramley L A 15 8 1 VIEW
10th Sep 1970 72
W
 4 Halifax L A 27 4 6 VIEW
12th Sep 1970 73
W
 4 Huddersfield L H 39 0 VIEW
15th Sep 1970 74
W
 4 Halifax L H 22 7 1 1 VIEW
17th Sep 1970 75
W
 4 Swinton LC2 H 20 7 1 VIEW
19th Sep 1970 76
L
 4 Swinton L A 8 22 VIEW
22nd Sep 1970 77
W
 14 Hull L H 30 9 VIEW
26th Sep 1970 78
W
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 38 3 VIEW
29th Sep 1970 79
W
 4 Castleford FT1 H 14 7 1 1 VIEW
3rd Oct 1970 80
W
 4 Featherstone Rovers L A 27 18 2 1 VIEW
7th Oct 1970 81
W
 4 Warrington L A 12 4 1 VIEW
10th Oct 1970 82
W
 4 Wigan LCSF A 23 0 3 VIEW
13th Oct 1970 83
W
 4 Warrington L H 37 6 2 VIEW
19th Oct 1970 84
W
 6 Bradford Northern L H 42 0 VIEW
6th Nov 1970 85
W
 6 Hull L A 16 2 VIEW
9th Nov 1970 86
W
 4 Australia Tour H 37 10 2 VIEW
20th Nov 1970 87
W
 4 Salford L A 4 0 1 VIEW
28th Nov 1970 88
L
 4 Leigh LCF N 4 7 VIEW
30th Nov 1970 89
W
 4 Leigh FT2 A 10 4 VIEW
5th Dec 1970 90
W
 4 St. Gaudens ECF(1) A 30 11 6 VIEW
8th Dec 1970 91
D
 4 Wigan FTSF A 7 7 VIEW
13th Dec 1970 92
W
 4 Wigan FTSF(rep) H 16 15 1 VIEW
15th Dec 1970 93
L
 4 Leeds FTF A 5 9 VIEW
23rd Jan 1971 94
W
 6 Workington Town CC1 A 8 6 1 VIEW
30th Jan 1971 95
W
 4 Whitehaven L H 27 5 VIEW
6th Feb 1971 96
W
 4 Salford L H 26 4 1 VIEW
13th Feb 1971 97
L
 4 Castleford L A 6 12 1 VIEW
20th Feb 1971 98
L
 4 Leeds CC2 A 0 4 VIEW
6th Mar 1971 99
W
 4 Featherstone Rovers L H 23 16 1 VIEW
20th Mar 1971 100
W
 14 Swinton L H 40 0 2 VIEW
22nd Mar 1971 101
W
 4 Leeds L H 30 9 4 VIEW
9th Apr 1971 102
W
 4 Wigan L A 9 6 1 VIEW
10th Apr 1971 103
W
 4 Batley L A 27 4 VIEW
12th Apr 1971 104
W
 4 Widnes L H 14 5 1 VIEW
17th Apr 1971 105
W
 4 Huddersfield L A 11 8 VIEW
24th Apr 1971 106
W
 4 Huddersfield Ch1 H 28 5 1 VIEW
30th Apr 1971 107
W
 4 Hull Ch2 H 30 5 VIEW
7th May 1971 108
W
 4 Leeds ChSF H 22 7 VIEW
22nd May 1971 109
W
 4 Wigan ChF N 16 12 VIEW
5th Jun 1971 110
W
 4 St. Gaudens ECF(2) H 62 0 2 VIEW
30th Oct 1971 111
W
 14 Bramley L H 37 4 VIEW
6th Nov 1971 112
W
 4 Dewsbury L A 4 2 1 VIEW
9th Nov 1971 113
W
 4 Leigh FT2 A 13 4 1 VIEW
13th Nov 1971 114
W
 4 Featherstone Rovers JP1 H 37 7 VIEW
20th Nov 1971 115
W
 4 Castleford L H 14 2 VIEW
27th Nov 1971 116
W
 4 Whitehaven JP2 A 12 0 1 VIEW
30th Nov 1971 117
W
 4 Leeds FTSF A 17 0 2 VIEW
4th Dec 1971 118
W
 4 Oldham L A 28 0 1 VIEW
11th Dec 1971 119
W
 4 Hull JP3 H 33 5 1 VIEW
14th Dec 1971 120
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets FTF H 8 2 VIEW
18th Dec 1971 121
L
 4 Wakefield Trinity JPSF A 9 14 VIEW
27th Dec 1971 122
L
 4 Wigan L A 3 8 VIEW
15th Jan 1972 123
W
 4 Keighley L A 24 4 VIEW
22nd Jan 1972 124
D
 4 Leeds L H 15 15 1 VIEW
29th Jan 1972 125
W
 4 Oldham CC1 A 8 6 1 VIEW
19th Feb 1972 126
W
 4 Huddersfield CC2 H 32 9 2 1 VIEW
26th Feb 1972 127
L
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 2 5 VIEW
4th Mar 1972 128
W
 4 York CC3 A 32 5 1 VIEW
14th Mar 1972 129
W
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 29 2 1 VIEW
18th Mar 1972 130
W
 4 Dewsbury L H 16 14 VIEW
3rd Apr 1972 131
L
 4 Widnes L A 9 19 1 VIEW
6th Apr 1972 132
W
 4 Workington Town L A 19 10 2 1 VIEW
15th Apr 1972 133
D
 4 Warrington CCSF N 10 10 1 VIEW
19th Apr 1972 134
W
 4 Warrington CCSF(rep) N 10 6 VIEW
22nd Apr 1972 135
W
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers Ch1 H 25 5 1 VIEW
28th Apr 1972 136
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets Ch2 H 17 5 VIEW
13th May 1972 137
W
 4 Leeds CCF N 16 13 VIEW
20th May 1972 138
L
 4 Leeds ChF N 5 9 1 VIEW
11th Aug 1972 --
D
 4 Salford * Fr Gallie Cup A 12 12 1 3 VIEW
20th Aug 1972 139
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets L A 21 3 VIEW
25th Aug 1972 140
W
 4 Huyton L H 41 2 VIEW
28th Aug 1972 141
W
 4 Huyton L A 47 6 2 VIEW
3rd Sep 1972 142
W
 4 Warrington LC1 A 18 16 VIEW
8th Sep 1972 143
W
 4 Leigh L H 9 2 VIEW
13th Sep 1972 144
L
 4 Widnes LC2 A 2 13 VIEW
17th Sep 1972 145
L
 4 Featherstone Rovers L A 14 19 VIEW
29th Sep 1972 146
W
 4 Swinton L H 33 12 VIEW
7th Oct 1972 147
D
 4 Oldham L A 12 12 VIEW
10th Oct 1972 148
L
 4 Leeds FT1 H 6 14 VIEW
13th Oct 1972 149
W
 4 Bradford Northern L H 22 8 3 VIEW
22nd Oct 1972 150
W
 4 Dewsbury L A 17 12 VIEW
15th Nov 1972 151
L
 4 Australia Tour H 9 24 VIEW
19th Nov 1972 152
L
 4 Workington Town L A 4 12 VIEW
25th Mar 1973 153
W
 1 Leigh L A 11 7 VIEW
27th Mar 1973 154
W
 1 Leeds L H 19 12 1 VIEW
16th Aug 1974 --
W
 1 Blackpool Borough * Fr Charity H 30 8 1 VIEW
23rd Aug 1974 155
W
 1 Warrington L A 16 10 VIEW
30th Aug 1974 156
L
 1 Workington Town LC1 H 11 13 VIEW
6th Sep 1974 157
W
 3 York L H 26 6 VIEW
15th Sep 1974 158
W
 3 Dewsbury L A 21 7 3 VIEW
20th Sep 1974 159
W
 3 Leeds L H 21 5 3 VIEW
24th Sep 1974 160
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity FTP(2) A 15 18 VIEW
29th Sep 1974 161
L
 3 Swinton JP1 A 6 7 VIEW
6th Oct 1974 162
W
 3 Featherstone Rovers L A 22 8 1 VIEW
11th Oct 1974 163
W
 3 Keighley L H 33 7 3 6 VIEW
15th Oct 1974 164
W
 4 Leeds FT1 H 30 2 6 VIEW
20th Oct 1974 165
W
 4 Halifax L A 47 15 7 VIEW
25th Oct 1974 166
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets L H 23 5 6 VIEW
2nd Nov 1974 167
W
 4 Bramley L A 17 9 1 1 VIEW
12th Nov 1974 168
L
 4 Salford FT2 H 7 11 VIEW
15th Nov 1974 169
W
 4 Bramley L H 12 10 VIEW
24th Nov 1974 170
L
 4 Wakefield Trinity L A 5 13 VIEW
15th Dec 1974 171
W
 4 Warrington L H 20 2 VIEW
26th Dec 1974 172
W
 4 Wigan L H 20 7 VIEW
29th Dec 1974 173
W
 4 Salford L A 14 0 1 VIEW
1st Jan 1975 174
W
 4 Widnes L A 11 10 VIEW
12th Jan 1975 175
W
 4 Keighley L A 13 5 VIEW
25th Jan 1975 176
L
 4 Leeds L A 10 11 VIEW
2nd Feb 1975 177
W
 4 Salford L H 18 5 1 VIEW
22nd Feb 1975 178
L
 4 Wakefield Trinity CC2 A 9 13 VIEW
11th Mar 1975 179
W
 3 Wakefield Trinity L H 16 6 VIEW
23rd Mar 1975 180
W
 4 Bradford Northern L A 26 15 3 VIEW
15th Apr 1975 181
W
 4 Dewsbury L H 36 14 VIEW
20th Apr 1975 --
L
 3 Wales * Fr Testimonial H 22 31 2 VIEW
25th Apr 1975 182
W
 6 Oldham PT1 H 42 5 1 VIEW
2nd May 1975 183
W
 6 Bradford Northern PT2 (rep) H 14 5 VIEW
4th May 1975 184
W
 6 Wigan PTSF A 22 16 1 VIEW
17th May 1975 185
L
 6 Leeds PTF N 11 26 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 144 | LOSSES : 40 | DRAWS : 10

GALLERY





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