Bill Sayer | |||||||
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OVERALL STATISTICS | |||||||
BIRTH | AGE | SIGNED ON | FROM | ||||
DEBUT | LAST MATCH | LEFT | |||||
CAREER | APPEARANCES (SUBS) | ||||||
TRIES | GOALS | DGOALS | PTS | ||||
Biography of Bill Sayer |
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HERITAGE NO : 832 William Sayer by Dave Dooley: Occasionally as players approach the end of their careers, a change can be just as good as a rest. Bill`s switch from Wigan to Saints in 1965 provided a glorious swansong for this accomplished and highly decorated hooker. Bill was in the twilight of his career at Wigan and facing stiff competition for his hooking role from the up and coming Colin Clarke. Whilst at Wigan Bill had gained almost every honour in the domestic game as well as representing Lancashire and Great Britain on several occasions. He had few peers in the hooking department as well as being a superb dummy half, sound tackler and could read the flow of the game. The sale of `Sos` Sayer to their rivals over Billinge Lump would come to haunt the Riversiders before the season was out. As Saints marched to the top of the league and down Wembley Way, Bill established himself as the regular first choice hooker at Knowsley Road superseding Bob Dagnall. Possession was paramount in those days of unlimited tackle rugby and front rows that included Halsall, Sayer and Watson would guarantee the lion`s share of the ball on most match days. At the business end of the season fate determined that Bill and the Saints had a date with their destiny as Saints progressed to meet Wigan in the 1966 Challenge Cup Final. When the RL Disciplinary Committee declared that Colin Clarke was suspended for the Final many pundits thought that the outcome was done and dusted. As matters unfolded rather too much was made of the `possession` aspect of the contest. The Wigan replacement, Tom Woosey, fared no worse than other hookers who had competed for the ball with Sayer in matches leading up to the Final. The actual match statistics bears this out. Saints were strategically superior on the day and came to the Final well prepared with match winners all over the pitch. `Sos` delivered the ball and the team of all talents punished Wigan by 21 points to 2. One week later Bill picked up a Championship winners medal as a rampant Saints` side demolished Halifax by 35 points to 12 in the Swinton sunshine. In a 17 match spell that half-season Bill had augmented his honours tally with four winners` medals (the League Leaders award and the Lancashire League being the other two). For many players of Bill`s years this would have been the perfect ending to a glorious career - but not Mr Sayer! Bill continued to play a key role for the Saints over the next 4 and a half years. This was even more remarkable when you consider that during this time, the nature of the game was transformed from with the limited tackle rule and tap penalties. Bill scored his first try for the club in the 42 points to 7 victory over Salford in the 1966/7 season. Saints ended that campaign by winning the Lancashire League title again and losing out to Wakefield Trinity in a Championship Final replay. The season brought a further nine tries to Bill`s try tally, testimony to his excellent support skills. This impressive haul for a hooker included a `Sos` sizzler in the 21 points to 7 away victory at Wigan! The only missing item in Bill`s medal collection was a Lancashire Cup winners medal. Over the following two seasons, Sayer won two of this particular variety in wins over Warrington and Oldham. Moreover, Bill was more or less ever-present in the Saints line-up during these two campaigns. The 1969/70 season was a different kettle of fish as Bill lost his place in the side to a rampant Tony Karalius. After just 11 appearances that season Bill was called upon to wear the number nine shirt in the 1970 Championship Final against Leeds. This last match of the season was an absolute cracker between two teams playing open attacking rugby and at the peak of their form. After falling behind in the early stages, the Saints stood up to the challenge. Alex Service takes up the tale: "A well rehearsed tap penalty move thirty yards from the Leeds tryline saw Mantle smash into the heart of the enemy defence before feeding Chisnall. The big second rower charged down the middle, drew the cover and passed one-handed to Myler who sent veteran hooker Bill sayer under the posts." That classic try edged Saints into the lead and kept Saints in contention in a closely fought first half. In the second stanza Saints dominated events and ran out winners by 24 points to 12 and providing Bill with another Championship winner`s medal. Bill played a further four matches the following season. His last match against Bramley on December 19th. 1970. `Sos` rounded off his career in style with a well-taken try. Bill Sayer - evergreen, ever great! Bill died in Wigan in August 1989, aged 55. |
SEASON STATISTICS | ||||
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Season (Official Matches) | Tries | Goals | DGoals | Matches |
1965~66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
1966~67 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
1967~68 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
1968~69 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
1969~70 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
1970~71 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
TOTALS: | 26 | 0 | 0 | 147 |
Season (Other Matches) | Tries | Goals | DGoals | Matches |
1966~67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
1968~69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
TOTALS: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
ALL MATCHES |
Date | Match | Pos | Opponents | Comp | Venue | FT | FTO | T | G | DG | ||
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29th Jan 1966 | 1 | W |
9 | Halifax | L | A | 5 | 2 | VIEW | |||
1st Feb 1966 | 2 | W |
9 | Widnes | L | H | 9 | 4 | VIEW | |||
5th Feb 1966 | 3 | W |
9 | Blackpool Borough | L | A | 25 | 11 | VIEW | |||
19th Feb 1966 | 4 | L |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 12 | 20 | VIEW | |||
26th Feb 1966 | 5 | W |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | CC1 | A | 10 | 0 | VIEW | |||
8th Mar 1966 | 6 | W |
9 | Liverpool City | L | H | 16 | 2 | VIEW | |||
19th Mar 1966 | 7 | W |
9 | Swinton | CC2 | H | 16 | 4 | VIEW | |||
26th Mar 1966 | 8 | L |
9 | Wigan | L | A | 8 | 17 | VIEW | |||
2nd Apr 1966 | 9 | W |
9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | CC3 | H | 12 | 10 | VIEW | |||
8th Apr 1966 | 10 | W |
9 | Wigan | L | H | 17 | 10 | VIEW | |||
16th Apr 1966 | 11 | W |
9 | Dewsbury | CCSF | N | 12 | 5 | VIEW | |||
22nd Apr 1966 | 12 | L |
9 | Swinton | L | H | 10 | 15 | VIEW | |||
30th Apr 1966 | 13 | W |
9 | Warrington | Ch1 | H | 35 | 7 | VIEW | |||
7th May 1966 | 14 | W |
9 | Oldham | Ch2 | H | 15 | 10 | VIEW | |||
14th May 1966 | 15 | W |
9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | ChSF | H | 14 | 6 | VIEW | |||
21st May 1966 | 16 | W |
9 | Wigan | CCF | N | 21 | 2 | VIEW | |||
28th May 1966 | 17 | W |
9 | Halifax | ChF | N | 35 | 12 | VIEW | |||
12th Aug 1966 | -- | L |
9 | Swinton* | Fr Gallie Cup | H | 13 | 27 | VIEW | |||
19th Aug 1966 | 18 | D |
9 | Widnes | L | A | 10 | 10 | VIEW | |||
23rd Aug 1966 | 19 | L |
9 | Warrington | L | H | 6 | 10 | VIEW | |||
27th Aug 1966 | 20 | W |
9 | Salford | L | H | 42 | 7 | 1 | VIEW | ||
29th Aug 1966 | 21 | L |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 15 | 28 | VIEW | |||
3rd Sep 1966 | 22 | W |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | LC1 | A | 18 | 16 | VIEW | |||
7th Sep 1966 | 23 | W |
9 | Salford | FTP(1) | A | 19 | 10 | VIEW | |||
14th Sep 1966 | 24 | L |
9 | Wigan | LC2 | A | 9 | 11 | VIEW | |||
17th Sep 1966 | 25 | W |
9 | Blackpool Borough | L | A | 23 | 14 | 1 | VIEW | ||
24th Sep 1966 | 26 | D |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | L | A | 17 | 17 | VIEW | |||
26th Sep 1966 | 27 | W |
9 | Salford | FTP(2) | H | 40 | 5 | 1 | VIEW | ||
30th Sep 1966 | 28 | W |
9 | Whitehaven | L | H | 35 | 12 | VIEW | |||
14th Oct 1966 | 29 | W |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 18 | 15 | 1 | VIEW | ||
18th Oct 1966 | 30 | W |
9 | Swinton | FT1 | H | 11 | 9 | 1 | VIEW | ||
22nd Oct 1966 | 31 | W |
9 | Salford | L | A | 30 | 3 | 1 | VIEW | ||
28th Oct 1966 | 32 | W |
9 | Leeds | L | H | 16 | 3 | VIEW | |||
2nd Nov 1966 | 33 | L |
9 | Leigh | L | A | 5 | 29 | VIEW | |||
26th Nov 1966 | 34 | W |
9 | Huddersfield | L | A | 15 | 10 | VIEW | |||
9th Dec 1966 | 35 | W |
9 | Leigh | L | H | 4 | 0 | VIEW | |||
17th Dec 1966 | 36 | W |
9 | Workington Town | L | A | 16 | 9 | VIEW | |||
26th Dec 1966 | 37 | W |
9 | Wigan | L | H | 8 | 3 | VIEW | |||
2nd Jan 1967 | 38 | D |
9 | Swinton | L | A | 9 | 9 | VIEW | |||
27th Jan 1967 | 39 | W |
9 | Oldham | L | H | 25 | 7 | 1 | VIEW | ||
3rd Feb 1967 | 40 | D |
9 | Salford | CC1 | A | 5 | 5 | VIEW | |||
7th Feb 1967 | 41 | L |
9 | Salford | CC1(rep) | H | 3 | 8 | VIEW | |||
11th Feb 1967 | 42 | W |
9 | Liverpool City | L | H | 23 | 6 | VIEW | |||
17th Feb 1967 | 43 | L |
9 | Oldham | L | A | 7 | 8 | VIEW | |||
10th Mar 1967 | 44 | W |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | L | H | 17 | 2 | VIEW | |||
18th Mar 1967 | 45 | W |
9 | Huddersfield | L | H | 11 | 4 | VIEW | |||
24th Mar 1967 | 46 | W |
9 | Wigan | L | A | 21 | 7 | 1 | VIEW | ||
7th Apr 1967 | 47 | W |
9 | Widnes | L | H | 25 | 10 | VIEW | |||
14th Apr 1967 | 48 | W |
9 | Leigh | Ch1 | H | 37 | 12 | 1 | VIEW | ||
22nd Apr 1967 | 49 | W |
9 | Bradford Northern | Ch2 | H | 15 | 8 | VIEW | |||
29th Apr 1967 | 50 | W |
9 | Castleford | ChSF | H | 14 | 3 | VIEW | |||
6th May 1967 | 51 | D |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | ChF | N | 7 | 7 | VIEW | |||
10th May 1967 | 52 | L |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | ChF(rep) | N | 9 | 21 | VIEW | |||
18th Aug 1967 | 53 | W |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | LC1 | H | 7 | 4 | VIEW | |||
28th Aug 1967 | 54 | W |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 13 | 11 | VIEW | |||
9th Sep 1967 | 55 | W |
9 | Liverpool City | L | A | 32 | 5 | 1 | VIEW | ||
15th Sep 1967 | 56 | W |
9 | Leigh | L | H | 22 | 0 | VIEW | |||
19th Sep 1967 | 57 | W |
9 | Swinton | LCSF | A | 12 | 8 | VIEW | |||
23rd Sep 1967 | 58 | W |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | L | A | 8 | 2 | VIEW | |||
27th Sep 1967 | 59 | W |
9 | Warrington | L | H | 17 | 12 | VIEW | |||
7th Oct 1967 | 60 | D |
9 | Warrington | LCF | N | 2 | 2 | VIEW | |||
14th Oct 1967 | 61 | W |
9 | Liverpool City | L | H | 15 | 7 | VIEW | |||
21st Oct 1967 | 62 | L |
9 | Whitehaven | L | A | 6 | 11 | VIEW | |||
27th Oct 1967 | 63 | W |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | L | H | 14 | 7 | VIEW | |||
7th Nov 1967 | 64 | W |
9 | Oldham | FT1 | H | 14 | 0 | VIEW | |||
11th Nov 1967 | 65 | W |
9 | Blackpool Borough | L | H | 17 | 3 | VIEW | |||
18th Nov 1967 | 66 | W |
9 | Leigh | L | A | 7 | 4 | VIEW | |||
22nd Nov 1967 | 67 | L |
9 | Wigan | FT2 | H | 11 | 22 | VIEW | |||
24th Nov 1967 | 68 | L |
15 | Salford | L | H | 4 | 7 | VIEW | |||
2nd Dec 1967 | 69 | W |
9 | Warrington | LCF(rep) | N | 13 | 10 | VIEW | |||
26th Dec 1967 | 70 | W |
9 | Wigan | L | A | 16 | 10 | VIEW | |||
30th Dec 1967 | 71 | D |
9 | Batley | L | H | 9 | 9 | VIEW | |||
5th Jan 1968 | 72 | L |
9 | Barrow | L | A | 7 | 17 | VIEW | |||
15th Jan 1968 | 73 | W |
9 | Barrow | L | H | 6 | 2 | VIEW | |||
20th Jan 1968 | 74 | W |
9 | Oldham | L | A | 26 | 14 | VIEW | |||
22nd Jan 1968 | 75 | L |
9 | Swinton | L | H | 10 | 17 | 1 | VIEW | ||
27th Jan 1968 | 76 | L |
9 | Workington Town | L | A | 5 | 14 | VIEW | |||
3rd Feb 1968 | 77 | L |
9 | Huddersfield | CC1 | H | 0 | 5 | VIEW | |||
23rd Feb 1968 | 78 | L |
9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | A | 10 | 12 | VIEW | |||
26th Feb 1968 | 79 | W |
9 | Whitehaven | L | H | 31 | 8 | 1 | VIEW | ||
6th Mar 1968 | 80 | W |
9 | Warrington | L | A | 12 | 6 | VIEW | |||
9th Mar 1968 | 81 | W |
9 | Blackpool Borough | L | A | 23 | 7 | 1 | VIEW | ||
16th Mar 1968 | 82 | W |
9 | Widnes | L | H | 18 | 13 | VIEW | |||
19th Mar 1968 | 83 | L |
9 | Leeds | L | H | 4 | 12 | VIEW | |||
23rd Mar 1968 | 84 | L |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 3 | 23 | VIEW | |||
12th Apr 1968 | 85 | W |
9 | Wigan | L | H | 24 | 13 | VIEW | |||
15th Apr 1968 | 86 | W |
9 | Swinton | L | A | 19 | 16 | VIEW | |||
19th Apr 1968 | 87 | W |
9 | Halifax | Ch1 | H | 31 | 2 | VIEW | |||
24th Apr 1968 | 88 | W |
9 | Warrington | Ch2 | H | 20 | 0 | VIEW | |||
27th Apr 1968 | 89 | L |
9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | ChSF | A | 10 | 23 | VIEW | |||
9th Aug 1968 | -- | W |
9 | Swinton* | Fr Gallie Cup | H | 13 | 9 | VIEW | |||
14th Aug 1968 | 90 | W |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | L | A | 5 | 0 | VIEW | |||
20th Aug 1968 | 91 | W |
9 | Whitehaven | L | H | 28 | 9 | VIEW | |||
24th Aug 1968 | 92 | L |
9 | Leeds | L | A | 13 | 20 | VIEW | |||
28th Aug 1968 | 93 | W |
9 | Wakefield Trinity | L | H | 24 | 8 | VIEW | |||
31st Aug 1968 | 94 | W |
9 | Widnes | L | H | 24 | 9 | 1 | VIEW | ||
7th Sep 1968 | 95 | W |
9 | Wigan | LC1 | H | 19 | 16 | VIEW | |||
14th Sep 1968 | 96 | W |
9 | Leigh | L | H | 27 | 2 | 1 | VIEW | ||
18th Sep 1968 | 97 | W |
9 | Widnes | LC2 | A | 20 | 17 | 1 | VIEW | ||
20th Sep 1968 | 98 | W |
9 | Huyton | L | H | 11 | 10 | VIEW | |||
27th Sep 1968 | 99 | W |
9 | Warrington | L | H | 24 | 11 | 1 | VIEW | ||
4th Oct 1968 | 100 | D |
9 | Salford | L | A | 10 | 10 | VIEW | |||
7th Oct 1968 | 101 | W |
9 | Leigh | LCSF | A | 17 | 6 | VIEW | |||
12th Oct 1968 | 102 | W |
9 | Leeds | L | H | 28 | 3 | 1 | VIEW | ||
14th Oct 1968 | 103 | W |
9 | Swinton | FT1 | H | 12 | 10 | VIEW | |||
19th Oct 1968 | 104 | W |
9 | Workington Town | L | A | 13 | 2 | 1 | VIEW | ||
25th Oct 1968 | 105 | W |
9 | Oldham | LCF | N | 30 | 2 | VIEW | |||
9th Nov 1968 | 106 | W |
9 | Doncaster | L | A | 22 | 8 | VIEW | |||
11th Nov 1968 | 107 | W |
9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | H | 21 | 5 | VIEW | |||
16th Nov 1968 | 108 | D |
9 | Salford | L | H | 9 | 9 | VIEW | |||
23rd Nov 1968 | 109 | W |
9 | Warrington | L | A | 20 | 5 | 1 | VIEW | ||
26th Nov 1968 | 110 | W |
9 | Hull | FT2 | H | 14 | 10 | VIEW | |||
4th Dec 1968 | 111 | W |
9 | Blackpool Borough | L | H | 13 | 10 | VIEW | |||
10th Dec 1968 | 112 | W |
9 | Warrington | FTSF | H | 29 | 6 | 1 | VIEW | ||
17th Dec 1968 | 113 | L |
9 | Wigan | FTF | A | 4 | 7 | VIEW | |||
26th Dec 1968 | 114 | W |
9 | Wigan | L AB | H | 11 | 3 | VIEW | |||
1st Jan 1969 | 115 | W |
9 | Swinton | L | A | 15 | 5 | 1 | VIEW | ||
6th Jan 1969 | 116 | W |
9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | A | 16 | 5 | VIEW | |||
14th Jan 1969 | 117 | W |
9 | Wigan | L | H | 13 | 3 | VIEW | |||
18th Jan 1969 | 118 | W |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | L | H | 17 | 7 | VIEW | |||
25th Jan 1969 | 119 | W |
9 | Hull | CC1 | A | 13 | 3 | VIEW | |||
25th Feb 1969 | 120 | W |
9 | Oldham | CC2 | A | 15 | 6 | VIEW | |||
1st Mar 1969 | 121 | L |
9 | Warrington | CC3 | A | 2 | 4 | VIEW | |||
15th Mar 1969 | --NPS | L |
14 | Leigh | L | A | 10 | 12 | VIEW | |||
21st Mar 1969 | 122 | W |
9 | Widnes | L | A | 18 | 4 | VIEW | |||
24th Mar 1969 | 123 | W |
9 | Blackpool Borough | L | H | 43 | 12 | VIEW | |||
28th Mar 1969 | 124 | W |
9 | Oldham | L | H | 19 | 4 | VIEW | |||
4th Apr 1969 | 125 | L |
9 | Wigan | L | A | 10 | 34 | VIEW | |||
7th Apr 1969 | 126 | W |
9 | Swinton | L | H | 40 | 5 | VIEW | |||
12th Apr 1969 | 127 | L |
9 | Workington Town | L | H | 5 | 8 | VIEW | |||
15th Apr 1969 | 128 | W |
9 | Oldham | L | A | 17 | 2 | VIEW | |||
19th Apr 1969 | 129 | W |
9 | Doncaster | L | H | 57 | 5 | VIEW | |||
26th Apr 1969 | 130 | W |
9 | Keighley | Ch1 | H | 25 | 7 | VIEW | |||
3rd May 1969 | 131 | W |
9 | Featherstone Rovers | Ch2 | H | 47 | 4 | VIEW | |||
10th May 1969 | 132 | L |
9 | Castleford | ChSF | H | 6 | 18 | VIEW | |||
16th Aug 1969 | --NPS | W |
15 | Castleford | L | H | 27 | 3 | VIEW | |||
20th Aug 1969 | 133 | L |
9 | Widnes | L | A | 5 | 17 | VIEW | |||
10th Jan 1970 | 134 | W |
9 | Batley | L | H | 22 | 9 | VIEW | |||
27th Jan 1970 | --NPS | L |
15 | Salford | L | H | 15 | 16 | VIEW | |||
23rd Mar 1970 | 135 | W |
9 | Rochdale Hornets | L | A | 10 | 0 | VIEW | |||
28th Mar 1970 | 136 | W |
9 | Leeds | L | H | 12 | 5 | VIEW | |||
4th Apr 1970 | 137 | L |
9 | Castleford | CCSF | N | 3 | 6 | VIEW | |||
6th Apr 1970 | --NPS | W |
15 | Oldham | L | A | 43 | 0 | VIEW | |||
10th Apr 1970 | 138 | W |
9 | Widnes | L | H | 15 | 12 | VIEW | |||
18th Apr 1970 | 139 | W |
9 | Warrington | Ch1 | H | 36 | 8 | VIEW | |||
25th Apr 1970 | 140 | W |
9 | Leigh | Ch2 | H | 16 | 5 | VIEW | |||
2nd May 1970 | 141 | D |
9 | Castleford | ChSF | A | 9 | 9 | VIEW | |||
4th May 1970 | 142 | W |
9 | Castleford | ChSF(rep) | H | 21 | 12 | VIEW | |||
16th May 1970 | 143 | W |
9 | Leeds | ChF | N | 24 | 12 | 1 | VIEW | ||
22nd Sep 1970 | 144 | W |
9 | Hull | L | H | 30 | 9 | 1 | VIEW | ||
26th Sep 1970 | 145 | W |
9 | Hull Kingston Rovers | L | H | 38 | 3 | 1 | VIEW | ||
12th Dec 1970 | 146 | W |
9 | Castleford | L | H | 9 | 5 | VIEW | |||
19th Dec 1970 | 147 | W |
9 | Bramley | L | H | 34 | 0 | 1 | VIEW |
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub. |
WINS : 111 | LOSSES : 32 | DRAWS : 10 |
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GALLERY |
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