Leeds had one of their greatest teams in the 1930s and there were some superb players who joined them, but I can vividly remember the arrival of Australian Test star Vic Hey.
He revolutionised back play when he had the ball in his hands, he seemed to be able to create space out of nothing.
Chief beneficiary was Eric Harris - who I think we called ‘The Shadow’ to start with- who scored some wonderful tries. For the game as it was then, he was the best. He was so elusive the opposition just couldn’t catch him, he had the most wonderful swerve and side-step and an amazing turn of speed. His vision and support play really were quite remarkable.
Leeds always had first-class artists who played with great enthusiasm rather than just for money.
Jim Brough was a super full-back, and a great leader, in the days of length-of-the-field kicking duels with people like Jim Sullivan of Wigan who was always an opposition player we admired and feared. Those personal battles between the full-backs were the foundations of the attacking play for the rest of the team.
The best goal-kicker I ever saw was Joe Thompson, in fact I can barely remember him missing from anywhere on the field, he was very robust but athletic with it. Stan Smith was probably the fastest player we ever had although I can just about recall Harold Buck making a similar stir when he arrived.
Very little in the game now is new, there was terrific understanding between Fred and Eric Harris, with their scissors moves for example, and thirty-odd years later Syd Hynes and John Atkinson were doing the same thing.
There was always a great excitement when an unexpected signing was announced in the local paper, someone like scrum half Frank Watson who came from Hunslet in 1949 and made his debut against them at Parkside. There was astonishment when we read he had crossed the city and he transformed a Leeds side, which had been at a very low ebb at the time, in partnership with the terrific Dicky Williams from Wales.
Then there was Bert Cook, a quite amazing kicker for a man with a size five boot, and a lovely player alongside Arthur Clues. He was a fit, young boy when he arrived with exceptional speed and a wonderful side-step, which unfortunately caused terrible problems with his knees long after he retired.
After he finished playing I got to know Arthur terribly well through business- I used to buy oil from him for my plant hire company when he was a rep for one of the big multinationals- and socially. I remember enjoying a particularly memorable flight back from Los Angeles with him after he had visited his homeland. He kept me entertained with ribald and colourful tales of his matches in Australia but he loved England and said he was never going to return home permanently. He was charming outside of the confines of the pitch, a real gentleman.
Oscar Caplan
Originally published in 'Headingley Rugby Voices' Recollections of supporters, compiled by Phil Caplan.
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Memory added on November 26, 2012
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