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Simon Foster: 1947, Arthur Clues v. Frank Whitcombe

This memory was told to me by my late father Trevor Foster MBE who had a long career with Bradford Northern/Bulls and was also head coach at Leeds for a period before Roy Francis in the early sixties.

Trevor recalled a match at Headingley in 1947 during the week after the RL Challenge Cup Final which had been won by Bradford Northern v Leeds. (8 - 4)

This league game was seen as a "grudge" match for Leeds after their surprise loss at Wembley. Trevor played for Northern in both games alongside the giant prop forward fellow Welshman Frank Whitcombe.

Australian legend Arthur Clues and Welshman Ike Owens were in the Leeds pack. Old adversaries (though great pals off the field) Frank and Arthur went "hammer and tongs" throughout the match in front of a sold out Headingley. Late on Big Arthur struck out violently with his boot at the little Northern scrum half Donald Ward (brother of Captain Ernest) and nearly decapitated him as reached for the ball after a scrum. Frank was not best pleased and in front of the main stand he lunged with retribution and full force at Arthur, fists clenched together (all his eighteen stones!) right into Arthur`s broad chest and poleaxed him. He went down like a sac of potatoes! Flat out on the ground Arthur struggled to get his breath and was lifeless as the trainer tried unsuccessfully to revive him. Frank was immediately sent off to the dressing room and then to the great amusement of the bellowing crowd Arthur now on a stretcher being carried off the field was also dismissed by the referee! Soon after the match had finished Arthur had recovered sufficiently to share a pint with his great friend Frank in the bar and all had been forgiven!

Simon Foster

Memory added on November 26, 2012

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