Thomas Smales

Thomas "Tommy" Smales (19 December 1934 – 26 October 2017) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Castleford, Huddersfield (captain), Bradford Northern, North Sydney Bears and Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 736) as a scrum-half, i.e. number 7, and coached at club level for Castleford and Featherstone Rovers (two spells).[5][6]

For the rugby league footballer for Wigan, Barrow, and Featherstone Rovers, see Tommy Smales.

Tommy Smales
Personal information
Full nameThomas Smales
Born19 December 1934[1]
Glasshoughton, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died26 October 2017(2017-10-26) (aged 82)
Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight11 st 7 lb (73 kg)
PositionScrum-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1952–55 Featherstone Rovers
1955–64 Huddersfield 295 111 1 335
1964–67 Bradford Northern 61 13 0 39
1967 North Sydney 9 0 0 0
1967–68 Wakefield Trinity 5 0 0 0
Total 370 124 1 0 374
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1962 England 1 0 0 0 0
1962–65 Great Britain 8 2 0 0 6
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1969–70 Castleford 67 46 2 19 69
1976 Featherstone Rovers 16 11 1 4 69
1978–79 Featherstone Rovers 22 6 1 15 27
Total 105 63 4 38 60
Source: [2][3][4]

Background

Tommy Smales's birth was registered in Pontefract, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he was the landlord of the Traveller's Rest public house, Pontefract Road, Featherstone for 35-years, from 1969 until 2004,[7] and he died aged 82 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.[8]

Playing career

International honours

Tommy Smales won a cap for England while at Huddersfield in 1962 against France,[3] and won caps for Great Britain while at Huddersfield in 1962 against France, in 1963 against France, and Australia, in 1964 against France (2 matches), and while at Bradford Northern in 1965 against New Zealand (3 matches).[4]

Championship Final appearances

Tommy Smales played scrum-half, and was captain in Huddersfield's 14-5 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the Championship Final during the 1961–62 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 19 May 1962.[9]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Tommy Smales played scrum-half, and was captain in Huddersfield's 6-12 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1961–62 Challenge Cup Final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1962, in front of a crowd of 81,263.[10]

County Cup Final appearances

Tommy Smales played scrum-half, and scored a try in Huddersfield's 15-8 victory over York in the 1957–58 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1957–58 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 19 October 1957,[11] played scrum-half in the 10-16 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1960–61 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960, and played scrum-half in Bradford Northern's 17-8 victory over Hunslet in the 1965–66 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1965–66 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 16 October 1965.

Club career

Tommy Smales made his début for Featherstone Rovers on Saturday 25 September 1965,[12] he appears to have scored no drop-goals (or field-goals as they are currently known in Australasia), but prior to the 1974–75 season all goals, whether; conversions, penalties, or drop-goals, scored 2-points, consequently prior to this date drop-goals were often not explicitly documented, therefore '0' drop-goals may indicate drop-goals not recorded, rather than no drop-goals scored.

Coaching career

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Tommy Smales was the coach in Castleford's 7-2 victory over Wigan in the 1969–70 Challenge Cup Final during the 1969–70 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1970, in front of a crowd of 95,255.[13]

Club career

Tommy Smales was the coach of Castleford, his first game in charge was on Sunday 3 August 1969, and his last game in charge was on Saturday 28 November 1970.[6]

Genealogical information

Tommy Smales was the uncle of the rugby league footballer; Dale Fennell.

Note

Somewhat confusingly, Tommy Smales played in the same era as the unrelated Wigan, Barrow and Featherstone Rovers loose forward of the 1950s and 1960s, Thomas "Tommy" Smales.

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References
  1. Gronow, David (2008). Huddersfield Rugby League Football Club: 100 Greats. The History Press. pp. 104–5. ISBN 978-0-7524-4584-7.
  2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  4. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  5. "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. "Coach Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. "'Rugby pub' is likely to re-start business". Yorkshire Evening Post. 5 March 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  8. "Former rugby coach and player passes away". Pontefractandcastlefordexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  9. Edgar, Harry (2008). Rugby League Journal Annual 2009 [Page-57]. Rugby League Journal Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9548355-4-5
  10. Briggs, Cyril & Edwards, Barry (12 May 1962). The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition - Final Tie - Huddersfield v Wakefield Trinity - Match Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd. ISBN n/a
  11. "Programme 'Yorkshire County Rugby League - Challenge Cup Final - 1957 - Huddersfield v. York'" (PDF). huddersfieldrlheritage.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  12. Bailey, Ron (20 September 2001). Images of Sport - Featherstone Rovers Rugby League Football Club. The History Press. ISBN 0752422952
  13. "Sat 9th May 1970 – Challenge Cup – Neutral Ground – 95,255". Thecastlefordtigers. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
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