Jump to content

Johnny Whiteley: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
mNo edit summary
 
(17 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 15: Line 15:
|height(inch) =
|height(inch) =
|weight =
|weight =
|position = {{rlp|lf|sr}}
|position = {{rlp|LF|SR}}
|club1 = [[Hull F.C.|Hull]]
|club1 = [[Hull FC]]
|year1start = 1950
|year1start = 1950
|year1end = 65
|year1end = 65
Line 24: Line 24:
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 472
|points1 = 472
|teamA = [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]
|teamA = [[Yorkshire rugby league team|Yorkshire]]
|yearAstart = 1954
|yearAstart = 1952
|yearAend = 62
|yearAend = 61
|appearancesA = 15
|appearancesA = 11
|triesA = 2
|triesA = 4
|goalsA = 0
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 6
|pointsA = 12
|teamB = [[England national rugby league team|England]]
|teamB = [[England national rugby league team|England]]
|yearBstart = 1953
|yearBstart = 1953
|yearBend = 53
|yearBend =
|appearancesB = 1
|appearancesB = 1
|triesB = 0
|triesB = 0
Line 40: Line 40:
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 0
|pointsB = 0
|coachteam1 = [[Hull F.C.|Hull]]
|teamC = [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]
⚫
|yearCstart = 1957
|yearCend = 62
|appearancesC = 15
|triesC = 2
|goalsC = 0
|fieldgoalsC = 0
|pointsC = 6
|coachteam1 = [[Hull FC]]
|coachyear1start = 1965
|coachyear1start = 1965
|coachyear1end = 70
|coachyear1end = 70
Line 68: Line 76:
|coachdrawsB =
|coachdrawsB =
|coachlossesB =
|coachlossesB =
| coachteamC = [[England national rugby league team|England]]
| coachteamC = [[England national rugby league team|England]]
| coachyearCstart = 1981
| coachyearCstart = 1981
| coachyearCend =
| coachyearCend =
| coachgamesC = 3
| coachgamesC = 3
| coachwinsC = 2
| coachwinsC = 2
| coachdrawsC = 0
| coachdrawsC = 0
| coachlossesC = 1
| coachlossesC = 1
|coachteamD = [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]
|coachteamD = [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]
|coachyearDstart = 1980
|coachyearDstart = 1980
Line 84: Line 92:
|retired = yes
|retired = yes
|updated = 14 February 2022
|updated = 14 February 2022
|source = <ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/john-whiteley/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/john-whiteley/summary.html|title=Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="Hull Hall of Fame">{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame - Johnny Whiteley |url=https://www.hullfc.com/club/history-stats/hall-of-fame/johnny-whiteley |publisher=Hull F.C. |access-date=17 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Rugby league records |id=9258 |title=Johnny Whiteley |access-date=17 March 2024}}</ref>
⚫
|source =
}}
}}
'''John William Whiteley''' [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (20 November 1930 – 13 February 2022) was an English [[Rugby League World Cup|World Cup]] winning professional [[rugby league]] footballer, and [[Coach (sports)|coach]]. A Great Britain international representative forward, and later coach, he played his entire club football with [[Hull F.C.|Hull FC]].<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/john-whiteley/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Whiteley&submit=Go&c=England|title=England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk|publisher=englandrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Whiteley&submit=Go&c=GB|title=Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk|publisher=englandrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/john-whiteley/summary.html|title=Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref>


'''John William Whiteley''' [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (20 November 1930 – 13 February 2022) was an English professional [[rugby league]] footballer and [[Coach (sports)|coach]]. He played his entire club career with [[Hull FC]] ([[List of Hull F.C. players|Heritage № 541]]) making over 400 appearances between 1950 and 1965. He also represented [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] at international level, winning the [[Rugby League World Cup]] with the team in [[1954 Rugby League World Cup|1954]] and [[1960 Rugby League World Cup|1960]].
⚫
==Early life==
⚫
Whiteley was born on 20 November 1930.<ref>{{cite news |title=Johnny Celebrates His 90th Birthday |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/hull-daily-mail/20201120/282480006338380 |access-date=16 February 2022 |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=20 November 2020 |via=[[PressReader]]}}</ref> He grew up in [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] during the [[Second World War]], during which his house was hit by a bomb in the [[Hull Blitz]].<ref name="rlheroespt1">{{cite web |last1=de la Rivière |first1=Richard |title=Rugby League Heroes: Johnny Whiteley (Part 1) |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rugby-league-heroes-the-gentleman-from-west-hull/ |website=Total Rugby League |publisher=League Publications Limited |date=5 December 2018 |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref> He attended Scarborough Street Infants School, Gordon Street Junior School and Westbourne Street School. He left school at 14.


Whiteley began his coaching career while still playing at Hull in 1963 and remained in the role after retiring as player. He resigned in 1970 and joined [[Hull Kingston Rovers]], where he coached until 1972. He also coached the Great Britain national team on two occasions. In recognition of his achievements in the sport, he was inducted into the [[Rugby Football League Hall of Fame]] in 2018.
At age 15, he joined Boulevard Police Boys' Club where he played football. Shortly afterwards he moved to Hull Boys' Club and played for the Hull Rugby League under-16 representative team. At the age of 18, Johnny joined the [[Royal Military Police|Military Police]], 14 months of which were spent in [[Vienna]], Austria.

⚫
==Early life==
⚫
Whiteley was born on 20 November 1930.<ref>{{cite news |title=Johnny Celebrates His 90th Birthday |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/hull-daily-mail/20201120/282480006338380 |access-date=16 February 2022 |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=20 November 2020 |via=[[PressReader]]}}</ref> He grew up in [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] during the [[Second World War]], during which his house was hit by a bomb in the [[Hull Blitz]].<ref name="rlheroespt1">{{cite web |last1=de la Rivière |first1=Richard |title=Rugby League Heroes: Johnny Whiteley (Part 1) |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rugby-league-heroes-the-gentleman-from-west-hull/ |website=Total Rugby League |publisher=League Publications Limited |date=5 December 2018 |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref> He began playing rugby league for Hull Boys' Club when the club reformed in 1946.<ref name="rlheroespt1" /> Like many of his team mates, he agreed not to sign for a professional club until the completion of his [[Conscription in the United Kingdom|National Service]].<ref name="Remembering Johnny Whiteley MBE">{{cite web |title=Remembering Johnny Whiteley MBE |url=https://www.hullfc.com/blog/2022/02/14/remembering-johnny-whiteley-mbe/ |publisher=Hull F.C. |access-date=17 February 2022 |date=14 February 2022}}</ref>


==Playing career==
==Playing career==
===Hull===
⚫
He signed for [[Hull F.C.]] in 1950 for £100. Rather than offering Johnny a signing-on fee he was promised a place in the squad the following game. He played 15 seasons for Hull making 417 appearances and scoring 156 tries and 2 goals for at total of 472 points. In his time with Hull, he was never dropped.
After some impressive performances in trial matches, Whiteley signed for [[Hull F.C.|Hull]] in December 1950.<ref name="debut">{{cite web |title=Johnny Whiteley's Debut – 71 Years Ago Today! |url=https://www.hullfc.com/blog/2021/12/23/johnny-whiteleys-debut-71-years-ago-today/ |publisher=Hull F.C. |access-date=17 February 2022 |date=23 December 2021}}</ref> Rather than offering him a signing-on fee, Whiteley was promised a place in the squad the following game.<ref name="rlheroespt1" /> He made his debut on 23 December 1950 in a 19–11 win against [[York Wasps|York]] at [[Clarence Street]].<ref name="debut" />


He played in three successive [[RFL Yorkshire Cup|Yorkshire Cup]] finals for Hull between 1953 and 1955, but was on the losing side on each occasion.
⚫
In 1953 he played his first match for England against France in Paris, winning 13-15.


⚫
His first honours with the club came in the [[1955–56 Northern Rugby Football League season|1955–56 season]], with Hull winning the league championship when [[Colin Hutton]] kicked a last-minute penalty in the playoff final against [[Halifax RLFC]] at [[Maine Road]], Manchester. Hull won the European Club championship in 1957.
⚫
Johnny Whiteley was selected for [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] squad while at Hull for the [[1954 Rugby League World Cup]] in France. However he did not participate in any of the four matches, with [[Dave Valentine]] playing as {{rlp|lf}} in all four matches.<ref name="rlheroespt1" />


In 1957, Whiteley became Hull's captain,<ref name="Hull Hall of Fame" /> and lead them to the Championship playoffs again in the [[1957–58 Northern Rugby Football League season|1957–58 season]], winning against [[Workington Town]]. In the following season, Whiteley played in Hull's first appearance at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] in the [[1958–59 Challenge Cup]] Final, but lost 13–30 to [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]]. Whiteley also played in the [[1959–60 Challenge Cup]] Final, but Hull lost again, this time to [[Wakefield Trinity]].
⚫
He captained Hull from 1956 and that year the side won the league championship when [[Colin Hutton]] kicked a last-minute penalty in the final against [[Halifax R.L.F.C.|Halifax]] at [[Maine Road]], Manchester.


⚫
Whiteley became a [[player-coach]] at Hull in 1963, before retiring as a player in 1965. He played 15 seasons for Hull making 417 appearances and scoring 156 tries and 2 goals for at total of 472 points. In his time with Hull, he was never dropped.<ref name="Hull Hall of Fame" />
⚫
Hull won the European Club championship in 1957. Johnny Whiteley represented the Rest of the World in the 11–20 defeat by Australia at [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] on 29 June 1957. Then followed a trip to South Africa in which the British and [[France|French]] teams staged a series of exhibition matches for the promotion of the game. Johnny was a member of the 1958 [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] touring squad that retained [[The Ashes (rugby league)|the Ashes]], and he scored a try in the 40–17 third Test success in Sydney.


===Representative honours===
In 1958 Hull won the play-offs again, against [[Workington Town]]. They lost in the [[Challenge Cup]] Final to [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] in 1959.
⚫
In 1953 he played his first match for England against France in Paris, winning 13-15.

⚫
Whiteley was selected for [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] squad while at Hull for the [[1954 Rugby League World Cup]] in France. However he did not participate in any of the four matches, with [[Dave Valentine]] playing as {{rlp|lf}} in all four matches.<ref name="rlheroespt1" />

⚫
Whiteley represented the Rest of the World in the 11–20 defeat by Australia at [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] on 29 June 1957.<ref>{{cite web |title=Australia vs. Rest Of The World |url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/dates/29-june-1957/australia-vs-rest-of-the-world.html |website=Rugby League Project |access-date=17 February 2022}}</ref> Then followed a trip to South Africa in which the British and [[France|French]] teams staged a series of exhibition matches for the promotion of the game. Johnny was a member of the 1958 [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] touring squad that retained [[The Ashes (rugby league)|the Ashes]], and he scored a try in the 40–17 third Test success in Sydney.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ashes Series 1958 Series - Game 3 |url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1958/game-3/australia-vs-great-britain/summary.html |website=Rugby League Project |access-date=17 February 2022}}</ref>


Whiteley was a member of the last Great Britain team to beat Australia on home soil in the 1959 test series, scoring the try that beat the Aussies that year.
Whiteley was a member of the last Great Britain team to beat Australia on home soil in the 1959 test series, scoring the try that beat the Aussies that year.


Again Hull reached the [[Challenge Cup]] Final 1960 as runners up to winners [[Wakefield Trinity]]. He scored a match-winning try against the Aussies in the last few minutes which gave Great Britain the 1960 Ashes.
He scored a match-winning try against the Aussies in the last few minutes which gave Great Britain the 1960 Ashes.


He was a member of the 1962 Great Britain team which won the Ashes in Australia.
He was a member of the 1962 Great Britain team which won the Ashes in Australia.

===Challenge Cup Final appearances===
Johnny Whiteley played {{rlp|lf}}, and was [[Captain (sports)|captain]] in [[Hull F.C.|Hull FC]]'s 13–30 defeat by [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] in the [[1958–59 Challenge Cup|1958–59]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1958–59 Northern Rugby Football League season#Challenge Cup|1958–59 season]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], London on Saturday 9 May 1959, in front of a crowd of 79,811,<ref name="1958-1959 Challenge Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=1421|title=1958–1959 Challenge Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> and played {{rlp|lf}}, and was [[Captain (sports)|captain]] in the 5–38 defeat by [[Wakefield Trinity]] in the [[1960 Challenge Cup|1960]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1959–60 Northern Rugby Football League season#Challenge Cup|1959–60 season]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], London on Saturday 14 May 1960, in front of a crowd of 79,773.<ref name="A complete history of Hull FC's Challenge Cup finals">{{cite news|url=http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/complete-history-Hull-FC-s-Challenge-Cup-finals/story-19692285-detail/story.html|title=A complete history of Hull FC's Challenge Cup finals|work=Hull Daily Mail|date=31 December 2013|access-date=1 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203223748/http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/complete-history-Hull-FC-s-Challenge-Cup-finals/story-19692285-detail/story.html|archive-date=3 February 2014}}</ref>

Whiteley became player coach in October 1963.


==Coaching career==
==Coaching career==
Whiteley carried on coaching at Hull after his last appearance as a player. When [[Roy Francis (rugby)|Roy Francis]] retired as Hull coach in 1965, Whiteley, now himself retired with an injured shoulder, took over but resigned in 1970.
Whiteley carried on coaching at Hull after his last appearance as a player. When [[Roy Francis (rugby)|Roy Francis]] retired as Hull coach in 1965, Whiteley, now himself retired with an injured shoulder, took over, but resigned in 1970.


Whiteley moved across the [[River Hull|river]] to [[Hull Kingston Rovers]] as coach in 1970 and stayed until 1972 when he left due to conflict with the Hull KR Board of Directors.
Whiteley moved across the [[River Hull|river]] to [[Hull Kingston Rovers]] as coach in 1970 and stayed until 1972 when he left due to conflict with the Hull KR Board of Directors.
Line 127: Line 137:


==After rugby==
==After rugby==
After his career finished, Whiteley ran a successful Working Men's Club (Eureka) in west Hull from which he also ran a gym. He later set up the [[West Hull A.R.L.F.C.|West Hull]] amateur rugby league club.
After his career finished, Whiteley ran a successful Working Men's Club (Eureka) in West Hull from which he also ran a gym. He later set up the [[West Hull A.R.L.F.C.|West Hull]] amateur rugby league club.


Whiteley joined the [[Rugby Football League]] Roll of Honour in November 2004 having been nominated by both Hull and Hull Kingston Rovers.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/hull/4012337.stm| publisher=BBC News| title=Hull legend Whiteley is honoured| date=15 November 2004}}</ref> He was made an [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]] for services to rugby league and the community in the [[2006 New Year Honours]] list.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/4570808.stm| publisher=BBC News| title=Honours for Ashes and 2012 heroes| date=31 December 2005}}</ref> He was awarded an Honorary Degree from Hull University in 2012. In 2018 he was inducted into the [[Rugby Football League Hall of Fame]].
Whiteley was inducted into the [[Hull F.C.]] Hall of Fame in 1992,<ref name="Remembering Johnny Whiteley MBE" /> and joined the [[Rugby Football League]] Roll of Honour in November 2004, having been nominated by both Hull and Hull Kingston Rovers.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/hull/4012337.stm| publisher=BBC News| title=Hull legend Whiteley is honoured| date=15 November 2004}}</ref> He was made an [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]] for services to rugby league and the community in the [[2006 New Year Honours]] list.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/4570808.stm| publisher=BBC News| title=Honours for Ashes and 2012 heroes| date=31 December 2005}}</ref> He was awarded an Honorary Degree from Hull University in 2012. In 2018 he was inducted into the [[Rugby Football League Hall of Fame]].


He died on 14 February 2022, at the age of 91.<ref>{{cite web |title=Johnny Whiteley: Great Britain and Hull FC rugby league great dies aged 91 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/60375289 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=14 February 2022 |date=14 February 2022}}</ref>
He died on 13 February 2022, at the age of 91.<ref>{{cite web |title=Johnny Whiteley: Great Britain and Hull FC rugby league great dies aged 91 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/60375289 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=14 February 2022 |date=14 February 2022}}</ref>


==Honours and awards==
==Honours and awards==
'''Club'''
'''Club'''
* [[RFL Championship|Championship]] (2): [[1955–56 Northern Rugby Football League season|1955–56]], [[1957–58 Northern Rugby Football League season|1957–58]]
* [[Rugby Football League Championship First Division|RFL Championship]] (2): [[1955–56 Northern Rugby Football League season|1955–56]], [[1957–58 Northern Rugby Football League season|1957–58]]
* European Club Championship (1): [[1956–57 Northern Rugby Football League season|1956–57]]


'''International'''
'''International'''
Line 148: Line 159:
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}


{{Navboxes
{{Hull F.C. - 1958–59 Challenge Cup Final runners-up}}
|title= Coaching positions
{{Hull F.C. - 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final runners-up}}
|list1=
{{England national rugby league team coaches}}
{{Great Britain national rugby league team coaches}}
{{Hull FC coaches}}
{{Hull FC coaches}}
{{Hull KR coaches}}
}}
{{Navboxes
{{Navboxes
|title= Great Britain squads
|title= Great Britain squads
Line 163: Line 179:
}}
}}
{{British Rugby League Hall of Fame}}
{{British Rugby League Hall of Fame}}
{{Hull FC Hall of Fame}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiteley, Johnny}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiteley, Johnny}}
Line 173: Line 190:
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team coaches]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team coaches]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. captains]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. coaches]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. coaches]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. players]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. players]]
Line 182: Line 200:
[[Category:Rugby articles needing expert attention]]
[[Category:Rugby articles needing expert attention]]
[[Category:Yorkshire rugby league team coaches]]
[[Category:Yorkshire rugby league team coaches]]
[[Category:Yorkshire rugby league team players]]

Latest revision as of 19:35, 13 May 2024

Johnny Whiteley
Personal information
Full nameJohn William Whiteley
Born(1930-11-20)20 November 1930
Kingston upon Hull, England
Died13 February 2022(2022-02-13) (aged 91)
England
Playing information
PositionLoose forward, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1950–65 Hull FC 417 156 2 0 472
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1952–61 Yorkshire 11 4 0 0 12
1953 England 1 0 0 0 0
1957–62 Great Britain 15 2 0 0 6
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1965–70 Hull FC
1970–72 Hull Kingston Rovers
Total 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1970 Great Britain 10 8 0 2 80
1970–82 Yorkshire
1981 England 3 2 0 1 67
1980–82 Great Britain 9 2 1 6 22
Source: [1][2][3][4]

John William Whiteley MBE (20 November 1930 – 13 February 2022) was an English professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played his entire club career with Hull FC (Heritage № 541) making over 400 appearances between 1950 and 1965. He also represented Great Britain at international level, winning the Rugby League World Cup with the team in 1954 and 1960.

Whiteley began his coaching career while still playing at Hull in 1963 and remained in the role after retiring as player. He resigned in 1970 and joined Hull Kingston Rovers, where he coached until 1972. He also coached the Great Britain national team on two occasions. In recognition of his achievements in the sport, he was inducted into the Rugby Football League Hall of Fame in 2018.

Early life

[edit]

Whiteley was born on 20 November 1930.[5] He grew up in Hull during the Second World War, during which his house was hit by a bomb in the Hull Blitz.[6] He began playing rugby league for Hull Boys' Club when the club reformed in 1946.[6] Like many of his team mates, he agreed not to sign for a professional club until the completion of his National Service.[7]

Playing career

[edit]

Hull

[edit]

After some impressive performances in trial matches, Whiteley signed for Hull in December 1950.[8] Rather than offering him a signing-on fee, Whiteley was promised a place in the squad the following game.[6] He made his debut on 23 December 1950 in a 19–11 win against York at Clarence Street.[8]

He played in three successive Yorkshire Cup finals for Hull between 1953 and 1955, but was on the losing side on each occasion.

His first honours with the club came in the 1955–56 season, with Hull winning the league championship when Colin Hutton kicked a last-minute penalty in the playoff final against Halifax RLFC at Maine Road, Manchester. Hull won the European Club championship in 1957.

In 1957, Whiteley became Hull's captain,[3] and lead them to the Championship playoffs again in the 1957–58 season, winning against Workington Town. In the following season, Whiteley played in Hull's first appearance at Wembley in the 1958–59 Challenge Cup Final, but lost 13–30 to Wigan. Whiteley also played in the 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final, but Hull lost again, this time to Wakefield Trinity.

Whiteley became a player-coach at Hull in 1963, before retiring as a player in 1965. He played 15 seasons for Hull making 417 appearances and scoring 156 tries and 2 goals for at total of 472 points. In his time with Hull, he was never dropped.[3]

Representative honours

[edit]

In 1953 he played his first match for England against France in Paris, winning 13-15.

Whiteley was selected for Great Britain squad while at Hull for the 1954 Rugby League World Cup in France. However he did not participate in any of the four matches, with Dave Valentine playing as loose forward in all four matches.[6]

Whiteley represented the Rest of the World in the 11–20 defeat by Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground on 29 June 1957.[9] Then followed a trip to South Africa in which the British and French teams staged a series of exhibition matches for the promotion of the game. Johnny was a member of the 1958 Great Britain touring squad that retained the Ashes, and he scored a try in the 40–17 third Test success in Sydney.[10]

Whiteley was a member of the last Great Britain team to beat Australia on home soil in the 1959 test series, scoring the try that beat the Aussies that year.

He scored a match-winning try against the Aussies in the last few minutes which gave Great Britain the 1960 Ashes.

He was a member of the 1962 Great Britain team which won the Ashes in Australia.

Coaching career

[edit]

Whiteley carried on coaching at Hull after his last appearance as a player. When Roy Francis retired as Hull coach in 1965, Whiteley, now himself retired with an injured shoulder, took over, but resigned in 1970.

Whiteley moved across the river to Hull Kingston Rovers as coach in 1970 and stayed until 1972 when he left due to conflict with the Hull KR Board of Directors.

He coached the G.B. squad that toured Australia in 1970 and they were the last to win the Ashes in Australia. He left Hull on his return to coach Hull Kingston Rovers until leaving them in 1972. He then carried on coaching the Yorkshire Origin side for 12 years.

He was then recalled to coach Great Britain in 1980 for two years.

After rugby

[edit]

After his career finished, Whiteley ran a successful Working Men's Club (Eureka) in West Hull from which he also ran a gym. He later set up the West Hull amateur rugby league club.

Whiteley was inducted into the Hull F.C. Hall of Fame in 1992,[7] and joined the Rugby Football League Roll of Honour in November 2004, having been nominated by both Hull and Hull Kingston Rovers.[11] He was made an MBE for services to rugby league and the community in the 2006 New Year Honours list.[12] He was awarded an Honorary Degree from Hull University in 2012. In 2018 he was inducted into the Rugby Football League Hall of Fame.

He died on 13 February 2022, at the age of 91.[13]

Honours and awards

[edit]

Club

International

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Hall of Fame - Johnny Whiteley". Hull F.C. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Player Summary: Johnny Whiteley". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Johnny Celebrates His 90th Birthday". Hull Daily Mail. 20 November 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2022 – via PressReader.
  6. ^ a b c d de la Rivière, Richard (5 December 2018). "Rugby League Heroes: Johnny Whiteley (Part 1)". Total Rugby League. League Publications Limited. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Remembering Johnny Whiteley MBE". Hull F.C. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Johnny Whiteley's Debut – 71 Years Ago Today!". Hull F.C. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Australia vs. Rest Of The World". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Ashes Series 1958 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Hull legend Whiteley is honoured". BBC News. 15 November 2004.
  12. ^ "Honours for Ashes and 2012 heroes". BBC News. 31 December 2005.
  13. ^ "Johnny Whiteley: Great Britain and Hull FC rugby league great dies aged 91". BBC Sport. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  14. ^ United Kingdom:"No. 57855". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 31 December 2005. p. 23.
  15. ^ Wilson, Andy (20 January 2012). "Stobart announced as the new title sponsors of Super League". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Three more legends named in Rugby League Hall of Fame". The Rugby Football League. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_Whiteley&oldid=1223696514"