Robert A. Irving (15 February 1948 – 18 April 1999) was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. A Great Britain and England international, and Yorkshire representative second-row, he played at club level for Oldham, Wigan, Salford, Barrow, Blackpool Borough and Swinton.[4]
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Robert A. Irving | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 15 February 1948[a] Huddersfield, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 18 April 1999 (aged 51) Blackpool, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
editBob Irving was born in Castle Hill, Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he was a hotelier in Blackpool, and studied for a degree, becoming a senior lecturer in business studies at Blackpool and The Fylde College. He was active in the Catholic Church, and undertook charity work in his spare time, regularly manning a soup kitchen for homeless and displaced people, and he died aged 51, following a heart attack in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.[7]
Playing career
editClub career
editIrving played rugby league for St Joseph's (in Huddersfield) until the age of 16 when he turned professional with Oldham in January 1965.[8] Within a few weeks, he was playing in the first team.[9]
Bob Irving played at second-row in Oldham's 13–16 defeat by Wigan in the 1966–67 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1966–67 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 October 1966,[10] and played at second-row in the 2–30 defeat by St. Helens in the 1968–69 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1968–69 season at Central Park, Wigan on Friday 25 October 1968, played at second-row in Wigan's 19–9 victory over Salford in the 1973–74 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1973–74 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973,[11] and played at prop in the 13–16 defeat by Workington Town in the 1977–78 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1977–78 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 29 October 1977.
International honours
editIrving won caps for England while at Wigan in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup against Wales, France, and Australia,[5] and won caps for Great Britain while at Oldham in 1967 against France (2 matches), and Australia (3 matches), in 1970 against Australia (sub), and New Zealand, in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France (sub), and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against New Zealand, and Australia (sub).[6]
Honoured at Oldham
editRobert Irving is an Oldham Hall of Fame Inductee.[12]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Obituary: Bob Irving at independent.co.uk". independent.co.uk. 27 April 1999. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Oldham Seek Solace". Manchester Evening News & Chronicle. 12 February 1965. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Player Summary: Bob Irving". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ a b "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Tracking down the heroes of 1972". bbc. 22 October 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Oldham sign St. Joseph's player". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 6 January 1965. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hughes, Ed (31 October 2004). "Caught in Time: Great Britain prepare for 1972 rugby league World Cup final". The Sunday Times. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 18 October 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "1966–1967 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "1973–1974 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ "Oldham Hall of Fame". orl-heritagetrust.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.