Don Fox
Encyclopedia
Don Fox was an English
rugby league
footballer of the 1950s and '60s for Featherstone Rovers
and Wakefield Trinity
. He is the brother of Peter and Neil Fox
, and together they formed one of the legendary rugby league families. Don holds the Featherstone Rovers record for tries scored (162) and is third on their all-time goal-kicking charts with 503 in 369 appearances, itself the 7th most in Featherstone history, having enjoyed 13 years at the club before joining Wakefield in 1965 for £3000 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £90,100 in 2009).
Don Fox earned his début for Featherstone as a in 1953. A gifted player, he broke the club's record points scored in a season the next winter and was called up for England's game against France. He was an outstanding kicker, scoring 12 goals in a Challenge Cup
victory against Stanningley in 1964. He was understudy to Alex Murphy on the 1962 Lions tour of Australasia and then moved to where he earned his sole Test cap for Great Britain against Australia in 1963. He joined Wakefield in 1965, linking up with his young brother Neil and they enjoyed great success with Trinity. After he retired from playing the game in 1970, he coached Batley before becoming a safety joiner in the South Yorkshire coalfield.
while at Featherstone Rovers in 1963 against Australia (1-try
, 2-goals).
Don Fox also represented Great Britain
while at Featherstone Rovers between 1952 and 1956 against France (1 non-Test
match).
's 21-9 victory over St Helens RLFC in the 1966-67 Rugby Football League Championship final at Station Road, Swinton on 10 May 1967, and played Tighthead Prop Forward, i.e. number 10, and scored a goal in the 17-10 victory over Hull KR in the 1967-68 Rugby Football League Championship final at Headingley Stadium on 4 May 1968.
final between Wakefield and Leeds
. In atrocious conditions at Wembley
, the score was 11-7 to Leeds when Ken Hirst
scored under the posts for Wakefield with the final play of the game. As tries were only worth three points at that time, the simple conversion was needed to give Wakefield a one-point lead and win the game. Wakefield fans were jubilant as the conversion from in front of the posts is by far the easiest kick in rugby league and Fox was such a prolific kicker that it realistically should have presented no problem. However, the saturated, sodden state of the pitch made this a more difficult proposition, and Fox lost his footing and sliced the ball wide of the posts. The final whistle was blown immediately afterwards, giving Leeds a dramatic one-point victory. This incident was immortalised for the millions watching on television by legendary commentator Eddie Waring
's reaction at the time: 'He's a poor lad'. Fox had already been chosen to win the Lance Todd Trophy
for his performance in the match, but he was disconsolate and trudged off the pitch (interviewed by David Coleman
on television later, he was asked if it was any consolation and famously replied "not really, no"). Folklore states that Waring took Fox to Featherstone's Post Office Road ground the day after and he kicked several conversions in his carpet slippers.
, England
on 21 August 2008 following a long illness.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1950s and '60s for Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
and Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
. He is the brother of Peter and Neil Fox
Neil Fox (rugby league)
Neil Fox MBE is an English former rugby league footballer and player-coach of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A goal-kicking , he is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the sport because he holds the all-time points record, scoring 6,220 points during his career...
, and together they formed one of the legendary rugby league families. Don holds the Featherstone Rovers record for tries scored (162) and is third on their all-time goal-kicking charts with 503 in 369 appearances, itself the 7th most in Featherstone history, having enjoyed 13 years at the club before joining Wakefield in 1965 for £3000 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £90,100 in 2009).
Don Fox earned his début for Featherstone as a in 1953. A gifted player, he broke the club's record points scored in a season the next winter and was called up for England's game against France. He was an outstanding kicker, scoring 12 goals in a Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
victory against Stanningley in 1964. He was understudy to Alex Murphy on the 1962 Lions tour of Australasia and then moved to where he earned his sole Test cap for Great Britain against Australia in 1963. He joined Wakefield in 1965, linking up with his young brother Neil and they enjoyed great success with Trinity. After he retired from playing the game in 1970, he coached Batley before becoming a safety joiner in the South Yorkshire coalfield.
International honours
Don Fox won a cap for Great BritainGreat Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
while at Featherstone Rovers in 1963 against Australia (1-try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
, 2-goals).
Don Fox also represented Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
while at Featherstone Rovers between 1952 and 1956 against France (1 non-Test
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
match).
Rugby Football League Championship Final Appearances
Don Fox played , i.e. number 13, in Wakefield TrinityWakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
's 21-9 victory over St Helens RLFC in the 1966-67 Rugby Football League Championship final at Station Road, Swinton on 10 May 1967, and played Tighthead Prop Forward, i.e. number 10, and scored a goal in the 17-10 victory over Hull KR in the 1967-68 Rugby Football League Championship final at Headingley Stadium on 4 May 1968.
Challenge Cup final appearances
Fox enjoyed a glittering career but is probably best remembered for his escapades during the famous 1968 'watersplash' Challenge CupChallenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final between Wakefield and Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
. In atrocious conditions at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, the score was 11-7 to Leeds when Ken Hirst
Kenneth Hirst
Kenneth "Ken" Hirst was a professional rugby league footballer who at club level played for Wakefield Trinity, playing at , i.e. number 2 or 5.-Rugby Football League Championship Final Appearances:...
scored under the posts for Wakefield with the final play of the game. As tries were only worth three points at that time, the simple conversion was needed to give Wakefield a one-point lead and win the game. Wakefield fans were jubilant as the conversion from in front of the posts is by far the easiest kick in rugby league and Fox was such a prolific kicker that it realistically should have presented no problem. However, the saturated, sodden state of the pitch made this a more difficult proposition, and Fox lost his footing and sliced the ball wide of the posts. The final whistle was blown immediately afterwards, giving Leeds a dramatic one-point victory. This incident was immortalised for the millions watching on television by legendary commentator Eddie Waring
Eddie Waring
Edward Marsden "Eddie" Waring was a British rugby league football coach, commentator and television presenter....
's reaction at the time: 'He's a poor lad'. Fox had already been chosen to win the Lance Todd Trophy
Lance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
for his performance in the match, but he was disconsolate and trudged off the pitch (interviewed by David Coleman
David Coleman
David Coleman, OBE is an English former sports commentator and TV presenter who worked for the BBC for almost fifty years. In 2000, he was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest honour of the Olympic movement....
on television later, he was asked if it was any consolation and famously replied "not really, no"). Folklore states that Waring took Fox to Featherstone's Post Office Road ground the day after and he kicked several conversions in his carpet slippers.
Death
Don Fox died in a hospital in WakefieldWakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 21 August 2008 following a long illness.