Keith Holliday

Keith Holliday
Personal information
Full name Keith Holliday
Born circa-1934
Playing information
Height 5 ft 8.5 in (174 cm)
Weight 12 st 8 lb (80 kg)
Position Centre, Stand-off, Scrum-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1952–66 Wakefield Trinity 438 94 282
1966–68 Bramley
Total 438 94 0 0 282
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1956/57–≤1966 Yorkshire ≥2
1956 Great Britain 1
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1966–68 Bramley
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

Keith Holliday is an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s, and coach of the 1960s, playing at representative level for Great Britain, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Eastmoor ARLFC, Wakefield Trinity (captain) (Heritage #600), and Bramley, as a Centre, Stand-off/Five-eighth, or Scrum-half/Halfback, i.e. number 3 or 4, 6, or 7, and coaching at club level for Bramley. Keith Holliday was a pupil at Cathedral School.

Playing career

Wakefield Trinity career

One of the most under-rated players in Wakefield Trinity’s history is three-time Wembley winner, Keith Holliday. The wily scrum half was one of the club’s great servants and ranks sixth on the club’s all-time appearance list, with ten winner's medals, as well as county and international recognition.

Holliday's Trinity career spanned fourteen years (1952–66); he played 438 times. Only Neil Fox has played more post-war Trinity games. He was an outstanding local product and arrived at Belle Vue via Cathedral School and Eastmoor. He progressed through the intermediate and A-teams before making his debut in the first match of the 1952-53 season, scoring a try in a 30-21 victory over Doncaster.

Holliday made steady progress, starting out as a stand off and alternating in the centres and within four years of his debut, he represented Great Britain, partnering Don Fox, in an unofficial 18-10 victory over France at Bradford in 1956. He added to his representative honours a season later when he was stand off for Yorkshire, in defeat to Cumberland at Whitehaven.

By the late 1950s, Trinity were coming out of the wilderness on the domestic front, reaching their first major final in five years. A 23-5 Yorkshire Cup Final victory over Hunslet gave Keith the first of his cup winner's medals in 1956. He had now formed a formidable half back partnership with Ken Rollin and it was not until 1958 when he moved to scrum half when Harold Poynton became his half back partner.

The try-maker turned try scorer with two scorching tries at Wembley in 1960, when Trinity defeated Hull, 38-5 to win the RL Challenge Cup. It was the first of three Challenge Cup winners medals for Keith as he was at scrum half, again, in 1962 and 1963 which went alongside four Yorkshire League Championship winners medals (1959, 1960, 1962 and 1966) and two further Yorkshire Cup winners medals (1961–62 and 1964–65). He was also one win away from the League Championship on two occasions after final losses in 1960 and 1962; Keith playing in nine major finals for Trinity, winning six.

Keith remained the major tradesman at scrum half throughout the early 1960s, the club being one win away from winning ‘All Four Cups’ on 1961-62 and being rewarded with a testimonial season in 1962-63. He gained his second county cap in 1961, captaining Yorkshire in defeat to Lancashire at Leigh. He moved to loose forward in 1964 before playing his last game for Trinity, in defeat to Hull, in March 1966. He then moved to Bramley as player coach.

He finished his career with 94 tries and was also club captain in the 1957-58 season, being voted the supporter’s player of the years two years running in 1961-62 and 1962-63 … a true club legend. He was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2015

International honours

Keith Holliday represented Great Britain while at Wakefield Trinity in the 18–10 victory over France (non-Test match) at Odsal Stadium, Bradford in 1956.[1]

Along with Billy Banks, Ted Cahill, Gordon Haynes, Billy Ivison, Bob Kelly, John McKeown, George Parsons and Ted Slevin, Keith Holliday's only Great Britain appearance came against France prior to 1957, these matches were not considered as Test matches by the Rugby Football League, and consequently caps were not awarded.[2]

County honours

Keith Holliday was selected for Yorkshire County XIII while at Wakefield Trinity during the 1956/57 season.[3]

Championship final appearances

Keith Holliday played Scrum-half/Halfback in Wakefield Trinity's 3–27 defeat by Wigan in the Rugby Football League Championship final during the 1959–60 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 21 May 1960.[4]

Challenge Cup final appearances

Keith Holliday played Scrum-half/Halfback, and scored two tries in Wakefield Trinity's 38–5 victory over Hull in the 1960 Challenge Cup final during the 1959–60 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 14 May 1960, and played in the 12–6 victory over Huddersfield in the 1962 Challenge Cup final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1962, and the 25–10 victory over Wigan in the 1963 Challenge Cup final during the 1962–63 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 11 May 1963.[5]

County Cup Final Appearances

Keith Holliday played Stand-off/Five-eighth in Wakefield Trinity's 23–5 victory over Hunslet in the 1956 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1956–57 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 20 October 1956, played Stand-off/Five-eighth in the 20–24 defeat by Leeds in the 1958 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1958–59 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 18 October 1958, played Scrum-half/Halfback in the 19–9 victory over Leeds in the 1958 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1958–59 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 11 November 1961, and played Loose forward/Lock in the 18–2 victory over Leeds in the 1960 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1960–61 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 31 October 1964.[6]

Tour match Appearances

Keith Holliday played Centre, i.e. number 4 in Wakefield Trinity's 17–12 victory over Australia in the tour match at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956.[7]

Testimonial match

Keith Holliday's Testimonial match at Wakefield Trinity took place against Huddersfield in 1962.

Contemporaneous article extract

"Wakefield Trinity have a proud record in grooming local talent, and there is an illustrious line of players who have come, over the years, via Trinity's own Junior teams from Wakefield City Schools' football. Keith Holliday is one of them. His career started at the Cathedral School, then on to Eastmoor Juniors and Trinity's own "Nursery" before signing for the Club in 1952. Gained Yorkshire county honours and a Great Britain place against France at off-half, and had experience also at centre for his Club before changing to the scrum-half berth. Captain of Trinity in their Yorkshire League success of 1958–9".[8]

References

  1. ↑ Edgar, Harry (2007). Rugby League Journal Annual 2008 [Page-110]. Rugby League Journal Publishing. ISBN 0-9548355-3-0
  2. ↑ Edgar, Harry (2007). Rugby League Journal Annual 2008 [Page-110]. Rugby League Journal Publishing. ISBN 0-9548355-3-0
  3. ↑ Lindley, John (1960). Dreadnoughts – A HISTORY OF Wakefield Trinity F. C. 1873 – 1960 [Page 118]. John Lindley Son & Co Ltd. ISBN n/a
  4. ↑ "1959–1960 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ↑ Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC – FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
  6. ↑ Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC – FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
  7. ↑ 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
  8. ↑ Lindley, John (1960). Dreadnoughts – A HISTORY OF Wakefield Trinity F. C. 1873 – 1960 [Page 98]. John Lindley Son & Co Ltd. ISBN n/a

External links

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