Billy Banks (rugby)
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | William Martin Banks[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | [1] Maesteg, Wales | 11 January 1925|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | August 1991 (aged 66)[1] Huddersfield, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Scrum-half | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Stand-off, Scrum-half | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [3] |
William Martin Banks (11 January 1925
Background
Billy Banks was born in Maesteg, Wales in 1925. After his rugby league career ended, he became a taxi driver in Huddersfield. He returned frequently to Maesteg to visit family and friends. He died in 1991 aged 66 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.
Playing career
International honours
Billy Banks represented
Billy Banks was selected for Great Britain Squad while at Huddersfield for the 1954 Rugby League World Cup in France. However, Billy Banks did not participate in any of the four matches, with Gerry Helme playing as scrum-half in all four matches.
Along with
Club career
Billy Banks moved from the rugby union (RU) club Maesteg RFC to the professional rugby league (RL) club Leeds in 1946, he made his début for Leeds against Keighley at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 23 February 1946,[7] Banks was transferred from Leeds to Wakefield Trinity in 1946 for £500 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £49,450 in 2016),[8] he made his début for Wakefield Trinity during December 1946, Banks played his last match for Wakefield Trinity during 1947–48 season, he was transferred from Wakefield Trinity to Huddersfield in August 1948 for £1,850,[9] (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £161,500 in 2016),[8] Banks played 281 games for Huddersfield between 1948 and 1956, he was transferred from Huddersfield to Whitehaven in 1956, and Banks went on to play for Salford before retiring in 1960,[1] 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. In addition, prior to the 1949–50 season, the archaic field-goal was also still a valid means of scoring points.
Championship final appearances
Billy Banks played
Challenge Cup Final appearances
Billy Banks played scrum-half and scored a try in Huddersfield's 15-10 victory over St. Helens in the 1952–53 Challenge Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 25 April 1953, in front of a crowd of 89,588.[9]
County Cup Final appearances
Billy Banks played scrum-half in Huddersfield's 4-11 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1949–50 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1949–50 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1949, and played scrum-half in the 18-8 victory over Batley in the 1952–53 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 15 November 1952.
Notable tour matches
Billy Banks played scrum-half in Whitehaven's 14-11 victory over Australia in the 1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at the Recreation Ground, Whitehaven on Saturday 20 October 1956, in front of a crowd of 10,917.[11]
Genealogical information
Billy Banks was married to Sadie A. (née Williams), daughter of Annie (née Davies) and Gomer Williams of MacGregor Row, Maesteg, Gomer was a coal miner and then groundsman at Maesteg RFC for many years.[12]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7524-4584-7.
- ^ History of Rugby League Volume 59 1953-54 page 17 edited by Irvin Saxton
- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
- ^ ISBN 0-9548355-3-0
- ^ Dalby, Ken (1955). The Headingley Story – 1890–1955 – Volume One – Rugby. The Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Co. Ltd ASIN: B0018JNGVM
- ^ a b "Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds". Measuring Worth. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ a b McCorquodale, London S.E. (25 April 1953). The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition – Final Tie – Huddersfield v St. Helens – Match Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd.
- ^ "1949–1950 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ "When Haven beat the Aussies". totalrl.com. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 30 November 1994. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.