Signing on today in 1940 was a second rower who would give sterling service for 14 seasons. Walt Burnell was secured from Hunslet Supporters for £60.
He made his debut at Castleford on 1st June that year and made 288 appearances , scoring 13 tries.
He served in the RAF in the Far East later in WW2, and played as guest at Huddersfield during the conflict.
He ended his Hunslet career in 1955, moving to Dewsbury in 1956.
As a schoolboy, he captained the City Boys on a tour to France.
Gordon Robson Waite put pen to paper on this day in 1949, making just two appearances at full back in his initial season. Tuss Griffiths was the regular full back and Arthur Talbot next in line, so Gordon will have been patiently waiting his turn.
He must have thought his day had come when Tuss wound down his Hunslet career and moved to Doncaster, bur Jack Evans got the nod, moving back from centre. Not a bad move though as Jack was awarded Great Britain caps at full back.
Gordon was picking up occasional games at full back but centre was to become his position from 1951/52. Despite Les Williams and Maurice Thornton being the regular centres, Gordon made 181 appearances, scoring 40 tries and 11 goals before hanging up his boots in 1958.
He had signed from Hunslet Supprters for £200 and played in the 1956 Yorkshire Cup final.
The Cumberland selectors invited our players to represent them this day. 1908 saw Billy Eagers and, in 1927, Johnny Coulson turn out, both against New Zealand.
Both matches were at Workington, Billy’s game was a 21-9 win and Johnny’s a 3-18 reverse.
8th January 1908 marked the first time we welcomed the new Bradford Northern team to Parkside. The original Bradford club played from the Union Days until 1906/07, when they left the Northern Union to take up Association football.
