Two players die of virus : Fri Apr 24, 2020 7:44 pm
Old time players, underlying health issues, had been ill for some time , Stuart Kelly, forward, prop, a very hard man, played 10 games, wakey bought him to toughen up the pack, his reputation went before him with the RFL. Terrible disciplinary record but feared no one., 1970-71I remember Salford away, league match, Salford were in their heydays. However, we did loose but, they had a very big prop called Charlie Bott, a renowned rough big lad, Kelly was slim, fit but very hard in an era where punches were often the norm. Kelly was doing his usual misdemeanors, Paul Charlton , fullback in a short play to the corner flag took a pass, strode 5yds, & diver over, Kelly, could not stop him & as Charlton was diving down Kelly Rabbit punched him behind his neck ,
Was warned by the ref etc, Salford players not happy. Various scrums on, Kelly was clearly upsetting their rythem & losing scrums.
All of a sudden, middle of the field, scrum broke, Big Charlie squared up to Kelly, picked up slightly by grabbing his shirt front under his chin, pulled him forward & nutted Kelly one on ! Well, he totally miss judged Kelly, he let go of Kelly, & then staggered back, held his head. Kelly looked on as if to say what's the matter, ref warned both & play went on, Bott shortly leaving the field, Kelly was un-repenting. We lost the game.
Later Wakefield were fined by the RFL, for buying a player to use their words, deliberately for fighting buying his reputation ! God rest to him.
The other player, hooker, astburry, was a loanee, God rest to him also.