George Herbert Marsden (born 16 October 1880[4] – 7 July 1948) was an English dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s and 1900s. He played representative rugby union (RU) for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Morley R.F.C., as a fly-half, i.e. number 10,[1] and representative level rugby league (RL) for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Bradford F.C. (now Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.) (captain), as a stand-off, i.e. number 6.[2]
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George Herbert Marsden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 October 1880 Morley, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 7 July 1948 (aged 67) Lytham St Annes, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Fly-half | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Stand-off | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Background edit
George Marsden was born in Morley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He died on 7 July 1948 in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England.[5]
Playing career edit
International honours edit
George Marsden won caps for England (RU) while at Morley R.F.C. in the 1900 Home Nations Championship against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and won a cap for England (RL) while at Bradford F.C. in 1905 against Other Nationalities.[3]
County honours edit
George Marsden won 11-caps for Yorkshire (RU) while at Morley R.F.C. up to and including 1900, and won cap(s) for Yorkshire (RL) while at Bradford between 1900 and 1906.[6]
When Bradford converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code on 29 August 1895, George Marsden would have been 14 years of age. Consequently, he was too young to have been a rugby union footballer for Bradford FC, and he won his England (RU) caps during 1900 at Morley R.F.C., changing club and code to Bradford and rugby league in 1900.[3]
Championship final appearances edit
George Marsden played stand-off and was captain in Bradford FC's 5–0 victory over Salford in the Championship tiebreaker during the 1903–04 season at Thrum Hall, Hanson Lane, Halifax on Thursday 28 April 1904, in front of a crowd of 12,000.[7][8]
Challenge Cup Final appearances edit
George Marsden played stand-off and was captain in Bradford's 5–0 victory over Salford in the 1906 Challenge Cup Final during the 1905–06 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds, on Saturday 28 April 1906, in front of a crowd of 15,834.[9]
Rugby union administration edit
Despite his previous involvement in rugby league, and the animosity between rugby union and rugby league, George Marsden was one of the founding members of the rugby union club Fylde Rugby Club in 1919.[citation needed]
References edit
- ^ a b "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". en.espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". Rugby League Project. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ a b c "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk (RL)". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Former Park Avenue player dead". Yorkshire Observer. 8 July 1948. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Maule, Raymond (1992). The Complete Who's Who of England Rugby Union Internationals (page 104). Breedon Books, Derby. ISBN 1-873626-10-X
- ^ Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 9 – 1903–04". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
- ^ "1903/04 Northern Union Champions". rlhp.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "1906 Challenge Cup winning team". rlhp.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
External links edit
- Image "1903/04 Northern Union Champions – Bradford were Northern Union champions for the first time in the season 1903/04. They beat Salford 5-0 in a play off at Thrum Hall, Halifax. – Date: 28/04/1904 – Players: Back row: Robson (trainer), Sinton, Heseltine, Sharratt. Middle row: Hutt, Barker, Greenwood, Smales, Feather, Mosby, Eagers. Front row: Dunbavin, Gunn, Rees, Marsden, Turner, Laidlaw, Dechan. On ground: Surman, Brear" at rlhp.co.uk
- Image "1906 Challenge Cup winning team – Bradford beat Salford to win the Challenge Cup in 1906 at Headingley. – Date: 28/04/1906 – Players: Back row: Hoyle (Secretary), Greenwood, Connell, Feather, Smales, Francis, Grayson, Walton, Mosby, Surman, Rees, Farrell (Trainer). Middle row: Gunn, Sharratt, Dechan, Marsden, Turner, Laidlaw, Mann. Front row: Dunbavin, Heseltine, Brear." at rlhp.co.uk