Trevor Foster - Rugby book

Trevor Foster: The Life of a Rugby League Legend
by Simon Foster, Robert Gate and Peter Lush

In Australia, it has been Frank Hyde. In the United Kingdom, it has been Trevor Foster. Men who had been star rugby league players, who then spent the remainder of their lives in service to the game.

Sadly, Trevor Foster passed away just days after attending the launch of his biography. In his 91st year, Foster was the heart and soul of the Bradford Bulls rugby league club.

Foster joined Bradford from Newport (Welsh rugby union club) in 1938. In his stellar career, he won every honour in the game before retiring as a player in 1955. He captained Bradford Northern to three Challenge Cup finals, winning two - with many of the plaudits given to him personally for the victories.

In 1946 he was a member of the Great Britain touring team to Australia. Travelling 'down under' on an aircraft carrier, his tour was unfortunately marred by injury. Foster also played sixteen times for the Wales rugby league team, seven as captain. Undoubtedly, WW2 curtailed what would have been a fine international career for Foster. He played for Great Britain in the Ashes winning home Tests against Australia in 1948-49, scoring two tries in the first Test.

Trevor Foster: The Life of a Rugby League Legend recounts his footballing career from his first success with rugby union in his native Wales, to ultimately 432 games for Bradford. A sparkling back-row forward who ran wide with the ball far more than his contemporaries, Foster nailed 132 tries for Bradford alone. Alongside Foster in a great club side were Ernest Ward (centre), fellow Welshmen Alan Edwards (wing), Willie Davies (standoff) and Frank Whitcombe (prop forward).

Foster was known throughout the game for his sportsmanship and fair play. In his 17 year career he was never once cautioned or sent from the field. After retiring in 1955 he remained with Bradford as coach, then a Director and Chairman of the Supporters Club. Over recent seasons he had been the official timekeeper for Super League home games at Odsal Stadium. Unlike many men of his era, Foster embraced the Super League concept, seeing it as the only way for rugby league (and Bradford) to thrive and grow.

Many say that Foster's greatest achievement came in 1963. With the Bradford club unable to fulfill its fixtures and forced to disband, the famous club seemed to be consigned to history. Foster though rallied to the cause. He led the efforts to reform and reorganise the club, and it was able to rejoin the league the following season.

Away from the club he raised an enormous amount of money for charities and his work in that area was recognised when he was awarded the MBE in 2001.

Bulls and Great Britain coach Brian Noble wrote the Foreword to the book . Noble had known Trevor since he was a seven year old schoolboy. He said of Foster, "Trevor was an inspiration to me throughout my life. It was Trevor who took me to the Police Boys Club in Manningham, where I lived and he introduced me to rugby league. The word 'Legend' is often used to describe sportsmen, sometimes unjustifiably but in Trevor's case it is an understatement. He was a great player but more importantly he was a great man. I will miss him tremendously."

Trevor Foster has made an enormous contribution to rugby league and the city of Bradford since coming north from South Wales in 1938. This book includes:
• His early days in Newport
• Wartime rugby
• The 1946 British Lions tour to Australia
• His playing record with Great Britain, Wales and Bradford Northern
• The rebirth of Bradford Northern in 1964
• His contribution to the community in Bradford

Trevor Foster: The Life of a Rugby League Legend is well illustrated, and includes a full statistical record of his career.

Hardback - 176 pages - b&w and full-colour photographs
ISBN 1903659183
Available worldwide from: London League Publications shop