Dennis Trotter
Dennis Trotter | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Thornhill, Dewsbury, England |
| Died | August 2, 2003 (aged 53) |
| Occupation | Rugby league footballer |
| Years active | 1970s–1980s |
| Known for | Playing for Bradford Northern rugby league club |
Dennis Trotter (1 January 1950 – 2 August 2003) was a professional English rugby league athlete active during the 1970s and 1980s, mainly representing Bradford Northern as a .
Early life
Trotter was born in 1950 in Thornhill, Dewsbury, England. Initially, he showed a preference for association football, playing with Dewsbury Town FC in the 1967/68 season. Influenced by friends to switch sports, he became a rugby enthusiast, supporting Wakefield Trinity and competing alongside his brother Geoff on an amateur rugby team affiliated with a bus company.
Bradford Northern
At age 20, Trotter joined Bradford Northern, a Championship club. He held the position in Northern's 18–8 victory over York during the 1978 Yorkshire Cup Final of the 1978–79 season, which took place at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds, on 28 October 1978.
Although he played a role in Bradford Northern's progression to the 1972–73 Challenge Cup final, he did not participate in the 33–14 defeat against Featherstone Rovers. Trotter was a member of the squad that secured the RFL Premiership title in the 1977–78 season and contributed to back-to-back RFL Championship triumphs in 1979–80 and 1980–81. He was honored with a testimonial season during 1980/81.
Post playing career
During his rugby tenure, Trotter worked as a milkman based in Chickenley before advancing to a managerial role at Associated Dairies. Following his retirement from playing, he briefly took up coaching responsibilities at Dewsbury Celtic but primarily focused on managing pubs and clubs. His management roles included overseeing Dewsbury Irish National League Club (commonly referred to as Dewsbury Nash) and serving temporarily at Hanging Heaton cricket club.
In 1989, while managing a bar in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Trotter met his future wife Joy. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2003, he died on 2 August that year. His funeral was held at Thornhill Parish Church, and subsequently, his ashes were scattered at Odsal Stadium.