Steve Pitchford
Stephen Pitchford | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 6, 1952 Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation(s) | Rugby league footballer, miller, publican |
| Years active | 1970s–1980s |
| Known for | Rugby league prop for Leeds and Bramley; Great Britain international |
Stephen Pitchford (born 6 February 1952) is a retired English professional rugby league player whose career spanned the 1970s and 1980s. He represented Great Britain internationally and competed at club level for Leeds and Bramley as a .[1]
Background
Born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, Pitchford received his education at Foxwood School located in Seacroft, Leeds.[2][3]
International honours
Pitchford secured international caps for Great Britain during the 1977 Rugby League World Cup, where he faced off against France, New Zealand, and Australia in two matches.[1]
Challenge Cup Final appearances
Occupying the position of , Pitchford earned the Man of the Match distinction and received the Lance Todd Trophy as Leeds triumphed 16-7 over Widnes in the 1977 Challenge Cup Final held at Wembley Stadium, London, on 7 May 1977 before an audience of 80,871 during the 1976–77 season. The following year, he played at as Leeds narrowly defeated St. Helens 14-12 in the 1978 Challenge Cup Final on 13 May 1978 at Wembley, witnessed by 96,000 spectators.
County Cup Final appearances
In the 1975 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1975–76 season at Headingley, Leeds on 15 November 1975, Pitchford started at , later substituted by Roy Dickinson, contributing to Leeds' 15-11 win over Hull Kingston Rovers. He also took part at in subsequent Yorkshire Cup Finals: a 15-6 victory against Featherstone Rovers on 16 October 1976 at Headingley; the win over Halifax on 27 October 1979; and Leeds' success against Hull Kingston Rovers on 8 November 1980 at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield.
Open Rugby inaugural World XIII
In June 1978, Pitchford was selected for the first-ever World XIII by Open Rugby, joining esteemed players including Graham Eadie, John Atkinson, Steve Rogers, Roger Millward, and Steve Nash.
Work life
Alongside his rugby commitments with Leeds, Pitchford maintained employment as a skilled miller within various engineering companies based in Leeds. He earned respect during his tenure at Crabtree Vickers, a manufacturer specializing in printing presses, and subsequently worked at the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) located in Barnbow, East Leeds. Known for his amiable personality, he also managed public houses in Eastfield and Halton throughout the mid-1980s.
Honours
- Open Rugby World XIII: 1978
External links
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedStatistics at rugbyleagueproject.org - ↑ "Foxwood Sporting Triumphs". Armadale.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ↑ Foxwood School’s Jubilee Brochure, 1980