John Higson

John "Willie" Higson
Personal information
Full name John William Higson
Nickname Willie
Born July→September 1887
Pontefract district
Died October→December 1958 (aged 74)
Wakefield district
Playing information
Position Prop, Hooker, Second-row, Loose forward/Lock
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1905–10 Hunslet 112 12 36
1910–20 Huddersfield 225 24 72
1921–25 Featherstone Rovers 99 11
Oct 1925–27 Wakefield Trinity 59 3 9
Total 495 50 0 0 117
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1908–09 Great Britain 2 0 0 0 0
1908–09 England 3 0 0 0 0
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

John William "Willie" Higson (birth registered during July→September 1887[1] — death registered October→December 1958 (aged 74)[2]) birth registered in Pontefract district, was a professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s playing at representative level for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers (twice, pre & post-Northern Union), Hunslet, Huddersfield, Featherstone Rovers, and Wakefield Trinity (Heritage #321), as a Prop, Hooker, Second-row, or Loose forward/Lock, i.e. number 8 or 10, or 9, or 11 or 12, or 13, during the era of contested scrums,[3] his death was registered in Wakefield district.

Playing career

International honours

John Higson won caps for England while at Hunslet in 1908 against Wales, and in 1909 against Australia (twice),[4] and won caps for Great Britain while at Hunslet in 1908 against Australia, and in 1909 against Australia.[5]

All Four Cups, and "The Terrible Six"

John Higson was a member of Hunslet's 1907–08 season All Four Cups winning team, the Forwards were known as "The Terrible Six" they were; Tom Walsh, Harry Wilson, Jack Randall, Bill "Tubby" Brookes, Bill Jukes, and John Willie Higson,[6] he was also a member of Huddersfield's 1914–15 All Four Cups winning "Team Of All Talents", and consequently is the only player to win All Four Cups on two occasions.

County Cup final appearances

John Higson played Loose forward/Lock in Hunslet's 17-0 victory over Halifax in the 1907 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1907–08 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 21 December 1907, played and scored a try in Huddersfield's 22-10 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers in the 1911 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1911–12 season at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 25 November 1911, and played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11, in Wakefield Trinity's 3-10 defeat by Huddersfield in the 1926 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1926–27 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Wednesday 1 December 1926, the original match on Saturday 27 November 1926 was postponed due to fog.

Club career

John Higson played for Featherstone Rovers before they joined the Northern Union, he was transferred from Featherstone Rovers to Hunslet in 1905, he was transferred from Huddersfield and rejoined Featherstone Rovers in 1921 playing alongside; Ernest Barraclough, and William Clements, he played his final game for Featherstone Rovers in the 29-16 victory over York at Post Office Road, Featherstone on Saturday 25 April 1925.[7]

Genealogical information

John Higson was the father of the rugby league footballer, Leonard Higson.

References

  1. ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "Death details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  3. ↑ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Hunslet remembered - Leisure and sport". hunslet.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "John Willie Higson at marklaspalmas.blogspot.com". marklaspalmas.blogspot.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.

External links