Albert Firth (3 July 1937 – 5 January 2015), also known by the

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

of "

Budgie Budgie may refer to: Arts * Budgie (album), ''Budgie'' (album), the debut album by the Welsh heavy metal band Budgie * Budgie (band), a Welsh heavy metal band from Cardiff * Budgie (musician) (born 1957), English drummer * Budgie (TV series), ''Bu ...

", was an English professional

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, and at club level for

Stanley Rangers Stanley Rangers (founded 1919) is an amateur rugby league club situated in the village of Stanley near Wakefield. They are in Division One of the National Conference League. Players range from 8-years old and receive training in all aspects of ...

ARLFC,

Wakefield Trinity Wakefield Trinity is a professional rugby league club in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, that plays in the Super League. One of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, between 1999 and 2016 the c ...

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

and

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

, as a or .

Background

Albert Firth was born in

Wakefield Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...

, England, and he died aged 77 in

Osgodby, Scarborough Osgodby is a village and civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2011 UK census, Osgodby parish had a population of 1,248, an increase on the 2001 UK census A nationwide census, known as Cen ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...

, England.

Playing career

County honours

Albert Firth was selected for Yorkshire County XIII whilst at

during the 1959/60 season, and in 1961.

Championship appearances

Albert Firth played at in

's 3-27 defeat by

Wigan Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas, Lancashire, River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the nor ...

in the Championship Final during the 1959–60 season at

Odsal Stadium Odsal Stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, is the home of Bradford Bulls Rugby League team. It has also been used by the Bradford Dukes speedway team, BRISCA F1 and F2 stock cars, the football team Bradford City, following the Valley ...

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

on Saturday 21 May 1960.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Albert Firth played at in

's 38-5 victory over

Hull F.C. Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull F.C., is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in West Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition and were ...

in the

1959–60 Challenge Cup The 1959–60 Challenge Cup was the 59th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final The 1959–60 Challenge Cup tournament ended in a final between Wak ...

Final during the 1959–60 season at

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

on Saturday 14 May 1960, and played at in the 12-6 victory over

Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...

in the

1961–62 Challenge Cup The 1961–62 Challenge Cup was the 61st staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. First Round Second Round Quarter Finals Semi Finals Final Wakefield Trinity beat Huddersfield 12-6 in the Challenge Cup Fi ...

Final during the 1961–62 season at

on Saturday 12 May 1962.

County Cup Final appearances

Albert Firth played at in

's 16-10 victory over

in the

1960–61 Yorkshire Cup 1960–61 Yorkshire Cup was the fifty-third occasion on which the Yorkshire Cup competition was held. Wakefield Trinity won the trophy by beating Huddersfield by the score of 16-10 in the final played at Headingley, Leeds, now in West Yorkshire ...

Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley,

on Saturday 29 October 1960, and played at in the 19-9 victory over

in the

1961–62 Yorkshire Cup The 1961–62 Yorkshire Cup was the fifty-fourth occasion on which the Yorkshire Cup competition had been held. Wakefield Trinity winning the trophy by beating Leeds by the score of 19-9 The match was played at Odsal in the City of Bradford, n ...

Final during the 1961–62 season at

on Saturday 11 November 1961.

Club career

Albert Firth made his début for

during April 1954, and he played his last match for Wakefield Trinity during the 1962–63 season, he was transferred from Wakefield Trinity to

in December 1962, and he was transferred from York to

in October 1964.

Contemporaneous Article Extract

"''Outlines – Albert Firth – Albert is one of many players on our present register who commenced his career as a member of the Wakefield City Schools' side. Unlike the majority, however he had to seek his Rugby League football at that stage, for his school in

Stanley Stanley may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Stanley'' (1972 film), an American horror film * ''Stanley'' (1984 film), an Australian comedy * ''Stanley'' (1999 film), an animated short * ''Stanley'' (1956 TV series) ...

did not play Rugby. Whilst with the Wakefield City Schools' team he gained County honours against Cumberland. In those days he played in the forwards; a number of occasions being at loose forward. Schooldays over, he naturally joined his local team –

– for whom he made several appearances at centre three-quarter. In whichever position he played, however, his work was so successful that

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

secured his signature at sixteen years of age. Albert signed for

in July, 1953 and, after a short period in the "A” team, made his senior début in November, 1953 against

here at Belle Vue. There was another appearance in the senior team during that season, but in the following campaign he made his mark and from there he has not looked back. In his first full season of 1954–5, he made thirty appearances and scored 13 tries – his most successful term until this present season. In September he made his County début for

against Cumberland at Hull and there are strong hopes that this will form only the first of many similar representative appearances. Still only in his early twenties, with 127 first team appearances (and over forty tries) behind him, he still has much to give Trinity in the important seasons ahead. The continuance of his career and the further fulfilment of much promise will be watched with interest and satisfaction''"

Outside of Rugby League

He later became a

landlord A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). When a juristic person is in this position, the ...

at The Angel Inn, and other

pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

s in

Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, sub ...

, England.

Genealogical information

Albert Firth's marriage to Peggy (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Geary) (birth registered first ¼ 1934 in

district – death unknown) was registered during third ¼ 1957 in

district. They had children; Kim Firth (birth registered during first ¼ in

district), and Cheryl Firth (birth registered during fourth ¼ in

district). Albert Firth was divorced from Peggy (née Geary), and married Carol A. Firth of

in the . Albert Firth's first wife Peggy was the eldest sister of Molly who married Stanley Smith, and Lily who married

Leslie Chamberlain Leslie "Les" Chamberlain (10 February 1934 – 2 March 2015) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at club level for Wakefield Trinity ( Heritage No. 625), Bramley, Hull Kingston Rover ...

. Wakefield Express Page-18, Friday 30 November 2012

References

External links

Search for "Firth" at rugbyleagueproject.orgRugby League Cup Final 1960Wakefield Win Cup 1962
{{DEFAULTSORT:Firth, Albert 1937 births 2015 deaths English rugby league players Leeds Rhinos players Publicans Rugby league players from Wakefield Rugby league props Rugby league second-rows Sportspeople from Scarborough, North Yorkshire Wakefield Trinity players York Wasps players Yorkshire rugby league team players