Arthur Keegan (6 November 1938 – 3 November 2008), 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 "Ollie", 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 11 ...

footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

ed in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for

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England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and

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

, and at club level for West Town Boys ARLFC (in Dewsbury),

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 ...

( Heritage No.), Bramley and Batley, as a

goal A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or ...

-kicking , i.e. number 1, and was captain of Hull during the 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1970–71 seasons, and coached at representative level for

, and at club level for Bramley, after serving in the

Duke of Wellington's Regiment The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division. In 1702, Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he di ...

Background

Arthur Keegan was born in Dewsbury,

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 69 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 Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...

, England.

Playing career

International honours

Keegan won

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...

s for

while at Hull in 1969 against Wales, and France, and won

s for

while at Hull in 1966 against Australia (2 matches), in 1967 against France (2 matches), and Australia (3 matches), in 1968 against France, and in 1969 against France.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Keegan played at , and scored 1-

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, and 4-

penalty Penalty or The Penalty may refer to: Sports * Penalty (golf) * Penalty (gridiron football) * Penalty (ice hockey) * Penalty (rugby) * Penalty (rugby union) * Penalty kick (association football) * Penalty shoot-out (association football) A p ...

s in

Hull FC 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 ...

's 13–30 defeat by

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in the 1958–59 Challenge Cup Final during the 1958–59 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 original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...

on Saturday 9 May 1959.

County Cup Final appearances

Keegan played in

's 7–8 defeat by

Hull Kingston Rovers Hull Kingston Rovers are a professional rugby league club based in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England, that competes in the Super League, the top tier of British rugby league. The club has won five league championships, and one Challen ...

in the 1967–68

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Final during the 1967–68 season at

Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingley ...

Rugby Stadium,

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 popula ...

on Saturday 14 October 1967.

Coaching career

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final appearances

Keegan was the

in Bramley's 15–7 victory over

Widnes Widnes ( ) is an industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2011 census had a population of 61,464. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form th ...

in the

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1973–74 season at

Naughton Park The DCBL Stadium (historically known as Lowerhouse Lane and Naughton Park) is a rugby league stadium in Widnes, Cheshire, England. It is the home of Rugby League side Widnes Vikings of the Betfred Championship, and American football side Halt ...

on Tuesday 18 December 1973.

Genealogical information

Arthur Keegan's marriage to Anne ( née Bottomley) was registered during fourth ¼ 1966 in Dewsbury district. They had children; Lucy Keegan (birth registered during first ¼ in Dewsbury district), Bridget Keegan (born , birth registered during fourth ¼ 1970 in Dewsbury district), and Amelia Keegan (birth registered during fourth ¼ in Dewsbury district). Arthur Keegan's second marriage was to Jackie. They had children; the

twin Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

s; Thomas Keegan, and Rhys Keegan born .

References

External links

Obituary at yorkshirepost.co.ukTribute to RL legend Arthur KeeganTributes to one of the very bestObituary at johnstonpress.co.ukObituary at legacy.com
* (archived by web.archive.org
Stats → Past Players → K at hullfc.com
* (archived by web.archive.org
Statistics at hullfc.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keegan, Arthur 1938 births 2008 deaths Batley Bulldogs players Bramley R.L.F.C. coaches Bramley RLFC players Duke of Wellington's Regiment soldiers England national rugby league team players English rugby league coaches English rugby league players Great Britain national rugby league team players Hull F.C. captains Hull F.C. players Rugby league fullbacks Rugby league players from Dewsbury Yorkshire rugby league team coaches Yorkshire rugby league team players