Fred "Freddy" Smith (birth registered second quarter 1935 – 24 April 2004) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Yorkshire (despite being born in Lancashire), and at club level for Leeds and Wakefield Trinity ( Heritage No. 628), as a , i.e. number 2 or 5.

Background

Smith was born in Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire, England, and he died in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.

Playing career

International honours

Fred Smith was a non-playing substitute for Great Britain while at Wakefield Trinity.

County honours

Fred Smith represented Yorkshire (despite being born in Lancashire) while at Wakefield Trinity.

Championship final appearances

Fred Smith played , i.e. number 2, and scored a try in Wakefield Trinity's 3–27 defeat by Wigan in the Rugby Football League 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

Fred Smith played , i.e. number 2, and scored a try in Wakefield Trinity'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 Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...

Final during the 1959–60 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 14 May 1960, and played in the 12–6 victory over Huddersfield in the 1961–62

Final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1962.Hoole, Les (2004). ''Wakefield Trinity RLFC - FIFTY GREAT GAMES''. Breedon Books.

County Cup Final appearances

Fred Smith played , i.e. number 2, and scored 2- tries in Wakefield Trinity's 25–3 victory over Hunslet in the 1956–57 Yorkshire

County Cup The county football associations are the local governing bodies of association football in England and the Crown dependencies. County FAs exist to govern all aspects of football in England. They are responsible for administering club and player ...

Final during the 1956–57 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 20 October 1956, played in the 20–24 defeat by Leeds in the 1958–59 Yorkshire

Final during the 1958–59 season at

on Saturday 18 October 1958, played , and scored a try in the 16–10 victory over Huddersfield in the 1960–61 Yorkshire

Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960, and played , and scored a try in the 19–9 victory over Leeds in the 1961–62 Yorkshire

Final during the 1961–62 season at

on Saturday 11 November 1961.

Notable tour matches

Fred Smith played , i.e. number 2, in Wakefield Trinity's 17–12 victory over

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

in the

1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France The 1956–57 Kangaroo tour was the ninth Kangaroo tour, in which the Australian national rugby league team travelled to Great Britain and France and played twenty-eight matches, including the Ashes series of three Test matches against Great Brit ...

match at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956.

Transfer from Leeds to Wakefield Trinity

Fred Smith was transferred from Leeds to Wakefield Trinity in January 1956, with Don Robinson going the other way. In addition, Wakefield Trinity also received £3,000 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £155,300 in 2013).

Career records

Fred Smith's record for the most tries for Wakefield Trinity in a match set against Keighley in 1959 with 7-tries has since been equalled by

Keith Slater Keith Nichol Slater (born 12 March 1935) is a former Western Australian cricketer and West Australian Football League (WAFL) player. Cricket career In cricket, Slater was an all-rounder who played in only one Test match, against England in ...

in 1971, and the record for the most tries for Wakefield Trinity in a season set during the 1959–60 season with 38-tries has since been equalled by David Smith in the 1973–74 season, but over fifty years on, both of Fred Smith's records for Wakefield Trinity remain unbeaten.

Contemporaneous article extract

"''Fred Smith: When Don Robinson moved to Leeds in January 1956, Fred Smith came to Belle Vue as part of the transfer agreement. In his first full season of 1956/57 he scored 30 tries – only one other player had ever scored more for the club. In 1958/59 he extended Denis Boocker's and Neil Fox's joint record to 37 and in 1959/60 took his seasons total to 38. Also holds the record of tries in a match – seven against Keighley in 1958/9''".Lindley, John (1960). ''Dreadnoughts - A HISTORY OF Wakefield Trinity F.C. 1873 - 1960 age118'. John Lindley Son & Co Ltd. ISBN n/a

References

External links

Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
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Search for "Smith" at rugbyleagueproject.orgRugby League Cup Final 1960Wakefield Win Cup 1962
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Fred 1935 births 2004 deaths English rugby league players Leeds Rhinos players People from Gorton Place of death missing Rugby league players from Manchester Rugby league wingers Wakefield Trinity players Yorkshire rugby league team players