James Wasdale Brough (5 November 1903 – 16 September 1986), also known by the nickname of 'Gentleman Jim' , was an English dual-code international rugby union, association football (soccer) footballer, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s, and rugby league

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 ...

of the 1940s and 1950s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England and

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

, and at club level for

Silloth RUFC Silloth (sometimes known as Silloth-on-Solway) is a port town and civil parish in the Allerdale borough of Cumbria, England. Historically in the county of Cumberland, the town is an example of a Victorian seaside resort in the North of England. ...

, as a

fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to: Sports * A position in various kinds of football, including: ** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position ** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...

, and club level association football as an amateur for Liverpool ( reserve team), as a goalkeeper, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain (

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

), and England, and at club level for Leeds, as a , or , and coached representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, and at club level for

Batley Batley is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. Batley lies south-west of Leeds, north-west of Wakefield and Dewsbury, south-east of Bradford and north-east of Huddersfield. Batley is part of the ...

and Workington Town. Born in Silloth,

, England, he died in Workington, Cumbria, England.

Playing career

Rugby union

Brough was working in the fishing industry and his main interest was sailing model yachts until, aged 17, he joined some other young men in forming a rugby union club. This short-lived club, set up by friends who could not get a game with Silloth RUFC, gave him an interest in the sport and he soon found himself playing for the Silloth club itself. By the age of 19, he was playing rugby union for the county team of

, and by age 21 he had played for England (RU). His Test début was in January 1925 against New Zealand at Twickenham Stadium,

South London South London is the southern part of London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the Districts of England, boroughs, in whole or in part, of London Borough of Bexley, Bexley, London Borough of Bromley, Bromley, London Borou ...

. Two weeks later, he appeared against Wales. Various rugby league sides were now taking note of Brough's ability, including

Barrow Barrow may refer to: Places England * Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria ** Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, local authority encompassing the wider area ** Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency) * Barrow, Cheshire * Barrow, Gloucestershire * Barro ...

, Huddersfield, Hull FC, Swinton and Warrington. Despite being offered as much as £350 to join the league ranks, Brough chose instead to sign with association football club Liverpool as an amateur association footballer. He then discovered that he was unlikely to supplant Liverpool's incumbent goalkeeper, Elisha Scott, and when rugby league club Leeds offered him a signing-on fee in excess of £600, he joined the ranks of professional rugby league footballers.

Rugby league

Brough made his rugby league début for Leeds against York at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Wednesday 2 September 1925.Dalby, Ken (1955). ''The Headingley Story – 1890–1955 – Volume One – Rugby''. The Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Co. Ltd ASIN: B0018JNGVM Brough played in Leeds' 11–8 victory over Swinton in the 1931–32

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 at Central Park, Wigan, on Saturday 7 May 1932, in front of a crowd of 29,000, then was

in the 18–2 victory over Huddersfield in the 1935–36

Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 18 April 1936, in front of a crowd of 51,250, he missed the 19–2 victory over Halifax in the 1940–41

Final 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 ...

, and played fullback in the 15–10 victory over Halifax in the 1941–42

Final at Odsal Stadium, Bradford, on Saturday 6 June 1942.

International honours

As a professional rugby league footballer, Brough won caps for England in 1926 against Wales, and Other Nationalities, in 1928 against Wales, in 1929 against Other Nationalities, in 1932 against Wales, in 1933 against Other Nationalities, in 1934 against Australia, in 1935 against France, and Wales, in 1936 against Wales, and France, and won caps for Great Britain while at Leeds in 1928 against Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches), and in 1936 against Australia (captain).

Coaching career

Brough was the coach of

from January 1948 to May 1948,2 January 1948. ''Mick Exley Leaves Batley''. Yorkshire Evening Post. ISBN n/a and was the coach in Workington Town's 12–21 defeat by Barrow in the

1954–55 Challenge Cup The 1954–55 Challenge Cup was the 54th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final This was also the first time that there was an all-Cumbrian Final. ...

Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 30 April 1955, and was the coach in the 9–13 defeat by Wigan in the

1957–58 Challenge Cup The 1957–58 Challenge Cup was the 57th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. The final was contested by Wigan and Workington Town at Wembley Stadium in London. The final was played on Saturday 10 May 1958, ...

Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1958, in front of a crowd of 66,109. Aside from his club roles, Brough was also coach of the Great Britain rugby league team.

Honoured at Silloth RUFC

In 2005, in honour of Jim Brough, Silloth RUFC renamed its ground, The Jim Brough Rugby Park.

Personal life

Jim Brough married Florance Annie (née Carr) in 1928 in Wigton. They had two children, the golfers Samuel John Brough (1931 - 2014), and Florance Poinsettia Pamela Brough (1936 - 2017); the organist and composer Michael James Arman Brough (b.1960) is Jim Brough's grandson.

References

External links

profile at sillothrugby.org.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brough, James 1903 births 1986 deaths Association football goalkeepers Batley Bulldogs coaches Dual-code rugby internationals England international rugby union players England national rugby league team captains England national rugby league team players English footballers English rugby league coaches English rugby league players Great Britain national rugby league team captains Great Britain national rugby league team coaches Great Britain national rugby league team players Leeds Rhinos captains Leeds Rhinos players People from Silloth Rugby union players from Cumbria Footballers from Cumbria Rugby league centres Rugby league fullbacks Rugby league players from Cumbria Rugby union fullbacks Whitehaven R.L.F.C. coaches Workington Town coaches