Matthew "Jimmy" Dalton (died 2016) 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. He played at representative level for Great Britain (Under-24s), and at club level for

Hensingham ARLFC Hensingham ARLFC is an amateur Rugby league club based in Whitehaven. Founded in 1900, It wasn't until 1920 that the Club changed its allegiances to Rugby League. Hensingham are one of the oldest rugby clubs in the country. They now play their rug ...

and Whitehaven R.L.F.C., as a , and he is a member of Whitehaven R.L.F.C. Immortals (Hall of Fame).

Career

Dalton was capped for

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

against France in 1986. His career ended due to Castleman’s syndrome . Later, he was diagnosed with Pyrin Associated Febrile Syndrome. Besides working at Starting Point, he was also working the switchboard and security at West Cumberland Hospital. Dalton started his

career at Amateur side

with his brothers he signing for Whitehaven R.L.F.C. soon after.

Death

Dalton was found dead in Crow Park, Whitehaven on 8 November 2016, after people had been searching for him for two days. In a suicide note to his family, Dalton referenced the toll of both physical and mental health issues as well as having broken up with his on-and-off partner of ten years, Gail Lamb. At the time of his death, he was 53 years old. Dalton was the father of two children and had four grandchildren. He was considered influential in setting up Starting Point in Whitehaven. He helped people there in the road to recovery from drug and alcohol problems.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dalton, Jimmy 1963 births 2016 deaths 2016 suicides English rugby league players Great Britain national rugby league team players Rugby league wingers Rugby league players from Whitehaven Whitehaven R.L.F.C. players Suicides in England