Trevor J. F. Foster MBE (1916 – April 2, 2005), was a Welsh rugby footballer and coach. He played rugby union for Newport and rugby league for Bradford Northern.

Contents 1 Early years 2 Bradford career 3 Great Britain and Wales caps 4 Unblemished disciplinary record 5 Retirement and coaching 6 Club saviour 7 Honours 8 Honoured at Bradford 9 Honoured by Arriva Yorkshire 10 Death 11 References 12 External links

[edit] Early years

Trevor was born in Newport, Monmouthshire, but is best known for his association with the Bradford Northern rugby league club having joined them as a player in 1938 for £400 from Newport RFC, his home town's rugby union club.

He made a name for himself playing for Newport Schoolboys and Pill Harriers as a teenager, before joining Newport.

[edit] Bradford career

In all he played 428 games for Bradford, usually as a second row forward and occasionally a loose forward. During this time he scored 140 tries (an incredible return for a forward) including 24 in the 1947-48 season and 6 in 1 game. Trevor was the key forward of an outstanding Bradford side in the post war period which won the Challenge Cup in 1947 and 1949 with Trevor scoring in both games.

[edit] Great Britain and Wales caps

His record in representative rugby league was limited to 3 Great Britain caps, although he played 16 times for Wales, 7 as captain.

It is certain he would have won more caps had it not been for World War II.

In 1946 he was selected for the winning Ashes tour of Australia, but was injured before being able to play a game.

[edit] Unblemished disciplinary record

Remarkably for a forward of the time Trevor was never sent from the field of play or even cautioned during his 17 years of top flight rugby.

[edit] Retirement and coaching

After his retirement in 1955 he remained a servant of the Bradford club successively as Coach, Director and Chairman of the Supporters Club and timekeeper for Super League home games.

[edit] Club saviour

It was in 1963 when he secured his place in Bradford and Rugby League history when he was the central figure in a campaign to save his beloved Bradford Northern club who had disbanded due to financial problems. He led efforts to reconstitute the club which was then able to rejoin the league the following season. Without his work it is unlikely that the club would exist today.

[edit] Honours

In 2001 Trevor Foster was awarded an MBE, in 2004 was inducted into Welsh Sports Hall of Fame.

[edit] Honoured at Bradford

Trevor Foster, has been included in Bradford's; 'Millennium Masters', 'Bull Masters', and in August 2007 he was named in the 'Team Of The Century'. Only six players have been included in all three lists, they are; Karl Fairbank, Trevor Foster, James Lowes, Keith Mumby, Robbie Paul, and Ernest Ward.

[edit] Honoured by Arriva Yorkshire

Arriva Yorkshire honoured 13 rugby league footballers on Thursday the 20th of August 2009, at a ceremony at The Jungle, the home of the Castleford Tigers. A fleet of new buses were named after the 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team'. Members of the public nominated the best ever rugby league footballers to have played in West Yorkshire, supported by local rugby league journalists; James Deighton from BBC Leeds, and Tim Butcher, editor of Rugby League World. The 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team' is; Trevor Foster MBE, Neil Fox MBE, Albert Goldthorpe, Alan Hardisty, Stan Kielty, Lewis Jones, Roger Millward MBE, Malcolm Reilly, Garry Schofield, Keith Senior, David Topliss, Dave Valentine, and Adrian Vowles.^[1]

[edit] Death

Trevor Foster died peacefully in hospital in Bradford after a short illness.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Trevor Foster: The Life of a Rugby League Legend
• BISA's tribute to Trevor Foster
• Bradford Bulls Official Site
• The press release announcing Trevor Foster's death
• A gallery showing images of Trevor Foster's life
• The Bull's tribute to Trevor Foster
• The Millennium Masters - Forwards
• Bull Masters - Trevor Foster
• Team Of The Century
• International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Book of condolence
• Trevor Foster at wales.rleague.com
• Pain of defeat serves Dewsbury well to prevent any repeat performance

v • d • e Bradford Bulls Millenium Masters 1 Keith Mumby • 2 Eric Batten • 3 Ernest Ward • 4 Paul Newlove • 5 Jack McLean • 6 Willie Davies • 7 Tommy Smales • 8 Frank Whitcombe • 9 James Lowes • 10 Jimmy Thompson • 11 Trevor Foster • 12 Jeff Grayshon • 13 Ellery Hanley • 14 Karl Fairbank • 15 Henry Paul • 16 Robbie Paul • 17 Ken Traill •

v • d • e Bradford Bulls Bull Masters  Graeme Bradley •  Karl Fairbank •  Trevor Foster •  Jeff Grayshon •  Ellery Hanley •  David Hobbs •  Paul Loughlin •  Paul Medley •  Keith Mumby •  Brian Noble •  Terry Price •  Stuart Spruce •  Ernest Ward •  Bernard Dwyer •  Robbie Paul •  Joe Vagana •  Henry Paul •  James Lowes •  Michael Withers •  Shontayne Hape •  Brian McDermott •  Mike Forshaw •  Paul Anderson •  Scott Naylor •

v • d • e Bradford Bulls Team Of The Century 1 Keith Mumby • 2 Jack McLean • 3 Ernest Ward • 4 Shontayne Hape • 5 Lesley Vainikolo • 6 Robbie Paul • 7 Paul Deacon • 8 Stuart Fielden • 9 James Lowes • 10 Joe Vagana • 11 Trevor Foster • 12 Karl Fairbank • 13 Ken Traill • Coach: Brian Noble

v • d • e Bradford Bulls coaches Dai Rees (1936–60) · Trevor Foster (1960–61) · Doug Greenall (1961) · Jimmy Ledgard (1961–62) · Harry Beverley (1962–63) · Jack Wilkinson (1963) · Gus Risman (1964–71) · Harry Street (1971–72) · Ian Brooke (1973–75) · Roy Francis (1975–77) · Peter Fox (1977–85) · Barry Seabourne (1985–89) · David Hobbs (1989–89) · Ron Willey (1989–90) · David Hobbs (1990–93) · Peter Fox (1993–95) · Brian Smith (1995–96) · Matthew Elliott (1996–2000) · Brian Noble (2001–06) · Steve McNamara (2006–)