Dave Bolton

Dave Bolton
Personal information
Full name David R. Bolton
Born (1937-04-27) 27 April 1937
Wigan district, Lancashire, England
Playing information
Position Fullback / Stand-off
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1954–64 Wigan 300 127 4 0 386
1965–70 Balmain 78 5 7 21 71
1968–69 Blackpool Borough 5
Total 383 132 11 21 457
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1956 Lancashire 2
1958–63 Great Britain 8 1 0 0 3
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1973–74 Parramatta Eels 44 11 0 33 25
Source: ,

David "Dave" Bolton (born 27 April 1937) is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s who later became a coach in the NSWRFL premiership. An international representative for Great Britain, whose usual position was in the halves, Bolton is one of a handful of Britons to win championships both in his home country and in Australia.

Playing career

Britain

During the 1957–58 season Bolton played at stand-off half in Wigan's 8-13 loss against Oldham in the 1957 Lancashire Cup final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 19 October 1957. Later that season Bolton played at stand-off in Wigan's 9–13 victory over Workington Town in the 1958 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1958.[1]

Wigan had reached the 1958–59 Northern Rugby Football League season's Challenge Cup final against Hull and Boltpn played at stand-off half and scored a try in his side's 30 - 13 victory. He also featured in the club's 1960 Championship Final win. During the 1959–60 Kangaroo tour Bolton played for Great Britain at stand-off half in all three Ashes series Test matches. During the 1963–64 Kangaroo tour Bolton again played for Great Britain at stand-off half in the first and third Ashes series Test matches.

Ausralia

Bolton also played in Australia for the Sydney club Balmain. With them he reached the 1966 NSWRFL season's grand final against St George. Bolton played at number 7 in his sides loss against the all-conqering Dragons team of the era. He featuring in the 1969 season's Grand Final-winning Balmain team. This made him only the second Englishman to play in a grand final-winning team in Australia. Bolton played for Balmain until 1970.[2] Bolton retired from playing after being unable to keep his first grade spot in 1970.[3] He is often remembered as a prolific kicker of drop goals, at a time when they were worth 2 points. He was a great drop goal kicking asset to the club, he kicked 21 drop goals for the Tigers during his era, some of them long range, and many of the drop goals were the difference between Balmain winning and losing.

Coaching career

Bolton coached Sydney club Parramatta for the 1973 and 1974 NSWRFL seasons. He was also assistant coach to Tim Sheens at Penrith in the mid-1980s

On 17 March 2005, Dave Bolton was inducted into the Balmain Tigers' Hall of Fame.

References

  1. ↑ "1957-1958 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Dave Bolton at yesterdayshero.com.au
  3. ↑ rugbyleagueproject.org

External links

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