Bill Kirkbride
# Bill Kirkbride

William Kirkbride (birth registered first 1⁄4 1944) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Cumberland, and at club level for United Steel ARLFC, Workington Town, Halifax, Castleford (Heritage No. 523), Salford, Leigh (Heritage No. 815) (Loan), Brisbane Souths, Wakefield Trinity (Heritage No. 831), York and Rochdale Hornets, as a prop or second-row, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, and coached at club level for Wakefield Trinity, York and Rochdale Hornets.

## Background

Kirkbride's birth was registered in Workington, Cumberland, England.

## Playing career

### County honours

Kirkbride won caps for Cumberland while at Workington Town making his début against Lancashire at Derwent Park in 1967, playing in the 17-15 victory over Australia at Derwent Park in 1967, and while at Castleford playing left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in the 3-42 defeat by Yorkshire at Hull Kingston Rovers' stadium on 1 October 1969, and Left-Second-row in the 15-21 defeat by Yorkshire at Whitehaven's stadium on 14 September 1970.

### Club career

Kirkbride made his début for Workington Town playing Second-row alongside fellow Cumbrian Frank Foster in the 11-10 victory over Widnes at Naughton Park in the last game of the 1963–64 season on Tuesday 12 May 1964, he joined Halifax in 1968 for a fee of £6,000 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £165,900 in 2013), he made his début for Halifax against Leigh Miners Welfare in the Challenge Cup on Saturday 3 February 1968, he joined Castleford in 1969 for a fee of £5,750, he joined Salford in 1971 for a fee of £6,000.

**Challenge Cup Final appearances**

Kirkbride played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, and was man of the match winning the Lance Todd Trophy in Castleford's 7-2 victory over Wigan in the 1970 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium, London during the 1969–70 season on Saturday 9 May 1970, in front of a crowd of 95,255.

**Players No.6 Trophy Final appearances**

Kirkbride played right-second-row, i.e. number 12, in Salford's 7-12 defeat by Leeds in the 1972–73 Players No.6 Trophy final at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 24 March 1973.

## Coaching career

### Challenge Cup Final

Kirkbride was the coach in Wakefield Trinity's 3-12 defeat by Widnes in the 1979 Challenge Cup Final during the 1978–79 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 5 May 1979, in front of a crowd of a crowd of 94,218.

### Rugby Football League Championship Second Division

Kirkbride was the coach in York's victory in the 1980–81 Championship Second Division.

## Honoured at Castleford Tigers

Kirkbride is a Tigers Hall Of Fame Inductee.

