Drop of magic sent fans wild

LEN McIntyre, who scored 29 tries in 212 appearances for Oldham RL, has died at the age of 78.

The hooker once said that forwards, to be successful, should be a trifle “wacky”.

In a profile which appeared in the Oldham Chronicle in 1963, he added: “In the old days, forwards were a bit mad. But you could rely on them for protection if the other pack was out to see-off the hooker.

“These days, despite all the talk of rough play, they are all gentlemen. Some of them wouldn’t say boo to a goose.”

Oldham signed McIntyre in February, 1959, for £2,500. A bargain price for someone of his quality and a year after Oldham had declined to buy him.

A driver for British Railways, his club Barrow wanted him to move from his Wigan home up there, but McIntyre couldn’t find a suitable job.

The club’s directors, without any request, put McIntyre on the list. Oldham stepped in this time.

He was at the top of tree for his specialist position for more than a decade, and earned international honours when, in 1963, he was picked by the Great Britain selectors for the second Test against the Australians at Swinton.

McIntyre was a player who held a personal inquest into every game and whose weekend was clouded if he was beaten in the scrums.

He was best remembered at Oldham for his exploits in the 1963-64 Challenge Cup.

After scoring the match-winning try against Featherstone in round two, he then produced a moment of magic in the last four against Hull KR at Headingley.

In the final minute, he popped over a mighty drop goal to level the scores at 5-5. It was the only goal he kicked for Oldham in his six years at the club and it sent the fans wild.

His career at Watersheddings was also not without controversy.

In one instance, in November, 1965, he threatened to quit the game after being substituted at half-time in an ‘A’ team game. In response, the committee put him on the list.

He also had a spat earlier in that same campaign with Oldham's former secretary Bert Summerscales and treasurer Clifford Bradley.

But there was no doubting McIntyre’s ability.

A former Wigan junior, he won a Challenge Cup medal playing for St Helens against Halifax at Wembley in 1956, shortly after his senior debut.

It wasn’t just at rugby league at which he excelled, as he also coached Sunday soccer.

McIntyre, who could also fill in as a goal-kicker if need be, made 28 appearances for St Helens, including the 1957 Lancashire Cup final against Oldham at Central Park, when Oldham won by 10-3.

He went on to represent Liverpool City, Wigan and Warrington, before retiring in 1970. He later coached the colts team at Wilderspool for a spell.

McIntyre’s funeral will take place on Friday, at Wigan Crematorium.