Tribute to professional rugby player

A TEAM mate of a former professional rugby league player, who died this week, has paid tribute to his friend.

Aidan Breen, who played for Huddersfield and Salford rugby league clubs during his career, died peacefully in St George’s Nursing Home, Moorside, on March 22, aged 76.

His close friend and team mate, Terry Ogden, said: “We played rugby together for a long time and I have some wonderful memories of that time on the pitch.

“He was a great friend to me for many years and we used to enjoy going to cup games at Wembley together when we could.”

He added that after moving to Manchester as a young boy in the early 1950s, Mr Breen discovered a love of rugby while playing at primary school, and was picked up by Huddersfield in 1958.

He was playing for the Yorkshire side when the team narrowly lost to Wakefield in the Challenge Cup final of 1962. But a week later he helped the team triumph in the Championship play-off against the same Wakefield rivals.

Before officially retiring from professional rugby in 1968, he played for Salford RLFC and he often helped out behind the scenes.

He then went on to help set up call centres for a credit company until he retired 11 years ago.

Mr Ogden added: “He would have been celebrating his golden wedding anniversary later this year with his wife Elizabeth.”

Mr Breen was also the father to Lisa and grandfather to Sophie.

The funeral will take place on Saturday, April 6 at Sacred Heart RC Church, Uppermill at 2.30pm.