Bill Ramsey (rugby league) facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | William Ramsey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 September 1943 Leeds district, England |
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| Died | 6 July 2020 (aged 76) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Prop, Second-row, Loose forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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William "Bill" Ramsey (born 27 September 1943 – died 7 July 2020) was a famous English rugby league player. He played as a forward, often in the prop, second-row, or loose forward positions. Bill was known for his strong play in the 1960s and 1970s.
He played for several top clubs like Hunslet, Leeds, Bradford Northern, Hull FC, and Widnes. Bill also represented his country, playing for Great Britain. During his time with Leeds, he played in many big finals and won seven winner's medals. Later, he became a coach.
Background
Bill Ramsey was born in the city of Leeds, England.
Playing Career Highlights
Starting at Hunslet
Bill Ramsey began his professional rugby league career with the Hunslet club. In 1965, he played in the 1965 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. Even though Hunslet lost to Wigan, it was a huge game with over 89,000 fans watching!
That same year, Bill was chosen to play for the Commonwealth XIII team against New Zealand. This was a special team made up of players from different Commonwealth countries. He also earned his first "caps" (appearances) for the Great Britain team while at Hunslet. He played against New Zealand, France, and Australia.
Bill also played in the 1965 Yorkshire Cup Final for Hunslet, where they faced Bradford Northern.
Moving to Leeds
In 1967, Bill Ramsey made a big move to the Leeds club for £10,000. This was a lot of money back then! He made his first appearance for Leeds in December 1967 and even scored a try in that game.
Playing for Great Britain
While playing for Leeds, Bill continued to represent his country. He earned more caps for the Great Britain team in 1974, playing against New Zealand.
Championship Final Success
Bill Ramsey played a key role in Leeds' success in the Championship Finals. In the 1969 final, Leeds beat Castleford 16–14. Bill even scored a rare drop goal in that important match! He also played when Leeds won the Championship Final in the 1971–72 season, beating St. Helens.
Winning the Yorkshire League
Bill was part of the Leeds teams that won the RFL Yorkshire League three years in a row: in the 1967–68, 1968–69, and 1969–70 seasons. This showed how strong Leeds was during that time.
Challenge Cup Finals
Bill Ramsey played in several Challenge Cup Finals at Wembley Stadium.
- In 1968, he helped Leeds win the "Watersplash" final, beating Wakefield Trinity 11–10 in a very wet game.
- He also played in the 1971 final against Leigh and the 1972 final against St. Helens.
County Cup Final Wins
Bill played in many Yorkshire Cup Finals for Leeds, helping them win several times:
- In 1968, Leeds beat Castleford 22–11.
- In 1970, he scored a try in Leeds' 23–7 victory over Featherstone Rovers.
- In 1972, Leeds had a big 36–9 win against Dewsbury.
- In 1973, he was a substitute when Leeds beat Wakefield Trinity 7–2.
BBC2 Floodlit Trophy
In 1970, Bill Ramsey played in the 1970 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final. Leeds won this match 9–5 against St. Helens.
Time at Bradford Northern
After his successful period at Leeds, Bill Ramsey joined Bradford Northern in January 1974. He played for them for most of that year.
Playing for Hull
Bill then moved to Hull F.C. for the 1975–76 season. During this time, he played in the 1975–76 Player's No.6 Trophy Final, where Hull lost to Widnes.
Finishing at Widnes
Bill Ramsey's last club as a player was Widnes. He played for them from 1976 to 1978.
- In 1977, he played in the 1977 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, where Widnes lost a close game to his former team, Leeds.
- He also played in the 1976 Lancashire Cup Final for Widnes, helping them win 16–11 against Workington Town.
- In 1978, he played in the 1977–78 Player's No.6 Trophy Final, where Widnes lost to Warrington.
Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Bill Ramsey returned to his first club, Hunslet, but this time as a coach. He coached the team from 1978 to 1979. During his time as coach, he helped Hunslet get promoted to the First Division in 1979, which was a great achievement!
Personal Life
Bill Ramsey was married to Marlene Chilton, and they had two sons together.
