John Sheridan (rugby league) facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Born | 24 November 1933 Pontefract, England |
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| Died | 13 November 2012 (aged 78) Castleford, England |
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Playing information
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 15 st 0 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Loose forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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John Sheridan (born 24 November 1933 – died 13 November 2012) was a famous English rugby league player and coach. He played rugby in the 1950s and 1960s. Later, he became a coach in the 1970s and 1980s.
John Sheridan played for his local team, Lock Lane ARLFC. He then joined Castleford, where he became a team captain. He played as a centre (number 3 or 4) or a lock forward (number 13). After his playing career, he coached for Castleford, Leeds, and Doncaster.
Contents
A Castleford Tigers Legend
John Sheridan is a very important person in the history of the Castleford Tigers. He is even in their Hall of Fame! He joined Castleford from a local team called Lock Lane. He chose to play for his hometown club instead of Hunslet F.C..
Playing Days at Castleford
When he first started playing, John was a strong centre. He was great at running with the ball. He often scored the most tries for his club. A "try" is like a touchdown in rugby league.
After the 1958-1959 season, John changed his playing position. He moved into the "pack" of players. He became a lock forward, which is a key position in the team.
Becoming Team Captain
In the early 1960s, John was named captain of the Castleford team. This was a time when the club started to get much better. They began to move up the league table. Being captain meant he led the team on the field.
Moving into Coaching
Later in his career, injuries made it harder for him to play. So, he decided to become a coach. From 1964 to 1982, John coached Castleford's "A" team. This is like a reserve or development team.
He was a very successful coach for the "A" team. He helped them win nine Yorkshire Senior Championships. He also led them to win six Yorkshire Senior Cups.
Coaching the Main Team
John Sheridan then became the main coach for the Castleford Tigers. His first game as head coach was on 18 August 1972. His last game in charge was on 2 May 1973.
After coaching Castleford, he spent a year coaching their rivals, Leeds. But he soon returned to Castleford. Later, he coached Doncaster. He helped turn that club around and make them much stronger. Fans of Doncaster even voted him the most important person in their club's history!
Early Life and Background
John Sheridan was born in Pontefract, England. His parents were from both Ireland and England. He grew up in the Wheldon Lane area of Castleford. He came from a large Catholic family.
National Service and Rugby Union
As a young man, John joined the Royal Air Force for two years. This was part of his National Service, which was a period of military training. While in the Air Force, he often worked as a barman. He also played Rugby Union, which is a different type of rugby.
After his time in the Air Force, he returned to Castleford. He then signed to play for the Castleford rugby league team. Alongside his rugby career, he also worked in local industries.
Family Life
John Sheridan married Hilda Hunter in 1957. They had two daughters together, named Gail and Ann. John was also a proud grandfather to Thomas, Julieann, Charley, Nikki, Daniel, Kay, and Bryony. He was even a great-grandfather to Bethany, Ruby, and Hollie-Ann.
