Nat Silcock
Personal information
Full nameNathan Douglas Silcock
Born25 November 1927
Widnes, England
Died27 July 1992(1992-07-27) (aged 64)
Penketh, England
Playing information
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight16 st 0 lb (102 kg)
PositionWing, Prop, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1947–54 Wigan 196 67 201
1955–58 St. Helens 138 29 87
1958–61 Warrington 111 11 0 0 33
1961–64 South Newcastle
1964 Easts (Sydney) 13 0 0 0 0
Total 458 107 0 0 321
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
19??–?? Lancashire 7
19??–?? Rugby League XIII 1
1951–53 England 3 3 0 0 9
1954 Great Britain 3 1 0 0 3
1961–64 Newcastle (Aust.) 3 1 0 0 3
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1961–64 South Newcastle
1964 Eastern Suburbs
Total 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3][4]
As of 1 April 2021

Nathan "Nat" Douglas Silcock (25 November 1927[5] – 7 July 1992) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, Rugby League XIII, Lancashire, and Australia’s Newcastle team, and at club level for Wigan, St. Helens, Warrington, South Newcastle and Eastern Suburbs, as a wing, prop, or second-row, i.e. number 2 or 5, 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums,[1] and coached at club level for South Newcastle and Eastern Suburbs.[4]

Background

Nat Silcock was born in Widnes, Lancashire, England. H was the son of rugby league player Nat Silcock Sr. and would die aged 64 in Penketh, Lancashire, England.

Playing career

England

Wigan

Silcock played second-row in Wigan’s 16–11 victory over Australia at Central Park, Wigan on Wednesday 20 October 1948.[6] Silcock played second-row in Wigan’s 14–8 victory over Warrington in the 1948–49 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1948–49 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 13 November 1948.[7] Silcock played wing, and scored a try in Wigan’s 20–2 victory over Huddersfield in the Championship Final during the 1949–50 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 13 May 1950.[8]

Silcock played wing, and scored three tries in the 49–28 victory over Italy at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 26 August 1950.[9] He played right second-row, i.e. number 12, in the 28–5 victory over Warrington in the 1950–51 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1950–51 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 4 November 1950.[10] Silcock played in Wigan’s victories in the Lancashire County League during the 1949–50 season and 1951–52 season.[11] Silcock played left second-row, i.e. number 11, in Wigan’s 10–0 victory over Barrow in the 1950–51 Challenge Cup Final during the 1950–51 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 5 May 1951.[12] He played second-row in the 14–6 victory over Leigh in the 1951–52 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1951–52 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 27 October 1951.[13] Silcock was also selected to play for England in 1951 against Other Nationalities. He also played second-row, and scored a try in the 13–6 victory over Bradford Northern in the Championship Final during the 1951–52 season at Leeds Road, Huddersfield on Saturday 10 May 1952.[14] Silcock was selected to play for England in 1952 against Other Nationalities.

Silcock was selected to play for England while in 1953 against Wales.[2] Silcock played right prop, i.e. number 10, in Wigan’s 8–16 defeat by St. Helens in the 1953–54 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1953–54 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 24 October 1953. He also won caps for Great Britain in 1954 against Australia (3 matches).[3]

St Helens

Silcock played right prop, i.e. number 10, in St. Helens' 13–2 victory over Halifax in the 1956 Challenge Cup Final during the 1955–56 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 28 April 1956, in front of a crowd of 79,341, and played right prop in the 3–10 defeat by Oldham in the 1956–57 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1956–57 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 20 October 1956, in front of a crowd of 39,544.

Warrington

Silcock played for Warrington from September 1958 to April 1961. Silcock played prop in Warrington’s 5–4 victory over St. Helens in the 1959–60 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1959–60 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 31 October 1959, in front of a crowd of 39,237.

Australia

Newcastle

Silcock travelled to Australia to play in the Newcastle Rugby League for the South Newcastle club from 1961 to 1964. In 2010 Silcock was named in a South Newcastle team of the century.[15]

Sydney

Silcock moved to Sydney’s New South Wales Rugby Football League to captain-coach Eastern Suburbs for the 1964 season.[16] Silcock originally applied for the position of captain-coach at South Sydney, but was beaten by Bernie Purcell, and beat out Jack Hampstead and fellow Englishman Bert Holcroft for the Easts coaching position.[17] Easts had finished last with only three wins in 1963, but although they surrendered the wooden spoon to Canterbury-Bankstown in 1964, did even worse in their one season under Silcock, winning only two games, and it was clear before the season closed that Silcock would not be reappointed.[18]

Genealogical information

Nat Silcock’s marriage to Zelma P. (née Roocroft) was registered during third ¼ 1952 in Prescot district.[19] They had children; Sandra P. Silcock (birth registered second ¼ 1957 (age 65–66) in Prescot district) and Karl N. D. Silcock 1966

References

  1. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  6. ^ "1948 Tour match: Wigan 16 Australia 11". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. ^ "1948–1949 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. ^ "1949–1950 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  9. ^ "1950 Tour match: Wigan 49 Italy 28". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. ^ "1950–1951 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  11. ^ "Statistics at wigan.rlfans.com". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  12. ^ "1950–1951 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  13. ^ "1951–1952 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  14. ^ "1951–1952 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  15. ^ Leeson, John (14 June 2010). "Souths honour greatest players". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  16. ^ "Nat Silcock". yesterdayshero.com.au. SmartPack International. Retrieved 8 September 2013.[dead link]
  17. ^ "East R.L. Sign Coach". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 December 1963. p. 29.
  18. ^ "New Coaches". Sydney Morning Herald. 24 August 1964. p. 16.
  19. ^ "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
Sporting positions Preceded byDick Dunn1960–1963 CoachEastern Suburbs 1964 Succeeded byBert Holcroft1965–1966

External links

Wigan squad – 1949–50 Championship Final winners
Wigan squad – 1951–52 Championship Final winners
Wigan squad – 1950–51 Challenge Cup Final winners
St Helens squad – 1955–56 Challenge Cup Final winners
Great Britain squad – 1954 Tour
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