Les Bettinson
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Leslie James Bettinson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 1934 or 1935 Millom, Cumberland, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | (aged 86) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback, Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [1] |
Leslie James Bettinson (c. 1935 – 10 September 2021) was an English professional rugby league footballer, coach and administrator.
Bettinson was born in Millom, Cumberland and declined to sign a contract with Workington Town as a teenager. Five years later, after national service and teacher training, Bettinson was offered a contract by Salford and made his debut against Batley the same day he signed his contract - 9 March 1957. He played 319 games for Salford between 1957 and 1969 including a period as captain. Bettinson appeared for the Cumberland county side on seven occasions between 1957 and 1967 during which Cumberland won the County Championship twice.[2]
After retiring from playing he became the club's assistant coach, later becoming head coach; a post he held between 1973 and 1977. Under his leadership Salford won two championships (1973–74 and 1975–76) and won the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy in 1975–76. After his resignation he joined the board of directors of Salford and remained on the board until 1991.[2]
He would later be team manager for Great Britain during the 1988 tour to Australasia and would publish a book In the Lions' Den: The Rebirth of Great Britain in Rugby League. He was the inaugural President of the Rugby Football League (RFL), and has been chair of the coaching committee.
On 11 September 2021, it was confirmed by the Salford Red Devils club that Bettinson had died aged 86.[3]
References
Sporting positions | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Cliff Evans 1970–1973 | Coach Salford Red Devils 1973–1977 | Succeeded by Colin Dixon 1978 |
- v
- t
- e
- 1922 - 1926 James Lomas
- 1928 - 1940 Lance Todd
- 1954 - 1958 Gus Risman
- 1960 - 1963 George Parsons
- 1963 - 1964 Ted Cahill
- 1964 - 1970 Griff Jenkins
- 1970 - 1973 Cliff Evans
- 1973 – 1977 Les Bettinson
- 1977 – 1978 Colin Dixon
- 1978 Stan McCormick
- 1978 – 1980 Alex Murphy
- 1980 – 1982 Kevin Ashcroft
- 1982 Alan McInnes
- 1982 – 1983 Mal Aspey
- 1983 – 1984 Mike Coulman
- 1984 – 1989 Kevin Ashcroft
- 1989 – 1993 Kevin Tamati
- 1993 – 1995 Garry Jack
- 1995 - 1999 Andy Gregory
- 1999 - 2001 John Harvey
- 2001 - 2002 Steve McCormack
- 2002 - 2007 Karl Harrison
- 2007 Steve Simms
- 2007 - 2011 Shaun McRae
- 2011 Matt Parish
- 2011 - 2013 Phil Veivers
- 2013 Alan Hunte (interim)
- 2013 - 2014 Brian Noble
- 2014 - 2015 Iestyn Harris
- 2015 - 2020 Ian Watson
- 2021 - 2021 Richard Marshall
- 2021 - present Paul Rowley
This English rugby league football biography is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e