LANCE TODD Connected with the Club,” He Later Wrote
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LEEDS RHINOS V LEEDS RHINOS V SALFORD RED DEVILS SALFORD RED DEVILS Under Todd’s guidance Salford won the Lancashire Cup on four occasions, the Championship three times, in 1933, 1937 and 1939 and were runners-up once (to Todd’s old club Wigan in 1934). But Todd singled out the club’s 7-4 win over Barrow at Wembley in 1938 as his greatest moment. “It was the culmination of years of hard work and the realisation of the dream of everybody LANCE TODD connected with the club,” he later wrote. MIKE LATHAM LOOKS BACK AT THE REMARKABLE LEGACY The 1938 Challenge Cup Final was a dour, OF LANCELOT BEAUMONT TODD... forward-dominated game and a replay at Wigan looked the likely outcome. As the dying ometimes it pays to advertise, seconds ticked away, not a try had been as Salford discovered nearly a scored, Gus Risman kicking a penalty and century ago. In the late 1920s the a drop-goal for the Red Devils, Fred French famous club had sunk to a low giving Barrow an early lead with a penalty, ebb, 26th in the league, financial scrumhalf Billy Little tying the scores with a Sproblems mounting. One day, Lance drop-goal. Todd was reading his daily newspaper, Salford centre Albert Gear, a former Wales while sitting in his office at Blackpool RU schoolboy international recruited by North Shore Golf Club, where he Todd in 1936, emerged as an unlikely hero. was employed as Secretary, and saw Unlikely because he had been concussed an advertisement that sparked his earlier in the game and in the days long before interest. Salford RL Club required a substitutes had to stay on the field. With two secretary-manager. Todd applied, was minutes remaining, Gear saw his chance, successful and the following month seizing a loose ball as the Barrow defence was back in Rugby League. hesitated, kicking forward and catching it as it Ten years later came what proved the bounced up, crashing between two despairing 18TH APRIL 1939: TODD TEACHES MEMBERS OF THE SALFORD TEAM THE WAR CRY BEFORE THE RUGBY LEAGUE CUP FINAL culmination of the remarkable revival the defenders for a try that went down in folklore. charismatic New Zealander inspired at The “I was still feeling dazed,” Gear said later. a suit with waistcoat and watch chain, his hair 12 May 1956, it was proposed by Jimmy Lindley Willows, as Salford lifted the Challenge Cup at “I saw the opening and I went for it. How I got immaculately groomed. He was regarded as a that a donation of £25 be made to purchase Wembley Stadium for the first- and so far only the ball I don’t know but I kept running and father figure by his players.” a permanent trophy for presentation to the time- in their history. the try came.” Todd’s contract with Salford was not renewed winner of the Lance Todd award at Wembley, Born in Auckland in 1883, Todd was many Salford returned to the capital the following when it expired on 9 November 1940, due to plus a replica to be retained by the player. It things in his life- war hero, Home Guard year but their side was stricken with a ‘flu the uncertain situation regarding the war. “It was decided to invite the recipient to the Red officer, scratch golfer, broadcaster, journalist, virus before the game and lost to Halifax. They was ironic that the first world war effectively Devils reunion each year to receive his trophy, thespian, professional sprinter, restaurateur, did recover remarkably, however, to defeat ended his playing career and the second world an event that has been a focal point of the self-publicist, master tailor, devoted family Castleford in the Championship at Maine Road war ended his managerial career,” Morris evening ever since. The first player honoured man. But it is his contributions to Rugby the following week before a crowd of over said. “Quite what he would have achieved but was Leeds scrum-half Jeff Stevenson in 1957. League for which he is mostly remembered, 69,000 just as war clouds were looming again. for the war is anyone’s guess, but he had the “WHEN TODD ARRIVED AT fondly to this day. knowledge and the intuition to re-shape the Assessing Todd’s contribution to the Salford Salford side and bring in new players as and SALFORD HIS LENGTHY As a young adult he was a small, dapper man, success, the hugely respected Club Historian when required.” ABSENCE FROM THE GAME 5ft7 and ten stone, immaculately attired due Graham Morris told me: “When Todd arrived perhaps to his training as a tailor. He played at Salford his lengthy absence from the Tragically, Todd was killed in a road accident on HAD NOT IMPAIRED HIS rugby from an early age, developed a growing game had not impaired his judgement. He (Saturday) 14 November 1942, when the car he JUDGEMENT. HE BUILT reputation as a ‘cash’ or professional sprinter. built a side based on flair and imagination was in hit an electric tram standard. Todd, then A SIDE BASED ON FLAIR He once beat the then World Champion, and transformed the mood around the club 59, was with his Home Guard commanding AND IMAGINATION AND American Arthur Duffy (Olympic champion in virtually overnight from gloom to glory. He officer, Lieutenant Colonel PR Sewell, who TRANSFORMED THE 1900) off a two-and-a-half yards start. On the was particularly good at spotting which rugby also died in the accident on Manchester Road, MOOD AROUND THE CLUB rugby field he made up for his lack of height union players, especially Welsh players, would Oldham. It has been said they were returning and weight with a remarkable eye for a gap be able to make the transition to rugby league. from a match. His daughter was interviewed in VIRTUALLY OVERNIGHT FROM which saw him cut through the strongest He set up a network of scouts throughout May 2004 and she said they had tried to avoid GLOOM TO GLORY” defences. His acceleration from a standing the country and got regular tips and reports a boy who lost control of his bike and was Todd’s interment at Wigan Cemetery following start gave him the edge over his opponents. sent through to him. But he always insisted on wobbling in the road. a joint memorial service (for himself and Moreover, he could dictate play and had a great watching the player himself, often more than The Lance Todd Man of the Match Award Lieut-Col Sewell) in Salford that was attended rugby brain, qualities that served him well. on one occasion, before he signed them. for the Challenge Cup Final was instituted by thousands of mourners was an emotional Todd, as he always reminded everyone, was “Todd signed the players, organised them, by the Australian journalist and former tour day. His coffin was draped in the Union Jack the first overseas player, signing on for Wigan made all the arrangements for training and and Wigan team manager Harry Sunderland, and the bearers were members of the Wigan in 1908 in the dressing room at Cheltenham matches but he had a trainer to get them a friend of Todd’s, Warrington director Bob Battalion of the Home Guard. Many of his out, writing regular newspaper articles on the after the first New Zealand tourists had and keep them fit. Tactics, such as they were, Anderton, who had been tour manager 1932 former team-mates, including Kiwi Charlie sport, never afraid to ruffle a few feathers defeated the Northern Union in the third were largely determined by a few of the senior and 1936 and Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Seeling were present. The Home Guard and actively advocating summer rugby, then and decisive test match. He became a star players before a game. But Todd left no one in John B Bapty, who wrote under the name detachment fired three volleys over the grave becoming a pioneering radio broadcaster on player in the famous Wigan backline of the any doubt that he was in charge. He was the of ‘Little John.’ First awarded in 1946, the and then buglers sounded the ‘Last Post’ and the sport. In 1934 the fledgling French Rugby Edwardian era, Leytham, Jenkins, Todd and motivator before matches and Emlyn Jenkins award was to be decided by votes cast by the Reveille. League invited Todd’s Salford to undertake Miller, the idol of the Central Park crowds, but once told me that Todd could change a game members of the press (and from its formation a promotional six-match tour to publicise Visits to his gravestone in Wigan Cemetery the war put paid to his playing career and after at half-time with one of his speeches in the in 1961, members of the Rugby League Writers the game. The tour was a huge success have become a regular pilgrimage for Rugby distinguished army service he settled for a new dressing room. Association) present at the game. and Salford’s team proved to be perfect League fans. Twice winner of the Lance Todd life on the Fylde Coast. ambassadors. They were dubbed ‘Les Diables “He presided over The Willows from his office The Red Devils Association was founded in Trophy, Andy Gregory told me that, born and Todd oversaw a remarkable run of playing Rouges’ or the ‘Red Devils’ by the French in the old pavilion and always seemed to be 1953 by Gus Risman, Barney Hudson, Emlyn brought up close-by, he visits the grave on a success after re-emerging at Salford and journalists, a nickname that has survived at the ground at all hours of day and night.