Bradford Northern stalwart remembered after death at 92

Second-row Keith Sharp played alongside all of them, and even after his early retirement in 1954, he remained a loyal supporter of both Northern and Bulls until his passing at the grand old age of 92 last month.

His son Robert attended Bradford matches with him from the age of five, and was more than happy to tell his father’s story ahead of the new season getting underway today.

He said: “He was born just down the hill from Odsal Top, and when he was 10, just before World War II, he went to help clear snow from the ground.

“It was really cold, and took a few days, but he was one of the last lads standing.

“To thank him, the coach Dai Rees gave him a ball to take home, and that really stepped up his interest in the sport.

“He was six foot three by the time he was 13, so he was playing with fully-grown men, and he was only 16 when he made his first-team debut for Northern at Hull in November 1945.

Keith (left) training as a 17-year-old alongside Donald Ward and Frank Mugglestone.

“His dad would watch him play, but the one time his mum went, he got kneed in the face and had to be carried off, so his dad took her straight home.”

Keith thought a lot of Trevor Foster, but the great man’s presence proved a problem.

Robert explained: “Dad and Trevor played in the same position, so he struggled to get lots of chances in the first team, but when Dad was 24, Trevor was 38.

“Dad just felt it was his time, and basically told Dai, either play me now or let me go.

“He tried going to Bramley and Featherstone, and with Fev, a price was agreed, but then Northern wouldn’t let him leave.

“Because he wasn’t playing and his contract tied him to Bradford, he retired at 24.”

Keith's Bradford Northern career was interrupted by National Service in 1950.

But don’t feel too sorry for Keith, as he made the most of his early departure from the game, levelling up from his early years as a joiner by going to night school and qualifying as a building surveyor.

When he wasn’t building houses, he always had time for his beloved Northern.

Robert said: “My older brother was more into motorsport, but Dad was taking me to games from the age of five, and we’d still go up until a few months ago when he had his fall and his health deteriorated.

“I used to ring him every night and talk about rugby league, and the last game we watched together was the NRL Grand Final last year.

“He was very objective too, and even though his era was a golden one, where British teams would go to Australia and win, he enjoyed the modern game.

“He always said Ellery Hanley was the best player he’d ever seen, and he loved the great Bulls team, with the likes of Robbie Paul, from the mid 90s to the mid 2000s.

“Dad and I used to go and watch Bulls in Grand Finals with his best mate and my nephew, which was special to have three generations together.”

And Bulls recognised Keith’s dedication to the club in 2010, with Robert explaining: “We would get invited to these past player dinners, and Dad decided he wanted to go to this particular one.

Keith (second right) with Robert (left), Robert's late brother David (right) and Philip, Keith's grandson, at the ex-players dinner in 2010.

“Without him knowing, my brother and I told the club about Dad’s England Under-21 cap from 1950 against France, and they presented him with his blazer for the game.

“He took it in his stride at the dinner, but it meant a lot to him, and he wore it with great pride until just before his death.”

Keith wearing his England Under-21s blazer with pride.