Part 3 – HE REMEMBERS SOME OF HIS FORMER SALFORD TEAMMATES
Within that team full of stars there were a number for whom Ken had special regard for their exceptional talent and how also that affected his own levels of performance. The first of these was his fellow half-back partner from his time in the ‘A’ team, Peter Banner (Rugby League Quality Street Gang #4)
“I was very fortunate to have Peter Banner as my scrum half. We had developed a really good understanding of each other in the ‘A’ team, and we took that directly into the first team. The service he gave me from the base of the scrum, or from dummy half, was outstanding and that gave me so many opportunities to set up attacks.
“Stevie Nash, when he came, was much more of an individualist, almost like an additional forward, and I missed the on-field relationship I had always had with Peter. Peter wasn’t without pace himself, either; he used to follow me around and I’d drop the ball off to him and he would shoot off.
“I was really disappointed, when he was transferred to Featherstone; all the more so, when I was moved to scrum-half for a few matches, with Chris Hesketh taking over at stand-off. It was the only time in the whole of my career that I played scrum-half and I really did not enjoy it.
“The backs were the real strength of the team, mainly, but not entirely, due to their speed. The likes of Keith Fielding (RLQSG #6) and Maurice Richards ensured that whenever they were put through the line, they would score. With Keith it was just sheer out and out pace, but Maurice had other additional facets to his game.
“I often used Keith’s pace, off the ball, to put him over for tries by means of short, angled, grubber kicks behind the opposition, into his corner. Nowadays, the short kicking game is quite prolific, but back then it was much more unusual. I had developed mine from quite a young age, from having watched older players and the tricks they used to do
“Chris Hesketh in the centre was an incredible player. Rather like me, his will to win was most intense, so he and I, after training, would go to the Greyhound for a drink and then we would sit down and plan how we were going to beat the following week’s opposition. We would work out which moves would be most likely to be effective against them.
“He was no orthodox centre, which made him all the more difficult to defend against, and he was unbelievably strong, owing to the amount of time he spent on the weights. He did more than anybody else, including the forwards whose job it was to provide this.
“As captain, not only of Salford but also the international side, his personality was ideal, because he was so likeable and also extremely articulate.”
“Paul Charlton (RLQSG #9) at the back, was tremendous. His acceleration was incredible, and he could keep that pace up for the length of the field. He was a really great player, and an equally great fellow to have around the club. The only drawback to him was being able to understand him, because his Cumbrian accent was difficult to follow.”
Paul’s return to Cumbria saw the signing of another international half back, John Butler (RLQSG #2), who took over, not at stand-off but in the centre, which then allowed David Watkins to move to fullback, to replace Charlton.
“John was built like a second rower, but played most of his rugby for us, as centre. Despite his size, he was still most speedy, and that was beneficial to Keith Fielding on the wing. The three of us gelled very well together, on that right flank. I instilled into them both, to watch what I was doing, because that was their clue as to what they needed to do themselves.
“There was many a time that the opposition would be drawn into tackling me, only to find that I had put first John into the clear, and that he had then passed on to Keith to romp in under the sticks.”
Besides boasting a back line of internationals, there was also some considerable talent within the pack, not least in the back three, where Ken singles out Colin Dixon as someone who was most special to the team and the club.
“It wasn’t just what he did on the field, it was also his contribution to the ethos of the team within the club. He was really articulate, and always had a well thought out view, to put forward. Everyone listened when he spoke; he was always good company and interesting, and we all had some great times with him.
“On the field he was incredible. His speed for someone of his size was exceptional, and once he was in the clear there were very few who were able to catch him. He also ran with power, and, although he was not as big as Mike Coulman (RLQSG #1), he was every bit as strong. He was absolute class, because he too had the vision as to the best plays to use at various times.”
Prop forward, John Ward, had played most of his career for Castleford, including against Salford in the Wembley Challenge Cup Final, before moving to Salford, two years later.
“I didn’t play many games alongside John, but I was really taken with his slight-of-hands skill. He would almost stroll up with the ball, before sending out a slick pass that opened up a gap for the recipient to coast through. He was such a talented player, in this respect.”
