It was with the greatest sadness that everyone at Salford Red Devils learned of the recent passing of the master technician behind their wonderful team of the nineteen-seventies, Ken Gill.
Here, in tribute to him, and all he did for Salford in those days, we reproduce an excerpt from his interview for the club, first published during the Christmas of 2022.
Joining such a star-studded side as Salford, in the wake of signings such as David Watkins, Mike Coulman, Colin Dixon and Maurice Richards, would most certainly have been a significant challenge to any young, unknown player, but Ken was helped through that initial settling in by one of the other, more experienced, of the squad.
“Tony Colloby was a Cumbrian, who played in the three-quarter, and was one of the best centres I ever played alongside. He also gave me lots of good advice which helped me along.
“I spent my first season playing in the ‘A’ team, in the later stages alongside Jackie Brennan. He was a really good scrum half who had so much experience to contribute, and that helped me progress to becoming a first team player.”
Brennan, had been replaced in the first team by a young Peter Banner, and it was not long before he was joined by Ken, his fellow half back from the ‘A’ team.
The only problem was that the stand-off berth at the time was occupied by the mercurial David Watkins, in whom the club had invested a most considerable amount of money in obtaining his signature.
“It was always going to be a case of finding David another role in the team, and that turned out to be in the centre, which I think suited him better than stand-off half had done, because he had more space there.”
Replacing such a highly regarded player would have overly daunted the majority of youngsters, but Ken had sufficient self-confidence to be able to take this in his stride, though the assertive, highly vocal organisational skills, which he brought to his role, possibly took a number of the team by surprise.
“They probably had something of a shock with this newcomer coming in and taking over. I looked on myself as the conductor of the orchestra with the ball as my baton, and, while I was in possession, I was able to determine which player was most likely to be able to make the break, and by the timing of my pass to him draw his opposite number away from him.
“It wasn’t something you could practise in training because every situation in a game is different, and you just have to react to what presents itself in front of you, at the time.”
Little wonder then, that when Salford were in possession, the ball always found its way into his hands, and most fortuitous for him was that, in Cliff Evans, he had a coach who fully appreciated his many skills, and, in particular, his vision.
“Cliff was absolutely great for me and he helped me settle into the first team so easily. Because he showed that he had faith in what I was bringing to the team it made everyone attentive to my on-field instructions, both at training and in the games. He was certainly very good to me.
“There were people, even odd ones in the team but mainly amongst opponents, who did not like the way I played simply because they couldn’t do likewise, but Cliff always gave me his support, far more so than other, later coaches did.”
Friday nights at The Willows for those home games were really special occasions for everyone who attended, but for the players the experience was all the more so.
“The whole place was absolutely buzzing and you always felt on edge beforehand. I was always full of confidence, though, no matter whom we were playing against, and this seemed to rub off on everyone else, which was a great boost to us as a team, so much so that I used to be given the opportunity of contributing to the pre-match address.”
What he produced on the field was, however, far in advance of what other players at any other club, could envisage, and consequently the rest of the team held him in great respect.
“Mike Coulman was one of the first in the side to cotton on to me. He quickly found that if he followed me around and followed my directions it would make his role both easier and more fruitful. He had both the strength and pace to be able to make it pay.
“Once we got out onto the field, we would then get the most marvellous uplift from the crowd, which had packed in, in their droves.
“Friday nights at Salford were tremendous, and we used to live from one Friday to the next, because the next match couldn’t come round fast enough.
“Playing under the floodlights also added considerably to the atmosphere around the ground and gave a sense of occasion which we found quite motivating, as did the virtually full ground of spectators.
“Once the game got underway, though, I would forget all about them, because I was just so focused on the game.
“I can remember that after one of my earlier games, I had gone into the club for a drink and was absolutely astounded at the way the fans immediately swarmed all over me. I had really never expected, nor experienced, anything like that before.”
This was most understandable, though, because rugby supporters know their game extremely well and the Salford fans back then were not slow to recognise an exceptional talent when they saw one.
Half backs as a breed are required to be extremely vocal throughout the game, as part of their organisational skills, and Ken freely admits to being the person in the side who took it upon himself to challenge his teammates to higher levels or extra effort, whichever he felt necessary at the time.
“The dressing room at half time was where it all happened, especially if we were losing. I certainly let people know if they were falling behind in their endeavours, especially the forwards, because, without them laying a platform, we backs had a much lesser chance of success in our role.
“Those were the games when the fans would see a second half rally that racked up thirty points, or so, for us to win.”
The many highlights of his lengthy career with Salford started with their winning their first post war trophy.
“One of the first trophies we won was the Lancashire Cup in 1972, at Warrington, where we played Swinton in the final. They gave us a really tough challenge, especially at the start of the second half, but we stuck to our task and ended up winning in some comfort.”
That was followed up, eighteen months later with, of all things, their winning the First Division Championship, at the end of the 1973/4 season.
“That was absolutely magnificent, especially in winning all those games throughout the season. I started thinking above myself from that, and getting ambitions, which I had never even dreamt of before.
“When we won it again, two years later, it was equally enjoyable, but this time it was more a case of having done what we had expected of ourselves. The nerves had gone by this time, and we had matured as a team, so we were able to take every game in our stride.
“I always used to say that if nerves got the better of you, you shouldn’t be playing. Players go out to do a job and they should be so focused on that that nerves shouldn’t even come into it. With that mindset, then, we lifted the trophy for a second time in two years.”
By this time, though, other clubs had become fully aware of the incredible impact that Ken had brought to Salford, and his skills and vision became much sought after.
“I was for ever getting people coming up to me asking me to go down to first one club, then another, but for quite some time I turned them all down, because I liked it so much at Salford.
“I loved the way Salford played and being a part of that, and whenever anyone since then has ever asked me which teams I have played for I just reply, ‘Salford’.
“My memories of playing there are ones of absolute joy, and the club owes me nothing. Indeed, it was a privilege to play for such a highly professional outfit and alongside such talented players, and we all complemented each other so well within the team.
“Certainly, we should have won more trophies than we actually did, and I take some responsibility for that, because there were games when I wasn’t up to my own standard, but that in no way eclipses that wonderful time that we all had together.
“There can be very few professional sportsmen who have gained such great pleasure from their career as I did in playing for Salford.”
Ken passed away peacefully, on Wednesday 13th November, following a long illness, with his close family members around him. His funeral will take place on Friday 13 December, at 11.30, at Skipton Crematorium.
