People are always asking us if we are ever going to do an all-time best Trinity XIII. As you can imagine ... where do you start ... everyone has an opinion, Topliss or Poynton at stand off, Skerrett or Wilkinson at prop ... does anyone remember the pre-war greats.



Well we are doing one that cannot be argued with ... who has played in the set positions the most ... statistics have been done and we started with the FULL BACKS in the Bradford programme.



These are the top club appearances in the full back shirt...



1. Jimmy Metcalfe (1897-1911) .... 374

2. Charlie Pollard (1919-32) .... 350

3. Billy Teall (1936-4icon_cool.gif .... 325

4. Gerry Round (1958-6icon_cool.gif .... 235

5. Ernest Luckman (1948-55) .... 166

6. Geoff Wraith (1963-84) .... 161

7. Gary Spencer (1984-95) .... 156

8. Don Metcalfe (1957-69) .... 140

9. Leonard Land (1911-20) .... 128

10. Gary Cooper (1966-71) .... 119



Honourable mentions must also go out to Eric Lockwood (1950s), Frank Mortimer (1950s), Les Sheard (1970s), Trevor Midgley (1970s & 1980s), Harold Box (1980s), Martyn Holland (1990s) and Matt Blaymire (2000s) with Richie Mathers now playing over 50 games in the full back shirt.



Thus, these are the facts....

Most appearances in the full back shirt: Jimmy Metcalfe

Most post-war: Gerry Round

Most in summer / Super League era: Matt Blaymire (106)



Are these the best .... what do you think....

No idea, I only saw Spencer play. From watching the old footage on youtube Gerry Round looked outstanding, but in can't comment on the others.



Going away from the list, as a player Henry Paul was the best full back I saw.

What about Henry Oulton, Not the best full back to wear the Trinity shirt, but the best goalkicker I've seen and that includes Neil Fox. The power and height he achieved was outstanding. That said there wasn, t much else in his game.

Seen clips of Round and clearly an excellent player in a team of excellent players.

Spencer the best I've seen from the list.

Best full back I ever saw in a Trinity shirt was Andrew Leeds, not here long though

cracking fullback.

For me the best attacking fullback by a mile was Gary Cooper, but probably the best all round fullback was Geoff Wraith. Pity he defected to that place over the common.

Who was the full back in the 76,77 era? My memory is poor,too many head shots.

Best kicker I've seen in 50 0dd years as well but to be fair to the big fella, Neil was often kicking a rugby ball made of leather for a lot of his career, which probably weighed a lot more in sodden winter conditions!

Gary Cooper best attacking fullback and the brother of 'our Kath' I believe.



defensive Don Metcalfe he never missed a one on one and great leg tackler

Terry Crook ?

Can't remember Snowie,it's just at that time I started to watch most games as a snip of a lad.