Harold Poynton
Harold Poynton also known by the nicknames "Fishcake", "Poynton the Pippin", and "Prince of Bamboozlers", was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain national [rugby league team|Great Britain] and Yorkshire, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity, as a, or.
Background
Harold Poynton was born in Lupset, Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He was a pupil at St Michael's School, Flanshaw, Wakefield, and then Snapethorpe School, Lupset, Wakefield, and he would watch Wakefield Trinity play over-the-wall without paying. He joined the British Army at age 18, whilst stationed in Germany, he played association football, and for the first time he played rugby football, and he left the army aged 21, and in 1957 he trialled for Wakefield Trinity's A-Team. He worked as a warehouseman, and he later worked as a salesman for a food company. His nickname of "fishcake" originated from his habitual fish and chip shop order following training sessions with Wakefield Trinity, and was given to him by Derek Turner. He and his wife Kath ran newsagent's shops for over 30 years, initially on Hesley Road, Kettlethorpe, Wakefield, and then on Dewsbury Road, Lupset, Wakefield.On 15 July 2007 Harold Poynton had the beer Poynton's Pride named after him. Harold Poynton's funeral service took place at Wakefield Cathedral at 11:00am on 21 June 2018, followed by cremation at Wakefield Crematorium at 1:00pm, and a reception at Waterton House.
Playing career
International honours
Harold Poynton played, alongside Wakefield Trinity teammate; ; Jack Wilkinson, and against teammates ; Neil Fox, and ; Derek Turner, in Rest of the League's 16–21 defeat by Great Britain in pre-1960 [Rugby League World Cup] warm-up match, in aid of the George VI's Jubilee Trust, at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Monday 12 September 1960, he played in Great Britain's 17–10 victory over Australia in the second 1962 [Great Britain Lions tour] Ashes (rugby league)|Ashes] Test Match at Lang Park, Brisbane on Saturday 30 June 1962, and the 17–18 defeat by Australia in the third Great Britain Lions tour">Great Britain national rugby league team">Great Britain Lions tour Ashes Test Match at Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday 14 July 1962, and played in the 8–27 defeat by New Zealand in the second Test Match at Carlaw Park, Auckland on Saturday 11 August 1962.In addition to the above Test Matches, Harold Poynton also played in the following 1962 Great Britain Lions tour matches; the 24–10 victory over New South Wales Rugby League|Western New South Wales] at Bathurst, New South Wales on Sunday 27 May 1962, the 18–23 defeat by Newcastle at Newcastle, New South Wales on Monday 4 June 1962, the 36–12 victory over Toowoomba at Toowoomba on Sunday 17 June 1962, the 55–8 victory over Central Queensland at Rockhampton on Wednesday 20 June 1962, the 33–31 victory over Far North Queensland at Cairns on Saturday 23 June 1962, the 20–5 victory over New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday 7 July 1962, the 10–18 defeat by Northern New South Wales at Tamworth, New South Wales on Sunday 8 July 1962, the 81–14 victory over Bay of Plenty at Rotorua on Tuesday 7 August 1962, the 13–46 defeat by Auckland at Auckland on Monday 13 August 1962, the 49–30 victory over South Africa at Pretoria on Thursday 23 August 1962, the 39–33 victory over South Africa at Durban on Saturday 25 August 1962, and the 45–23 victory over South Africa at Johannesburg on Friday 31 August 1962.