Frank Myler

Frank Myler (4 December 1938 – 27 March 2020) was an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s and 1980s. A Great Britain and England national representative centre or stand-off, he played at club level for Widnes and St. Helens, and also captained and coached Great Britain.[5]

Frank Myler
Personal information
Born(1938-12-04)4 December 1938
Widnes, England
Died27 March 2020(2020-03-27) (aged 81)
Playing information
PositionStand-off
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1955–67 Widnes 367 144 7 14 474
1967–71 St. Helens 144 46 2 4 150
1972–73 Rochdale Hornets 50 9 0 0 27
Total 561 199 9 18 651
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1960–70 Great Britain 24 5 0 0 0
1962 England 1 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1971–74 Rochdale Hornets 144 76 5 63 53
1975–78 Widnes 134 88 4 42 66
1980–81 Swinton 44 24 2 18 55
1981–87 Oldham 290 126 154 10 43
Total 612 314 165 133 51
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1973–74 Great Britain 11 5 0 6 45
Source: [1][2][3][4]

Playing career

Myler played left-centre and scored a try in Widnes' 13–5 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers in the 1963–64 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1964, in front of a crowd of 84,488. Myler played left-centre in St. Helens' 30–2 victory over Oldham in the 1968–69 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Friday 25 October 1968. Myler played at left-centre in St. Helens' 4–7 defeat by Wigan in the 1968 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final at Central Park, Wigan on Tuesday 17 December 1968.[6]

In the 1969–70 Northern Rugby Football League season's Championship Final Myler was voted man of the match winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy in St. Helens 24–12 victory over Leeds. In 1970, he captained the Lions squad. Following a heavy defeat in the first Test the Lions under Myler did not lose another game on the whole tour. Myler remains the last British captain to lift the Ashes trophy in Australia. He played stand-off in the 4–7 defeat by Leigh in the 1970–71 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 28 November 1970. Myler left St. Helens in 1971 to take up the position of player-coach with the Rochdale Hornets from May 1971 until October 1974.[7]

Coaching career

After three seasons at Rochdale where he took the team to the Players No 6 trophy final, although they lost 27–16 to Warrington, Myler succeeded Vince Karalius as Widnes coach in May 1975. In May 1978 he was succeeded as Widnes coach by Doug Laughton.[8] After periods coaching at Oldham and Swinton Myler was appointed Great Britain coach in 1983 but after some early successes the team lost all six test matches to Australia and New Zealand during the 1984 Great Brian Lions tour and despite a win over Papua New Guinea in the last test of the tour Myler was not reappointed as coach. Thereafter, he returned to club coaching with Oldham and a second spell at Widnes.[7]

Myler was one of the original thirteen former Widnes players inducted into the Widnes Hall of Fame in 1992.[9]

Myler died on 27 March 2020 after a long illness, aged 81.[10]

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. RL Record Keeper's Club
  6. "1968-1968 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. "Special Obituary Tribut: Frank Myler". Rugby League Journal. No. 71. 2020. pp. 24–25.
  8. "Coaching Register - Since 1972". rugby.widnes.tv. Chris Lines. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  9. "Profile at saints.org.uk". saints.org.uk. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  10. "Former Widnes and Great Britain centre Frank Myler dies aged 81". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
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