Kenneth Rollin

Kenneth "Ken" Rollin (born 3 December 1937) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at club level for Wakefield Trinity (Heritage No. 624) and Leeds (Heritage No.) as a stand-off or scrum-half, i.e. number 6, or 7.

For the American basketball player, see Kenny Rollins.

Kenneth Rollin
Personal information
Full nameKenneth Rollin
Born (1937-12-03) 3 December 1937
Sharlston Common, Wakefield, England
Playing information
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight12 st 0 lb (76 kg)
PositionStand-off, Scrum-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
<04/1955–04/55 Wakefield Trinity Juniors
04/1955–64 Wakefield Trinity ≥150 ≥66 ≥198
08/1965–67? Leeds ≥75
Total 0 0

Background

Rollin was born in Sharlston Common, Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Playing career

Championship Final appearances

Ken Rollin played stand-off in Wakefield Trinity's 3–27 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1959–60 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 21 May 1960.[1]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Ken Rollin played stand-off and scored the second fastest try ever in a Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London in the 38–5 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final during the 1959–60 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 14 May 1960.[2]

County Cup Final appearances

Ken Rollin played scrum-half in Wakefield Trinity's 23–5 victory over Hunslet in the 1956–57 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1956–57 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 20 October 1956, played scrum-half in the 20–24 defeat by Leeds in the 1958–59 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1958–59 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 18 October 1958, and played scrum-half in the 16–10 victory over Huddersfield in the 1960–61 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960.[3]

Notable tour matches

Ken Rollin played stand-off and scored a try in Wakefield Trinity's 17–12 victory over Australia in the 1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956.[4]

Contemporaneous Article Extract

"Outlines - Ken Rollin The first round of a Yorkshire County Cup competition is a testing occasion indeed on which to make a senior début, but such was Ken Rollin's introduction to Trinity's first team, against Leeds at Headingley on 27 August 1955. The opposition scrum-half was international Jeff Stevenson - but Ken's display was a most satisfactory one and there was a try for him too as some reward. He went on to make twenty-four appearances in that season and has been a regular member ever since, mostly at scrum-half. Ken is one of many players who began their career in the Wakefield Schools R.L. He was a member of the Technical School teams and Wakefield City Boys' team. He joined our own Trinity Juniors side from which he was signed, at seventeen, by Trinity in April 1955. Although he was named as a reserve for the 1957 World Cup party, and has several times been named as Yorkshire County reserve half-back, he still awaits his first representative match. He was named in Yorkshire's side, alongside Keith Holliday, in 1957, but illness prevented the appearance of this Trinity partnership. In recent times he has occupied the stand-off half berth and has proved himself to be equally at home in that position. His utility value is therefore a great one and, at still only twenty-two years of age, he has much promise for Trinity's fortunes in the future. He has, behind him, the experience of 151 games for Trinity, including appearances at Wembley, in the last N.R.L Final, and in the 1956 and 1958 Yorkshire County Cup Finals."[5]

Outside of Rugby League

Ken Rollin was a commentator for a United States television broadcaster for Leeds' 11–10 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1968 Challenge Cup "Watersplash" Final during the 1967–68 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 11 May 1968, in front of a crowd of 87,100. He was left with Aphasia (Loss of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language) following a stroke in 1999 and could say only a few words. This was a cruel blow, as before his stroke, he had been a well-known public speaker in West Yorkshire, England. After working with Speakability and having speech therapy, Ken's communication skills went from near zero to 70 per cent, in 2002 Ken became Chairman of the new Wakefield Speakability Group, in June 2007 Ken met with the Cherie Blair to rally support for Speakability and raise awareness of Aphasia, and in December 2008 Ken was a guest speaker at the UK Stroke Forum Conference 2008.

He was employed in his youth in the mining department at Richard Sutcliffe Ltd near Wakefield and a member of the Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen.

Ken lives in Middlestown, Wakefield, and is member of the Wakefield Chantry Rotary Club.

References
  1. "1959-1960 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC - FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
  3. Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC - FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
  4. Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC - FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
  5. Lindley, John (27 August 1960). Wakefield Trinity RLFC Official Programme: Halifax. John Lindley Son & Co Ltd. ISBN n/a
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