- Joe Warham
Joe Warham (born 1920,
Warrington ,Lancashire ) is a successfulrugby league administrator and coach having served Leeds Rugby League Football Club (nowLeeds Rhinos ) for over forty years.Following a playing career as a winger with Oldham and Swinton, and a spell coaching Rochdale, Joe came to Headingley as coach in 1958. Under his stewardship in 1960/61 Leeds won their first-ever championship, beating Warrington 25-10 in the final at Odsal.
Joe later moved to head up Leeds' scouting and recruiting efforts, signing many of the players who formed the backbone of Leeds' very successful late 60's and 70's side. As Roy Fancis, coach in the mid-sixties, said later: with players that talented he had no need to coach or drill them - he sent them onto the pitch to play their natural game.
In 1969 Joe stepped up to coach Leeds again on an interim basis following Roy Francis' departure, and once again brought the club success. At the end of that season Leeds' Football Chairman Jack Myerscough penned the following tribute: 'Joe..was called upon overnight to resume control of coaching. He did not flinch but stepped into the breach and by immense skill and dedication successfully steered the team to another championship win. He thus has the unique distinction of being in command on the only two occasions on which the club has won the championship.'
In the seventies Joe served the club in a number of capacities, including scouting, organising players' testimonials and representing the club on various RL committees, before being made General Manager of the Company in 1980. His period of tenure saw a number of significant ground improvements at Headingley - including, on the Test cricket ground, the UK's first electronic cricket scoreboard. After leaving the board he served as president of Leeds' Taverners' Club and as President of Leeds' ex-players' association.
In a recent poll, at least one rugby league website received nominations for Joe as being one of rugby league's ultimate 'clubmen'.
References
* "Headingley Heroes" by Phil Hodgson
* Leeds RL supporters' handbooks
* press reports
* http://www.eraofthebiff.com
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
