The long and rich history of Featherstone Rovers Rugby League Football Club

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Cyril Kellett, Dave Kellett and Brian Kellett

As a player whose name is written large in the all-time lists of rugby league, Cyril Kellett needs no introduction. His record speaks for itself. In the whole history of the game, only Jim Sullivan and Neil Fox kicked more goals than him. When he hung up his boots in 1974 he had kicked a phenomenal 1,768 goals, some 190 more than Steve Quinn (7th on the all-time list). Of course, the majority of these goals were kicked for his first club, Hull K.R., who he joined in 1956. It wasn’t until 1968 that he signed for his hometown club. Despite spending just six years at Featherstone, he still stands second only to Steve Quinn as our greatest goal-kicker. His mark of 557 will take some beating. Cyril’s finest moment in a Featherstone shirt came in the 1973 cup final against Bradford when his immaculate display of place kicking landed him a perfect eight from eight, a record never broken, though equalled by Iestyn Harris in the last ever Wembley final.

Cyril’s brother Dave also played for Rovers at the same time with some distinction. Dave was an under-rated utility back who started out at full-back, but after Rovers signed his brother, switched to stand-off, as well as playing many games at centre. He was a first team fixture between 1968 and 1970 before losing his place due to injury. Dave made a total of 118 first team appearances.

In early 1986 Rovers signed Brian Kellett from the Jubilee team, where he played in that team’s famous BARLA Cup final win over West Hull in 1985. Without playing a huge number of first team games, Brian was a useful squad man, and followed his father into Rovers first team on 2nd February 1986 at St. Helens, having made his debut of the bench a few weeks earlier. He played a number of games on the wing, and also covered the fullback position. He went on to make 18 appearances for Rovers, giving good service as well to the A team, before beginning his coaching career in the amateur game. He is, of course, still on our coaching staff.

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