RUGBY League legend Alex Murphy OBE has returned to Warrington Wolves as the club’s first new ambassador.
Club Chairman Steven Broomhead named Alex as the Wolves’ first Club Ambassador with a presentation at Warrington’s pulsating 20-22 clash with Wigan Warriors at the weekend.
Andy Gatcliffe, Chief Executive, said: “Alex Murphy is a highly respected and very well-known figure within Rugby League after a long and successful playing/coaching career. Everyone associated with the club is delighted that he has accepted the role of Club Ambassador. Alex will be taking an active role within the club both on matchday and non-matchday supporting, promoting and enhancing the future of Warrington Wolves to all.”
Alex is looking forward to fulfilling his new role at the club: “It is absolutely magnificent. I’d like to thank the Board and Chairman as this is a great honour. I believe Warrington are the club at the moment and are the most improved in Super League. I’m looking forward to this role and mixing with the people be it sponsors, spectators or small business who would like to get involved with the club. I will help Warrington out in any way that I can.”
Murphy joined Warrington as player-coach in May 1971 having just won the Challenge Cup with Leigh.
In 1973 a 20 match unbeaten run in the league helped Warrington win the League Leaders Trophy by finishing top of the league.
The 1973/74 season saw the most successful at Warrington with four trophies won. The highlight was a Challenge Cup win at Wembley over Featherstone Rovers.
The Captain Morgan trophy, John Player trophy and Club Merit trophy also ended the season at Wilderspool.
Warrington returned to Wembley in 1975 but Murphy missed the match through injury and Widnes won the Challenge Cup. Murphy retired as a player shortly after but remained as coach until 1978.
He played 67 times for Warrington, scoring 9 tries, 12 goals and 28 drop goals. Alex is a member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame.
Pictures show (top) Chairman Steven Broomhead welcoming Alex back to Warrington and Murphy in action with another Warrington legend Andy Gregory and commercial manager Dave Hutchinson during pre-match hospitality at the Wigan game.
3 Comments
I am old enough and fortunate enough to see AJ Murphy play from him being a kid. He was just 18 years old when he was knocking Aussies about. He had everything…he could make breaks seemingly at will…score wonderful tries and make tries for others and even the biggest ugliest prop forwards knew better than to mess with Murph. He was(and I suspect still is) as hard as nails.The term *legend* is easily used but Murph is one of the very few who qualify. If the clock could be turned back to when he was 18 he would still be head and shoulders above the rest in the modern game.
I remember a cup fnal at Wembly where Castleford were the favorites to beat Warrington solely because of their ‘star center’. Castleford received the ball from the kickoff and as it reached the hands of their ‘star’, Murphy, who had purposely plotted a collision course, hit him like an express train – end of ‘star’ at minute two !!! Warrington went on to win. Love him or hate him, he had everything.
I think you mean Featherstone – not Castleford!