Stats -

Oldham stats - 1971-72/1972-73, Games 47, Tries 2, Goals 25, Total points = 56

hi i'm frank fosters granddaughter.

thought you would be interested to hear he is doing fine(few battle scars are expected) and as hard has he as always been.

just thought it was great to see people remember him and recognise how great he was.

thank you for remebering him xx

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I am compiling a book about all the matches that Oldham have played against the Australian and NZ touring teams. If anyone has any relavent photos they would be much appreciated. Also someone was asking about Frank Foster who had a spell with Oldham. I can e-mail a photo if required.

PS. Frank Foster would be a good nominee for your hardman catagory.

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I would like to nominate Frank Foster played for Workington, Hull KR, Bradford Northern, Barrow.

I played for 14 yrs as a professional player both in England and Australia and played both with and against some of the "hard men" shown on your list but the daddy of them all was Frank Foster.

He is the only player I know that put the fear of god in to the opposition as he got off the bus or walked in to Craven park.

I played with him and one game I recall we played Leeds at Craven park I was a young rookie prop, they had an ex Rovers player,a second row playing called Les Chamberlain he used to run at you and turn his back with support players running either side off him we had a plan to nullify his play I was to go in and hit him in the lower back with wrapping my arms around him so killing the ball.

I went in once and Frank came in over the top as planned, I heard an awfull crack as Frank came in and Les went limp in my arms and fell on top of me asleep, when I got out from under him I looked at him and one side of his face was concave like a saucer and Frank was heading for the dressing rooms.

I could tell numerous stories about Frank he is now retired living in Barrow.

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a couple of anecdotes I heard from my father about Frank Foster whilst at Oldham and involving the great Alex Murphy

Firstly involving a night game when Murphy was unexpectedly absent from the team sheet and is supposed to have said "there isn't room for two of us out there on the field tonight so I'll give it a miss!"

This could possibly be a foolow up to an alleged incident where Murph had riled Frank in a previous encounter and had agreed to Frank's "request" to carry on their "discussion" off field. Murphy was then seen by supporters leaping on to the away teams coach within minutes of the end of the game, some say he hadn't even showered!

I was privileged to see Frank play for Oldham as a young lad taken up to 'sheddings by my dad and can remember the hits he used to put in were one of the reasons I fell in love with rugby over that other 'game'

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I would have to say he was in the top three of hard men that I have seen over the years.

I remember particularly, Rovers were playing Wigan at the old Craven Park.

Wigan had bought on a sub.by the name of Woosey who proceeded to "dish it out" a bit. He ended up flattening Franks mate,Bill Holliday.

Frank had not seen it happen but we saw him asking Bill who had done it.

The next scrum Frank went from loose man to second row. He hit Woosey (playing prop) with an absolute pearler and he was out like a light!

It is said he became Barrows longest serving coach for the simple reason none of the directors dare sack him!

Not a very big man but tremendously strong and with massive hands.

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Arthur Beetson knows a good story about Frank Foster.

When Beetson came over to play for Hull KR in the late 60's i think Frank had a little "word" with him after training just to make sure he didn't think he was going to be taking Frank's place in the team.

Believe they took a while to scrape Beetson off the wall!! (if you know what i mean)

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Frank Foster was great player who inspired Hull KR to a win against Australia back in 1967 I believe.

However I'm told he bullied his own players. A man has told me of a time in Trinity Club, Southcoats Lane, Hull, when Frank was bullying one of his own players so this man told him to leave his team mate alone.

"Big Frank" approached this man and said something until the man told him if he took one more step he'd end up in HRI. One the locals warned Frank it was in his best interests to leave the matter or he would be in serious trouble.

He promptly trusted the local man's judgment and sat back down.

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Talking about hardmen this man was one of English RL's artists

Remember his playing against StHelens in the play offs . Frank was taking the ballup when was confronted by Mervin Hicks who decided to punch him in the head he just shook his head and stood up and cracked big Merv who incidently was head and shoulders bigger than Frank but he soon found out that Frank was the bigger man.

They both were sent off for fighting

In another incident at the old Craven Park HKR were playing Huddersfield they had a Prop called Ian Van Bellen who was a very big man. A scrum was taking place on the Hudd 25yd line when all hell broke loose Van Bellen confronted Frank who immediately dispatched him to the grass and he jouned his fellow forward Anderson who was also grounded other pack members decided to retreat with Van Bellen who had decide he was not about to try again.

I was recentley in Barrow with my East Hull team and was informed that Frank at 65yrs of age dispatched a mugger in the lacal supermarket. Good on yer Frank Nice to read about these great blokes on your website

Incidently just watched DVD of 25yrs of State of Origin. nice to have seen Good Old Artie and Choppy Close doing a little bit . I have had the priveledge of metting these two great blokes.

Yours In Rugby League

Mally Lucas

PS Just seen a picture of Keith Gittoes on the Harbour Bridge on his 80th birthday I remember Keith he was one of the pioneers of Ausie players coming to Hull

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stevo (Mike Stephenson UK League Commentator) interview on radio

Stevo on the left playing for Penrith, Australia.

Q - Hard work never killed anyone. When you played, who was the toughest opponent you've ever played against?

(Mike) - A guy called Frank Foster, who was a Great Britain international. He was absolutely solid. Tough as teak. I don't think I've ever met anybody as tough as Frank.

Q - Was he a big lad?

(Mike) - Bigger than me [laughs], but that didn't matter. As much as you tried to hurt him, you knew it was just a waste of time. He just absorbed punishment like water into a sponge. And never complained. You've got to respect a guy like that. He's probably one of the reasons why my face looks like it does [laughs].

Q - Was he one of those hard but fair psychopaths?

(Mike) - Erm... let's just say he was... he was on the fringe of being penalised. But that's how it was in our day, and that's how we all were.

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Quote from Book David Watkins An Autobiography

"The boys would also warn me about other teams hard men- not that the warning always worked 'watch out for Frank Foster' they said before a match against Oldham. 'When the Ref isn't watching he will land one on you just for fun'.

So whenever he came close i watched Mr Fosters fists like a hawk. Alas soon, while i was eyeing Mr Fosters knuckles warily after a tackle, he managed to plant his weighty boot on my hand, Breaking two fingers.

Their joints are swollen and thickened to this day.

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As told By Colin Hutton Ex Great Britain manager and "Mr Hull KR"

Colin tells a tale of Frank that i believe must have come from Tom Mitchell the great Cumbrian League official who at this time was the Head of the Rugby league disciplinary panel.

The story goes that Frank had been sent off at St Helens and before he was up before the panel he had meet Tom. Tom asked how and why he had been sent off and Frank told him in disgust that a fellow Cumbrian Forward Bob Blackwood had feigned being hit to get Frank sent off.....Well when Frank Came up before him and the panel Tom remembered what he had said and decided to be lenient to Frank and only gave him Sending Off Sufficient.

Shortly after this Tom Ran into Blackwood .....in disgust at Blackwoods supposed antics to Get Frank sent off had a dig at him telling him how much off a bastard he was bye lying down to get a fellow cumbiran sent off...Blackwood was horrified at this and told Tom ....if i did lie down it must have been comfortable grass as I woke up in the ambulance on the way to St Helens hospital then !!!!!-

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Remember a game Frank played at Hilton Park Leigh in the floodlit RL competition, the game was televised for the BBC.

I think it was Leigh's "hardman" hooker Clark and Frank squared up to each other and after the only punch thrown, there was only one standing and Frank left the field at the referees request.

One tough fellow and someone who the Oldham club could do with at the moment. He was not big for a prop of that era, but was a genuine case of size does not matter.

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I worked alongside Frank many years ago whilst serving my time as an apprentice electrician in Barrow.

Frank was coaching Whitehaven at the time and they weren't doing very well.

I remember Frank being off work for some time and I stupidly made the comment that he was off work with a "bad side".

On his return somebody told him - the next thing I knew was a Foster Fist (and he has massive hands) dig into me followed by the words "Who's got a bad side now lad??"

It was all over very quickly, but, depsite his hard reputation Frank was also a person who, if he ever saw someone he knew, young or old, on the end of unpleasant treatment he would be one of the first to step in and help.

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Just to point out that Frank Foster was more than just a hardman (which he was indeed!) here is the entry for Frank from the Oldham RLFC history...

Frank Foster came to Oldham from Barrow in January 1973 and immediately transformed the playing fortunes of the club. Already a veteran, having previously played for Workington, Hull K.R. and Bradford, he came to Oldham when the club were struggling, having won only six and drawn one of the 21 league matches played in the 1971-72 season. After Frank arrived, the club lost just one more league game out of thirteen and that was in the very last minute at Warrington.

A ball playing prop forward, who had won Cumberland county and full international honours, he had the knack of committing several defenders to the tackle and then releasing the ball from almost impossible situations. Also possessing a tremendous field kicking game, he was an awesome all- round talent who led from the front with never a backward step.

Frank was that strange enigma of being as tricky and skilful as any half back, while remaining the toughest and most uncompromising of prop forwards and a good goal kicker to boot.

More the pity that the club only had a year and a half of service out of Frank before he retired at the end of the 1972-73 season.

In over 35 years of watching the club, I would say that no player has ever made the same immediate and positive impression on the club as did Frank Foster.

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Just to say i remember Frank Foster very well, he was in my top 3 hard men.

He was respected at the Saints and was held in awe by players and speccies alike.

One incident at St Helens when he got sent off with Murph he walked down the touchline to the dressingrooms looking over his shoulder and beckoning Murph to follow him, but the coach at the time new better and kept Murph in the dugout.

Safest place for him.

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I worked with Frank Foster on Hull Fish Docks and was his apprentice.Frank was also an usher at my wedding and all I can say is we didn't have a lot of trouble controlling the congregation!

I have absolutely no hesitation in agreeing with other contributors to this section in stating that Frank was the hardest player I have ever seen.

One of Frank's party pieces was to arrange a fight between everyone in the workshop(some 20 blokes)against him just before clocking off time.

We never won.It's great to hear Frank is enjoying retirement in Barrow.

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Frank Foster v Huddersfield 1960's

After sorting 2 of their pack out, the others said lets get out of here. It was along walk for Frank on the threepenny Stand side.

Just as an aside when Frank was the coach of Barrow they were having a bad time the Directors had a draw as to who would have to tell him it was time to resign

I have not seen any stories of Paul Rose but I would like to nominate him as both a hero and hardman.

Paul would not take a backward step, as a 18yearold starting with HullKR he learned his trade with Frank Foster who said Paul if you think they are hardmen dont forget who is behind you because I am threetimes harder than them.

I remember a match beteen HKR and Warrington when the srum broke up and the hooker was laid flat and some scrapping ensued. At halftime Mick Naughton REF said to Roger Millward I think you had better withdraw Rosie if you do not I will send him off.

Not that this was a strange experience for him.

He was used to playing his part that is part of a game

A great character who became a great friend

Yours in Rugby League
Mally Lucas

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Hi there - great website , brings back memories of some great games and incidents - Frank Foster used to work for my dad in Hull and a friend of mine was his apprentice when he moved back to Barrow. I heard all the yarns - and another one that he allegedly punched a cow out cold.

Although I'm a Hull FC fan , unless my memory has become clouded over the years I remember Artie Beetson when he broke his leg playing for Hull KR in the local derby. Rumour has it he floored the nearest Hull player and hobbled off the pitch.

Found you looking for Tommy Harris who died last month.

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I remember big Frank Foster terrorising oposing forwards but my fondest memory of Frank was when he ran after and caught Alex Murphy the Saints legend slapping him accross the face, it still makes me laugh today, the look on Murphs face was a picture. I think Alex actually named Frank in his own list of rugby league toughest men, and rightly so in my opinion.

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There are hundreds of stories about Frank. One HULL FC always cried off injured when Frank was playing. Ask Jim Mills and Cliff Watson how hard he was. He only used to throw one punchers and they always went down. He was a notorious enforcer who used to even cop players in training he didn't like. I knew one KR player who carried two jumpers, so that he always got on Franks side. Artie Beetson knew him well, and none of that era have forgotten him. He chased Alex Murphy off the paddock and Alex run out of the ground.

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Peter Smethurst was one of the genuine hard men of RL in the 50's 60's AND early 70's.

I remember Salford playing Barrow at Salford and Peter Smethurst and Frank Foster chasing a loose ball.

Smethurst was as tough as teak but I swear to this day he slowed down and had one eye on the ensuing Frank Foster.

FF was the toughest player that I believe I have ever seen.

God bless to Peter Smethurst and may his soul rest in peace.

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I was lucky enough to play in the great St Helens side of the middle sixties. We had a wonderful pack of forwards with many of them qualifying for the hard man title.I would bet that each one of them would name Frank Foster as one of the hardest forwards playing then. And as that was in the era when continuous play (no tackle counts)was the order of the day, arguably the hardest period in the history of the game.

Foster was renowned for standing no nonsense and didn't wait for the trouble to start, but set about starting it.Everyone knew that there was only one way for Frank, straight at you. However, in 1966 in two of the most memorable games ever played at Knowsley Road, Hull KR came off worst. The first time with that memorable last minute win by Saints and the second in the war that was the revenge game.

I did not play in either game but was very close to the action in both. After the second match which ended in an all out brawl I was sitting with a friend, each of us with our wives, in the Carr Mill Hotel. The Hull KR team called at that pub on their way home and my friend, a footballer, shuddered as Frank Foster, both eyes cut and bleeding walked across the room towards us, all of his mates behind him.

His offer of a drink to the four of us showed the measure of the man.As hard as they come on the field but no bully off it.

I'm sure that if I meet him again, and I hope that I do we will share a drink together.

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From Kevin Blackwell, England and an avid HKR fan, memories, great stories and comments on Frank Foster, Big Artie Beetson, Brian McTigue, Dennis Hartley, Gasnier, Malcom Reilly, Roger Millward, John Raper , Ron Coote , Murphy , Tom R , Bobby Fulton, Rod Reddy, Rocky Turner , Les Boyd and Craig Young

A wonderful website. Keith Pollard who had a story about Frank Foster has a wealth of stories about the game. He played in the Newcastle competition in the 70's (I think for Cessnock or Maitland).

Keith played in the same team as Frank, but the competition was stiff: Bill Holliday, Foster, Phil Lowe, 'Flash' Flanagan who died recently. We had, for an all too brief time Big Artie Beetson. He played only about 12 games, but left an indelible imprint on anyone who saw him; and in particular those who saw him a reserve grade game against Huddersfield. He flattened the huge forward Ian Van Bellen and another player who had been baiting him all the game and just walked off the paddock before the referee pointed to the tunnel. I remember Frank Foster telling me he was about the best forward he had ever seen or played with. And Frank wasn't one for praising much. Keith Pollard said Frank told him that Brian McTigue, although not an enforcer, wasn't someone to tangle with. I've got a lot of Frank stories myself as my dad was a good pal of Frank's.

Frank Foster was generally reckoned to be the hardest player of his generation. I never saw him hit anyone twice. He was about 6 feet, but he had forearms likely popeye and the biggest hands I've ever seen on anyone. And he could take the biff as well. If there was ever a blue going on he would be the first person to carry the ball afterwards. However, he was a very good footballer; he could kick for field position, drop field goals, kick goals. So, he wasn't just an enforcer. The only time I saw him have trouble getting up was when big Dennis Hartley belted him with a stiff arm in a cup game in the 60's.

Colin Hutton who was the coach at HULL KR also has a wealth of stories as he was part of the backroom staff on the 62 Tour to Australia, when the Poms played some great football. He said the players viewed the game against St George as the 4th test and took it as seriously as a test match. It showed, they beat the Dragons 33 - 5 and Colin said it was one of the best performances he had seen.

In 1963, the 1st test was a night game at Wembley and Gasnier was at his imperious best. He's still the greatest centre I've seen. He never looked as though he was moving, but nobody could get near him. He had class to burn. Then we had the 50 - 12 game at Swinton. The die was cast and I think it gave Australian players the self belief to upset history. Since then of course we've only won one test series (1970), but I believe it was won on the back of my favourite all time player Malcom Reilly; and Roger Millward. They were the difference on that Tour. Many of the series around that time were close and different players stood just above to make the difference. I believe that in 67 it was a John Raper / Ron Coote combination as the game breakers. The test when they won in the snow typified the Australian never-say-die spirit.

In 73 Artie was head and shoulders above the rest.

In 74 it was Ron Coote's famous tackle on Steve Nash that broke our resolve.

In 78 we would have won that series but for the half back combo of Tom R and Bobby Fulton. Fulton was the finest captain of a touring team that I've seen and he lead from the front. Most of the players were young and inexperienced and making their first Tours, but players like Rod Reddy and Craig Young came up trumps. It was also the best test debut I have seen in the decider at Headingley. Les Boyd tortured us for an hour and came off injured, but by then the game and the series were run.

Apart from 1990 when we was within a minute of squaring the series, but for Ricky Stuart's breakout and Big Mal Meninga; since then we've been an embarrassment since 1978. But then we don't have players of the calibre of Reilly, Huddart, McTigue, Millward, Ashton, Murphy, Mick Sullivan.

Personally, I deride the modern game. The scrums are a joke and the 10 metre rule has killed off the great ball playing backs like Murphy and Millward in the British game. Same in the forwards. In those days you had to have the skills to break defences, because they were stood on top of you. Artie was the best ball playing forward I've seen and McTigue wasn't far behind.

Going back to stories about the Biff era. A good one was told to me by Brian Lockwood. In the 60's they had the John Player competition and the man of the match got an award. Brian was about 20 and at Castleford; playing in the same pack as Malcom Reilly and Dennis Hartley. Rocky Turner was the coach. Brian said that in training one night, Turner was laying down the law and was lecturing Malcom and Brian. Brian could see what was going to happen next and started running just as Turner copped Malcolm with a shot. Not long after, at Bramley, Brian got a man of the match award. Feeling full of himself he went up the steps as it was in those to the dressing rooms at Bramley. Waiting for him at the top and glaring was Turner, who said to him "you think you're good, but I've shit better than you." With that he hit Brian with a haymaker that sent him all the way down the steps. All the players were scared shitless of him; and Malcom always says that his aggression was part of the way he was brought up as a young player under Turner. Mind you I don't think Malcom needed much encouragement when it came to the biff.

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Training one night. Late on, after training, a game of touch rugby. Frank playing the ball handler throws the pill, but Hickson takes the interception. Unforunately he does it again. Frank's seething. So, next time he deliberately throws a cut out pass and as Hickson comes for it, Frank cops him with the elbow and lays him flat with a liberal sprinkling of claret.

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Frank Foster was a notorious enforcer, but there was another side to him you should know about. It puts into perspective what he was like, and it wasn't all bad. This was told to me about 15 years ago, but it's true. HULL KR (Rovers) had a big 2nd row called John Hickson who could run like a centre.

1967 Yorkshire Cup Final - Hull v Hull KR. As it happens it was memorable for me as well. I was coming up 15 and broke my arm trying to get in the ground, without paying, by falling off a fence. Anyways, Frank broke his thumb earlier that season and had to sit out until October. He was also club captain. John Moore was captain in Frank's absense, John Hickson in the 2nd row. Final day. In a close game Hull got on top and Cyril Sykes and John Edson were doleing out the biff. 7-3 I think at half time.

Frank came on as substitute in the 2nd half replacing John Hickson. He lined up for kick-off and asked Cyril Sykes and the Hull pack about all the nonsense in the 1st half and that it must stop. Cyril was an old warrior from the 50's and heeded the warning, but John Edson was more of a rookie and fancied it. Many years later, Edson told me he woke up in Leeds Royal Infirmary with the lights shining on him and having his jaw wired up. He bumped into Frank, but couldn't remember the bumping into Frank!!!

HULL KR won 8-7; John Moore deferred to Frank as captain, but Frank refused to go up as he wan't captain on the day, but he got the winners medal. Unfortunately, in those days, only 13 medals were awarded, so John Hickson missed out; he was feeling sorry for himself. The next morning John Hickson was in bed and he heard a knock on the door. His mother rushed upstairs and said "John, a man called Frank Foster's downstairs". John thought, shit what have I done wrong. He rushed downstairs. Frank said to him, "Marra (Cumbrian term for mate), you played in all the rounds leading up to the final, the medal belongs to you". Frank gave John the medal and walked away.

Frank's still revered in east Hull by people of my generation. Keith Pollard said he was the daddy of them old, he wasn't wrong. The roughest toughest player I've ever seen, but also a leader of men. He dished out plenty, but could cop it as well.

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Having thrilled to a classy Barrow Wembley bound 67 team with players of the calibre of Jim Challinor, Tommy Brophy and Bill Burgess. A real rugby playing side, but many were either ready to retire or to move on to other clubs.

We turn up one day and are shocked and thrilled to see a style of rugby we weren't used to. Two new players transformed Barrow from skillful to scary.

Their names: Spanky MacFarlane and the great Frank Foster. The hardest player I've ever seen, and as others have pointed out, not a particularly big man.

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My dad often tells me a story about frank foster when he's remenissing about rugby league, one day when rovers were playing hull at the boulevard FF went into hulls changing room before kick off and asked all the hull players if any of them fancied a fight before game, needless to say he did'nt get any offers.

Always wondered how much truth was in this story but on reading stories on this web site its souds like my dad has got it spot on!! 

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