Alex Murphy

Alexander James Murphy (born 22 April 1939) is an English former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Sometimes known as 'Murphy the Mouth' and regarded as one of the greatest halfbacks in the history of the British game, he represented Great Britain in 27 Tests. He was the first player to captain three different clubs to victory in the Challenge Cup Final . The signing itself was almost akin to a military operation. St. Helens representatives smuggled Murphy 'under cover' to a nearby house until the clock struck midnight to signal Murphy's 16th birthday, and his eligibility to sign professional terms. frequently playing for an Air Force team the same week as playing rugby league for St. Helens.

St. Helens

Murphy began his career at St. Helens playing reserve team rugby (known then as the 'A' team). After several "A" team games, Murphy demanded a place in the first team. This demand was refused and so he promptly demanded a transfer. The dispute was settled and Murphy's first team début was against Whitehaven at Knowsley Road.

Murphy's career at St. Helens went on to be long and successful. While still a teenager, he was selected to tour Australasia with the Great Britain side in 1958, becoming the youngest touring player at the time, and helping Great Britain to victory in the famous second Test in which they were down to ten men. He scored 21 tries in 20 appearances on that tour.

He won the Championship with St. Helens in 1958–59 season. The following year he played in Great Britain's World Cup-winning side. With his club he claimed the Challenge Cup in 1961.

On the 1962 Ashes tour he suffered a shoulder injury which caused him to miss three months of the domestic season He was again the coach in the 7–14 defeat by Widnes in the 1975 Challenge Cup Final during the 1974–75 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1975, in front of a crowd of 85,998, but missed playing in the match through injury, retiring as a player shortly after but remaining as coach of the club until 1978. During his time as the Warrington coach, his old rivals, Widnes succeeded in reaching another Challenge Cup final in 1976, their opponents being St. Helens. Murphy caused controversy by declaring that he would jump off the Runcorn-Widnes Bridge Silver Jubilee Bridge and into the River Mersey if Widnes won; luckily for him, Widnes were defeated 20 points to 5 and Murphy managed to keep his feet on dry land.

Alex Murphy was the coach in Warrington's 0–0 draw with Salford in the 1974 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1974–75 season at The Willows, Salford on Tuesday 17 December 1974, and in the 5–10 defeat by Salford in the 1974 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final replay during the 1974–75 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Tuesday 28 January 1975.

Alex Murphy was the coach in Warrington's 4–0 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1973–74 Captain Morgan Trophy Final during the 1973–74 season at The Willows, Salford on Saturday 26 January 1974, in front of a crowd of 5,259.

Coaching career

Upon retirement, Murphy built upon the experience he had acquired as a player-coach by taking up the reins as a full-time coach. He was co-coach of England with Bill Oxley during the 1975 World Series.

After Warrington, Murphy was appointed to high-profile roles at Salford (May 1978 to November 1980), Leigh (1980 to 1982) where in 1982 he guided Leigh to the Division 1 championship and Lancashire cup winners, before taking the role of coach of Wigan in 1982. There, he led them to victory in the John Player Trophy in 1983, and took them to the Challenge Cup Final in 1984, where they lost to Widnes. He left at the start of the next season, following a row with vice chairman Maurice Lindsay.

In 1988 Murphy was an inaugural inductee into the Rugby League Hall of Fame.

He took over as coach of St. Helens in 1986, taking them to Wembley Stadium, London in 1987, against Halifax, and again in 1989 where they played Wigan. St Helens lost by one point to Halifax, and were humiliated by Wigan in an error-ridden performance two years later, losing 27–0, becoming the fourth side ever to be held scoreless in a Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, after Halifax, Widnes and Barrow were kept scoreless in three consecutive finals between 1949 and 1951. During the last 10 minutes of the Challenge Cup Final, St. Helens received a penalty that was well within kicking range for either of their goal kickers, Great Britain international Paul Loughlin, and Australian dual international Michael O'Connor. No wanting to be another team to be held scoreless in a Cup Final at Wembley, Murphy frantically gestured from the sideline to team captain Paul Vautin to take the kick at goal despite the scoreline. Vautin ignored Murphy's instructions and instead the ball was kicked into touch for a tap restart. Wigan's defense held firm though and St. Helens last scoring opportunity was lost. This led to tension between Murphy and Vautin for a number of years until they worked together for the Australian Nine Network during television coverage of The Ashes series during the 1994 Kangaroo tour.

In 1991, he joined Huddersfield: within a year, promotion to the Second Division had been achieved.

After a six-year absence from rugby league, Murphy returned to the game in 2003 as football director of Leigh after the National League One club sacked coach Paul Terzis.

Post-retirement In the 1999 New Year Honours, Murphy was awarded the OBE for services to the game of rugby league. In 2000 his autobiography, Saint and Sinner was published. Murphy was also employed as a commentator by BBC television for a number of years working alongside long-time league commentators Eddie Waring, and later former dual rugby international Ray French. He also worked for Australia's Nine Network as an expert commentator during the 1994 Kangaroo tour. He was also employed to write opinion columns for newspapers such as the Daily Mirror, and the Manchester Evening News. One was known as 'Murphy's Mouth.' In 2006 he became Chairman of Oxford Cavaliers rugby league club. Murphy is an inductee in both the St Helens RFC Hall of Fame, and the Warrington Wolves RLFC Hall of Fame.