Johnny Whiteley

John William Whiteley MBE (20 November 1930 – 13 February 2022) was an English professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played his entire club career with Hull FC making over 400 appearances between 1950 and 1965. He also represented Great Britain at international level, winning the Rugby League World Cup with the team in 1954 and 1960.

Whiteley began his coaching career while still playing at Hull in 1963 and remained in the role after retiring as player. He resigned in 1970 and joined Hull Kingston Rovers, where he coached until 1972. He also coached the Great Britain national team on two occasions. In recognition of his achievements in the sport, he was inducted into the Rugby Football League Hall of Fame in 2018.

Early life Whiteley was born on 20 November 1930. He grew up in Hull during the Second World War, during which his house was hit by a bomb in the Hull Blitz. He began playing rugby league for Hull Boys' Club when the club reformed in 1946.

Playing career Hull After some impressive performances in trial matches, Whiteley signed for Hull in December 1950. Rather than offering him a signing-on fee, Whiteley was promised a place in the squad the following game. Then followed a trip to South Africa in which the British and French teams staged a series of exhibition matches for the promotion of the game. Johnny was a member of the 1958 Great Britain touring squad that retained the Ashes, and he scored a try in the 40–17 third Test success in Sydney.

Whiteley was a member of the last Great Britain team to beat Australia on home soil in the 1959 test series, scoring the try that beat the Aussies that year.

He scored a match-winning try against the Aussies in the last few minutes which gave Great Britain the 1960 Ashes.

He was a member of the 1962 Great Britain team which won the Ashes in Australia.

Coaching career Whiteley carried on coaching at Hull after his last appearance as a player. When Roy Francis retired as Hull coach in 1965, Whiteley, now himself retired with an injured shoulder, took over, but resigned in 1970.

Whiteley moved across the river to Hull Kingston Rovers as coach in 1970 and stayed until 1972 when he left due to conflict with the Hull KR Board of Directors.

He coached the G.B. squad that toured Australia in 1970 and they were the last to win the Ashes in Australia. He left Hull on his return to coach Hull Kingston Rovers until leaving them in 1972. He then carried on coaching the Yorkshire Origin side for 12 years.

He was then recalled to coach Great Britain in 1980 for two years.

After rugby After his career finished, Whiteley ran a successful Working Men's Club (Eureka) in West Hull from which he also ran a gym. He later set up the West Hull amateur rugby league club.

Whiteley was inducted into the Hull F.C. Hall of Fame in 1992, He was made an MBE for services to rugby league and the community in the 2006 New Year Honours list. He was awarded an Honorary Degree from Hull University in 2012. In 2018 he was inducted into the Rugby Football League Hall of Fame.

He died on 13 February 2022, at the age of 91.

Honours and awards Club RFL Championship (2): 1955–56, 1957–58 European Club Championship (1): 1956–57

International Rugby League World Cup (2): 1954, 1960

Individual Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), 2005 Honorary doctorate from the University of Hull, 2012 Rugby Football League Hall of Fame inductee, 2018