View source for Jim Brough

{{Short description|English rugby league footballer (1903–1986)}}
{{use British English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|first           = RU
|name            = Jim Brough
|fullname        = James Wasdale Brough
|image           = James Wasdale Brough - Leeds.JPG
|imagesize       =
|caption         = Ogden's [[Cigarette card]] featuring 'Gentleman' Jim Brough
|birth_date      = {{birth date|df=y|1903|11|5}}
|birth_place     = [[Silloth]], [[Cumberland]], England
|death_date      = {{death date and age|1986|9|16|1903|11|5|df=y}}
|death_place     = [[Workington]], [[Cumbria]], England
|height          =
|weight          =
|ru_position     = [[Rugby union positions#Full-back|Fullback]]
|ru_club1        = [[Silloth RUFC]]<ref name="pitchero.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/sillothtigers|title=Silloth Tigers Rugby Club 'TIGERS'|work=pitchero.com}}</ref>
|ru_year1start   = 19??
|ru_year1end     = 25
|ru_appearances1 =
|ru_tries1       =
|ru_goals1       =
|ru_fieldgoals1  =
|ru_points1      =
|ru_teamA        = Cumberland
|ru_yearAstart   = 1923
|ru_yearAend     = 25
|ru_appearancesA =
|ru_triesA       =
|ru_goalsA       =
|ru_fieldgoalsA  =
|ru_pointsA      =
|ru_teamB        = [[England national rugby union team|England]]
|ru_yearBstart   = 1925
|ru_yearBend     =
|ru_appearancesB = 2
|ru_triesB       = 0
|ru_goalsB       = 0
|ru_fieldgoalsB  = 0
|ru_pointsB      = 0
|position        = {{Rlp|FB|CE}}
|club1           = [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]
|year1start      = 1925
|year1end        = 1944
|appearances1    = 442
|tries1          = 37
|goals1          = 82
|fieldgoals1     = 2
|points1         = 279
|teamA           = [[Cumberland rugby league team|Cumberland]]
|yearAstart      = 1925
|yearAend        = 36
|appearancesA    = 24
|triesA          = 8
|goalsA          = 5
|fieldgoalsA     = 0
|pointsA         = 34
|teamB           = [[England national rugby league team|England]]
|yearBstart      = 1926
|yearBend        = 36
|appearancesB    = 9
|triesB          = 3
|goalsB          = 7
|fieldgoalsB     = 0
|pointsB         = 23
|teamC           = [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]
|yearCstart      = 1928
|yearCend        = 36
|appearancesC    = 6
|triesC          = 0
|goalsC          = 0
|fieldgoalsC     = 0
|pointsC         = 0
|coachteamA      = [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]
|coachyearAstart = 1958
|coachyearAend   = 59
|coachgamesA     = 8
|coachwinsA      = 5
|coachdrawsA     = 0
|coachlossesA    = 3
|coachteam1      = [[Batley Bulldogs|Batley]]
|coachyear1start = 1948
|coachyear1end   =
|coachwins1      =
|coachdraws1     =
|coachlosses1    =
|coachteam2      = [[Workington Town]]
|coachyear2start = ≤1955
|coachyear2end   = ≥58
|coachwins2      =
|coachdraws2     =
|coachlosses2    =
| coachteam3         = [[Whitehaven RLFC]]
| coachyear3start    = 1962
| coachyear3end      = 
| coachgames3        = 0
| coachwins3         = 0
| coachdraws3        = 0
| coachlosses3       = 0
|new             = yes
|retired         = yes
|source          = <ref name="Statistics at en.espn.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/3198.html|title=Statistics at en.espn.co.uk|publisher=espn.co.uk|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|archive-date=3 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703001114/http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/3198.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/jim-brough/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Rugby league records |id=8772 |title=Jim Brough |access-date=27 April 2025}}</ref>
}}

'''James Wasdale Brough''' (5 November 1903 – 16 September 1986), also known by the [[nickname]] of ''''Gentleman Jim' ''', was an English [[List of dual-code rugby internationals|dual-code international]] [[rugby union]], [[association football]] (soccer) [[association football|footballer]], and professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s, and rugby league [[coach (sport)|coach]] of the 1940s and 1950s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for [[England national rugby union team|England]] and [[Cumberland]], and at club level for [[Silloth RUFC]],<ref name="pitchero.com"/> as a [[Rugby union positions#Full-back|fullback]], and club level association football as an amateur for [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] ([[reserve team]]), as a [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]], and representative level rugby league (RL) for [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] ([[Captain (sports)|captain]]), and [[England national rugby league team|England]], and at club level for [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]], as a {{rlp|fb}}, or {{rlp|ce}}, and coached representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, and at club level for [[Batley Bulldogs|Batley]] and [[Workington Town]]. Born in [[Silloth]], [[Cumberland]], England, he died in [[Workington]], [[Cumbria]], England.<ref name="Profile at leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk/leedsrhinos/pastplayers/squad-page.asp?ID=131|title=Profile at leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk|publisher=leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081117203129/http://leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk/leedsrhinos/pastplayers/squad-page.asp?ID=131|archive-date=17 November 2008}}</ref>

==Playing career==
===Rugby union===
Brough was working in the fishing industry and his main interest was sailing model yachts until, aged 17, he joined some other young men in forming a rugby union club. This short-lived club, set up by friends who could not get a game with Silloth RUFC, gave him an interest in the sport and he soon found himself playing for the Silloth club itself. By the age of 19, he was playing rugby union for the county team of [[Cumberland Rugby Football Union|Cumberland]], and by age 21 he had played for [[England national rugby union team|England]] (RU).<ref name="yep"/> His [[Test match (rugby union)|Test]] début was in January 1925 against [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]] at [[Twickenham Stadium]], [[South London]]. Two weeks later, he appeared against [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]].<ref name="yep">{{cite news |work=Yorkshire Evening Post |date=20 March 1936 |page=12 |title=With The R.L. Touring Team In Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Birley | first = Derek | title = Playing the game: sport and British society, 1910–45 | publisher = Manchester University Press ND | year = 1996 | page = 173 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=lmK7AAAAIAAJ | isbn = 978-0-7190-4497-7}}</ref>

Various rugby league sides were now taking note of Brough's ability, including [[Barrow Raiders|Barrow]], [[Huddersfield Giants|Huddersfield]], [[Hull F.C.|Hull FC]], [[Swinton Lions|Swinton]] and [[Warrington Wolves|Warrington]]. Despite being offered as much as £350 to join the league ranks, Brough chose instead to sign with [[association football]] club [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] as an amateur association footballer. He then discovered that he was unlikely to supplant Liverpool's incumbent [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]], [[Elisha Scott]], and when [[rugby league]] club Leeds offered him a signing-on fee in excess of £600, he joined the ranks of professional [[rugby league]] footballers.<ref name="yep"/>

===Rugby league===
Brough made his rugby league début for Leeds against [[York Wasps|York]] at [[Headingley Rugby Stadium|Headingley]], [[Leeds]] on Wednesday 2 September 1925.<ref name="The Headingley Story - 1890-1955 - Volume One - Rugby">Dalby, Ken (1955). ''The Headingley Story – 1890–1955 – Volume One – Rugby''. The Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Co. Ltd ASIN: B0018JNGVM</ref>

Brough played {{rlp|fb}} in Leeds' 11–8 victory over Swinton in the [[1931–32 Challenge Cup]] Final at [[Central Park (Wigan)|Central Park]], [[Wigan]], on Saturday 7 May 1932, in front of a crowd of 29,000, then was [[Captain (sports)|captain]] in the 18–2 victory over Huddersfield in the [[1935–36 Challenge Cup]] Final at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], [[London]] on Saturday 18 April 1936, in front of a crowd of 51,250, he missed the 19–2 victory over [[Halifax R.L.F.C.|Halifax]] in the [[1940–41 Challenge Cup]] Final at [[Odsal Stadium]], [[Bradford]], and played fullback in the 15–10 victory over Halifax in the [[1941–42 Challenge Cup]] Final at Odsal Stadium, Bradford, on Saturday 6 June 1942.<ref name="History of Leeds Rugby League Club">{{cite web|url=http://britishrugbyleague.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/history-of-leeds-rugby-league-club.html|title=History of Leeds Rugby League Club|publisher=britishrugbyleague.blogspot.co.uk|date=31 December 2012|access-date=1 January 2013|archive-date=16 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182749/http://britishrugbyleague.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/history-of-leeds-rugby-league-club.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===International honours===
As a professional [[rugby league]] footballer, Brough won [[Cap (sport)|cap]]s for England in 1926 against Wales, and [[Other Nationalities rugby league team|Other Nationalities]], in 1928 against Wales, in 1929 against Other Nationalities, in 1932 against Wales, in 1933 against Other Nationalities, in 1934 against Australia, in 1935 against France, and Wales, in 1936 against Wales, and France, and won [[Cap (sport)|cap]]s for Great Britain while at Leeds in 1928 against Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches), and in 1936 against Australia (captain).

==Coaching career==
Brough was the coach of [[Batley Bulldogs|Batley]] from January 1948 to May 1948,<ref name="Mick Exley Leaves Batley">2 January 1948. ''Mick Exley Leaves Batley''. [[Yorkshire Evening Post]]. ISBN n/a</ref> and was the coach in Workington Town's 12–21 defeat by Barrow in the [[1954–55 Challenge Cup]] Final at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], [[London]] on Saturday 30 April 1955, and was the coach in the 9–13 defeat by [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] in the [[1957–58 Challenge Cup]] Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1958, in front of a crowd of 66,109.<ref name="1957-1958 Challenge Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=436|title=1957–1958 Challenge Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2012|access-date=1 January 2013|archive-date=8 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908025828/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=436|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Aside from his club roles, Brough was also coach of the [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] rugby league team.

==Honoured at Silloth RUFC==
In 2005, in honour of Jim Brough, Silloth RUFC renamed its ground, The Jim Brough Rugby Park.<ref name="Location">{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/sillothtigers/location/ |title=Location |publisher=sillothtigers |date=31 December 2012 |access-date=1 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130410025935/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/sillothtigers/location/ |archive-date=10 April 2013 }}</ref>

==Personal life==

Jim Brough married Florance Annie (née Carr) in 1928 in Wigton. They had two children, the golfers Samuel John Brough (1931–2014), and Florance Poinsettia Pamela Brough (1936–2017); the organist and composer Michael James Arman Brough (b. 1960) is Jim Brough's grandson.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006091236/http://www.sillothrugby.org.uk/jwbrough.html |date=dmy |title=J.W. Brough at sillothrugby.org.uk}}
* {{ESPNscrum}}

{{Great Britain squad – 1928 Australia & New Zealand Tourists}}
{{Great Britain squad – 1936 Australia & New Zealand Tourists}}
{{Great Britain squad – 1958 Tour}}
{{Leeds Rhinos Millennium Greats}}
{{Leeds - 1931–32 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Leeds - 1935–36 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Leeds - 1941–42 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Coaching positions
|list1=  
{{Batley Bulldogs coaches}}
{{Great Britain national rugby league team coaches}}
{{Whitehaven RLFC coaches}}
{{Workington Town coaches}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brough, James}}
[[Category:1903 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:Men's association football goalkeepers]]
[[Category:Batley Bulldogs coaches]]
[[Category:Dual-code rugby internationals]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:England national rugby league team captains]]
[[Category:England national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:English rugby league coaches]]
[[Category:English rugby league players]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team captains]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team coaches]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Leeds Rhinos captains]]
[[Category:Leeds Rhinos players]]
[[Category:People from Silloth]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Cumbria]]
[[Category:Footballers from Cumbria]]
[[Category:Rugby league centres]]
[[Category:Rugby league fullbacks]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Cumbria]]
[[Category:Rugby union fullbacks]]
[[Category:Whitehaven R.L.F.C. coaches]]
[[Category:Workington Town coaches]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]
[[Category:Cumberland rugby league team players]]