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{{short description|Ireland international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Paul "Tiger" Handforth
|fullname = Paul Handforth
|image =
|image_size =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|10|6|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Wakefield]], [[West Yorkshire, England]]
|height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
|weight = {{convert|13|st|1|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|SO}}
|club1 = {{nowrap|[[Wakefield Trinity|Wakefield Trinity Wildcats]]}}
|year1start = 2000
|year1end = 04
|appearances1 = 66
|tries1 = 11
|goals1 = 12
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 68
|club2 = [[Castleford Tigers]]
|year2start = 2006
|year2end =
|appearances2 = 18
|tries2 = 2
|goals2 = 1
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 10
|club3 = [[Featherstone Rovers]]
|year3start = 2007
|year3end = 08
|appearances3 = 50
|tries3 = 25
|goals3 = 16
|fieldgoals3 = 3
|points3 = 137
|club4 = [[Doncaster R.L.F.C.|Doncaster]]
|year4start = 2009
|year4end =
|appearances4 = 9
|tries4 = 4
|goals4 = 7
|fieldgoals4 = 1
|points4 = 29
|club5 = [[Batley Bulldogs]]
|year5start = 2009
|year5end = 11
|appearances5 = 65
|tries5 = 17
|goals5 = 96
|fieldgoals5 = 1
|points5 = 260
|club6 = [[Halifax R.L.F.C.|Halifax]]
|year6start = 2012
|year6end = 13
|appearances6 = 60
|tries6 = 12
|goals6 = 20
|fieldgoals6 = 1
|points6 = 89
|club7 = [[Keighley Cougars]]
|year7start = 2014
|year7end = 16
|appearances7 = 69
|tries7 = 30
|goals7 = 61
|fieldgoals7 = 2
|points7 = 244
|teamA = [[Ireland national rugby league team|Ireland]]
|yearAstart = 2003
|yearAend = 11
|appearancesA = 8
|triesA = 0
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 0
|retired = yes
|source = <ref>[http://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Paul-Handforth/ LRL]</ref><ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/paul-handforth/summary.html Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org]</ref>
|updated = 24 August 2017
}}

'''Paul Handforth''' (born 6 October 1981), also known by the [[nickname]] of '''"Tiger"''', is a professional [[rugby league]] footballer who most recently played for [[Keighley Cougars|Keighley]] in the [[League 1 (rugby league)|Championship 1]].

==Background==
Paul Handforth was born in [[Wakefield]], [[West Yorkshire]], England, he is the son of the [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s for [[Wakefield Trinity]], [[Hunslet R.L.F.C.|Hunslet]] and [[Oldham R.L.F.C.|Oldham]]; [[Tony Handforth|Tony "Tiger" Handforth]], and the brother of Matt Handforth, who also played for [[Featherstone Rovers]].

==Playing career==
Handforth's position of choice is at {{rlp|so}}, but he can also operate at {{rlp|sh}} and as a {{rlp|hk}}.

He has previously played for [[Halifax R.L.F.C.|Halifax]], the [[Batley Bulldogs]], [[Doncaster R.L.F.C.|Doncaster]], the [[Wakefield Trinity|Wakefield Trinity Wildcats]], and the [[Castleford Tigers]] in the [[Super League]]. He started playing rugby with the [[Methley Monarchs A.R.L.F.C.|Methley Monarchs]] [[Methley Monarchs ARLFC|ARLFC]] as a schoolboy and also played for the [[Oulton Raiders]].

Handforth is an [[Ireland national rugby league team|Ireland]] international.<ref name="Ireland 58-18 Russia">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7053760.stm|title=Ireland 58-18 Russia|publisher=BBC|date=2007-10-20|accessdate=2008-03-14}}</ref>

He was named in the [[Ireland national rugby league team#2008 World Cup Training Squad|Ireland training squad]] for the [[2008 Rugby League World Cup]].<ref name="Ireland Name World Cup 40 Man Training Squad">{{cite web|url=http://www.rli.ie/story.php?id=53|title=Ireland Name World Cup 40 Man Training Squad|publisher=Rugby League Ireland|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-02|archive-date=2020-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411004717/http://www.rli.ie/story.php?id=53|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After leaving Keighley and retiring from the professional game, Handforth joined amateur team [[Fryston Warriors]], and played for them against Keighley in the [[2017 Challenge Cup]] third round tie between the two clubs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/15108700.Tiger_knows_taming_Cougars_will_be_tough/ |title=Tiger knows taming Cougars will be tough |publisher=[[Telegraph and Argus]] |date=22 February 2017 |accessdate=24 August 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20120608001909/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=157 Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Handforth, Paul}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century English sportsmen]]
[[Category:Batley Bulldogs players]]
[[Category:Castleford Tigers players]]
[[Category:Doncaster R.L.F.C. players]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Featherstone Rovers players]]
[[Category:Halifax Panthers players]]
[[Category:Ireland national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Irish rugby league players]]
[[Category:Keighley Cougars players]]
[[Category:Rugby league five-eighths]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Wakefield]]
[[Category:Wakefield Trinity players]]

{{Ireland-rugbyleague-bio-stub}}

Paul Handforth - Revision history

imported>Robinson Drinkald: /* Background */