Ivor Watts was a Welsh

Welsh people

The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...

 professional rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 footballer for Hull from 1945–1960 and also represented Cumberland from 1952–1953. Ivor's last match for Hull was playing at Wembley on 14 May 1960 in the 1959–60 Challenge Cup

Challenge Cup

The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....

 final against Wakefield Trinity in which Hull lost 5–38. After his last match he was then appointed Assistant coach from 1960–1970. He became head coach from 1970–1971 after Johnny Whiteley

Johnny Whiteley

John William Whiteley MBE is an English former professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer and coach...

 resigned. During the time Ivor coached Hull they won 28 out of 45 matches and only lost 17. The highest win was 47–5 against Doncaster.

Playing career

Ivor Watts playing career started when he moved to Hull in 1945 and joined the team. He then played for them from 1945 until 1960. In between his time at Hull he also represented his former city's, Cumberland from 1952–1953 playing 12 times and scoring 3 tries. With 214 tries

Try

A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...

, Ivor Watts is second in Hull's all-time try scoring list, behind Clive Sullivan

Clive Sullivan

Clive A. Sullivan MBE was a Welsh rugby union and professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. A Great Britain and Wales international winger, he played with both Hull and Hull Kingston Rovers in his career, and also played for Oldham, and Doncaster...

 with 250 tries. Also he is Hull top try scorer for Local derby

Local derby

In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...

 matches against Hull Kingston Rovers with Kirk Yeaman

Kirk Yeaman

Kirk Yeaman is an English professional rugby league footballer for Hull FC of Super League. An England international representative centre three-quarter back, he also previously played for the Great Britain national rugby league team....

 just behind him.

Career highlights

• Played For Cumberland from 1952–1953
• Left- For Hull F.C. from 1945–1960
• Assistant Coach 1959–1970 for Hull F.C.
• Head Coach 1970–1971 for Hull F.C.

County cup appearances

Ivor Watts played, and scored a try

Try

A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...

, in Hull's 10-10 draw with Halifax

Halifax RLFC

Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...

 in the 1955–56 Yorkshire Cup

Rugby league county cups

Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...

final.