Quote: rubber duckie "Kiwi, Kelly Shelford had to be knocked up every Sunday otherwise he would sleep through and miss a game. More than that, the club had a key to go in and drag him up.
One Sunday it was said he was so hung over drunk that he was knocked up brought to the game sleeping in the car stinking of alcohol still drunk. Had no warm up went on to the pitch, was awarded the mom, went back into the changing rooms after the game, fell back asleep and when he woke up an hour later, didn't even know he played!'"
Kelly Shelford was a player from a different era.
I was a huge fan of his but it was noticeable that when Super League and full-time professionalism came in, he fell way off the pace and I remember he got a lot of stick from our fans in his final season which was a shame.
A few years later Widnes signed Owen Craigie who was generally ridiculed in the league but Craigie was out of the same mould as Kelly Shelford, the game now is too fast and relentless over 80 minutes for that type of player to make the impact they used to.
Lee Briers might not have been a robotic manufactured limited-ability-but-an-athlete halfback like so many, but he was able to thrive in the modern game because he kept himself fit enough to survive.
