Tony was the coach of Shire Horse (where he was also head doorman) on Ferensway when I started playing open age rugby. He was a huge man with the broadest cockney accent I’d ever heard this side of Watford Gap. I’m also led to believe he also worked as a Gas Rigger at Hull docks.
He would never train himself but flogged us to death. He never had any hang ups about his colour either (I guess that came from working on the doors). In fact I remember a really funny occasion during training when he was giving us a real beasting. One of the lads was out on his feet when Tony told him to do another set of sprints. The lad replied “you f**king b****rd” to which Banham replied “that’s you f**king black b****rd to you son.”
Every Saturday he would start a game telling the rest of the team that he would play the first 20 mins to “soften ‘em up a bit”. Talk about bringing the biff back!! But the problem with that was once he’d gone off the rest of us would feel the backlash! So we held a players meeting before training one night and it was unanimously decided that if Tony wanted to play he a) had to train b) had to play more game time and c) stop beating people up. But the problem then came that no one dare tell him. In the end it fell to the team captain and another one of the lads Ian T (who also worked the doors with Tony) to tell him. Shall we just say he didn’t take it very well? Tony wasn’t going to be dictated to and told us all that it was his way or no way. He walked out on the team that same night and never came back.
Although as rough as they come he was always the perfect gentleman when ladies were about.
I believe he died of a heart attack but apologises if this is not correct.
A great man sadly missed.

From the book Old Faithful A History of Hull Football Club 1865-1987 by Bill Dalton. Glad it was helpful to you

I knew Tony quite well but I can never recall him being relaxed about anyone else mentioning his skin colour.

I remember reffing him in an amateur game at NEGAS down Clough Road. A scrum had broken up and I clearly heard (as did Tony), one of hsi opponents call him a "black b***ard". Tony went for this guy and I stupidly got myself in between them. I faced Banham and told him the guy had called him a "fat b***ard" and even he couldn't deny that fact. Although it seemed to calm him down, I knew it wasn't the end of the matter. Sure enough, about 10 minutes later I heard a scream from behind me, I turned to see Tonay walking away (with an angelic look on his face), from the prone figure of the gobe, who was in no condition to take any further part in the game.

Tony was like most of the other hard men to referee, you just had to work a bit harder and be constantly talking to them.

"Another Bloody Sunday" is in about 6 parts on that famous video sharing website and is well worth watching, especially as Yorkshire TV have no intention of ever screening it again.

i had that once


JOE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !@EHE*(TY@)ERYG)E(_E

would anyone make comparisons between Tony's playing style and a player in today's game? eg. Lauiititi or Paleaaesina?

or was he just totally unique in everything?

More in the Sam Moa mould.

I remeber him scoring a try at Warrington in a cup game at the time it was a close game Hull just won thanks to Tony

I remember playing amateur soccer for Paull Wanderers in the early 80's - We turned up at Costello and started getting changed in a white wooden hut which was meant for a certain rugby team, but we thought we were "tough". When the rugby team turned up and told us to shift we said jokingly "we were here first" until we saw TB amongst them and decided we'd probably be better getting changed outside!!

Tony also played football for a local club although I forget which one but they played on Frome Road playing fields on Longhill. I was a referee and Tony was in goal one day, he called me sir all the way through the game.

Tony also used to take his family in Bay Horse on Wincolmlee for Sunday Dinner when Colin Cooper was the landlord. He was a perfect gentleman in such surroundings, but still commanded respect.

As Cod'ead suggested earlier watch all about Tony on the video site and search Another Bloody Sunday. You'll learn a lot about him from that!

Tremendous piece of film making.

Would recommend anyone who has never seen it before to take an hour out and watch it.....you won't regret it