Quote: The Dentist Wilf "Thanks for reminding me for anyone who is interested here is what I gleaned about an iconic individual who is still one of the first players to be mentioned when folks who watched the Clubs in the 40's talk of the post war years.
".....this week, before returning to more normal features, I want to honour my old Mum who passed away back in 1979. When other kids were hearing Grimm’s fairy tales and the adventures of Noddy at bedtime, it’s pretty likely young Wilf was receiving my nightly repeat of Mums exploits, as she followed her beloved Hull FC in the post war era. If one name came to the fore then it would probably have been that of Bruce Ryan, who played just before I was born with his 84 games spanning the three seasons between 1947 and 1950.
My research this week in old copies of the Hull Daily Mail at the History Centre in Hull painted a picture of a total athlete who was an Australian sprint Champion, and who as a Rugby League player complimented that amazing pace with a body swerve that was famous throughout the game. His dark hair and film star looks obviously made him a big hit with the lady supporters of the day (including my Mum), and in a post war era of austerity he was just the hero that the community was looking for. He was along with hooker George Watt, Duncan Jackson and Ces Fifield, one of several Australians that the Club brought in just after the war to spice up the appeal of the game at the Boulevard, Bruce cost £1750 and is remembered by everyone who saw him play.
Reading Sportman’s Say in the Green Sports Mail, the letters column back then, it quickly became apparent to me that although a great hero his dislike of training and love of a full social life and the local ladies, saw Bruce probably never reach his full potential. At 5ft 10 inches and weighing just 13 stone he was certainly a big hit and that after shunning the opportunity to represent Australia at sprinting, having been picked for the 1940 Olympics which were cancelled due to the war. In fact, he held the Australian record for the 100 and 200 yards that same year. His reputation certainly went before him and a crowd of over 4000 stood twenty deep at the barriers and right across the concourse of Paragon Station to greet him when he arrived in Hull. It was the start of a three year love affair between the fans and Bruce Ryan and the fans weren’t to be disappointed.
Bruce scored a walk in effort in his first match, the opening game of the 1947 season, when Hull beat Castleford 27-15 but his famous double swerve came to the fore as he scored the only try in the next game at Dewsbury, and from then on he was a hero. Better was to come with Ryan’s try against the New Zealand Tourists a few weeks later having the whole City talking. The Sports Mail that night displayed the Headline ‘Ryan the Express’ after the winger had run 80 yards and swerved in and out through 7 defenders to score in the corner at the Best Stand/Gordon Street end, in what was then forever to be known as Ryan’s Corner. It was one of the best tries ever seen at the Boulevard. That first season Bruce scored 24 tries in 26 appearances and the press had a field day, so much so that the editor of the Hull Daily Mail revealed a few months later that he had received a request from Ryan to ‘tone it down a bit’. But everyone likes a hero!! He was without doubt our number one strike player and it’s said that Coach Eddie Caswell always finished his team talks with, ‘Get it to Ryan!’.
Off the field Bruce was a sharp dresser and fashion icon of the times, working as he did at Hector Powe the Tailors in Hull City Centre. My father-in-law tells a great story of how he would be training for Cottingham on a Sunday when Bruce, surrounded by a bevy his admirers, would turn up to watch from the touchline. Apparently despite wearing a 3 piece Savile Row suit and starched white shirt he would soon have his jacket off and be out on the pitch catching the muddy ball and coaching the Cottingham lads. He was without doubt a real celebrity and a blooming good player, who scored 60 tries in just 84 appearances for Hull FC.
Despite this, sadly, as is often the case with talented wingers, Ryan consistently seemed to be starved of quality ball and in 1949 the Club signed Roy Francis a pacey centre who they hoped would improve the service to Bruce, however the pair only played one game together. Ryan was injured in that game and by the time he had recovered he had been transferred to Leeds. Although at first they put up with his antics off the field, it seems the play boy image and Bruce’s dislike of training finally got to the Board. The writing was already on the wall a few weeks earlier when he was suspended for two games after missing the train to a game at Wigan.
However it is for his try scoring exploits that he’ll be remembered and my Mums stories of him haring down the Threepenny Stand side of the ground, holding the ball in one hand above his head, while he swerved round ‘would be’ tacklers, still paints a vivid picture in my imagination. I never saw him play, but mother’s recollections passed on to me as child were the next best thing! So, you see we have always been plagued with players who thought they were celebrities, the difference here being that in Bruce’s case, there is little doubt that he was one. Those who saw him play were indeed privileged and it’s a pity that the sanitised state of the modern game seems to deem that these sorts of personalities and stars are no more....mores I thinks, the pity!"'"
The line " in a post war period of austerity he was just the hero that the community was looking for" is so true. After the pounding Hull took during the war the emergence of sporting icons for the Hull public was good therapy after those dark years. Ryan was the first and Raich Carter followed for Hull City giving the whole city a lift.
After Ryan left and Carter rode off into the sunset in the early fifties, another personality emerged and played very briefly with Ryan. He went on to coach FC in a golden era starting in the mid-fifties. His name was Roy Francis and if we are to name a coach for the 150 years greatest team he is an obvious candidate.
Briefly back to Hull City. Next season will see them start their Centenary year of competition in the Football League.
