ROD TICKLE (November 25, 1943 – October 15, 2026)

JAMES RODNEY ‘ROD’ TICKLE had pace aplenty – and used it to telling effect both as a winger for Leigh and on the old professional running circuit in the north of England and Scotland.

Tickle, who has died aged 82, impressed with Warrington’s Colts side before signing for Leigh in 1962.

He went on to notch 114 tries in 284 games up to 1973, one of them in the 11-6 win over Wigan in the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final of 1969-70, which was played at Central Park.

Tickle, from Newton-le-Willows, had crossed in the 1967-68 final against Castleford, but the Yorkshire side won 8-5 at Headingley.

He also lifted the Lancashire Cup with Leigh, 7-4 against St Helens at Station Road in 1970-71, having also figured in the previous season’s final, which Swinton won 11-2 at Central Park.

But a hamstring injury meant Tickle missed out on the notable 24-7 Wembley win over Leeds in the 1970-71 Challenge Cup final, when Stuart Ferguson and Joe Walsh took the wing berths.

He represented both Great Britain Under 24s and Lancashire and was awarded a testimonial by Leigh before ending his career with a season (1973-74) at Rochdale.

Tickle was runner-up to Carlisle’s Eddie Cain in the 1967 version of the Powderhall Sprint, a famous 110-metre handicap race taking its name from the former Edinburgh stadium.

The event, established in 1870, is now known as the New Year Sprint and will next be staged at Musselburgh Racecourse.

Tickle’s former Leigh team-mate, Tony Barrow, said on Facebook: “I had the pleasure of playing centre to Rod on many occasions. We became great mates, on and off the field. I and so many people will miss him. He was such a likeable bloke.”