Peter Fox (Merged Threads)

[fieldofclothofgold]

Don't know if this is where we post obituaries, but RIP Petef Fox 

[Mumby Magic]

Think we should have a separate RL Obituary Thread to the AOB.

For me he helped set up the foundations for the Bulls that followed his tenure. He kept us on the last game of the season in the early 90's when I believe we were W1 L7 to start that season.

As some know I've been clearing some programmes and been glancing through some today that I'm keeping. (not knowing of his passing). I looked at some of the games we won and on paper we should never have  but that was Foxy for you.

RIP and Thank You

[Wolford6]

A great coach and a great character.

Condolences to his family.

[tonyXIII]

I met him once at a 'Sportsman's Dinner' in Whitby and he happily chatted with me for a while. Salford were due at Odsal a few days later and, when I told him I was a Salford fan, he smiled and said the game was such a foregone conclusion that he probably wouldn't even attend. Salford won, but it didn't matter one way or the other - I'd met a giant of our game and a true gentleman.

Rest in peace, Peter.

 

[Kirmonds pouch]

One of the last great coaches of the pre SL  era. A coach who knew the game at every level and it showed. 

Completely overshadowed by his two brothers as a player but undeterred he made it big as a coach something Neil and Don couldn’t, you have to admire that kind of drive.

RIP 

[Futtocks]

What a family! So long, Peter - you'll be missed.

[terrywebbisgod]

A great coach but more importantly a great man.

R.I.P Peter.

[Dave T]

One of the real faces and personalities of the game when I was first getting into it. 

Rest in Peace.

[Padge]

Condolences to family and friends. Great servant to the game, and respected throughout it. R.I.P.

[graveyard johnny]

harry gration just said "he called a spade a shovel" I offer my condolences and echo the sentiments above, top bloke.

[sentoffagain2]

   Very good coach who players used to PLAY for,he could always get the best out of players however talented they were.R.I.P. Peter.

[nkpom]

I remember listening to the BBC Radio commentary of the Lions famous victory over the Kangaroos in Melbourne 1992. We had the radio playing in our factory unit and huddled round occasionally doing some work.

We had blitzed the Kangaroos in the first half and Peter was almost in tears summing up what he was witnessing. He captured the way we were all feeling as this game unfolded, and his love for, and passion about, the game shone through.

A real Rugby League gent. RIP Peter Fox.

[Niels]

I remember him for taking Bramley to the first division. I think he moved to Bradford Northern though. However I really enjoyed the next season. I was only a boy but I went to home and away games in the top league, Wigan, Warrington etc.

He gave a lot of pleasure to the fans of Bramley. 

[Bartholemew Smythe]

RIP a true legend within the game.

[Kirmonds pouch]

2 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Very good coach who players used to PLAY for,he could always get the best out of players however talented they were.R.I.P. Peter.

Funny you should say that. Peter was not shy of his own ability and was happy to tell you so. I remember when he was at Fev and as I drove him and the then Fev chairman to some event Peter was bemoaning the fact that he had finally found a player he couldn’t coach - that was a player called Gary Rose.

He was in total disbelief that this could be so, his face was s picture. The Chairman who was fairly canny himself said in so many words that he’d better find a way because it was Peter who’d told him to sign Rose.

He knew that being told off by a bloody Chairman was more tha Foxy and his ego could bare and somehow for the rest of the season he did get Rose to play and play rather well.

Don’t think you get that kind of man management these days, that ability to turn base metal to gold. Ok Rose was never gold but you get the idea but many of the other players Peter coached most definitely were 18 carrot gold.

A genuinely great RL coach.

 

[Lounge Room Lizard]

RIP Peter. A real loss to the game knowledge wise.

[Trojan]

Peter brought the Challenge Cup to Fev and laid the basis for the dominant 70's Fev side.  He came back in '87 and got us promoted, he also took us to two Premiership semis and a Yorkshire Cup Final.  I've no doubt Paul Newlove would have turned into a great player anyway, but Peter developed him.  In "Peter Fox, The Players' Coach"  Peter says his dad, who was steward at Sharlston Miners Welfare Club, advised him never to work for a committee.  But he did at Fev (twice) and fell out with them (twice.)  He also, as GB coach, had his team selected for him by a committee, which he didn't like.  A great coach.  A great motivator.  Sad loss to the game.  That leaves just one Fox brother. Neil.  He may not be on the plinth at Wembley, but Wakefield Met have named a road after him. So he at least ranks with Clive Sullivan and Brian Bevan.

[The Future is League]

R I P Peter

[corvusxiii]

"Martin Offiah? Dun't need 'im, too much pace down middle t'field"! 9-7-1988.

[Bullseye]

Peter Fox was the coach as my time as a Northern fan. He won us an unprecedented two league titles in a row. I looked up to him enormously and used to pour over his programme notes and listen attentively to any word he uttered on the radio.

He had an amazing talent for getting the best out of average players. When I met him in person I could see why. He had an ability to make you feel good about yourself and his confidence in what he said made you feel confident too. You can see why players played above themselves for him. If you could bottle and sell that ability you’d be a millionaire.

I was disappointed when he left us in 1985 and overjoyed when he came back in 1992. Without doubt we would’ve gone down that year if it wasn’t for him. I remember he was newly arrived as coach and sat in the stand at Burnden Park when we got thrashed 71-10 by Wigan in the cup semi final and we looked doomed. Within weeks he’d sorted our defence out and bit by bit we got ourselves out of the mire, culminating in a heart stopping, nail biting 14-12 win at Hull KR that kept us up. Fox saved us without doubt. Nobody else could’ve got that kind of response from the players in such a short period of time. Within a couple of years we just missed out on the title on points difference. We had been transformed.

I remember it was back in 2008 when Peter was up at Odsal doing a book signing for his newly published biography in the club shop before the SL game versus HKR. I went in and there he was sat at a little table in the corner, all alone. A few people were hovering around but they looked a bit awe-struck. I went over and asked if he’d sign me a book. He couldn’t have been more charming. I said “It’s fitting you’re here today when we’re playing Hull KR because 16 years ago you coached us against them and kept us in the top flight.” He puffed his chest out, looked around and said “Aye! And there’s a few around here that have forgotten about that!” I was pleased to then see a few people come forward and re-assure him that hadn’t been forgotten at all. 

Looking at all the comments on social media you can see how admired, respected and loved Peter Fox was. He was a guru amongst coaches, a leader of men and Rugby League through and through. I must confess to having a lump in my throat writing this.  RIP Foxy, thanks a million, you were the best.

[Bulliac]

Peter was s terrific coach whose greatest attribute was probably his power of motivation; he turned average players into good ones, good ones into top ones and top ones into internationals. His ability to turn other club's 'cast-offs' into really solid performers was his trademark. Top coach and top man, RIP peter.

[Roy Boy]

RIP to a proper Rugby League Bloke

[Jinking Jimmy]

As a Lancastrian I will pay him the ultimate respect and describe him as a typical, likeable Yorkshireman who said it as he saw it. He was one of the old school characters and of course was part of one of the great rugby league families.

[Trojan]

1 hour ago, Bullseye said:

Peter Fox was the coach as my time as a Northern fan. He won us an unprecedented two league titles in a row. I looked up to him enormously and used to pour over his programme notes and listen attentively to any word he uttered on the radio.

He had an amazing talent for getting the best out of average players. When I met him in person I could see why. He had an ability to make you feel good about yourself and his confidence in what he said made you feel confident too. You can see why players played above themselves for him. If you could bottle and sell that ability you’d be a millionaire.

I was disappointed when he left us in 1985 and overjoyed when he came back in 1992. Without doubt we would’ve gone down that year if it wasn’t for him. I remember he was newly arrived as coach and sat in the stand at Burnden Park when we got thrashed 71-10 by Wigan in the cup semi final and we looked doomed. Within weeks he’d sorted our defence out and bit by bit we got ourselves out of the mire, culminating in a heart stopping, nail biting 14-12 win at Hull KR that kept us up. Fox saved us without doubt. Nobody else could’ve got that kind of response from the players in such a short period of time. Within a couple of years we just missed out on the title on points difference. We had been transformed.

I remember it was back in 2008 when Peter was up at Odsal doing a book signing for his newly published biography in the club shop before the SL game versus HKR. I went in and there he was sat at a little table in the corner, all alone. A few people were hovering around but they looked a bit awe-struck. I went over and asked if he’d sign me a book. He couldn’t have been more charming. I said “It’s fitting you’re here today when we’re playing Hull KR because 16 years ago you coached us against them and kept us in the top flight.” He puffed his chest out, looked around and said “Aye! And there’s a few around here that have forgotten about that!” I was pleased to then see a few people come forward and re-assure him that hadn’t been forgotten at all. 

Looking at all the comments on social media you can see how admired, respected and loved Peter Fox was. He was a guru amongst coaches, a leader of men and Rugby League through and through. I must confess to having a lump in my throat writing this.  RIP Foxy, thanks a million, you were the best.

All true, but Foxy's coaching would have been all for nowt, had Fev won that day at Wakey.

[DavidM]

Sad news indeed . Great character , rooted in his community and a league man to his bones . Don’t make them like that anymore . Condolences to his family