Darryl Van de Velde RIP

[Gomersall]

RIP Darryl.

Edited February 27, 2024 by Gomersall

[JohnM]

 Bloody hell! No age at all! It comes as a shock when contemporaries such as he pass away.

[Gooleboy]

He did well for Cas. Moving Steadman to full back paid dividends. Sad news. RIP.

[Just Browny]

RIP. Rugby was never dull when he was around.

[Damien]

Obviously an Aussie but he was a big name in the 1990s UK coaching scene and coached in England for almost 15 years. This topic title immediately took me back to that quality Cas team that got to Wembley and demolished Wigan in the Regal Trophy final. RIP

[Griff]

3 hours ago, JohnM said:

 Bloody hell! No age at all! It comes as a shock when contemporaries such as he pass away.

I'm finding it happening more and more often.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

12 minutes ago, Griff said:

I'm finding it happening more and more often.

Me too. Very sad news, he was Cas' first full time coach (apparently Mal Reilly was a brewery rep with Tetley's).

[Gooleboy]

1 hour ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Me too. Very sad news, he was Cas' first full time coach (apparently Mal Reilly was a brewery rep with Tetley's).

Reilly worked for John Smiths not Tetley's.

[Anita Bath]

2 hours ago, Damien said:

Obviously an Aussie but he was a big name in the 1990s UK coaching scene and coached in England for almost 15 years. This topic title immediately took me back to that quality Cas team that got to Wembley and demolished Wigan in the Regal Trophy final. RIP

Not just an Aussie…a ‘Queenslander’. Started his coaching career at Redcliffe Dolphins

Very sad….condolences to his family and friends

[unapologetic pedant]

Some Aussies really take to the culture of English RL. Embrace both the similarities and contrasts with home. Always got the impression from Darryl that he was firmly in that category. Coaching Castleford wasn't just a job.

Remember reading about a player from yesteryear who named his daughter Leigh after a stint over here.

[unapologetic pedant]

6 hours ago, Damien said:

Obviously an Aussie but he was a big name in the 1990s UK coaching scene and coached in England for almost 15 years. This topic title immediately took me back to that quality Cas team that got to Wembley and demolished Wigan in the Regal Trophy final. RIP

Cas should bring back their early 90s jersey.

[EastLondonMike]

Sad news. Turned that Cas team into a real dangerous side. RIP Darryl

[DavidM]

Very sad , always came across as a knowledgable and amiable chap 

[ATLANTISMAN]

Sad yet another legend i have had 3 rugby league friends pass away recently, makes it more sad when they are on ones linkedin or what's app seeing their faces and messages 

Great guy did a fantastic job at Cas RIP

 

P 

[graveyard johnny]

32 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Cas should bring back their early 90s jersey.

they should bring back their early 90s players!  great coach who had an obvious passion for the game - very sad

[meast]

10 hours ago, Gomersall said:

RIP Darryl.

RIP

I had some of the best days of my life whilst watching his Huddersfield coached side.

 

[Dave T]

RIP. 

No age really. 

[daz39]

RIP Darryl, a very good coach for numerous clubs including my own.

It could be argued he laid the foundations for our return to the top flight of the sport and a big part in the awakening of a sleeping giant, he managed to bring players with such quality as Garry Schofield, Greg Mackey and Phil Veivers to the 2nd divison.

He put together a quality team in the Claret and Gold before moving on.

[OMEGA]

A very good coach in his time and seemed to be a very genuine bloke

sad to hear that he’s gone

RIP

[corvusxiii]

I remember being in The Ship in Cas when rumours that this newly arrived DV² was in the building. "So where's this Darryl bloke then?" I bellowed. This guy looked only very slightly to one side. ".........er...Hello Darryl".

I remember Martin Ketteridge complaining about him, He'd stop for 5 seconds to moan about DV² and from the far end of the field  "Come on Betty- keep going". He could read your mind from 100m away.

[Padge]

One of the good guys from Oz. R.I.P. Daryll

[Wolford6]

On 27/02/2024 at 11:55, Gooleboy said:

Reilly worked for John Smiths not Tetley's.

Perhaps he only told people he worked for Tetley's.

Understandable.

[Jinking Jimmy]

I met him when he was CEO of the South Queensland Crushers in 1994. I was in Brisbane for the Wigan WCC game and had been asked to take a highlights tape of a player to show him. I was invited up to his office and had a good chat with him. He was a really friendly man and gave me a Crushers sweat shirt as a souvenir. Out of interest the player concerned wasn’t invited over but went on to have a very good career in Super League.

Edited February 29, 2024 by Jinking Jimmy

[Leeds Wire]

He once stepped off the pitch and walked amongst the away fans at Belle Vue after a particularly bad Wire performance. 

He just walked through the away fans, chatting and apologising. I've never seen anything like it. 

Massive respect, he didn't hide and actually did the opposite.