DOUG LAUGHTON, the former Great Britain backrower and captain and Widnes and Leeds coach, has died aged 80.
Born in Widnes, he played for St Helens and Wigan as well as his hometown club, and also had a spell in Australia with Canterbury-Bankstown. He was Man of Steel with Widnes in 1979.
Laughton played for Great Britain 15 times, featuring in the 1970 World Cup Final, won 12-7 by Australia.
A few months earlier, he had toured with the Lions, helping them win the Ashes through victories in Sydney after a first Test loss in Brisbane.
That team remains the last to deny the Kangaroos an Ashes series success.
In 1979, Great Britain coach Eric Ashton made Laughton his captain for the tour to Australia and New Zealand.
By that stage he was player-coach at Widnes, where he had three separate spells in charge, between 1978 and 1983, 1986 and 1991 and 1995 and 1997.
Laughton led the club to league titles in 1987-88 and 1988-89 (after which they won the World Club Challenge by beating Canberra Raiders 30-18 at Old Trafford) and Challenge Cup success in 1978-79 and 1980-81.
He was in charge at Leeds from 1991 to 1995.
While at Widnes he signed superstars Martin Offiah and Jonathan Davies from rugby union.
Offiah said: “I owe him so much for the opportunity he gave me to switch from rugby union with Widnes, and to create a legacy in Rugby League. Thank you Dougie.”
Davies said: “Doug was the one who convinced me to go to Rugby League, and had the faith that I could succeed, and I’ll always be grateful. He could spot a player – from Martin Offiah to Emosi Koloto – and we had some great times.”
