Graham Liptrot, who played 387 times for the Saints as a hooker, from 1973-88 was inducted into the St. Helens Players’ Association Hall of Fame on Sunday.
Graham becomes the 58th member of the Hall of Fame, which includes such luminaries as Alex Murphy, Tom van Vollenhoven, Sean Long, Paul Sculthorpe MBE and George Nicholls amongst others.
Graham’s achievements for the club include winning the Premiership and Lancashire Cup finals. He played twice at Wembley and was desperately unlucky to finish on the losing side on both occasions.
A county representative, he went on to full England international honours and was selected for the 1979 Australian tour.
It is perhaps true to say that he was the last of the ‘traditional’ number nines for Saints who would hook the ball out of the scrum for his side with regularity. He had great hands and a prolific work rate, although his career was dogged by injury at times. But for that he would surely have made more than 400 appearances for the club.
Graham received his commemorative photograph from his former team-mate and captain, Harry Pinner and was clearly delighted with his induction.
“It was one of the worst moments of my life when I had to retire from playing rugby,” he reflected. “I was 33 but to be a local lad playing for his home town team always meant something really special for me.”
