Birkenhead Park RFC

Billy Woof retires from coaching but finally gets 'young player of the year'

Outgoing Director of Rugby, Neil Shaw and coach Billy Woof have stepped down from their roles, a decision that was officially announced at the club's Awards Night last Friday.

Chairman and new DOR, Martin O'Keefe paid a glowing tribute to both men for their service while Neil Shaw reflected both on the season and his four year tenure as Director of Rugby citing the triumph of promotion and as well as the challenge of sustaining a remarkable second half of this 25/26 season.

Billy's own story was of course one of triumph over adversity after losing his lower leg in a promotion play off final against Penrith eight seasons ago. Billy won a backdated trophy "honorary young player of the year" (since he missed out 15 years ago) to mark his return to fitness and his service to Birkenhead Park as coach since. Billy wants to spend more rime with his young family and is combining that with a long term programme of athletic fitness liaising with former Park back row, Jason Torrance who is his personal trainer at Gravity gym. Inspirational!

We wish both Neil and Billy well and hope they return to the club soon to share a beer and join us for future events.

Looking into the future, the following also won awards for their contributions to season 25/26.  A word goes out to Alan Hughes who won the Loudest Heckler :-) Despite his gallant efforts, he did not quite outdo his fellow first team prop, Peter Doolan who won the Players' Player of the Year.

And the winners were:-

1sts
Player of year: Liam Isaacs
Players' Player: Pete Doolan
Young Player: Matthew Waddington
Wanderers
Player of Year: Richie Lloyd Jones
Players' Player: Will Tighe
Young Player: Freddie Sutton
3rds
Player of Year: Joe Kelly
Players Player: Charlie Davitt
Unsung Hero: Jack Smith

Young (ish) Player of the Year 2011: Billy Woof

Our Head of Marketing Keith Thompson, was awarded club colours 47 years after joining as a Colt and a fan of the Donker, Whalley, Haselhurst, Done, Corsi era ten years previous. Sincere thank you to Martin and the committee for the honour.