A PLAYER who featured in a Lancashire Cup Final draw and replay for Warrington Wolves has died this week at the age of 72.

One of Ray Clark’s 68 appearances in primrose and blue came in the 2-2 draw with St Helens in the county knockout showdown of October 7, 1967, and another was registered in the 13-10 replay loss two months later.

Clark, who was taken ill at his home in Moorside, Oldham, and died a few hours later in hospital on Monday, figured mainly at loose forward during his Wire spell.

After signing from Monks ARLFC, Clark made his debut in a 22-2 loss at Salford on March 25, 1966, and his last outing came in a Floodlit Trophy loss at St Helens on December 10, 1968.

He signed for Oldham from Warrington in an exchange deal that took the Watersheddings loose forward and vice-captain Arthur Hughes to Wilderspool.

Clarke, described as a larger-than-life character who is well known in Oldham as an active member of various strands of the rugby league community, played 95 matches for the Roughyeds.

He represented Lancashire against Yorkshire in a County Championship game at Leigh in 1971, while a £3,750 fee took Clark to Huddersfield a year later.

Clark’s passion for the sport was shared over 50 years with his wife Thelma from Warrington as he then coached at Swinton, Rochdale Hornets, Leigh and Mansfield Marksmen, as well as at several amateur clubs and with the BARLA under 19s team on their tour of New Zealand in 1983.