Welsh rugby league footballer and coach (1911–1994)
Gus Risman
Personal information
Full name
Augustus John Ferdinand Risman
Born
(1911-03-21)21 March 1911 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales
Died
17 October 1994(1994-10-17) (aged 83) Whitehaven, England
Playing information
Position
Fullback, Centre, Stand-off
Club
Years
Team
Pld
T
G
FG
P
1929–46
Salford
427
143
789
2007
(guest)
→ Leeds
12
6
27
0
72
(guest)
Bradford Northern
9
4
3
0
18
(guest)
→ Hunslet
2
0
1
0
2
(guest)
→ Dewsbury
31
15
55
0
155
1946–54
Workington Town
301
33
716
0
1531
1954
Batley
9
0
20
0
40
Total
791
201
1611
0
3825
Representative
Years
Team
Pld
T
G
FG
P
1933
Northern RL
1
0
2
0
4
1930–31
Glamorgan
3
2
0
0
6
1931–45
Wales
18
5
6
0
27
1932–46
Great Britain
18
2
12
0
30
Coaching information
Club
Years
Team
Gms
W
D
L
W%
1946–54
Workington Town
Whitehaven
Oldham
1954–58
Salford
1964–71
Bradford Northern
Total
0
0
0
0
Source: [1][2][3][4]
Augustus "Gus" John Ferdinand Risman (21 March 1911 – 17 October 1994) was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s through to the 1950s,[1] and coached in the 1940s through to the 1970s.
A devastating three-quarter who also played at fullback, and stand-off, Risman was born in Cardiff, brought up in Barry where he went to Barry County School, and played rugby union in South Wales as a schoolboy before being offered a trial by Salford.
He made his début for Salford on 31 August 1929 and went on to enjoy great success with the club. He won 17 caps for Great Britain and finished his career at Workington Town, remarkably leading them to Rugby League Challenge Cup glory as player-coach at the age of 41 in 1952.[5] He retired as a player in 1954 after a career spanning 25 years. Risman captained the 1946 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia's "Indomitable"s side.[6]
Risman later coached Whitehaven, Oldham and Bradford Northern, and was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 1988. Gus Risman's son, Bev Risman also became an accomplished rugby league footballer. As a tribute, one of the newly created streets in Workington's regenerated town centre is named Risman Place.
^ ab"Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
^"Player Summary: Gus Risman". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
^Gate, Robert (2003). Rugby League Hall of Fame. Stroud: Tempus. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-7524-2693-8.
^"Statistics at rugbyleague.wales". rugbyleague.wales. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
^"Cup final facts". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 11 May 2004. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
^Baker, Andrew (20 August 1995). "100 years of rugby league: From the great divide to the Super era". The Independent. Independent Print. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
Augustus "Gus" John Ferdinand Risman (21 March 1911 – 17 October 1994) was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s through...
English rugby union and rugby league footballer GusRisman (1911–1994), Welsh rugby league footballer John Risman (born 1944), President of Scotland Rugby League...
for Great Britain. Bev Risman was born in Salford, Lancashire, England. Risman was the son of the rugby league player GusRisman, the older brother of...
to fourth place in the table with virtually the same set of players. GusRisman was talent-spotted by Lance Todd, when he was 17 years old. He made his...
able to make amends in the return leg and progress to the second round. GusRisman joined Workington Town as player-coach in August 1946 when they had been...
to be honoured with a new statue in Cardiff Bay, the other two being GusRisman and Clive Sullivan. The statue was unveiled in July 2023. "Birth details...
with a new statue in Cardiff Bay, the other two being Billy Boston and GusRisman. The statue was unveiled in July 2023. In April 2021, Sullivan was honoured...
- Jack Gore 1928-36 - Alf Middleton 1920s - Billy Williams 1937-46 - GusRisman 1960s - Les Bettinson 1967-79 - David Watkins 1967-79 - Chris Hesketh...
five caps, tries, goals, or points scorers for England. Although both GusRisman, and Jim Sullivan were Welsh, they are British Rugby League Hall of Fame...
in Welsh rugby league history with great players such as Jim Sullivan, GusRisman, Alan Edwards and Alec Givvons featuring. In 1935 Welsh rugby league would...
depicting Rugby League legends Martin Offiah, Alex Murphy, Eric Ashton, GusRisman and Billy Boston. In 2011, International rugby league returned to Wembley...
- Jack Gore 1928-36 - Alf Middleton 1920s - Billy Williams 1937-46 - GusRisman 1960s - Les Bettinson 1967-79 - David Watkins 1967-79 - Chris Hesketh...
1961–62 Jimmy Ledgard 1962–63 Harry Beverley 1963 Jack Wilkinson 1964–71 GusRisman 1971–72 Harry Street 1973–75 Ian Brooke 1975 Albert Fearnley 1975–77 Roy...
Fame 1988 Billy Batten Brian Bevan Billy Boston Alex Murphy Jonty Parkin GusRisman Albert Rosenfeld Jim Sullivan Harold Wagstaff 1989 Neil Fox 2000 Vince...
Max Rousié, England's Eric Ashton, Harold Wagstaff and Neil Fox, Wales' GusRisman and Australia's Reg Gasnier, H "Dally" Messenger, Dave Brown, Jim Craig...
v t e Workington Town coaches GusRisman (1946-54) Jim Brough (1955-58) Ike Southward (1968) Eppie Gibson (1971-73) Ike Southward (1973–75) Paul Charlton...
New Zealand including one test match against New Zealand. Captained by GusRisman, the Lions returned home having won 21, drawn 1 and lost 5 of their games...
John Risman is the son of the rugby league footballer GusRisman, and the younger brother of the rugby union, and rugby league footballer Bev Risman. "Statistics...
grounds New Barnes The Willows Salford Community Stadium Hall of Fame GusRisman Martin Offiah League Super League Championships (6) 1913–14 1932–33 1936–37...
coaches Jack Kitching (1948) Billy Little (1950) Neville Emery (1951-56) GusRisman (195?) Eppie Gibson (1957-62) Jim Brough (1962) Ike Southward (1968) Sol...
Jimmy Ledgard (1961–62) Harry Beverley (1962–63) Jack Wilkinson (1963) GusRisman (1964–71) Harry Street (1971–72) Ian Brooke (1973–75) Roy Francis (1975–77)...
Jenkins, Alf Middleton, Sammy Miller, Harold Osbaldestin, Les Pearson, GusRisman, Billy Watkins and Billy Williams. Middleton played right-second-row in...
Richardson fullback, scrum-half 256-matches 1976…86 (Testimonial match 1986) GusRisman Darren Rogers E. Rogers circa-1920 Ron Rylance Derrick Schofield Charlie...
Jimmy Ledgard (1961–62) Harry Beverley (1962–63) Jack Wilkinson (1963) GusRisman (1964–71) Harry Street (1971–72) Ian Brooke (1973–75) Roy Francis (1975–77)...
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