Alex Laidlaw

Alexander Smith Laidlaw (13 August 1877 – 12 September 1933^[1]) was a Scottish dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer.^[2][3]

Alex Laidlaw

Birth name	Alexander Smith Laidlaw
Date of birth	(1877-08-13)13 August 1877
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Date of death	12 September 1933(1933-09-12) (aged 56)
Place of death	Bradford, England
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1897 Hawick () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1897 South of Scotland () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1897 Scotland 1 (0)
Rugby league career
Playing information
Position	Forward
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1898–1908 Bradford F.C. Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P Other Nationalities

Background

Alex Laidlaw was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he was the landlord of The Prospect Hotel public house, 527 Bolton Road, Bradford, and he died aged 56 in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Rugby union career

Laidlaw played rugby union for Hawick.^[4] He was capped by South of Scotland District in their match against North of Scotland District on 11 December 1897.^[4] He earned one cap for Scotland in a victory over Ireland during the 1897 Home Nations Championship.^[2]

Rugby league career

Laidlaw later played rugby league for Bradford F.C. (now Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.), signing in 1898,^[5] and representative level rugby league (RL) for Other Nationalities, as a forward.

Alex Laidlaw played as a forward in Bradford FC's 5–0 victory over Salford in the Championship tiebreaker during the 1903–04 season at Thrum Hall, Hanson Lane, Halifax on Thursday 28 April 1904, in front of a crowd of 12,000.^[6][7]

Alex Laidlaw played as a forward and scored a try in Bradford F.C.'s 5–0 victory over Salford in the 1906 Challenge Cup Final during the 1905–06 season at Headingley, Leeds, on Saturday 28 April 1906, in front of a crowd of 15,834.^[8]

References

1. "Death details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
2. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
3. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
4. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000295/18971213/167/0007 – via British Newspaper Archive. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
5. "Scotland Rugby League International Honours Board". Sport Network.
6. Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 9 – 1903–04". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
7. "1903/04 Northern Union Champions". rlhp.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
8. "1906 Challenge Cup winning team". rlhp.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.

External links

• [http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1432 Image "1903/04 Northern Union Champions – Bradford were Northern Union champions for the first time in the season 1903/04. They beat Salford 5–0 in a play off at Thrum Hall, Halifax. – Date: 28/04/1904 – Players: Back row: Robson (trainer), Sinton, Heseltine, Sharratt. Middle row: Hutt, Barker, Greenwood, Smales, Feather, Mosby, Eagers. Front row: Dunbavin, Gunn, Rees, Marsden, Turner, Laidlaw, Dechan. On ground: Surman, Brear" at rlhp.co.uk]
• [http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1433 Image "1906 Challenge Cup winning team – Bradford beat Salford to win the Challenge Cup in 1906 at Headingley. – Date: 28/04/1906 – Players: Back row: Hoyle (Secretary), Greenwood, Connell, Feather, Smales, Francis, Grayson, Walton, Mosby, Surman, Rees, Farrell (Trainer). Middle row: Gunn, Sharratt, Dechan, Marsden, Turner, Laidlaw, Mann. Front row: Dunbavin, Heseltine, Brear." at rlhp.co.uk]
• [http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1431 Image "Alex Laidlaw – A Scot, Alex Laidlaw played for his native country before joining Bradford where he played from 1898 to 1908. – Date: 01/01/1897" at rlhp.co.uk]