Terry Clawson

Terence A. "Terry" Clawson (9 April 1940 – 2 September 2013) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played as a Prop, or Second-row. During a long career that spanned four decades, Clawson played at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Bradford Northern, Leeds, Hull Kingston Rovers, Oldham, York, Wakefield Trinity and Hull and also played in Australia.
Clawson played at representative level for Great Britain between 1962 and 1974, and was part of the 1972 Rugby League World Cup winning squad.

Playing career

Featherstone Rovers

Clawson started his career at Featherstone Rovers, making his début aged 17 against Bramley in December 1957. He won his first club trophy in 1959, playing in the 1959 Yorkshire Cup final win against Hull. In 1963, it was discovered that Clawson had contracted tuberculosis, threatening to bring his rugby league career to an end. He made a full recovery however, although he missed the majority of the 1963–64 season.

Bradford Northern

In January 1965, Clawson was transferred to Bradford Northern for a fee believed to be just over £3,000. He appeared in over 130 games for Bradford, scoring more than 500 points.

Terry Clawson played Right-Second-row, i.e. number 12, and scored 4-conversions in Bradford Northern's 17–8 victory over Hunslet in the 1965 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1965–66 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 16 October 1965.

Hull Kingston Rovers

In October 1968, Hull KR signed Clawson in an exchange deal which saw Geoff Wriglesworth and Frank Foster join Bradford Northern. He went to make 111 appearances for the club before joining Leeds in 1971.

Leeds

Clawson played for Leeds in the 1972 Challenge Cup final during the 1971–72 season at Wembley Stadium, but ended up on the losing side in a 13–16 defeat to St Helens. A week later, he played and scored three conversions in Leeds 9–5 victory over St Helens in the Championship final during the 1971–72 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 20 May 1972, and was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy for his man of the match performance.

Clawson played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, (replaced by Interchange/Substitute Tony Fisher) and scored 5-conversions in Leeds' 36–9 victory over Dewsbury in the 1972 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1972–73 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 7 October 1972, and played Right-Prop, i.e. number 10, in the 7–2 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1973 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1973–74 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 20 October 1973.

Clawson played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, and scored 2-conversions in Leeds' 12–7 victory over Salford in the 1972–73 Player's No.6 Trophy final during the 1972–73 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 24 March 1973.

Clawson later joined Oldham.

Later career

Clawson spent 12 months at Oldham before moving on to York. He went to have second spells at Bradford Northern and Featherstone Rovers, and also played for Wakefield Trinity, Huddersfield and Hull, where he played his final game in 1980, aged 40.

Australian career

During the 1970s Clawson captained-coached in Australia's Newcastle Rugby League with the Souths club. He was later named in a South Newcastle team of the century in 2010.

International honours

Terry Clawson won caps for Great Britain while at Featherstone Rovers in 1962 against France (2 matches), while at Leeds in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, France and Australia, while at Oldham in 1973 against Australia (3 matches), and in 1974 against France (2 matches), Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches).

Personal life

Terry Clawson is the father of the rugby league strength and conditioning coach Martin Clawson, and former Featherstone Rovers and Oldham player Neil Clawson.

Clawson worked as a coal miner both during and after his playing career. In 2000, he released an autobiography, titled All The Wrong Moves.