Quick Facts
Biography
William "Bill" 'Happy' Holliday is a professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s, '60s and '70s, playing at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Whitehaven, Hull Kingston Rovers, Swinton and Rochdale Hornets, as a Prop, or Second-row, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.
Playing career
International honours
Bill Holliday won caps for Great Britain while at Whitehaven in 1964 against France, in 1965 against France, New Zealand (3 matches), while at Hull Kingston Rovers in 1966 against France, France (sub), and in 1967 against Australia (3 matches). Bill Holliday captained Great Britain in 1967 against Australia (3 matches).
County Cup final appearances
Bill Holliday played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11, in Hull Kingston Rovers' 25-12 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1966 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1966–67 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 15 October 1966, played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, in Hull Kingston Rovers' 8-7 victory over Hull in the 1967 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1967–68 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 14 October 1967, played Left-Second-row in Swinton's 11-2 victory over Leigh in the 1969 Lancashire Cup final during the 1969–70 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 1 November 1969, and played as an Interchange/Substitute, i.e. number 15, (replacing Second-row Rod Smith) in the 11-25 defeat by Salford in the 1972 Lancashire Cup final during the 1972–73 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 21 October 1972.
Player's No.6 Trophy final appearances
Bill Holliday played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, and scored 2-conversions in Rochdale Hornets' 16-27 defeat by Warrington in the 1973-74 Player's No.6 Trophy final during the 1973–74 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 9 February 1974.
Honoured at Whitehaven
Bill Holliday is a Whitehaven Hall of Fame inductee.
Genealogical information
Bill Holliday is the father of the rugby league footballer, Les Holliday, and the rugby league footballer of the 1980s for Swinton and Leigh, Mike Holliday.