Geoff Oakes
{{short description|English rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2011}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Geoff Oakes
|fullname = Geoffrey Oakes
|image =
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|05|20|df=y}}
|birth_place = Belle Vue, Wakefield, England
|death_date =
|height =
|weight =
|position = {{rlp|HK}}
|club1 = Wakefield Trinity
|year1start = 1958
|year1end = 68
|appearances1 = 197
|tries1 = 8
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 24
|club2 = Warrington
|year2start = 1964
|year2end = 67
|appearances2 = 47+1
|tries2 = 1
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 3
|club3 = Wakefield Trinity
|year3start = 1967
|year3end = 68
|appearances3 =
|tries3 =
|goals3 =
|fieldgoals3 =
|points3 =
|retired = yes
|source = {{Rugby league records |id=23571 |title=Geoff Oakes |access-date=9 March 2025}}
}}
Geoffrey "Geoff" Oakes (born 20 May 1938{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=ztSDe8CrO9YdLB679Vexrg&scan=1|title=Birth details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at club level for Wakefield Trinity (two spells) and Warrington as a {{rlp|hk}}.
Background
Geoff Oakes was born in Belle Vue, Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he worked at Walton Colliery {{circa|1960}}.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Playing career
=Championship final appearances=
Geoff Oakes played {{rlp|hk}} in Wakefield Trinity's 3–27 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1959–60 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 21 May 1960,{{cite web |date=31 December 2011 |title=1959–1960 Championship Final |url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=438 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925161028/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=438 |archive-date=2006-09-25 |accessdate=1 January 2012 |publisher=wigan.rlfans.com}} and played {{rlp|hk}} in the 5–14 defeat by Huddersfield in the Championship Final during the 1961–62 season at Headingley Stadium at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 19 May 1962.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
=Challenge Cup Final appearances=
Geoff Oakes played {{rlp|hk}} in Wakefield Trinity's 38–5 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final during the 1959–60 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 14 May 1960{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}, and played {{rlp|hk}} in the 12–6 victory over Huddersfield in the 1961–62 Challenge Cup Final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1962.Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC — FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. {{ISBN|1-85983-429-9}}
=County Cup Final appearances=
Geoff Oakes played {{rlp|hk}} in Wakefield Trinity's 16–10 victory over Huddersfield in the 1960–61 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960, and played {{rlp|hk}} in Warrington's 16–5 victory over Rochdale Hornets in the 1965–66 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1965–66 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Friday 29 October 1965.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
=Club career=
Geoffrey Oakes, Reg Parker and Harold Poynton made their début for Wakefield Trinity in the 17–12 victory over St. Helens at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 1 February 1958{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}, he made his début for Warrington on Saturday 21 November 1964, and played his last game for Warrington on Wednesday 28 September 1966.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Biography
Oakes played soccer as a goalkeeper at Thornes House Grammar School and started playing rugby at age 16.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
In 1955, he played two matches for Yorkshire Amateurs U-18 against Lancashire and Cumberland whilst with the Trinity Juniors and signed for Wakefield Trinity in 1956 and remained with Trinity until 1964.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} Oakes made his first team appearance with Harold Poynton and Reg Parker in 1958 against St Helens.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} He played in two winning Wembley finals, two championship finals and one Yorkshire Cup.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
He signed for Warrington in 1964 and whilst there won a Lancashire Cup winners medal.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} In 1967 he returned to Wakefield and retired in 1968 after breaking a leg in a match against St Helens, missing the "water splash" final, having played in all previous rounds.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Oakes's other sporting interest is golf, and he is a former member and the past captain of the City of Wakefield Golf Club.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} He played in many pro-ams around the world, winning 25 events including Monaco, Trinidad and Tobago, Acapulco and Biarritz.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} Professionals played alongside included Mike Slater, Hedley Muscroft, Ronan Rafferty, Paul Carrigill, Bill Ferguson and local professional Adrian Ambler.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Oakes also became interested in Horse Riding and took part in one day hunter trials, winning at Heath, Wakefield and hunted several times with Rockwood and Badsworth hunts.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
While owning the Quarry Inn, Horbury, he improved his cooking skills and continues to do so in retirement.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
=Family=
Geoff has two adult children, and two grandchildren.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/search/?q=oakes Search for "Oakes" at rugbyleagueproject.org]
- [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/rugby-league-cup-final-4/query/Wakefield+Win+Cup Rugby League Cup Final 1960]
- [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/wakefield-win-cup/query/Wakefield+Win+Cup Wakefield Win Cup 1962]
- [http://wolvesplayers.thisiswarrington.co.uk/martini/results.asp?txtName=Oakes Statistics at wolvesplayers.thisiswarrington.co.uk] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511012606/http://wolvesplayers.thisiswarrington.co.uk/martini/results.asp?txtName=Oakes |date=11 May 2018 }}
{{Wakefield Trinity - 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Wakefield Trinity - 1961–62 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oakes, Geoffrey}}
Category:English rugby league players
Category:Rugby league players from Wakefield
Category:Wakefield Trinity players