Harold Osbaldestin
{{short description|English rugby league footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Harold Osbaldestin
|fullname = Harold Osbaldestin
|nickname =
|image =
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date = 20 February 1909
|birth_place = Whelley, Wigan, England
|death_date = September 1955 (aged 46)
|death_place = Salford, England
|weight =
|position = {{rlp|FB}}
|club1 = Wigan Highfield
|year1start = 1926
|year1end = 29
|appearances1 = 96
|tries1 =
|goals1 =
|fieldgoals1 =
|points1 =
|club2 = Dewsbury
|year2start = 1929
|year2end = 31
|appearances2 = 74
|tries2 =
|goals2 =
|fieldgoals2 =
|points2 =
|club3 = Salford
|year3start = 1931
|year3end = 39
|appearances3 = 271
|tries3 = 25
|goals3 = 48
|fieldgoals3 =
|points3 = 171
|teamA = Lancashire
|yearAstart = 1933
|yearAend = 35
|appearancesA = 4
|triesA = 0
|goalsA = 2
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 4
|retired = yes
|source ={{cite book|last=Morris|first=Graham|title=100 Greats: Salford Rugby League Club|year=2001|publisher=Tempus|location=Stroud|isbn=978-0-7524-2196-4|pages=94–95}}{{Rugby league records |id=19293 |title=Harold Osbaldestin |access-date=1 January 2024}}
}}
Harold Osbaldestin (20 February 1909 – September 1955) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. He played at club level for Salford, as a {{rlp|fb}}.
Background
Harold Osbaldestin was born in Whelley, Wigan, Lancashire, England, and he died aged 46 in Swinton, Lancashire, England.
Playing career
=Salford=
Osbaldestin debuted for Salford in October 1931.{{cite web |title=Heritage |url=https://www.salfordreddevils.com/heritage/ |website=Salford Red Devils |access-date=27 April 2025}} During his time at the club, he played in four Lancashire Cup finals; the 21–12 victory over Wigan in the 1934 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1934–35 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 20 October 1934, the 15–7 victory over Wigan in the 1935 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1935–36 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 19 October 1935, the 5–2 victory over Wigan in the 1936 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1936–37 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 17 October 1936, and he played {{rlp|fb}} in the 7–10 defeat by Wigan in the 1938 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1938–39 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 22 October 1938.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=4275|title=22nd October 1938: Salford 7 Wigan 10 (Lancashire Cup Final)|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|accessdate=1 January 2015|archive-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907010825/http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=4275|url-status=dead}}
Osbaldestin was one of the players who successfully toured in France with Salford in 1934, during which the Salford team earned the name "Les Diables Rouges", the seventeen players were; Joe Bradbury, Bob Brown, Aubrey Casewell, Paddy Dalton, Bert Day, Cliff Evans, Jack Feetham, George Harris, Barney Hudson, Emlyn Jenkins, Alf Middleton, Sammy Miller, Osbaldestin, Les Pearson, Gus Risman, Billy Watkins and Billy Williams.{{cite web|url=http://www.reds.co.uk/original-red-devils|title=The story of The Original Red Devils|publisher=reds.co.uk|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111111910/http://www.reds.co.uk/original-red-devils|archivedate=11 January 2012|df=dmy-all}}
Osbaldestin played {{rlp|fb}} in Salford's 3–15 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1933–34 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 28 April 1934.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=422|title=1933–1934 Championship Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012|archive-date=13 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713135120/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=422|url-status=dead}}
Osbaldestin played {{rlp|fb}} in Salford's 7–4 victory over Barrow in the 1938 Challenge Cup Final during the 1937–38 season at Wembley Stadium, London, on Saturday 7 May 1938. He also played in the 1939 Challenge Cup final defeat against Halifax, but suffered an injury in the second half, and was unable to continue.{{cite news |title=Injury to Osbaldestin |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19390508/425/0014 |work=Yorkshire Post |date=8 May 1939 |page=14 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}} It was later discovered that he had suffered an achilles tendon rupture, effectively ending his playing career.{{cite news |title=Salford Will Not Sacrifice Risman, Attack Spearhead |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000272/19390819/156/0006 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=19 August 1939 |page=6 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}} He attempted a comeback with Salford after the Second World War,{{cite news |title=Osbaldestin Returns |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19460228/083/0003 |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury |date=28 February 1946 |page=3 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}} but did not make any further appearances for the first team.
Personal life
Osbaldestin's marriage to Jane Ellen ('Nellie') (née Gregson) took place on Tuesday 27 December 1932 at St Stephen's Church, Whelley, Wigan.{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=Tz4%2F46oWwOQDj3O9Pq8Bcw&scan=1|title=Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}
Osbaldestin died in September 1955 at Salford Royal Hospital.{{cite news |title=Ex-'Red Devil' of Rugby League dies |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000272/19550919/412/0007 |work=Manchester Evening News |issue=26915 |date=19 September 1955 |page=7 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- (archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20130606160553/http://www.reds.co.uk/story-so-far The Story So Far – 110 Years At The Willows – 1938]
{{Salford - 1938 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Salford Red Devils - Les Diables Rouges Squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Osbaldestin, Harold}}
Category:Dewsbury Rams players
Category:English rugby league players
Category:Liverpool City (rugby league) players
Category:Rugby league fullbacks
Category:Rugby league players from Wigan
Category:Salford Red Devils players