Des Drummond
Encyclopedia
Des Lloyd Drummond is an English/Jamaican (born 17 June 1958 in Sauannah-la-mar, Jamaica) former rugby league
footballer. He played on the .
Full name: Desmond Lloyd Drummond
Date of Birth: 17 June 1958
Height: 5'7"
Des was a legendary figure throughout the 1980s, where he won 24 Great Britain
caps, the first against New Zealand in 1980, the last against France
in 1988. Drummond signed for Leigh
almost by accident, having travelled to watch his older brother Alva Drummond play for the reserve team. Leigh found themselves a player short due to injury, and Des was persuaded to play. He made such an impact that he was offered a profesional contract within the week. Drummond quickly became a star player at the Lancashire club, particularly after a series of televised appearances during the club's run to the final of the 1976 BBC2 Floodlit trophy, a competition specifically created for television.
The arrival of [Alex Murphy] as coach in 1980 marked an upturn in fortunes for the club. In 1981, Drummond won his first silverware with Leigh, as the club defeated Widnes
in the Lancashire Cup Final. Then, as the weather-disrupted season reached its end, Leigh needed only to defeat already-relegated [Whitehaven] to win their first league title since 1907. Despite trailing at half time, Drummond scored a try in a second half revival which made the unfashionable Lancashire club the National Champions.
Within three years, however, Leigh found themselves in a more familiar relegation battle, and were severely hampered when Drummond badly broke an ankle in an away fixture at Barrow. Although he recovered to return to the Great Britain team, he lost a little of his devastating speed. Even so, he recovered enough to score the BBC TV 'Try of the season' as a losing semi finalist for Leigh against Leeds in the 1985 John Player Cup Semi Final. Drummond left Leigh
to join Warrington
in 1987. He played his first game for "the Wires" (Warrington) on the February 8, 1987 and he finished his 182nd game career on the April 26, 1992 having scored 69 tries. This included an appearance at Wembley in the Challenge Cup Final of 1990, where his Warrington team lost to Wigan
.
His career enjoyed an Indian summer at the second-tier club [Workington], where he once again returned to Wembley in a secondary competition, this time playing against Hull KR
. After retiring from the professional game, Drummond took up an amateur role as coach to the Bolton
Rugby League Club. He still lives in the town.
Champion. But his rise to celebrity status was precipitated by his performances in the televised all-around sports competition Superstars
, finishing second in the 1983 Series final
, and clocking a world competition record 10.85 seconds for the 100 metres
An exceptional power-lifter and all-round athlete, Drummond's 'party trick' in the competition came in the Assault Course competition, which began with three hurdles, a vaulting horse and an 8 foot wall. Drummond took the hurdles in his stride, hurdled the vaulting horse, and would leap to the top of the wall without using the scrambling rope. He competed in the international event, but was hampered by a change in the scoring - whereas in the UK, points were awarded in the lifting events for performance against bodyweight, in the international competition the spoils were divided for the dead weight lifted, a disadvantage to the 5'7", 12 stone rugby man.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer. He played on the .
Full name: Desmond Lloyd Drummond
Date of Birth: 17 June 1958
Height: 5'7"
Des was a legendary figure throughout the 1980s, where he won 24 Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
caps, the first against New Zealand in 1980, the last against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
in 1988. Drummond signed for Leigh
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
almost by accident, having travelled to watch his older brother Alva Drummond play for the reserve team. Leigh found themselves a player short due to injury, and Des was persuaded to play. He made such an impact that he was offered a profesional contract within the week. Drummond quickly became a star player at the Lancashire club, particularly after a series of televised appearances during the club's run to the final of the 1976 BBC2 Floodlit trophy, a competition specifically created for television.
The arrival of [Alex Murphy] as coach in 1980 marked an upturn in fortunes for the club. In 1981, Drummond won his first silverware with Leigh, as the club defeated Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
in the Lancashire Cup Final. Then, as the weather-disrupted season reached its end, Leigh needed only to defeat already-relegated [Whitehaven] to win their first league title since 1907. Despite trailing at half time, Drummond scored a try in a second half revival which made the unfashionable Lancashire club the National Champions.
Within three years, however, Leigh found themselves in a more familiar relegation battle, and were severely hampered when Drummond badly broke an ankle in an away fixture at Barrow. Although he recovered to return to the Great Britain team, he lost a little of his devastating speed. Even so, he recovered enough to score the BBC TV 'Try of the season' as a losing semi finalist for Leigh against Leeds in the 1985 John Player Cup Semi Final. Drummond left Leigh
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
to join Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in 1987. He played his first game for "the Wires" (Warrington) on the February 8, 1987 and he finished his 182nd game career on the April 26, 1992 having scored 69 tries. This included an appearance at Wembley in the Challenge Cup Final of 1990, where his Warrington team lost to Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
.
His career enjoyed an Indian summer at the second-tier club [Workington], where he once again returned to Wembley in a secondary competition, this time playing against Hull KR
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. After retiring from the professional game, Drummond took up an amateur role as coach to the Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
Rugby League Club. He still lives in the town.
All Round Athlete
Before turning to Rugby League, Drummond was a British Amateur JudoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
Champion. But his rise to celebrity status was precipitated by his performances in the televised all-around sports competition Superstars
Superstars
Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon....
, finishing second in the 1983 Series final
, and clocking a world competition record 10.85 seconds for the 100 metres
An exceptional power-lifter and all-round athlete, Drummond's 'party trick' in the competition came in the Assault Course competition, which began with three hurdles, a vaulting horse and an 8 foot wall. Drummond took the hurdles in his stride, hurdled the vaulting horse, and would leap to the top of the wall without using the scrambling rope. He competed in the international event, but was hampered by a change in the scoring - whereas in the UK, points were awarded in the lifting events for performance against bodyweight, in the international competition the spoils were divided for the dead weight lifted, a disadvantage to the 5'7", 12 stone rugby man.