SPORTING legend Norman Foster died this week, at the age of 91.

Norman, who played with one of the greatest Keighley rugby league teams of all time, continued his interest in the sport, talking about the Cugars on the night before he died.

He was recently admitted to Airedale Hospital where he had an operation to amputate a leg, but seemed to be recovering well and even managed to joke about losing his leg.

He was the oldest surving Keighley RL player and the first to be made a member of the club's Hall of Fame last November, when he visited the ground he had graced so superbly as a sportsman, for the last time.

He was one of only a handful of players who joined the '300 Club', playing a total of 317 games for the club.

He made a promising debut on April 2, 1929 and was evetually selected for Yorkshire and also played on representative sides against Aautralia and France. He formed an outstanding partnership with winger Joe Sherburn resulting in Sherburn setting a record of 30 tries in the 1934-35 season.

Norman was transfer listed at a fee of £1,600 in 1935, at the time the highest fee ever asked for a rugby league player.In 1936 he moved to Halifax, followed by Hull KR and Newcastle before returning to his home town club.

After his playing days were over he helped coach theA team and coached Prince, Smith and Stells before coaching Keighley Albion to four cup triumphs within two weeks in 1955, including the Halifax Cup, the first time it had been out of Halfiax in 50 years.

A funeral service is to be held at St Mary's, Riddlesden on Tuesday, 1.45pm.

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