Wakefield Trinity lost another of its 1960s heroes, this week, with the passing of David Sampson at his home in Stanley, aged 76

In the first chapter of the book, ‘Fast Lane to Shangri-la’, it advises that the book is ‘about a sporting family from a Yorkshire village, predominantly a mining community with generation after generation following their parents down the mine. Even the daughters married miners meaning there was a constant production line of tough and competitive people’. That family was the Sampsons of Stanley and would produce internationals at three different sports.

David was one of seven children, born in 1944 and rugby league was to be his sport of choice and he found himself at Belle Vue shortly after his schooldays playing with the juniors. His brother, Malcolm, was already on the Trinity books carving out a great career of his own and David progressed to district, county and international honours whilst in the Trinity juniors. His England cap coming at Wakefield’s Belle Vue ground, playing on the wing against France in May 1963, as an 18-year-old, England winning 22-6

He signed professional forms a few months later and after two A-team games replaced Neil Fox in the centre for a Yorkshire Cup game at Hunslet, but he famously lasted three minutes after breaking his collarbone, although he remembers picking up £90 for a 9-4 victory in a team that included Gerry Round, Ian Brooke, Gert Coetzer, Keith Holliday, Don Vines, Derek Turner and Bob Haigh. He was out for ten weeks but returned at Keighley in December and scoring his first try a week later in the Boxing Day victory over Leeds, 32-8. He played a total of twelve games that season, including three at stand off, covering for the injured Harold Poynton, scoring five tries. 

He played another twelve games the following season, but it was a difficult first team to squeeze into with Neil Fox at left centre and tough colleagues in Willis Rushton and Tony Thomas. He did remember partnering Berwyn Jones in his debut and was amazed by the former sprint champion’s speed. The 1965-66 season only saw him play twice after a sprained ankle caused him to miss most of the season and after an altercation with the Trinity owner, Mr. Stuart Hadfield, he found himself transferred to Bramley in June 1966 along with another three Trinity players. 

He earned a heritage number of 685

He looked back on his Trinity days, which brought 26 games and ten tries in three seasons with fond memories. He was always proud of playing for his hometown team, alongside his brother at a time when the club were one of the best in the league. His career did not end there, and he played at Bramley for twelve years, amassing 281 games, scoring 33 tries and appearing at second row in their famous 1973 BBC2 TV Floodlit Final victory at Widnes. 

In 1978 he found himself at Castleford playing 28 games before retiring in early 1980. He ventured into the coaching world being part of the backroom staff that saw Castleford winning the 1986 Challenge Cup at Wembley and coaching the first team in 1987-88, reaching the Yorkshire Cup Final. From 1989 to early 1992 he coached Doncaster before five months at Nottingham City before retiring in late 1992

A larger-than-life character, he never left his village of Stanley and returned to play and coach Stanley Rangers well into his 40s. He was a popular publican in the village, running ‘The Ship Inn’ and ‘Sampsons’ for many years. Twenty years ago, he wrote his first book, the first of many, and if you want to know about the life and times of David and his family, have a read of ‘Fast Lane to Shangri-La’

The club pass on our thoughts to wife, Mavis and children Dean, Jonathan and Rebecca.