Lawrence "Laurie"/"Gilly" M. Gilfedder (15 May 1935 â 7 January 2019 ) was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Warrington RUFC (in Walton, Warrington), and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and Lancashire, and at club level for Warrington, Wigan, and Leigh, as a goal-kicking , or .
Gilfedder's birth was registered in Warrington, Lancashire, he was raised in Woolston and moved to Stockton Heath after his marriage in 1955, he was a senior warehouse supervisor for Greenall's Brewery from 1960âÂÂ91, he died, aged 83, on 7 January 2019 in Warrington Hospital, Warrington.
Laurie Gilfedder won caps for Great Britain while at Warrington on the 1962 Great Britain Lions tour against Australia, New Zealand (2 matches), and France, and in 1963 against France.
Only five players have played test matches for Great Britain as both a back, and a forward, they are Gilfedder, Colin Dixon, Frank Gallagher, Billy Jarman and Harry Street.
Laurie Gilfedder played , and scored a try, and three goals, including a penalty from the halfway line after one-minute ten-seconds, in Wigan's 20âÂÂ16 victory over Hunslet in the 1965 Challenge Cup Final during the 1964âÂÂ65 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 8 May 1965, in front of a crowd of 89,016, and played, and scored a goal in the 2âÂÂ21 defeat by St. Helens in the 1966 Challenge Cup Final during the 1965âÂÂ66 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 21 May 1966, in front of a crowd of 98,536.
Laurie Gilfedder played at scored a try, and two goals in Wigan's 16âÂÂ13 victory over Oldham in the 1966 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1966âÂÂ67 season at Station Road, Swinton, on Saturday 29 October 1966.
Laurie Gilfedder played , and scored a goal in Leigh's 5âÂÂ8 defeat by Castleford in the 1967 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1967âÂÂ68 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 16 January 1968.
Laurie Gilfedder made his début for Warrington aged 16 years and 199 days against the Belle Vue Rangers on Saturday 1 December 1951, during his time at Warrington they won the 1953âÂÂ54 and 1954âÂÂ55 Championship, the 1953âÂÂ54 Challenge Cup (in which he did not play), the 1953âÂÂ54, 1954âÂÂ55 and 1955âÂÂ56 Lancashire League, and the 1959âÂÂ60 Lancashire Cup. With 22 tries he was Warrington's leading try-scorer during the 1956âÂÂ57 season (the only season from 1947 to 1961 that it wasnâÂÂt Brian Bevan). He played his last match for Warrington, and scored five goals in the 13-15 defeat by Hull Kingston Rovers at Old Craven Park, Kingston upon Hull on Saturday 1 June 1963, he was transferred to Wigan during August 1963 for a club record fee of ã9,500 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately ã382,500 in 2017).
He made his début for Wigan in the 10-3 victory over Widnes at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 24 August 1963, he scored his first try for Wigan in the 22-6 victory over Leeds at Central Park, Wigan on Wednesday 4 September 1963, following the rule change to allow of substitutions, along with Chris Hesketh he jointly became Wigan's first interchange/substitute in the 3-10 defeat by Widnes at Naughton Park, Widnes on Saturday 14 November 1964, he scored his last try for Wigan in the 40-0 victory over Whitehaven at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 12 November 1966, he played his last match for Wigan Match in the 12-15 defeat by Swinton at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 2 September 1967, he made his début for Leigh during the 1967âÂÂ68 season, and he played his last match for Leigh during the 1968âÂÂ69 season.
Laurie Gilfedder is a Warrington Hall of Fame inductee.