Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
246	232	14	79	6	0	328

Signed in June I985 from Lock Lane, Chris Bibb made two substitute appearances in 1985/86 before his full senior debut v St Helens (at home) on 9 November 1986 – but on the wing! The following match he was in his own position of fuIl-back at a time when he was in competition with Nigel Barker. His form was sufficient to gain selection for Great Britain Colts against France in Toulouse in February 1987, and a month later he played for the Great Britain Under 21 team against France at St Helens and St Jean de Luc. He was to make three more appearances for the Under 21 team in 1985 and 1989.

Back on the home front, he established himself in the number 1 shirt from the 1987/88 season as he developed into one of the most exciting full-backs seen at Post Office Road. He had a safe pair of hands and was extremely quick which, combined with an elusive swerve, made him very difficult to stop at speed. With Peter Fox as coach, a particular move was developed whereby the ball would be kicked from a scrum into open space for Bibb to chase, and he was also able to link readily with the back line to devastating effect. The result was a series of dazzling displays with some spectacular tries. In 1987/88, he scored 20 tries including three against Rochdale (at home) in September, and he followed this with 13 in 1988/89 and 16 the following season.  Particularly memorable were the efforts at Wakefield in January 1989 with an eighty-yard touchline dash; at Wigan in April 1989, when he picked up a loose ball fifteen yards from his line and scythed his way through to score; in October 1989, when his stunning solo try against Castleford in the Yorkshire Cup semi-final enabled Rovers to draw 18-18 at home and win the replay at Castleford; and his six tries in the Yorkshire Cup game with Keighley in September 1989, when he equalled the match try scoring record held by Mick Smith since 1968. There are many more examples of his attacking qualities and, rightly, more representative honours followed. He had an outstanding debut for Yorkshire in their crushing 56-12 win over Lancashire at Wigan in September 1989, when he scored, and an equally impressive display in his second game v Lancashire in September 1991 when he again scored in Yorkshire's 17-12 win. He also gained senior international honours in 1990 when he replaced Steve Hampson on the Great Britain tour of Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. He made eight appearances on tour, scoring one try and playing in the First Test v New Zealand at Palmerston North.

In such a success story, there were still some disappointments. He missed out through injury in the Second Division Premiership trophy Finals in 1988 and 1993, and shared the disappointment of defeat in the 1989 Yorkshire Cup final against Bradford. The club suffered relegation to the Second Division in 1991/92 – the season in which Bibb made the most appearances (36) and scored another 11 tries.

As he struggled to recover form and fitness, Bibb had a short spell on loan at Wakefield in the 1993/94 season. He was granted a testimonial at Featherstone in 1995 and 15 appearances in the first summer season proved to the swansong of a most notable career. He will be remembered as a classy player, and his 76 career tries is a remarkable record for a full-back, speaking volumes for his thrilling performances for the club.

 

Biography by Ron Bailey