Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
168	168	0	66	0	0	264

Towards the end of the l989/90 season, Leeds reserves were playing at Post Office Road and their young centre caused quite a stir amongst the meagre crowd as he cut through the Rovers defence for four tries in impressive style. This was duly noted by the Rovers officials and when money was available in the close season, following the transfer of Graham Steadman to Castleford, Leeds were approached and that young centre, Ikram Butt, was signed.

He was immediately thrust into the senior team and made his debut on 26 August 1990 at home to Bramley in the Yorkshire Cup. Rovers won 36-4 and Butt scored on his debut - but on the wing. Although he played the odd game at centre in his first two seasons, the Rovers rightly saw his main contribution to be on the wing.

Butt's main assets were his strength and his elusive running. In particular, his balance and powerful 'upper body strength' gave him the ability to bounce off players and twist and turn, almost on a sixpence (albeit old coinage!). He was a very busy player who would often come in off his wing to help the forwards before this tactic had become prevalent in the modern game. He had a roving commission to appear anywhere on the field, and this proved a very effective ploy.

In his second season, he scored 21 tries and played one of his finest games. On 28 September 1991, the Rovers were at Hull in the second round of the Yorkshire Cup and were losing 16-4. Two pieces of magic from Butt then brought them back from the dead in an incredible three-minute spell. He first collected the ball just inside the Hull half bounced off three would-be-tacklers, and then beat two more defenders before sending Manning over from 10 yards. Three minutes later, he took the ball from Gary Price, side-stepped two defenders and rounded full-back Gay to score and level the scores at 16-16.

Rovers won the replay at Featherstone 21-18 when Butt again scored. The crowds loved his punchy style and his best personal tally was four tries at home to Bramley on 18 April 1993, when Rovers won 78-0.  The Rovers were relegated to the Second Division in 1991/92, but they bounced back in convincing style in the 1992/93 season by finishing Second Division Champions and winning the Premiership Trophy against Workington at Old Trafford on 16 May 1993.  He played his full part in these successes with his highest tally of appearances in a season (37) and 17 tries.

His ultimate accolade came on 1 February 1995 when he played for England v Wales at Cardiff. Two months later, his other dream of a Wembley final evaporated at Elland Road in the RL Cup semi-final defeat by Leeds 39-22 (when he scored again). That was to be his last try for Rovers, as in the close season in May 1995 he was transferred to London Broncos - but what an impression he left at Featherstone. His example has since been utilised to encourage more people of Asian origin to play rugby league, and Ikram Butt is its prime motivator.

 

Biography by Ron Bailey