Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
67	67	0	18	2	0	58

Albert Fearnley was a member of the Halifax ‘power pack'  of the early 1950s and, as such, had achieved a great deal in rugby league when he arrived at Featherstone in September 1956.  Two RL Cup Finals, three league Championship finals, two Yorkshire Cup finals and six appearances for Yorkshire were indicative of the team and the person. He had a reputation as a strong, robust forward and many queried Featherstone's decision to buy him.

Rovers had started the 1956/57 season with four successive league defeats and, ironically, Fearnley's debut was against the team which he had left a few days earlier. In a story book beginning, he inspired the Rovers to a shock 22-9 victory over Halifax, 'did much to solidify the Rovers pack', kick-started the Rovers' league programme and won over the Post Office Road fans. As a Rovers' colleague of the day recalled, he brought fire to the pack at a time when the team needed backbone.  Two months later, he inspired another famous victory this time over St Helens at Featherstone. He supported Lambert to score the first try and then sealed a 15-6 win with a powerful surge to score again - making it 5 tries in only 10 games. No wonder he was appointed captain shortly after his arrival.

Coach Bill Hudson resigned in March 1957 and the club did not advertise for a successor, but asked Albert to coach the forwards. This he agreed to, but in April he asked to be relieved of the responsibility as he considered he could not give his best as a player. This was typical of the man - he had to give 100 per cent to his task.

Nine tries in 27 appearances as a thirty-two year old was a creditable first season, but he improved on this in 1957/58. He only missed four matches out of 44 league and cup games as Rovers strove for league and cup honours' The 1958 RL Cup campaign was notable for the memorable victories against Barrow in the second round and St Helens in the third round. In a titanic struggle with the Barrow pack, the Rovers forwards were magnificent, led by Fearnley. He collapsed with exhaustion in the dressing room after the game but there were more heroics to follow as the Rovers battled to defeat St Helens in a snowstorm in a memorable 5-0 win. Again, Fearnley played his part and it was all so disappointing that these efforts could not have been rewarded with a Wembley visit, but Workington dashed the hopes in the semi-final. On a personal note, he was delighted with his season's tally (notching another nine tries) and an aggregate of 52 appearances out of 62 games in just under two seasons. It was Featherstone's loss when sadly he was in dispute with the committee during the close season and left to join Batley as player-coach - and immediately plotted Rovers downfall in the first round of the 1958 Yorkshire Cup.

Players and supporters alike responded to Albert's whole-hearted approach to the game. Extremely fit, he played a full 80 minutes, always in the thick of it, and was always highly competitive and inspirational. He set the example by foraging and tackling to a high degree, encouraging his colleagues and inspiring them to their full potential. What an impact! He devoted his life to rugby league and the Rovers were extremely fortunate that part of that career enlivened the Featherstone scene.

 

Biography by Ron Bailey