Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
118	117	1	14	0	0	42

On 10 May 1956, Great Britain journeyed to France and were defeated by 23 points to 9 at Lyons. Rovers' Don Fox was scrum-half and playing alongside him at loose forward was a player whom neither realised would be resuming their partnership at club level four years later. That player was Colin Clifft, who was playing in Wakefield Trinity colours. He made 97 appearances for Trinity before joining Halifax in 1956/57 and it was from there that he joined Rovers in the exchange deal which took Alan Marchant to Halifax in November 1959.

He is one of the few players who played for his country before his county, and he was selected for Yorkshire on three occasions with Halifax. He made his Rovers debut at home to Doncaster on 28 November 1959, and within three minutes he had scored his first try.  Initially, he played in the second row but after four games reverted to his original position, showing his capabilities to the full. At Castleford on Boxing Day, he was the complete master and tactician as he scored two great tries in Rovers 24-5 win. His style of play instantly suited the Rovers for with his long passes he could swiftly open up an attack and also dictate the plan of attack. The team was making a strong bid for League and Cup honours and at Thrum Hall in March 1960 he had the satisfaction of making the first try against his former colleagues which led to a magnificent 16-10 RL Cup victory. Unfortunately, he injured his shoulder the week before the RL Cup semi-final with Wakefield. His season was over and Rovers' hopes of honours disintegrated.

He returned at the beginning of the following season, 1960/61, but his shoulder was injured again v Oldham in September. He resumed to provide a very effective back three permutation with Terry Clawson and Cliff Lambert as they rotated between second row and loose forward.  He made 34 appearances that season and, despite an operation for appendectomy in the close season o{ 1961, he continued to feature in what was a very successful Rovers team. In 1962, Wakefield again thwarted aspirations at the semi-final stage in both the RL Cup and League Championship play-offs. The following year saw Colin eventually make it to a final when the Rovers met another of his former clubs, Halifax in the Yorkshire Cup final. Sadly, the Rovers disappointed in losing a poor final by 10 points to nil, and Clifft broke a bone in his back which necessitated a support. He did not play again for the rest of that season. He was transfer-listed at £3,000 and both Huddersfield and Keighley made enquiries but he declared that he was staying at Featherstone, where both on and off the field he had never been happier.  He was taken off the transfer list, stuck to his word and was content to play in the 'A' team.  He played six games in the senior team at the beginning of 1964/65, his last match being at St Helens in October 1964, and he was then placed on the transfer list again at £1,000 but he chose to retire from the game. His constructive skills and adventurous approach had served the Rovers well, and it was a measure of his loyalty and regard for the club which ensured that he was happy to end his playing days there.

Biography by Ron Bailey