Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
158	158	0	43	2	0	133

The 1930s were undoubtedly one of the worst, periods in the club's history. From 1933 to 1938 the team languished near the foot of the league table, and in two seasons had over 800 points scored against them - 804 in 1934/35 and 858 in 1936/37. Playing for the Rovers at that time could not have been much fun but one player who shone in this period was Ralph Asquith. Signed from Featherstone Juniors in October 1933, he made his debut v Hull KR on 11 October. He scored his first try in his second game v Hull at home on 4 November 1933. His sheer pace and determination promised a bright future.

At the end of his first season, he had scored 4 tries in 19 appearances. He was injured towards the end and so missed the game at Bramley on 3 April 1934, when the Rovers won 7-0. Almost three years elapsed before the next away league victory when, on 7 March 1937, a surprise 16-9 win was obtained at Leigh. Ralph Asquith scored three of the four tries on that day to play his part in such a welcome victory. He was the club's leading try scorer on three occasions in 1935/36 (8 tries), 1937/38 (9) and 1938139 (11). The try that must have given him the greatest satisfaction was scored on 24 February 1934. The Rovers (bottom of the league) were playing Leeds (who were lying in fifth place) and in one of the most thrilling matches seen at Post Office Road, they produced a brilliant game of football in which 14 tries were scored with Leeds winning 33-23. The best of several excellent tries came towards the end when sterling approach work left young Asquith to beat renowned internationals Jim Brough and Stan Smith. This he did magnificently and the Rovers left the field to a 'storm of cheers in recognition of a great performance'.

His unenviable claim to fame was on 21 September 1935 when the Rovers were heavily defeated 60-2 by Huddersfield at Fartown. Playing opposite Asquith was Ray Markham, who scored a record nine tries.  Asquith never forgot that game but, like the rest of the Rovers players in this difficult period, he had to persevere tenaciously on slender resources and did so creditably.

Ironically, just as the tide was starting to tum, Asquith was struck by tragedy. In 1937 the committee pledged a new policy of retaining players and signed on fourteen new players. The reward was the best playing record since l932 in 1938/39 with 13 victories and 2 drawn games in the league programme. Asquith had his best seasonal try tally of 11 in 31 appearances. The future looked rosy, but in June his career was to be shattered. He lost the sight in one eye when fragments of steel entered his eye in an accident at work. His last game was away to St Helens on 29 April 1939. His devotion to the Rovers cause then took a different turn when he replaced his father as a guarantor on the Rovers committee in 1944, serving for almost thirty years. He was elected vice-chairman in 1967 and died suddenly as he prepared to attend the Rovers game against the Australian Tourists on 18 November 1973.

 

Biography by Ron Bailey