Bull Masters - Keith Mumby
Few spectators stood at Odsal on a cold November day in 1973 could have imagined that the career was just about to commence of a Bradford Northern legend. Even Keith Mumby, as a mere 16 year old, must have wondered just what was in store for him, as he pulled on the famous red, amber & black hoops for the first time.
It wouldn't be the last.
One try and 12 goals later, Mumby entered the record books for most points scored on debut for the club. Next day he was back at work as a joiner, taking every thing in his stride (as usual!).
What followed was a breathtaking career spanning two decades, littered with Yorkshire, England and Great Britain honours. But it is with great affection that Keith will always be remembered here at Odsal playing for his one and only club (albeit a short spell with Sheffield Eagles). Every Bradford fan will have their own special memory of Keith during his playing days. I vividly remember numerous occasions of watching the opposition's big striding centre/winger on a seemingly unstoppable run for the line. Enter Keith Mumby.
He used to appear from nowhere and within a split second he'd nailed his man amongst gasps from the oppositions fans who were about to celebrate a 'certain' try. Last week in fact I found an old video of a match between Bradford and tonight's visitors Leeds, from 1988. I immediately played the tape and was greeted by the sight of Andrew Ettinghausen ghosting down the touchline in front of the main stand at Odsal. Moments later ET was dusting himself free of the dirt he'd picked up off the speedway track as Keith adjusted his knee bandage and trotted back to his position waiting for the re-start. Classic Mumby!
Many recall the time he was faced by two attackers. Mumby coolly tackled the first man, who passed inside, then got up and tackled the second man!!
Keith became the main stay at full back through out the glory years in the early Eighties when the club won back-to-back championships, and the John Player Special Trophy. Sadly the Wembley appearance that Keith craved for never materialised, losing at the semi-final stage on several occasions.
The coach at the time was the mercurial Peter Fox, who during a interview in 1994, was asked who was the one player who contributed more than any other to the successes at the time. Fox replied that he would never single out any player because it would be disrespectful to the other members of the team, but on this occasion he couldn't lie. It was Keith Mumby.
Keith made a club record 588 appearances for the club and amazingly only made 8 substitution appearances, another mark of his consistency. If he was fit he played and nothing in between.
Nobody could quite believe it when Keith moved on to the Eagles, but it wasn't long before the back pages of the T&A proudly announced: MUMBY BACK AT ODSAL.
Keith played his last game for Bradford in 1993, some 20 years after he first pulled on a Bradford shirt for the first time. He scored 68 tries and 779 goals and was an automatic choice at Full Back in both the Millennuim Master and the Team of the Century.
He truly was a great player and I feel privileged to have seen him play. Many others and I will always refer to him as "Sir Keith"
Chris Spence