OBITUARY | BRIAN SMITH

FORMER Telegraph & Argus rugby league writer Brian Smith has died aged 86.

Smith, who spent the whole of his career in journalism with Bradford & District Newspapers, covered Bradford Northern - now Bradford Bulls  - for 27 years from 1968 until he retired in 1995.

He also wrote extensively about rugby league in general, covering Challenge Cup finals at Wembley - probably his favourite weekend - as well as Regal Trophy and John Player No 6 deciders, plus Yorkshire Cup finals, but also covered Great Britain internationals, including a tour Down under.

During his time covering Northern, they won the Regal Trophy (League Cup) in 1974-75 and 1979-80, the Premiership in 1977-78, the Yorkshire Cup in 1978-79, 1987-88 and 1989-90, the Division One title in 1979-80 and 1980-81 and the Division Two championship in 1973-74, mostly under coach Peter Fox.

Brian was respected throughout the game as an authority on the sport he loved, including by his own sports desk, expressing his opinions in a succinct and non-egotistical way while jealously guarding the traditions and values of the game.

He was an outstanding no-frills journalist who knew Bradford Northern inside out and had many contacts, both at the club and within rugby league, who he could turn to in order to cover every angle of whatever story he was writing.

But he was by no means a one-sport person. He was knowledgeable on most of them, particularly football and cricket, and he much enjoyed playing cricket for the Bradford Press team on weeknights and on some Sunday afternoons.

When he became deputy sports editor of the Telegraph & Argus under the late Peter Royston, his all-round interest in sport proved invaluable and he displayed sound judgment on days when he was in charge of assessing the value of stories and deciding how much prominence they should be given.

Smith, who was born in Keighley, joined the Keighley News after attending Keighley Grammar School and, as well as being a general news reporter he also covered local amateur dramatics, writing under the pseudonym Exley Head, which is where he lived.

He also wrote about Northern for the Press Association, and also wrote for the rugby league’s trade papers under the pseudonyms Keith Lee and Ken Brian.

Brian also covered Keighley Rugby League - now Keighley Cougars - before moving to the T&A to succeed Barry Wood as Bradford Northern reporter.

Smith retired just before rugby league switched to become a summer sport and Northern became the Bulls.

Richard Coomber said: “I was fortunate enough to find myself sitting next to Brian when I joined the T&A sports desk to cover Leeds United.

“He forgave me for not being from Yorkshire when he found out that we shared similar views on sport and sports journalism.

“That didn’t stop him telling me in detail about the faults he found down south when he returned from the Challenge Cup final at Wembley, particularly the price they charged for a pint!

“Brian was not only passionate and knowledgeable about rugby league, he wrote about it beautifully.

“He wanted the local teams to do well but he wasn’t afraid to be critical when he thought it was warranted.

“On the occasions I went to Odsal with him, it was clear he was held in great esteem and affection by people in the game and the other journalists in the Press Box.

“Brian was less impressed by rugby union and that, combined with his dry wit, produced the best sentence I ever had the pleasure of sub-editing: “Rob Andrew, who once stopped kicking long enough to score a try for England . . .”

Smith also wrote a long article about the merits and demerits (mostly demerits) of the BBC’s rugby league and rugby union commentators, calling them ‘our man’ and ‘their man’ without ever mentioning Eddie Waring or Bill McLaren!

On another occasion, Brian went apoplectic when a junior news reporter wrote about a local fire: “Fire engines came from as far away as Odsal.”

Brian knew that it was a reporter’s job to know their patch, even though they may not have been brought up in Bradford.

Nigel Askham, who succeeded Smith as the T&A rugby league correspondent, said: “I was first taken to Odsal by my uncle when I was 10 and grew up reading Brian’s articles.

“In fact I still have two scrapbooks at home full of Brian’s pieces.

“When I started covering Northern for Crabtrees News Agency, Brian was very helpful and considerate and it was clear the great esteem that he was held in by fellow rugby league writers Martin Richards (Daily Mirror), Alan Thomas (Daily Express) and, particularly, Brian’s great mate Ray Fletcher (Yorkshire Post).

“Brian’s facial expressions belied his sense of humour and I found him a very helpful, witty and knowledgeable colleague.

“When I got the chance to succeed him it was the right time for Brian to go in what was for me a dream job as Brian could never get his head round summer rugby league (and phrases such as Run With the Bulls).”

Ironically, Brian would have taken great delight in watching Leigh Leopards defeat Wigan Warriors 1-0 in a golden-point decider in the opening Super League match of the 2025 season.

He always preferred solid defence to some high-scoring match involving fancy-dan tries where tackling was a lost art.

Bill Marshall, who was a colleague on the sports department for 15 years until Brian’s retirement, remembers one particular exchange which showed his sense of humour.

“I had brought some apples into the sports department and asked Brian ‘Do you want a Granny Smith?’ Brian replied, as quick as a flash ‘No thanks. I have already got one.”   

Away from work, he became a keen golfer and was a member of Branshaw Golf Club for many years.

He remained good friends with his close colleagues following his retirement.

Until ill-health intervened he was a regular attender at social gatherings of former Telegraph & Argus editorial staff.

His wife Christine died almost five years ago and he leaves a daughter Diane and son Nigel, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Brian’s funeral service will be at Oakworth Crematorium on Friday, March 21 (2.30pm), followed by a celebration of his life at Branshaw Golf Club.