Name Donald Knowles | ||
Donald Knowles was a rugby union player who turned professional to play rugby league for Castleford in 1932. He later played briefly for Newcastle and then played association football for Hertford Town.
Playing career
Donald Knowles joined Castleford from the town's rugby union club in December 1932, during the 1931–32 season, and played variously on the wing, as a second row or loose forward and as a centre threequarter. Aged 22 at the time of switching codes, he had previously played rugby union for Huddersfield College and York St John's College. He was 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 13 stone 4 pounds (84 kg) and had been selected for trials for the county's union team.
Knowles made his rugby league debut in the match between Castleford and Hull on 17 December 1932. During his first season at Castleford, the club won the Yorkshire County League. In February 1934, he was granted his request to be listed for transfer, with the fee being set at £150. He was still at the club in November 1935, when it was announced that he was soon to leave to take up a teaching appointment in Blaydon. At that time he was deputising for the injured Ted Sadler.
The engagement of Knowles, who was a second son, to Greta Lamb of Castleford was announced in December, prior to him leaving the club. The marriage took place at Whitwood Mere Parish Church in May 1937, at which time his parents were living in Scarborough. He had played rugby briefly for Newcastle while teaching in Tyneside and by the time of his wedding was teaching in Hertfordshire, where he was also playing association football as a centre-half with Hertford Town in the Spartan League.