Bill Drake

Who was Bill Drake?

William "Bill" D. Drake was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 1960s who represented Great Britain, England, and Cumberland, and at club level played for Heworth ARLFC, Hull, Leeds, and York as a back, and later a forward, during the era of contested scrums.

Born in Workington, Bill Drake was the younger twin brother of fellow rugby league footballer, Jim Drake.

Drake, who had already gained representative selection for Cumberland, played in Hull's 10-9 victory over Halifax in the 1955–56 Northern Rugby Football League season's Championship final at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 12 May 1956. He played at second-row forward in Hull's 13-30 defeat to Wigan in the 1958–59 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 9 May 1959. Drake missed the 1959–60 Northern Rugby Football League season's Challenge Cup final though injury, being replaced by Mike Smith who became the first player to ever make a first team début in a Challenge Cup final,

Drake won a cap for England while at Hull in 1962 against France, and won a cap for Great Britain while at Hull in 1962 also against France.

Drake left Hull for Leeds in 1963 for a £1,500 transfer fee.