Chapel House Motor Company Limited Advertising Banner
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 44

Thread: John Mantle

  1. #1
    In The South Stand CHANNEL22's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,029
    Rep Power
    21

    Default John Mantle

    Just read on social media that he passed away this morning after a long illness.

    Great player and a true gentleman

    RIP
    St Helens Openwater Swimming Society


    Looking out from the top of Table Mountain

  2. #2
    Starting A Programme Collection
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    748
    Rep Power
    16

    Default

    Very sad news. Top player and very friendly to talk to. Wonder how old he was.

  3. #3
    In The South Stand CHANNEL22's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,029
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    According to what I read he will be 76.
    St Helens Openwater Swimming Society


    Looking out from the top of Table Mountain

  4. #4
    Learning All The Songs jonimac's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Stand 'D' Blocker
    Posts
    2,124
    Rep Power
    15

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CHANNEL22 View Post
    According to what I read he will be 76.
    If correct a great player and a gentleman. RIP and God Bless.

  5. #5
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Buddy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Queensland, Australia
    Posts
    11,407
    Rep Power
    33

    Default

    Really sad news, I only recall John at the end of his career but his record speaks for itself. A legend of the club R.I.P

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    In The South Stand
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    3,559
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    fantastic second rower, great player RIP.

  7. #7
    Learning All The Songs roy litherland's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Moss Bank
    Posts
    1,986
    Rep Power
    19

    Default

    So sad great player and an absolute gentleman , fond memories of a great man from back in the day RIP sir.
    roy litherland it's happened i told you it would

  8. #8
    In The South Stand
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    near leigh
    Posts
    3,057
    Rep Power
    18

    Default

    R I P and condolences to his family , I like that back in the day Roy because those were the days , you had to be good to be in that team.

  9. #9
    Learning All The Songs
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Bury
    Posts
    1,847
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    now confirmed by the club.
    I was lucky enough to see some of his final games for Saints in the early 1980's.
    A Saints great .RIP John

  10. #10
    In The West Stand Dux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Liverpool
    Posts
    5,572
    Rep Power
    27

    Default

    I never got to see him play, but he was one of a number of great names that I used to love reading about as a kid. I remember loving a photo of him diving over for a try against Wigan in the '66 cup final (this one: https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2018/11/1...tle/#gallery-4), but having looked at the club's tribute I see that there is an even better shot of the same moment from the reverse angle ... what an amazing photograph!:

    https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2018/11/1...tle/#gallery-1

    RIP John Mantle, a Saints great.

  11. #11
    In The South Stand
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    4,522
    Rep Power
    24

    Default

    Former coach of mine back when i was playing u16. Lovely bloke he was. My favourite photo of him was the 76 cup final,sat on the sidelines smiling away after a job well done.

  12. #12
    Learning All The Songs
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Stood at the back of Stand B in Knowsley Road
    Posts
    1,884
    Rep Power
    13

    Default

    RIP a great player in both codes and a Gentleman.

    It was only last week (watching England) that I was reminiscing to my two sons about him and the rest if that 1966 cup winning pack.

  13. #13
    Got A Season Ticket
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    259
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    I find the older Rugby League players stories fascinating. Unlike todays fully professional players, players of yester-year were only part time. They still needed another "day" job to pay their bills. They were literally giving up everything to come and play Rugby League.

    Mantle was well before my time, but when he moved up to St Helens, we wouldn't have known how long he'd have been her for, could've been just a season, however he ended up living the rest of his life in St Helens!

  14. #14
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Belgian Saint's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Europe
    Posts
    11,178
    Rep Power
    32

    Default

    The greatest Second Row I have ever seen, and a nice guy. He had it all; Powerful running, tackling, good hands and loads of stamina.
    I'll never for get the game at Wigan when he had just declined to go on tour to Aus. After some jibes from the Wiganers he absolutely terrorised them that day. The other outstanding memory was at KR against HKR, there had just been an all in fight and Saints got the penalty, Murphy did an up and under and I remember Mantle and Warlow flying in to Turner and Holliday, Four great competitors but Mantle was the best.

    RIP.

  15. #15
    Got A Season Ticket Injury Crisis 2010's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Sherdley
    Posts
    163
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Great player and teacher, always remember him and Mr Lindsay taking us for PE at Rivi, scary looking bloke to an 11 year old. One of his favourite games in the boys gym was skittling us all down with a medicine ball in his amended version of pirates.

  16. #16
    Moderator Div's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Sintellins
    Posts
    11,911
    Rep Power
    32

    Default

    Was a great player in my early days of watching Saints. Different shape to the modern day player of course. Dual code international.
    RIP

  17. #17
    Got A Season Ticket
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    The Heath
    Posts
    257
    Rep Power
    10

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by doghead View Post
    fantastic second rower, great player RIP.
    As you say, one of the best second rows and no mean performer in the front row when called upon to play at prop. I was lucky enough to see him play throughout his Saints career, and deserves his place among our legends. RIP.

  18. #18
    Learning All The Songs
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Rainhill
    Age
    75
    Posts
    2,221
    Rep Power
    16

    Default

    He was a centre come second row when he arrived. Bags of pace. I remember being on the wall near the old score board as one of the opposition was strolling over for a try. Out of nowhere came Mantle and knocked him and the corner flag into the wall. Remember when he had his finger amputated because he kept dislocating it. Hard as nails. I remember being at Huyton and one of their lads was dishing it out. Coslett went low, Mantle went high. Poor lad was carried off and John was sent off. As mentioned the last few seasons of his career he moved to front row. In later life I went to one of the Welsh reunion doos at the Black Bull and he was struggling with his mobility. As mentioned a true gentleman

  19. #19
    Got A Season Ticket Jack Reacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    WA10
    Posts
    162
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    A legend. He was the best prop in the league in 75/76 culminating in the Wembley win over Widnes and a Premiership final win against Salford. As a young lad it broke my heart when he left for Salford shortly after. RIP Sir

  20. #20
    Got A Replica Shirt
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    st.helens
    Posts
    61
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Having spent some time in hospital last year, I was fortunate to meet a fascinating man named Alan McInnes ( https://www.salfordreddevils.net/alan-mcinnes/ )in the next bed to me, whose knowledge of Rugby League was unbounded and probably second only to that of his wife.

    He knew every name I could mention from past Saints players and knew most of them personally, particularly all the teachers (Peter Harvey, John Mantle, Geoff Pimblett, the latter two being my teachers at Grange Park), from their days at Loughborough University, but especially John Mantle, because .. “John was the finest physical specimen of a human being he had ever seen”. Some praise indeed from a man with Alan McInnes’ connections and career within the game.

    RIP John Mantle.. Sir

  21. #21
    Starting A Programme Collection
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    730
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    RIP big John. And thank you for the memories. His contribution to the saints cause was a massive one in many ways, definitely one of the first names on the team sheet.

  22. #22
    Got A Season Ticket BigKevIro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    214
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    What a player and what a man, a gent off the pitch and a true warrior on it. Different era but wish Saints could find his ilk nowadays.

    God bless John.

  23. #23
    Learning All The Songs
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    1,336
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Very sad, a Saints legend and up with the games greatest second rows. My first favourite in the v. RIP John.

  24. #24
    Starting A Programme Collection
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    748
    Rep Power
    16

    Default

    One of my lasting memories of him was arriving late at Watersheddings. Mid week cup game I think and Les Jones had been sent off in first ten minutes. Snow was piled high at side of pitch and who had gone onto the wing only John Mantle. We won as well with 12 men!

  25. #25
    Starting A Programme Collection
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Chiang Rai Thailand
    Posts
    890
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Johnny was probably a near perfect speciman of what a rugby player should look like.
    As everyone has said he was a great player and a lovely man . God bless Johnny , & rest
    in peace mate . commiserations to his family & friends .

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •