On this Father’s Day, we look back at some of the father and son pairings that have played for the Black & Whites throughout the club’s history.
In total, 14 pairs of fathers and sons have represented the Black & Whites during the club’s 155 year history, and even one trio including a grandfather too.
One of the most well known names on the list comes in the form of Hall of Fame member Billy Batten. An icon of the early 1900s, Batten, a former Great Britain and England international, was once the most expensive player in the world when he moved to Hull from Hunslet for £600 in April 1913.
Batten spent 11 seasons with the club, with the full-back scoring 89 tries in 226 appearances and would be part of the squad that lifted FC’s first ever Challenge Cu trophy in 1914. His son, Billy Batten Jr. would also go on to repsresent the club for a short period of time.
Prop Jon Aston was a regular feature for the Black & Whites through the mid 1990s, before the Welsh international would go on to spend time in the lower leagues with Rochdale, Hull KR and Sheffield. However his father Harry played for the club many years earlier also.
Charlie Booth was the club’s first post-war captain in 1945 – an England representive, Booth also played for the British Empire side that existed at the time. Booth featured at both hooker and second-row, while his son Roger would follow in his footsteps to play for the club in later years.
Harold Bowman stands only behind Ned Rogers and Mick Scott in Hull FC’s all-time appearances list with a remarkable 451 games between 1921 and 1939. A regular for Great Britain and England, he captained the side for two seasons between 1928 and 1930, while his son Keith also played for the Black & Whites.
Current Catalans Dragons head coach and former England head coach Steve McNamara was a key player for FC between 1989 and 1996, with his father Ted playing for the club before him.
1982 Challenge Cup winner Keith Tindall followed in the footsteps of his father Jack, while fellow cup winner and Hall of Fame member Lee Crooks was famously followed by son Ben in the early stages of the 2010s decade when breaking through onto the rugby league scene.
Similarly in more recent times, NRL star Josh Hodgson, who began his career with the Airlie Birds was preceeded by his father Dave Hodgson, while Steve Michaels father Ralph also played for the club across two seasons in the early 1970s.
However, there is only one family that can boast three generations of player representing the club – the Suttons. Grandson Mick played for the club throughout the 1980s, while father Tommy Sutton had a brief stint with the club in the 1950s, despite being more prominent with Hull Kingston Rovers. Grandfather Thomas H Sutton was also a rugby league player with the Black & Whites earlier in the century.
The McNamara’s may soon follow suit though, with youngster Ben, son of Steve currently on the books at the Hull FC Academy.
The full list of father and sons pairings can be found below:
Harry Aston – Jon Aston
Billy Batten – Billy Batten Jr.
Charlie Booth – Roger & Charlie Jr. Booth
Harold Bowman – Keith Bowman
Andrew Carmichael – George Carmichael
James Cowan – Stan & Roger Cowan
Harry Crane – Harry Crane Jr.
Lee Crooks – Ben Crooks
Jack Holt – Andy Holt
Dave Hodgson – Josh Hodgson
Ted McNamara – Steve McNamara
Ralph Michaels – Steve Michaels
Thomas H Sutton – Tommy Sutton – Mick Sutton
Jack Tindall – Keith Tindall
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