Rugby league family to turn out to remember Dave Chisnall (From St Helens Star)

Rugby league family to turn out to remember Dave Chisnall

9:50am Thursday 24th January 2013 in News

THE rugby league family is expected to turn out in force today, Thursday, for the funeral of Dave Chisnall, one of the sport’s great characters.

The former prop forward, known as ‘Chissy’, passed away a fortnight ago at the age of 64, following a battle with lung cancer.

Since then, the tributes have flowed for a skilful forward, who spent playing days with Leigh, Warrington, Saints, Barrow and Great Britain, and who was an iconic personality of 70s rugby league.

These included a lengthy obituary that featured in The Times newspaper on Saturday.

Speaking to the Star, his daughter Jeanette Rhoden, 41, said: “The tributes have been lovely.

“Ken Kelly was my dad’s best friend, so to read what he said in last week’s Star was really touching.

“He was a brilliant man who lived for his family – all the hard work and the rugby he did for his kids.

“He was an honest man who loved his family to bits.”

Dave, who was brought up in Havelock Street on the edge of the town centre as the youngest brother of a big sporting family, later settled in Dentons Green.

Away from the rugby pitch, he had worked over the years as a steward at Ruskin Drive and the former Windle City Social Club, the base of amateurs Pilks Recs, whom he also coached for a spell. He also had a period at Knowsley Road as Alex Murphy’s assistant coach.

After taking early retirement from the social club business, he was employed on building sites as a forklift driver, and was part of the workforce that built the new Whiston Hospital.

Murphy, who spotted the talents of Chisnall as a teenager playing for Parr Labour, is among a host of rugby league greats expected to attend the funeral service at St Helens Parish Church, at 11am, today.

Dave is survived by wife Carol, children Lee, Phil, Jeanette and Michelle and seven grandchildren.