THIS ancient photo shows the man who scored the first try for Saints when they switched to Rugby League – 108 years ago.

It is a picture that until today has only been seen by just a handful of people... and is now brought to you exclusively by your St Helens Star.

The hero of yesteryear is Bob Doherty, the mighty atom who became the darling of supporters.

Bob was born on February 12, 1870, in Kendal, Cumbria, and went on to play Rugby Union for Kendal Hornets, from where he was signed by Saints on the eve of their venture into the Northern Union. His first game came on September 7, 1895, when the squad squared up to Rochdale Hornets.

The Saints Heritage site carries an account of that glorious first, with Dave Dooley recording that Bob played chiefly on the right wing but was equally effective in the centre.

On his debut, Bob played for six shillings under Rugby Union rules and scoring system and was named on the right flank.

“After a scrum on the Rochdale 25-yard line,” writes Dave, “the pint-sized winger Doherty intercepted a pass intended for his opposite number, Uttley, swerved around Midgley and raced for the line.

“Full-back Wood, the last-line of defence, half-tackled him but Bob broke away and rolled head-over-heels to score Saints’ first try under Northern Union rules.”

Bob – affectionately known as Bob Doc – was also the man who set up the Saints’ first try in the inaugural first Challenge Cup match. He made his mark in the run-up to that special match by grabbing a hat-trick of tries for Saints in the first round of the Challenge Cup match when they handed out a 58-0 drubbing to Leeds on March 20, 1897.

They faced Batley in the final, but lost by 10 points to 3, with the sole score for the Lancashire team coming courtesy of Bob.

Doherty was admired for his raw courage. Just a slip of a lad, he would tear into the opposition and mastered men who had a 40 to 50-pound weight advantage. This endeared him to the legion of supporters.

Rugby League historian Alex Service, in the Millennium Book, states that Bob played a vital part in creating that Challenge Cup try.

He writes: “In the third quarter of the match, a sliced drop goal from Goodall was fielded by Saints’ Cumbrian three-quarter Bob Doherty, who shrugged off two attempted tackles.

“A dummy to the supporting Jacques, a quick turn and a lovely-timed pass fizzed out to Dave Traynor, on the wing. The auburn-haired Widnesian ran like a frightened stag along the touchline, hotly pursued by Garner and Davies.

“Goodall and Shaw tried to cut him off, but he brushed them aside with ease, eventually running a few yards nearer the posts, grounding the ball just as he was tackled. The spontaneous applause showed how highly the feat was appreciated.”

On April 30, 1900, when Bob was a member of the first Saints side to lift a trophy under Northern Union rules. They travelled to Runcorn to face neighbours Widnes in the South West and Border Towns Cup and achieved a 6-0 win in extra time.

Bob decided to hang up his boots at the end of January 1903, following a game with Swinton, and was appointed a Life Member of the club ten years later. Bob died on December 19, 1942. He made 224 appearances for Saints, scoring 38 three-pointers.

BOB and his wife Alice settled down in Hunter Street, Peasley Cross, and lived next door to a boy who was crazy about rugby.

Bob and the boy spent hours chatting about the game they both loved, capped one day – more than 70 years ago – by the gift of an extra-special photograph.

The boy who took charge of the picture does not wish to be named, but he said: “He simply announced that he had something he wanted me to look after... and handed me the photograph. I was quite young and did not really appreciate the significance of the gift.

“But I did as he asked – and looked after it.”

Recently, the picture changed hands again... and was handed to Bob's grandson, Roy Doherty, a retired painter and decorator living in Billinge.

Roy said: “I have kept in touch, over the years, with my grandad's old ally, and, from time to time, he told me he had something I would want to have.

“I had no idea to what he was referring... until he turned up with it a few days ago. It is an old cliché, I know, but I really was over the moon when I saw the photograph. It is amazing that it has survived. “I will make sure I will look after the photograph; it is so precious. My Dad, George, never spoke about his father's exploits, so I had no idea of my Grandad’s fame. And after me, it will pass to my son Matthew – and we will look after it.”

The donor added: “I am getting no younger and while I was delighted with the gift, all those years ago... I felt it was time it went back to the family.”