SAINTS’ fan Susan Dean penned a poem about her rugby heroes which was read out at her funeral service.

The 61 year-old from Marsden Avenue died in Whiston Hospital after losing her battle with cancer and was cremated at St Helens Crematorium.

Susan’s family was steeped in rugby league and Saints history. Her grandfather George Cotton was a Saints threequarter in the 1920s and her great grandfather, Tom Topping, served on the St Helens club’s committee.

Susan was just five years old when her grandma Minnie Cotton caught the Rugby League headlines. In 1966 Saints were up against Dewsbury in a Challenge Cup semi final game at Swinton when Saints’ forward John Warlow was hit off the ball.

The referee and touch judges hadn’t seen what happened so Minnie decided to sort out whoever had flattened her lodger. She belted Dewsbury prop Trevor Walker with her brolly and had to be escorted off the pitch by a policeman, making national news in the process.

Susan was just as devoted to Saints and was a lottery agent for many years. Her son ‘Lesh’ is a coach at Blackbrook ARLFC. Her grandson Bailey plays for Pilkington Recs and grandsons Harrison and George are with Blackbrook.

Shortly before her death she penned a poem about watching Saints and this was read out at her funeral ending with the lines: We win games, we lose games but a fan I’ll always be, And I’ll wear the red V until life takes a hold of me.

She leaves a daughter, Alison, and a son.