# Derek Pyke

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English rugby league footballer

Derek Pyke Personal information Born (1959-11-07) 7 November 1959 (age 66) Leigh, England Playing information Position Prop Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1979–88 Leigh 220 27 0 0 102 1987–90 Widnes 66 0 0 0 0 1990–91 Oldham 5 0 0 0 0 Total 291 27 0 0 102 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1986–88 Lancashire 3 0 0 0 0 Source: [1][2]

**Derek Pyke** (born 7 November 1959) is an English former [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) and professional [rugby league](/source/Rugby_league) footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played representative level rugby union for England Schoolboys, and representative level rugby league for [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire_rugby_league_team), and at club level for [Leigh](/source/Leigh_Centurions), [Widnes](/source/Widnes_Vikings) and [Oldham](/source/Oldham_R.L.F.C.), as a [prop](/source/Rugby_league_positions#prop_forward).

## Background

Derek Pyke's birth was registered in [Leigh](/source/Leigh%2C_Greater_Manchester), [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire), England.

## Playing career

Pyke started his career in [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union), where he was an England schoolboys international,[3] before switching codes and joining [Leigh](/source/Leigh_Centurions).

In January 1988, Pyke was signed by Widnes in exchange for former [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain_national_rugby_league_team) [captain](/source/Captain_(sports)) [Harry Pinner](/source/Harry_Pinner), and £50,000.[4] He played 66 games for Widnes, and also played in the team that won the [1989 World Club Challenge](/source/1989_World_Club_Challenge).

In 1990, Pyke was transferred from Widnes to Oldham for £50,000, but suffered a serious knee injury after playing only five matches for the club. After failing to make a full recovery from the injury, Pyke announced his retirement at the end of the 1990–91 season.[5]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Statistics_at_rugbyleagueproject.org_1-0)** ["Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org"](http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/derek-pyke/summary.html). rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Player Summary: Derek Pyke"](https://www.rugbyleaguerecords.online/playersummary.php?tselect=19310). *Rugby League Records*. Rugby League Record Keepers' Club. Retrieved 6 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Irvine, David (10 October 1979). "Victims of the code war". *The Guardian*. London. p. 25. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [186150449](https://www.proquest.com/docview/186150449).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Fitzpatrick, Paul (12 January 1988). "Widnes pull in Pyke". *The Guardian*. London. p. 27. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [186797938](https://www.proquest.com/docview/186797938).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "Injury forces Pyke to retire". *The Guardian*. London. 23 May 1991. p. 17. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [187224450](https://www.proquest.com/docview/187224450).

## External links

- [Profile at rugby.widnes.tv](http://rugby.widnes.tv/playerbiog.php?mid=660)

- [Statistics at orl-heritagetrust.org.uk](http://www.orl-heritagetrust.org.uk/HTML%20docs/player_stats_p_q.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20050407063614/http://www.orl-heritagetrust.org.uk/HTML%20docs/player_stats_p_q.htm) 7 April 2005 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Search for "Derek Pyke" at britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=%22Derek%20Pyke%22&retrievecountrycounts=false)

v t e Widnes RLFC squad – 1989 World Club Challenge winners 1 Alan Tait 2 Andy Currier 3 Jonathan Davies 4 Darren Wright 5 Martin Offiah 6 Tony Myler 7 David Hulme 8 Joe Grima 9 Phil McKenzie 10 Derek Pyke 11 Kurt Sorensen (c) 12 Paul Hulme 13 Richard Eyres 14 Barry Dowd 15 Paul Moriarty 16 Brimah Kebbie 17 David Smith Coach: Doug Laughton

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Derek Pyke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Pyke) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Pyke?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.