HIGHLY respected former rugby league match official and Cardinal Newman High School teacher Frank Hawley died on Saturday, aged 71.
At his peak, Frank, who lived in Woolston, was a touch judge at the highest level – assisting referees on the biggest stage.
Among his highlights, he ran the line for the last Challenge Cup Final at the old Wembley in 1999 and for the first Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford in 1998 – and was on duty for some big international matches too.
After hanging up his boots the keen Warrington Wolves fan helped to mentor and develop up-and-coming match officials, carried out referee's assessor duties and then timekeeping roles up until the end of last season.
Among those to have paid tribute to Frank on social media is former top-flight referee Robert Hicks.
"He was a great official but more so a great man and friend," said Robert.
"He mentored so many and showed passion, dedication and a touch of empathy every time you spoke to him – a gentle word, rebuke or piece of advice that was delivered appropriately and with making you a better person.
"He was proud of everyone he helped whether as a teacher or colleague. Personally, he helped me a lot and I shared many a big game stage with him. The greatest of those was at Wembley in 2018 when Frank was timekeeper for the Warrington versus Catalans final that I refereed."
Another former full-time referee from Warrington, Kenneth Spencer, said: "There are no words.
"I've always had the greatest respect for a top guy in every way.
"Excellent at everything he did, player, referee, touch judge, time keeper, match official, father, wife, grandad, you name it.
"I've lost one of my best mates and so have many others. RIP and rest now buddy xx."
Frank will always be the only person who can claim to have been a referee, touch judge and in-goal judge for matches at the old Wembley stadium.
He said he realised a dream when he achieved his first Wembley appointment – the Wigan versus Castleford schoolboys curtain-raiser to the 1989 Challenge Cup final
Frank, who twice held the position of chairman of the Warrington Rugby League Referees' Society, received the Warrington Sports Personality 2002 Special Award for services to rugby league.
In his younger days, Frank was blessed with pace and played rugby league in the three-quarters for St Albans and Woolston Rovers.
He made a switch to rugby union with Warrington RUFC and at one time held the record for most tries in a season with 40.
He was a teacher of art, religious education, occasionally maths and coached rugby league at Cardinal Newman High School in Latchford for 38 years before his retirement in 2010.
During that time he achieved a promotion to head of year, and continued with the school as attendance officer and exam invigilator until 2016.
Frank, who leaves behind his wife Rita, daughters Francesca and Clare and their families, will also be known to many as an active member of St Peter and St Michael's Catholic Church, Woolston, and from his time on court at Padgate Tennis and Bowls Club.
But it was for his eagle eyes and unquestionable integrity as a rugby league match official that he is known on a wider scale.
Frank once told the Guardian: "It keeps me fit and it keeps me out of my wife's hair too!"
His career with a whistle began when he started teaching in 1972 and he climbed through the refereeing ranks.
In 1982 he joined the Warrington Rugby League Referees' Society and by 1989 he was Grade Two level and in charge of professional 'A' team matches.
He had his first of seven Wembley officiating experiences – the aforementioned schoolboys curtain-raiser to the 1989 Challenge Cup final.
After a disappointing trial game to pass his Grade One qualification, Frank took up the role of touch judge and never looked back.
His record includes being either a touch judge or in-goal judge for the Challenge Cup Finals of 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 at Wembley as well as the 2001 decider at Twickenham; the Super League Grand Finals of 1998 and 2002 at Old Trafford; Test matches between Great Britain and Australia at Wembley in 1997, Great Britain and New Zealand at Watford in 1998; the European Championship final between England and Wales of 1997 as well as being on duty during the 2000 RL World Cup.
Frank told the Guardian in an interview about his rugby league officiating: "My career as an official has allowed me to do all the things I wanted to do in the game that I could not have achieved as a player.
"I have realised the dreams of every little kid – and that is wanting to be on the big stage on the biggest occasions."
His Wembley appointments were the ones most special to him.
He told the Guardian: "There's no other feeling in the world like being involved with a big game at Wembley.
"It's a very emotional time, which may sound daft when you're talking about strapping rugby players but the sheer volume of noise when you step out there is unbelievable and you can't help but be affected by it.
"Walking out at Wembley is something you dream about as a kid and I was no different. The place has such a history and an aura about it."
The other venue which gripped his attention, for 44 years, was Cardinal Newman Catholic High School, which was named St Johns RC Secondary Modern School when he started teaching there in 1972
“When I first walked in all those years ago the place captured me, it has a real caring environment,” he said.
Frank, a St Alban's junior school pupil who went on to West Park Grammar School in St Helens before studying art, English and RE at Christ's College, Liverpool from 1969-1972, had wanted to initially be a police officer but found he was not tall enough.
"So I became a teacher which had always been a very close second. I have always thought that happiness is what you should seek in life and I found it teaching at Cardinal Newman," he said.
“I've always loved rugby, so I started refereeing school games, which ultimately led to me officiating at Super League level.
"Sport for me is a great character builder and has helped me through particular times in my life."
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