FORMER York Rugby League favourite Peter Ramsden, one of the best players ever to wear the amber and black, has died, aged 68, writes Peter Martini.

Mr Ramsden starred for the wonderful Huddersfield side of the 1950s and early '60s before joining York in 1963.

In 1953, he became the youngest player to ever win the famous Lance Todd Trophy, awarded to the man of the match in the Challenge Cup final, when on his 19th birthday he helped Huddersfield beat St Helens at Wembley.

He also played at Wembley in 1962, when Huddersfield lost to Wakefield Trinity, before signing for York in 1963 and playing for a season and a half at Clarence Street in the twilight of his career.

He was signed for York by the then coach Tommy Harris, who, coincidentally, was the oldest player to have lifted the Lance Todd Trophy, and one of the few players to do so for a losing team, when Hull were beaten by Wakefield in 1960.

"Peter was a popular lad in York," said Harris, who later became a director at Clarence Street.

"He was a very tough man and a very good player - he had to be to be in the Huddersfield team of that era as they were all stars.

"He lived in the York area all the time I've known him, and we had a lot in common as we are the only two from this area to have won the Lance Todd Trophy. We all had a lot of respect for him."

Mr Ramsden was the partner of Dawn, much loved father of Christopher and Lynn and granddad of Liam and Alexandra.

His funeral was held at St George's RC Church in York and he was buried at Rufforth Burial Ground.

Updated: 11:46 Thursday, September 19, 2002