John Burke and the RL Benevolent Fund

John Burke was one of the hottest junior properties of the 1970s with a host of top clubs queueing up to sign him on professional forms.

Although a fan of his hometown club, Leigh, John opted to sign for Wigan but quickly became frustrated at the politics within the boardroom and a lack of first team opportunities, and requested a transfer.

In 1977, aged 20, he joined ambitious Workington Town for a then record fee of £12,000 and was on the verge of his full Great Britain debut when tragedy struck.

Playing against Leeds in September 1978, the day after his 21st birthday, John's career was ended when his spine was crushed in a routine tackle.

He has been confined to a wheelchair ever since and in recent years has been supported by the RL Benevolent Fund.

If you would like to show your support for the RL Benevolent Fund, please consider making a donation via the charity's dedicated Justgiving page