View source for Wade Dooley

{{short description|British Lions & England international rugby union footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| image       =
| birth_name  = Wade Anthony Dooley
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1957|10|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Warrington]], Cheshire, England
| height      = {{height|ft=6|in=8}}
| weight      = 
| position    = Lock
| amatyears1  = 
| amatteam1   = 
| years1      = 
| apps1       = 
| points1     = 
| repyears1   = 1985–1993
| repyears2   = 1989
| repteam1    = {{nrut|England}}
| repteam2    = [[British & Irish Lions|Lions]]
| repcaps1    = 57
| repcaps2    = 2
| reppoints1  = 12
| reppoints2  = 0
}}

'''Wade Dooley''' (born 2 October 1957) is an English former [[rugby union]] player who played [[Lock (rugby union)|lock forward]]. He played for England 55 times and was nicknamed the "[[Blackpool Tower]]", as a result of being 6 feet 8 inches tall and a [[police officer]] with [[Lancashire Constabulary]] in [[Blackpool]].

Dooley was born in [[Warrington]] and played [[rugby league]] as a teenager, taking up rugby union aged 19. He played most of his career for [[Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C.|Preston Grasshoppers]], where he was nurtured by former England international and coach [[Dick Greenwood]]. He also had a brief spell with [[Fylde Rugby Club|Fylde]] and with [[New Brighton F.C. (rugby union)|New Brighton F.C.]]

Dooley made his international debut on 5 January 1985 against [[Romania national rugby union team|Romania]]. He later established a second row partnership with fellow police officer [[Paul Ackford]].

In 1987 he broke the cheekbone of Welsh player [[Phil Davies (rugby union)|Phil Davies]] with a punch during a rough game in Cardiff.<ref name="therugbypaper">{{cite web|url=http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/columnists/peter-jackson/5218/peter-jackson-the-force-is-no-longer-with-welsh-club-rugby/|title=Peter Jackson: The force is no longer with Welsh club rugby   &#124; The Rugby Paper|publisher=therugbypaper.co.uk|access-date=2014-07-23}}</ref>

Dooley went on the [[1989 British Lions tour to Australia]], playing in the final two test matches. He was also part of the England team that won back-to-back grand slams in 1991 and 1992.

Dooley also went on the [[1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand]], but left the tour to return home for the funeral of his father. He was replaced on the tour by the Leicester lock [[Martin Johnson (rugby union)|Martin Johnson]], and decided to retire.

Since retirement, Dooley and his wife, Sharon, have run a tea room called ''Dizzy Ducks'' at [[Wrea Green]].<ref>{{cite news |work=The Sunday Times |title=Best and Worst: Wade Dooley |date=20 March 2010 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/scotland-travel/best-and-worst-wade-dooley-7mrrw8dltlk}}</ref>

== External links ==
{{reflist}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=February 2011}}
* [http://www.planet-rugby.com/stats/players/player_details.phtml/p_r/ENG?playerCode=EDO7&search_text=Wade%20Dooley&navCode=&tm1Code=%&setCode=archive Planet-Rugby stat archive and bio]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1377 Sporting Heroes]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1378 Sporting Heroes 2]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=506 Sporting Heroes 3]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=508 Sporting Heroes 4]
* [https://archive.today/20100601140430/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article7069618.ece Sunday Times article 21 March 2010]

{{British and Irish Lions 1993}}
{{England Squad 1991 World Cup}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1989}}
{{England Squad 1987 World Cup}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1986}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dooley, Wade}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Officers in English police forces]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from England]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Fylde Rugby Club players]]
[[Category:Lancashire County RFU players]]
[[Category:New Brighton F.C. players]]
[[Category:North of England Rugby Union team]]
[[Category:Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Warrington]]
[[Category:Rugby union locks]]
[[Category:1987 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:1991 Rugby World Cup players]]