My dad was told he’d never play sport then led Great Britain to victory in 1972

Dad was famous for his incredible speed (Picture: Hull Live / MEN Media)

For me, Dad was just that: My dad (Picture: Family of Clive Sullivan)

My dad was born in 1943 in Splott, a suburb of Cardiff, and it wasn’t likely from the outset that he’d become a rugby player.

My mother informs me that, as a young boy, he had some form of muscle disease that was never fully diagnosed. He had to spend some time with his legs in plaster and was told that he would never play any sport.

It was uncertain whether he’d even be able to walk too well, let alone run.

But he joined the army in 1961, after he left school.

While he was based with the army in Yorkshire, he was told to play in an army rugby match – my understanding is, they said something along the lines of: Because he was Welsh, he ‘must’ play rugby.

Hearing what a great man he was makes me prouder than any number of career highlights (Picture: Family of Clive Sullivan)

And that was how it all began. He played brilliantly – and he realised that, against the odds, he could play rugby; hopefully professionally.

He went to a trial at Bradford Northern. They said no; but he then had a trial at Hull, who signed him.

After he left the army in 1964, his career went from strength to strength – with him becoming Hull FC’s leading try-scorer and being famous for his incredible speed.

Dad’s career went from strength to strength (Picture: Family of Clive Sullivan)

He started playing internationally in 1967 and played three World Cup matches in 1968.

Then, in 1972, he captained Great Britain.

Strangely enough, I don’t remember him speaking too much about that at the time – but then, I would have only been four.

But he was a very proud Welshman. He had such pride in his heritage, and in his country – so I can only imagine how proud and pleased he must have been to captain his country in a World Cup; and then, for his team to go on to win.

I can only imagine how proud and pleased Dad must have been to captain his country in a World Cup (Picture: Brenards/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

He joined Hull Kingston Rovers in 1974, and one particular memory I have is of the 1980 Challenge Cup Final, where Dad played for Hull KR against Hull FC.

I would have been about 11 – it meant so much to me to go to Wembley to watch, not only as a supporter of Hull KR but as Clive Sullivan’s son.

I remember how nervous Dad was in the buildup, and what a big deal it was to him.

He’d always wanted to play the Challenge Cup Final, and he’d started to think he may never do it.

The 1980 Challenge Cup Final was such a big deal for Dad (Picture: Hull Live / MEN Media)

Hull KR won and Dad even went on to play in another Challenge Cup Final in 1982.

It was success after success; but I’ve been told, by his ex-teammates, opponents and people who knew him, that not only was he a great rugby player, he was also a great man. That he had time for people, he was always friendly, and he was a great teammate.

Hearing that makes me prouder than any number of career highlights.

And for me, Dad was just that: My dad.

We used to go and watch him play rugby, but this public character who grew out of his myriad achievements isn’t something I ever really identified with him; at least until recent years, when there’s been increasing recognition of everything he accomplished.

With my dad working full-time, playing rugby on the weekends, we didn’t get to see him that much; and he died when we were relatively young. There’s still so much I don’t know about him.

I do remember, though, that he would never let me win. Whether it was football in the back garden, play wrestling, cards, Monopoly, Scrabble – Dad was very, very competitive. Whether I ever actually won or not, I can’t remember; but I know it was always a struggle to beat him.

And what I learned from that – from him – was: If you’re going to do something, you do it to the best of your ability. And you keep trying until that’s the case.

This idea of striving to do well, and striving to improve, is something I took with me into my own career. I was an international rugby player myself – but my dad never saw me play.

What I learned from Dad was: If you’re going to do something, you do it to the best of your ability (Picture: Hull Live / MEN Media)

In 2022, Dad joined the British Rugby League Hall of Fame (Picture: Media Wales)

But I’m quite shy, and not as social as my father – and I wanted to be left to deal with my grief myself, in my own way. And I just didn’t feel we could do that.

Now, I’m fine with the fact that he didn’t see me play – but I still wish I could have had the chance to have had conversations with him about the experience of playing rugby professionally and internationally.

Growing up, I played soccer and did athletics. It wasn’t until a friend of my father’s asked if I wanted to play rugby, when I was around 15 that I started following in my dad’s footsteps.

I no longer feel like I’m in a battle with my father’s legacy (Picture: Anthony Sullivan)

I imagine having my father’s name to live up to spurred me on a little. I played at the same club, Hull KR, in the same position – on the wing. So there were always going to be comparisons.

He cast a long shadow – but I was simultaneously glad that, when I played, it made people remember my dad and his abilities. Gradually, my attitude matured from feeling as though I was in a battle with my father’s legacy to being one of acceptance.

I started to think: ‘I’m my own player, and I do my own thing. And if you want to remember the things my dad achieved because I’m on the field, then I’m perfectly happy with that’.

People tell me how Dad was a wonderful teammate and a great team leader (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)

Dad has since been commemorated in so many wonderful ways. The A63 road in Hull was renamed Clive Sullivan Way; and he was one of six inaugural members to be inducted into Hull FC’s Hall of Fame in 1993.

Then, in 2022, he joined the British Rugby League Hall of Fame.

That was such a special evening for me. The history of rugby is within that Hall of Fame. Not only was it a milestone for my father’s legacy; it meant so much to me, as someone who was ‘in’ the rugby world, to be there and witness it. I understood the gravitas of what this honour meant for my dad.

My father left a huge legacy and he was certainly a pioneer.