TRIBUTES have been paid to a 'gentle giant' of rugby league after he passed away last week.

Harry Glenn Beverley, 74 quietly passed away last Tuesday, March 29 after sadly losing his fight with an illness.

The Leeds born rugby star moved to Cumbria in the late 1970s signing a contract with Workington town, after Tom Mitchell sought the Yorkshireman out to complete the legendary Workington pack.

He moved to Mawbray with his wife Christine and raised their three children Nicola, Michelle and Mark in the village which the couple held close to their hearts.

In the last week hundreds from the world of rugby have paid tribute to the on-field warrior and off-field gentlemen.

Times and Star: WARRIOR: Mr Beverley is regarded as a legend of rugby league WARRIOR: Mr Beverley is regarded as a legend of rugby league

Harry's wife Christine said that the grandfather of seven was ' a very quiet man but with a very big presence' who was known by many as 'the gentle giant'.

Workington Town legend Billy Pattinson shared his memories of Harry, he said: "It was better playing with him than against him.

"He was a great lad, I can remember one time we played at Castleford and Harry was tackled on the bottom there was a lad come sliding in with his feet ,you could hear the hobbs crunching on his feet and he just got up and nodded at them.

"The next time Harry went in these two lads went to tackle him again and he laid them both out, they went off with stitches, after the match it just happened me and Harry came out of the changing rooms together at the same time as these two lads with the stitches.

"I thought there's going to be hell on here and Harry said come here and give me a look and had a look at his forehead, and he was just slightly off to the centre and Harry said, I aimed for the middle.

"He was a gentle giant, a class lad."

Times and Star: LEGEND: Harry and his wife Christine in their village of Mawbray village of MawbrayLEGEND: Harry and his wife Christine in their village of Mawbray village of Mawbray

Previous to being at Workington Town, Harry played seven years at Dewsbury, team mate at the club John Bates said: "He was a big strong lad, you always knew you were protected if Harry was on the field, he used to take anybody out who gave you any stick or anything like that, but he was extremely nice and approachable off the field.

"We had many happy memories.

"He was a real gentlemen - he just used to turn when he got that shirt on he was a different man."

Times and Star: GENERATIONS: Harry with his son and grandsons who also play rugbyGENERATIONS: Harry with his son and grandsons who also play rugby

Tony Gourley, team mate at Fulham recalled the first time he met Harry when playing for Lancashire as Harry was playing for Yorkshire, he said: "My first introducton to Harry, it was the last two minutes of the game the referee said break up break up, next thing Harry gave me a Liverpool handshake which was his head on my right ear.

"I said to him Harry theres only two minutes left and he said well it's all in the game Tony - we had a good laugh about it afterwards."

Harry went on to play with Fulham in the clubs first ever season in the 1980s, becoming a team mate of Tony's.

Tony said: "We were like, what I would call a band of brothers, We played together for four years."

Tony also shared happy memories of a holiday that the team spent together with their families in Portugal.

Tony said: "He was a quiet man who just went about what he had to do on the field, and in theory off the field you wouldn't even know he was the same character, he didn't say anything on the field, he just got it done."