Brian passed away a few days ago in his sleep at the age of 86. Keighley posted their own obituary for Brian on their club website, and you can read it below: Originally from Cardiff, the Whitcombe family moved north, when Brian (who was only one year old) and Frank s father, Frank Snr, signed professional forms to play rugby league for Broughton Rangers in Manchester in 1935. Following a transfer to Bradford Northern in 1938, the Whitcombe family set up home in Wibsey. Brian and his brother played for Sedbergh Boys RL Club in their early teens but Frank Snr thought that they would be better off playing rugby union for Bradford at Lidget Green, so he took them there, where they played for many years.