A FORMER Warrington Wolves director, who influenced the birth of professional rugby league in London, has died.

Harold Genders, who died earlier this week at the age of 85 after a long illness, joined the board of directors when Ossie Davies bought The Wire in the early 1970s.

He helped to run the club through a magical period in which Warrington, coached by Alex Murphy, reached successive Challenge Cup Finals (1974 and 1975), won the Captain Morgan Trophy (1973-74) and the Club Championship (1974).

Genders, who had lived in Glazebury and leaves his wife Shirley and family, resigned from the Warrington board to become managing director of Fulham Rugby League Club, who famously opened their first season in 1980-81 with a win against Wigan and stormed to the Second Division title.

Roy Lester, the former Wire player and coach, was the first signing made by Fulham, where Genders was in charge of player recruitment.

It was Genders who had the initial vision, making the approach to Fulham FC chairman Ernie Clay to stage the sport att Craven Cottage.

Genders, a former player for Rochdale Hornets, Widnes Vikings and Blackpool Borough before retiring in 1958 to concentrate on a career in the construction industry, stayed with Fulham until 1983 and later became managing director at Swinton RLFC.