WALNEY Central legend Pat ‘Happy Days’ Hewson has died at the age of 92.

Fondly known as ‘Tex’, he started his career at Central Drive and was a flying winger who turned professional with Oldham before coming home to Barrow.

Tex joined the Cents in the mid-1940s and in the season of 1947-48 was offered trials with Barrow.

He played in eight games for the A team, scoring nine tries, but was not offered professional terms.

Top side of the era Oldham came in search of the Walney man though, and he signed for the Lancashire side soon after being initially turned down by his hometown club.

Travelling in those days proved to be too much and after mainly being in the A team and appearing eight times at first team level, he was then transferred to Barrow.

He signed on at Craven Park in 1950, but had to wait until April 1951 before making his first team debut at Workington.

His spell at Barrow was short and his last game, ironically, was against Oldham at home in September of 1952.

Hewson only played five first team games, scoring three tries, but did score seven in one game for the A team.

His path to a regular first-team place was blocked as Barrow had a star-studded international three-quarter line up of wingers Jimmy Lewthwaite and Frank Castle, and centres Dennis Goodwin and Phil Jackson.

Tex returned to his roots at Walney Central where he played a leading role for several years as a player and in several administration roles.

He coached the youngsters coming through the ranks at mini-rugby to youth level and was a most respected figure in the community.

When Walney progressed to the first round proper in the Challenge Cup in 1960, they were paired with the other amateur club Lock Lane, of Castleford – in those days only two amateur clubs played in the first round.

Walney won 10-5 at Craven Park with Tex playing on the wing. In round two, the Cents were drawn away to Oldham, but lost 50-4.

However, Hewson did not play due to being out injured and Oldham’s former Workington star Ike Southward crossed for a double hat-trick of tries.