With an international back-line at Central Park Jeff struggled to hold down a regular place in the team. He was transferred to Warrington in January 1964 for £2,500. He made his Wire debut on 1 February 1964 against Hull in an 18-12 victory at Wilderspool. He played centre and kicked three goals.

Later that season Jeff moved to the wing, with his “old” Wigan team mate Keith Holden as his centre. He quickly established himself in the team and scored 11 tries and kicked 10 goals in 14 matches that season.

The following season he played in all 42 of Warrington’s matches scoring 12 tries and kicking 93 goals. At 6ft and 13st 10lb he began to show his versatility to the team by playing full-back, centre and wing. Later in his career he also played in the second row and at loose forward.

In 1965/66 Jeff played in 40 of Warrington’s 45 matches, kicking 78 goals. He also showed his leadership skills by captaining the side. In August 1965 he led Warrington against the New Zealand touring side, The Wire going down to a narrow 14-7 defeat.

Jeff’s finest hour was in leading Warrington in the 1965 Lancashire Cup Final. He lifted the trophy as Rochdale Hornets were defeated 16-5 at Knowsley Road. 21,000 spectators packing into the St Helens ground to see The Wire triumph, with Bootle kicking two goals from full-back.

Two weeks later, Bootle was stripped of the captaincy after he refused to play on the wing against his former club Wigan. The following week he was back in the team …. on the wing.

On 15 April 1968 he scored all Warrington’s points as the side won at Leigh to clinch the Lancashire League title from St Helens by just one point. He scored a try and kicked two goals in a 7-6 victory.

The 1968/69 season proved to be his final one at Wilderspool. Jeff missed just one of Warrington’s 43 matches and kicked 125 goals. In November 1968 he kicked nine goals in a match against Doncaster at Wilderspool, for good measure he also scored a try to make take his tally to 21 points.

Jeff who has the Warrington Heritage Number 644 scored 42 tries and kicked 345 goals for the Wire, making a total of 816 points He still lies 10^th in Warrington’s all-time goal kicking list and is the 13^th highest points scorer. In three season’s he topped Warrington’s goal kicking charts.

At the aged to 28 Jeff surprised everyone by retiring in the summer of 1969. He did so to further his career as a Work Study Manager for Mersey Bus. He and his wife moved up to Blackpool where he lived for the remainder of his life.

His wife Jean bought Jeff a set of golf clubs when he retired from rugby league. He became a very proficient golfer, playing off a 9 handicap.

Jeff and Jean never had children. They did enjoy travelling and had many holidays abroad.

He was a mild mannered and quiet person. It was hard to believe that he played almost 250 matches of professional rugby league at a time when the sport was very physical.

Jeff had been ill for the last 18 months and Warrington Wolves send their condolences to his wife Jean, who lives in a nursing home and their friends.

The funeral is at Carleton Crematorium, in Blackpool on Tuesday 21 September at 9.30am.

Obituary: Jeff Bootle