e ▁played ▁his ▁first ▁love ▁rugby ▁league ▁for ▁the ▁Ke igh ley ▁junior ▁supp or ters ▁club ▁so ▁effectively ▁played ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁games ▁of ▁rugby ▁a ▁week ▁including ▁playing ▁Wed nes day ▁af tern o ons ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁XV . ▁Also ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁Ro e ▁had ▁been ▁court ed ▁by ▁Manchester ▁United ▁and ▁She ff ield ▁United ▁as ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁been ▁captain ▁and ▁centre - half ▁of ▁a ▁successful ▁Ke igh ley ▁boys ▁s occer ▁team . ▁However ▁a ▁fall ▁from ▁a ▁tree ▁whilst ▁living ▁on ▁a ▁farm ▁after ▁his ▁father ' s ▁early ▁death ▁cur ta iled ▁any ▁sport ing ▁activity ▁for ▁ 1 2 - month s ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁bad ▁back ▁injury . ▁Ro e ▁turned ▁his ▁back ▁on ▁s occer ▁and ▁whilst ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁labor atory ▁techn ician ▁signed ▁professional ▁forms ▁for ▁Ke igh ley ▁R L FC ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 . ▁Wh ilst ▁at ▁Ke igh ley ▁he ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁young est ▁ever ▁to ▁represent ▁York shire ▁County . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁Ro e ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Brad ford ▁Northern , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁ 9 9 ▁games ▁under ▁Roy ▁Francis ▁and ▁Peter ▁Fox ▁who , ▁co ached ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁back - to - back ▁champion ships . ▁His ▁playing ▁position ▁was ▁at ▁. ▁Ro e ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁Great ▁Britain ▁in ▁France ▁but ▁had ▁to ▁pull ▁out ▁due ▁to