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22 Comments

Wigan RL 1960s
Wigan RL 1960s
Photo: Scholes Malc
Views: 8,099
Item #: 23893
Said I’d put this photo on for ‘my mate ’Billy’ who works with Bill Francis who had 14 seasons at Wigan. Bill, for me, was a class centre, ever reliable, great hands and side-step. Signed from Cas I seem to recollect and without checking I’m sure he played for Wales in a World Cup
Anyway name the year and players – my mate Billy said he would buy a Mackeson in the Saracens Head for the first correct answer.....well that was the last pub he went to the bar in!

Comment by: AB on 10th September 2013 at 10:43

As I recall Bill Francis was signed as a young Yorkshire Lad as a protégé Of Bill Hudson's who recommended him. He gave Wigan and then St Helens good service

Comment by: GeorgeB on 10th September 2013 at 11:09

William "Bill" L. Francis born October 1947 in Featherstone won caps for Wales while at Wigan in 1975. Played a total of 500 RL games for Wigan, St Helens, Oldham and Salford. Represented Wales 19 times and GB on 4 occasions - that’s some RL career.

Comment by: Scholes Malc on 10th September 2013 at 12:09

forget about him going to Saints AB - went to Oldham after that as well - did he play for Saints at Wembley?

Comment by: Bill on 10th September 2013 at 14:49

I always thought Bill Francis was a wing threequarter and Peter Rowe played centre to him!

Comment by: A B on 10th September 2013 at 15:10

Bill, he was a winger and graduated to centre. Wigan had a winger before him , who went on to play centre, Eric Ashton

Comment by: Scholes Malc on 10th September 2013 at 15:56

I remember Peter Rowe - Welsh lad who went onto play for the Borough after Wigan - another handy player

Comment by: tuddy on 10th September 2013 at 19:14

I'd say the year's 1969, Billy Boston retired in 68 and Eric Ashton retired in 69, Ashton's on the photo but Boston's not.

Comment by: JK on 10th September 2013 at 19:46

Back:C(or D?)Hill, C Tyrer, C Clarke,D Laughton, G Lyon, J Stephens(?),don't know,D Gardiner, the other Hill(?)
Front: Kev O'Loughlin, ?, Bill Francis, E Ashton, F Parr, P Rowe

Comment by: JK on 10th September 2013 at 19:49

Back, 3rd from right - is it T.Fogerty

Comment by: John on 10th September 2013 at 20:19

Big Boy Billy Francis was his apprentice for a while . Would smoke like a chimney eat pies and still run like the wind. We chased him all around Wigan the day before he got married and chained him to the railings outside Woolworths. He could run but couldnt lose us on that day

Comment by: JIMMY G on 10th September 2013 at 20:47

1 C TYRER 2 KEVIN O LOUGHLIN 3ERIC ASHTON 4 PETER ROWE 5 BILL
FRANCIS 6 DAVID HILL 7 FRANK PARR 8 DANNY GARDINER 9 COLIN CLARKE 10 JOHN STEPHENS 11 TERRY FOGERTY 12 GEOFF LYON 13DOUG LAUGHTON 14 CLIFF HILL 15 RONNIE WEBB -YEAR 1968.

Comment by: JIMMY G on 10th September 2013 at 21:30

Position on photo - Standing- L to R- C,HILL- C.Tyrer.-C.Clarke-D.Laughton-G.Lyon-J.Stephens-T.Fogerty.-D.Gardiner-
R.Webb--Front row----K Oloughlin.-D,Hill,-W.Francis-E,Ashton.F,Parr.- P,Rowe.
--------------- 1968 -------

Comment by: AB on 11th September 2013 at 11:23

Tuddy after Billy "Retired" I recall him playing for Blackpool Borough. I vividly remember going to an evening match there. I was so dejected at seeing Billy. a shadow of himself , that I don't remember what team they were playing or the score,could it have been Wigan ?

Comment by: Scholes Malc on 11th September 2013 at 15:25

There was nothing amiss in plying your trade with the Borough – they always seemed to have an abundance of Wigan lads - I remember seeing the legendary Brian Bevan (best winger ever my dad said!) playing for Blackpool at Central Park in the 60s – Wigan won 77-8!

Comment by: gideonfel on 11th September 2013 at 19:00

I was at that match, Scholes Malc. I think it was 1964. If memory serves me correctly, Brian Bevan scored in the corner in that match - he got the ball about ten yards from the line and Billy B was coming across to tackle him in his inimitable way. Bevan by this time was thinner and balder than ever, and at the last moment Billy pulled out of tackling him and let him score! By that time Wigan were winning by a cricket score. If Billy had carried out that tackle he'd have snapped Bevan in two! By the way, my dad used to say the same about Bevan being the best he'd ever seen. [I reckon the year in the photo is 1969]

Comment by: tuddy on 11th September 2013 at 22:46

AB, Billy Boston did come out of retirement to play for Blackpool but I don't know if he ever played against Wigan.

Comment by: Scholes Malc on 11th September 2013 at 23:22

gideonfel - just dug out my programme - it was sat 26th Oct 1963 (Trevor Lake scored 4 - Tommy Bishop was scrum half and the other winger was 'Chuck Wiseman' ex Wigan and grid iron player

Comment by: Jimmy G on 12th September 2013 at 19:32

The photo above was taken before the Huddersfield game on
Saturday 9 March 1968. Wigan won 31pts to o8.
[ Hopefully an omen for tonights match]

Comment by: Jimmy. on 16th December 2013 at 00:04

Geoff Lyon, Terry Fogerty ,Doug Loughton ,them back three could hold there own against any back three.( Sony Bill Williams International player of year ,what a joke a fellow by the name of Burges put S B W in his place .If I was a Millionare I would buy burges for Wigan and pay his wages.Did Chuck Wiseman only play a couple of games for Wigan ,Did he finish after breaking his leg.Does anybody remember the Italian lad Toni Rossie think he played Second Row or Loose Foward good player.

Comment by: Tommy Hall on 12th September 2019 at 17:14

I used to watch Wigan when Bill was playing, I seem to remember he smoked at the time and was always getting some stick of his dad to quit, the last time I saw him was in the Brocket Arms many years ago when he was with a work collegue of mine, Maurice Tyrer. I have recently seen him with Wagga on TV., he still looks fit and well, [PS, He was with Colin Clarke who used to work at Leyland trucks at the same time as I did,] Nice to have seen you again Bill.

Comment by: Jim Marsh on 3rd November 2020 at 19:26

Worked with Bill Francis for a year or two at A &B Cars in Newton le Willows. Tough as nails but a great guy!
He played for Wigan and told me that at Wembly in 1970 he was running with the ball and felt the cold air coming into his mouth, so feeling with his tongue found that in the previous play he had slit his cheek and his tongue came right through to the outside. Great memories Bill. Jim.

Comment by: Alan Law on 8th September 2021 at 22:46

Huge Billy Boston fan, he’s the reason I became a Rugby League tragic 60+years ago

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