Wigan Album

Great player. Great ground should never of been sold to fund
a new stadium with no atmosphere.

A few concerns were expressed when Wigan signed this fellow as we already had Robinson and Offiah but the coaching team nurtured him into a brilliant centre
Top bloke and like you Gibo – I wish we were still at CP; as the name implies it was ‘Central’ for everyone and everything!

Inga expressed the view that the Union game is completely different to League. He says he was thrown in at the deep end immediately and the training was so intensive that he'd often find himself immersed in the bath at 3 in the morning trying to ease the aches and pains. The fitness required for League was in his words "out of this world"

Was Central Park sold to to build a new stadium or pay off debt?

Just over three decades previously, didn't the stand at the back of Inga, advertise " Baker's Jewell Casket"? I recollect being on duty at one bank holiday match, Wigan v St Helens, The attendance was somewhere in the region of thirty thousand. From the back of that particular stand, it wasn't difficult to get onto the stand, but the drop at the front was about fifty feet, at a conservative estimate. Several spectators' had got onto this stand from the rear, and I had the job of getting them off. One of them complained that he couldn't get off because he had a false leg. I said "You b----y well got on, now you'll b----y well get off." Which he did. If my memory serves me right, at that time, I seem to remember, the roof was much more of a level surface, slanting from the front towards the back.

Great ground lads i agree and i'm not condoning all the so called skullduggery which supposedly went on during it's sale, but, yes it was 'Central' Malc, it would be too central these days with hardly any parking space, it was ok when most of us went on the bus or walked it but it couldn't cope these days, even with less people attending, as every other man and his dog now goes by car. Plus, at my age i want to sit down and watch, not shoved from pillar to post. I agree with you Malc about Inga, i for one questioned his ability when he arrived but he made us eat our words, a great player who didn't stay long enough in Rugby League.

My memory may not be serving me well here but one derby match at Knowsley Road, I'm sure St Helens were in the lead with very little time remaining and Wigan looked like losing. Inga picked up the ball and single handedly took on what seemed like the whole of the St Helens defence, moving in from the wing and in his determined inimitable fashion shook everyone off to score near the posts to win the match for Wigan - can anyone confirm?

GeorgeB, I don't remember that particular incident but it sounds like Inga. The name "Inga the winger" came from Union. Apart from a handful of games on the wing when he first started, he played centre to Jason Robinson. I remember once, against Widnes I think, the opposing, much smaller, centre got the ball from a telegraphed pass and Inga was on him as he caught the ball. Many other players would have taken the opportunity of badly flattening him, but Inga just got him in a gentle bear hug and took him to the ground. A true gentleman.

Use to stand right in the corner on match days, then into the clubhouse for a few beers after the game. Players would come in. Shared many a pint with Billy Boston and Colin Clarke. Happy days!

George B . I recall the try at St Helens,t I think the match was televised It prompted a comment from Alec Murphy to the effect that " If the wall behind the dead ball line had been in front of the try line. It would not have stopped him"

What a player to have in your side.

How about this for a combination in their prime - Billy Boston on the wing and Inga Tuigamala as his centre - world class without a doubt.

No disrespect to the great Inga but Billy Boston and Eric Ashton took some beating

Inga and his sons are now into boxing,he has had a few problems over the years but seems happy these days from the interviews I have seen

Inga is quoted as saying his own children call him the "Yea, yea" dad - because he often starts by saying to them... "In my day.."..hence their response. Inga himself also says he came from a small family, he was one of 15 children! As a committed christian he often addresses large groups, mainly youngsters - from the utube video I saw he's an impressive speaker.