Wigan Album
Blan Brothers
10 CommentsPhoto: Keith
Item #: 22237
Longshoot. born and bred.Real Wiganers
The Clarke brothers come to mind: five professional footballers: Allan, Frank, Derek, Kelvin and Wayne...All good lads...Allan (Sniffer) played 19 times for England, and was a vital part of Don Revie's great Leeds side of the early seventies...Derek and Wayne both began their careers with Wolverhampton Wanderers...
Keith
Fox brothers from Wakefield (Don, Neil, and Peter)
Barrow brothers from St Helens,Chisnall brothers from St Helens, and the Arkwrights from St Helens (grandfather Jack, son Jack, and grandson Chris, all played for St Helens. Those just off the top of my head.No doubt others will put more on.
Jack and Albert were born in Longshoot Scholes,so was I (same house)Bill was born in Wombwell Barnsley on a trip by my Gradma to see my Grandad who had gone to work there when he couldn't find work back in Wigan.So Bill was a Yorkshire man,not sure if he ever played for Yorkshire?.
As a boy in the forties I Remmember Jack living in Pike St Billy lived in a house on Scholes between Longshoot and Vine St and his little boys played on the pavement in front. and Albert playing for Whelley Legion and mating with Harold Winsranley( Who wrestled as Melvin Riss)
I play soccer with Albert Blan for worsley boys club in 1947-48 he played centre half and would have made it in football if he had wanted to
Billy lived in an upstairs flat opposite the Bowling Green pub for quite a while. Then he went to play for a Yorkshire club (don't know which) When he returned to Wigan he lived in Hornby St for a long time.
Billy Blan was born near Wakefield and he played for Lancashire until someone found out and he than played for Yorkshire
Omg Jack Blan is my grandpa my dad's dad and my dad's 2 uncles
It’s crazy been a young Blan reading the history of my dads grandpa and his great uncles. Amazing stuff