Wigan Album

Keith can you email me. I left a message on another post but you mustn't have seen it.

Keith, Bill Collier rarely featured, full stop, he played in Wigans first team 18 times as opposed to Franks 323 appearances. I had the pleasure and displeasure of working with both Frank, a great fellow, and Bill, whom i had little regard for unfortunately.

I very honoured to see y Uncle RONNIE MATHER later on my cousin BILL BRETHERTON PLAYED LATE 50s /60s there is one scene that has been burned in memory and that is one christmas whilst at ormskirk rd almost opposite owd half-way-house pub more than half of the wigan team came boundering into our house well past midnight and plenty drinks too they had their rugby shirts on ,had a ball ,and my uncle jack from upholland played "entry of the gladiators " on the jo-anna please don't ask me what it were about from that day to present i have still no idea what it was about ,but eeh by gum a good neet wuz had by all .

I did my National Service with Bill Collier,always found him to be a good bloke !

I only knew Bill on the social side later in life and always found him to be a nice gent.

I will be eternally grateful to Bill Collier and his wife for the way they helped my Mam after my dad passed away. Never met a nicer couple.

i met ronnie mather when i was doin my training at old boston in haydock. he wanted to get me a trial for wigan , but i was more into football at the time. nice man & good memories.

Could it be the ward cup Keith' ?

Thank you for that reminder Eric, I'd completely forgotten about it. It's possible or more likely probable, but I can't check since the records don't seem to mention the Ward Cup matches.

Legend had it that Ronnie Mather and Bill Sayer had a race over 100 yards.They said it was a two day match!

I think that you will find that Peter Williams is not the only player to be capped at Union for England and League for Wales. In the England front row in the 11921 'Grand Sland' side was Tom Woods (Devenport, Navy and Pontyupool), he played in all 4 games. He signed for Wigan Northern Union in 1921 playing for them till 1924 and he won 3 WELSH League caps: 1921 v. Australia, 1922 v England and 1923 v. England.

Peter Williams was the SECOND to play union for England and League for Wales. The First was TOM WOODS of Wigan,he played for England 5 times once in 1920 and 4 in 1921 and 3 Welsh League in 1921, 22 and 23 He was born in PONTYPOOL. The other prop in the union games was Reg Edwards who played for Newport but was born in PONTYPOOL, so two thirds of a Pontypool front row!!!!

Thank you for the correction Evan, - really interesting. That's quite an amazing fact and I'm surprised I haven't heard more about it, perhaps the English like to keep it quiet - who knows.Must check future details more carefully.

I'm proud of my dad Bill Collier,it seems as though i'm not the only one who thought my dad (Bill Collier) was a decent bloke.Thank you for the comments.

care to elaborate "blob". I had the absolute pleasure of knowing and growing up with my grandad Bill. Wasnt you ever taught ..if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say owt at all! I presume you're of the older generation, therefore should know better. Very proud granddaughter and great-niece to the Collier brothers. :)

A very belated reply to Eric from his posting of July 2016!
You were quite right, it was the Ward Cup match of August 8th 1953 which Wigan won 30 - 20. On the Warrington side that day was the former Wigan player Cec Mountford, he continued there as Manager and had a very successful time, in fact at the end of this season Warrington finished in 2nd place in the League while Wigan were 7th. It took another 5 years for Wigan to win any silverware despite having Billy in the team.