Wigan Album

Photo found amongst my late father’s memorabilia, taken at Central Park, in a 1938 pre-season activity with the heavy roller for some of the players, all of whom are Welsh. The Wigan club had no fewer than 16 registered Welsh born players on their books for the 1938-39 season. It was little wonder that over half the Wigan team was more often than not, composed of Welshmen, before the outbreak of war. This group were helping out as groundsmen.

Left to Right - JIM SULLIVAN signed by Wigan as a 17 year old in 1921 from Cardiff RU where as a 16 year old he was holding down a first team position and had already at 17, played for the Barbarians, a rugby prodigy. Made 774 appearances for Wigan in a 25 year career. Played and captained GB, Wales and was one of the first to be inducted into the British Hall of Fame in 1988. A very forceful personality, he would brook no nonsense and was a leader in every way. He also became a very successful coach with Wigan and later with St Helens. Died 14 September 1977 (aged 73).

Next - ROY FRANCIS, at 17 he signed for Wigan in November 1936 from Brynmawr. Harry Sunderland, an Aussie, took charge of Wigan in 1938 and it was openly known that he ‘did not rate black players’, Roy was quickly moved on and went to Barrow where he met with success. Joined the Army as a PE instructor and was their fastest sprinter in 1942, also played as a guest for Dewsbury winning two Championship medals. After the war his colour seemed to deny him a place in the GB tour to Australia, but in 1947 became the first black man to play for GB, scoring two tries. Became a player with Hull, then coach, winning two Championships and according to some experts "He was really the first person in British sport to use modern coaching methods.” and “he was a great innovator who revolutionised sport in the country”. Experts in the field consider Roy to have been greatly under rated as a player but even more so as a forward looking coach using methods that came into ‘fashion’ decades later. Died April 1, 1989 (aged 70)

Next - JACK BOWEN, my father. Wigan signed my father from Llanelli in April 1938 after they watched him take part in the Welsh Final Trial when he played for the Probables. He was the only change to the Welsh team that faced England the following week. Disappointed he signed a 10 year contract with Wigan and completed it in 1948, which included spending 3 years abroad in the Army in Egypt, India, Iraq and Palestine, the Gaza strip. While at Wigan he represented Wales and again, aged 33 while playing a final season with Leigh. He spent the next 24 years with his wife, as a tenant landlord in Wigan, at the Crispin Arms and the Wellfield Hotel, Beech Hill. Died February 26 2009 aged 93.

Next - EMLYN JENKINS, signed by Wigan in March 1938 from Salford, a highly successful team of the 1930’s coached by Lance Todd. Already a Welsh RL international Emlyn had toured with the GB team of 1936 down under, where he had been a star of the Tour.Told my father the hard grounds suited his side step. Did not see ‘eye to eye’ with Harry Sunderland the Wigan Secretary Manager, when he was appointed and ‘engineered’ his way out by submitting a letter to say he was retiring in order to concentrate on his career, as a cinema manager, - within weeks he was signed by Keighley. Like Jim and Roy, he became a coach at Leigh and St Helens, persuading my father to do an extra year at the Leigh club. Emlyn later became a lecturer and he was known to turn out in high class rugby games into his 40's, he’d been just 28 when he'd written a letter of ‘retirement’ from the game. Died 19 October 1993, aged 82.

Next - TED WARD, signed by Wigan in January 1938 from Llanelli. Ted, along with most of Wigan’s Welsh players, returned home when war broke out, very few returned to play in the war years. My father and Joe Jones did return. Most who left, went on to play Rugby Union again, picking up from where they had left after signing for Wigan, because war time restrictions had been lifted to allow this.Ted also worked down the mines and suffered a serious motor bike accident which he thought had finished his rugby career. However, Jim Sullivan made a trip to Wales to convince him to return to Wigan after the war which he did. Ted then enjoyed a good career in the game, playing for Wales and GB and becoming only the 25th Welshman to achieve 1,000 points in the game. He went on to play for Oldham and later for Cardiff RL club in a failed attempt to establish League in Wales. Also, like Jim, Roy and Emlyn, he also became a coach, in his case to the Wigan team. It was a short and difficult period in the 1950’s, with the team trying unsuccessfully to emulate the great success of previous years. During this time however, under Ted’s management, Wigan signed one of their greatest players, namely Billy Boston.
Died May 1988 (aged 70–71)

Next - JOE JONES. Joe signed for Wigan in November 1935, from Cilfynydd Rugby Club, Pontypridd. He was one of few Welshmen who returned to play War time football for Wigan. In 1940/1 season when Wigan went through a short season undefeated he and my father were part of the team which had 11 other players all local, a big change from the composition of the team before the war. Joe was later transferred to Barrow where he continued to thrive, played for Wales and toured down under in 1946 as a GB tourist. He still has sons who live in the Barrow area. Died 11 January 1974 (aged 57).