Billy Boston - Eric Ashton - Dave Bolton etc where

What are all the great Wigan rugby players of yesteryear doing now ?
I know that some of them are playing on that great Rugby field up above, but what are the ones who are still with us doing ?

Dave Bolton is oz he is retied Dave is the only engish rugby player to be in oz hall of fame.Billy Boston is still in wigan all ways see the home game at the j.j.b

Eric Ashton died March 2008 RIP
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Ashton

Billy not too good on his legs but always time to say hello/have a chat - a true gent

Wigan use to have some very good Players,not anymore.

Dave Bolton is still a regular visitor to the UK. He comes over to see his brother Bev who lives in Whalley near Clitheroe.

Dave Bolton spark out at Wembley 1963

Yes ... along with Boston, Ashton, Bolton - McTigue, Barton, Bretherton, Lake, etc etc

Dave Bolton was injured by Alan Hardesty who in my opinion should have been banned from the game for that cowardly act.

coccium: in 1963 Wigan played Wakefield at Wembley and Alan Hardisty played for Castleford! Are you not getting confused with Keith Hepworths 'straight arm shot' on Colin Tyrer in the 1971 final against Castleford which effectively ended our chances?

wigvet,thanks I got mixed up,I've been to thirty odd finals and mi brains gettin past it these days

"Colin Tyrer" 71, Now that was a bad un!

yes coccium & xrh59 it was certainly the worst act of thuggery i have ever seen on a rugby field - i was there on the day and the game went downhill thereafter - there is a cracking picture of the tackle but its a bit too late for me to start searching the web for it - i dont know which final was worse the 1966 Murphy ruined one or the 1971 Hepworth one - but which was the best 1965 or 1984?

sorry I meant 1965 or 1985!!!!

Just thinking it was '1970' the Wigan V Castleford final.

Wigan V Cas

thanks for correction and link xrh59 - 'loosing Tyrer with a serious jaw injury' said the commentator - how true - pity the camera man missed it!

Your welcome Wigvet.

ello l was just wondering is this the dennis that used to work at south lancs ?? if so lm teresa that used work in the lab.l think you knew our Marg, very sad to say she that unexpectedly passed on in march and billy boston was at her funeral.

wigvet, for me Wigan v Hull was the best,but the most gratifying Wigan 22,St Helens Nil..I also have some photo's of the after match celebrations of the Hull game but my system is playing up and can't upload them yet,but will do when I get it fettled.

toto 1 - Sorry, I didn't work at South Lancs I am also sorry to learn of your sisters passing, although I didn't know her.
I live in New Zealand.

coccium
It was actually 27-0

kenny,theer I go agen,thowd yed goin stale.

David Bolton played for a professional English rugby team about 1970. I attended the game It was either a Lancashire cup tie or a league match. If I remember he came off with an injury. I used to deliver his parents newspaper when they lived in Swinley Road Just a little teaser here. Can anyone remember the game in question? Its not a trick question it was a competitve match. Just one clue for you, it was played at Central Park Wigan.

1934 granada
Dave Bolton played for Balmain between 1965 - 1970.
So I assume the game was one were Bolton made a 'guest appearance' ??

I think Alex Murphy played in the same game on the other side,could it have been Leigh?
May have been BBC 2.floodlight cup final 1969?

The BBC 2 floodlight cup finals around that time -

1968 / 69 Wigan 7 v St Helens 4

1969 / 70 Leigh 11 v Wigan 6

1970 / 71 Leeds 9 v St Helens 5

Your right Coccium, it was Leigh. But who was the team that David Bolton played for? It was not a bbc floodlit cup game though, as the team in question did not have floodlights.! It was a home fixture for this team but for some reason they played the game at Wigan. Dennis, I think he did guest for them it might have been just for one game. I'm not sure.

Was it Blackpool Granada?

Indeed it was xrh But can you name the Blackpool full back who played in that match? He was an ex Wigan player who also could play centre. He won two caps for Great Britain

Could it have been Keith Holden?

Ray Ashby?

I can't think for the life of me! But was the match a Regal cup game?

Fordie, It was Ray Ashby I think it was a league game xrh. I used to have the programme and the game was scheduled for Borough Park Blackpool but they played it one evening at Wigan.

Ashby, well done Fordie. Thanks for that Granada.

I live in Oz and Fred (Punchy) Griffiths lived and played bere for some years. I recently found out that he died in 2000 or 2001 not quite sure which. I adored him when I was a teenager back at Central Park.

Does anyone remember the great scrum half and standoff partnership of Jackie Edwards and Dave Bolton for Wigan boys. Jackie of course from St. Mary's and Dave from All Saints.

Christine----Fred Griffiths was Captain Coach of North Sydney, I believe he went to live in Perth.
He married a lass who worked in the offices at the Mapole Pit, Abram.

Just for the record. Billy Boston went to play for Blackpool Borough before he retired.

Had the programme from Billies testimonial V Blackpool, remember him scoring a try from just inside the Wigan half and he spent the next three minutes with his hands on his knees trying to get his breath back. But what a player and also what a true gent, never seen BB ignore anyone who has ever approached him no matter where or who he`s been with.

rio caroni
Just been sifting through some stuff in the attic and came across some old programmes.Billy's testimonial was on July 26th 1968 at Central Park,against a select 13
The legend himself grabbed a hat trick of tries,but was upstaged by a certain Clive Sullivan who scored 5 times,and the final score was Wigan 47 Select 58

teresa it was dennis mc can who worked at south lanc with me jonhy ward, ken halliwell.tommy dickins,ken was the ganger man use to giverbody a top knuckel on the head just see if you where still sober in the morning,

Had Billy as my Guest at the JJB... also played against him(at dominoes .. The Bold!) I won!!! greatest Rugby League player ever....saw him give Van vollenhoven 15 yds start... and catch him!! Vollenhoven was FAST!!
Billy is a True Gent

Posted by: wigvet (250)
coccium: in 1963 Wigan played Wakefield at Wembley and Alan Hardisty played for Castleford! Are you not getting confused with Keith Hepworths 'straight arm shot' on Colin Tyrer in the 1971 final against Castleford which effectively ended our chances?

Wigvet, surely the 71 Final was Leigh v Leeds

CELTIC4.
Totally agree with you re BILLY B as a great (Both as a rugby player and as a true gent) HOWEVER, Gave Vollenhoven 15yds, What are you supping???
Regards Albert.

Albert..
At the time I was in the ould "Boys Pen" at Central park, vollenhoven got away at our rt hand corner flag, Billy finally decided to go after him!... knocked him into touch maybe a couple of ft from the try line. Maybe age and a drop or two of the ould 'Holy water' plus the now metric system, casts a doubt over the 15yds, but sure it was not far off!!!
Also saw the great Jackie Cunliffe make the greatest ever tackle at Swinton.
Take care mate

CELTIC 4,
Thanks for that, bottom line is what REALLY matters to me is that B.B. is aTRUE gent, In fact I've decided to retract my statement, If you say it was 15yds, that's good enough for me owld lad, take care
All the best Albert.

albert
Your a good man so you are... Thanks take care

I can remember being in the 'Boys Pen' at Central Park for the Boxing Day ? / New Years Day ? fixture Wigan v St Helens probably around 1965ish.
The 'Entry of the Gladiators' was playing, the Wigan team came out and Billy Boston didn't run out, he walked out and started waving his finger and talking to the goal posts !
To this day, I am not sure if he was acting or if the 'mince pies' had been too near to the brandy
As per usual, he still played a 'blinder'

I remember being allowed to go to the Annual Rugby League Ball at the Empress and all the Rugby team were there and they had invited Joe Erskine the Boxer, I was but a youngster but I remember seeing them knocking it back at the Bar upstairs near where I was sitting looking over the Balcony Happy days

We have a stand at the DW it is THE BILLY BOSTON STAND this is a joy to see as BILLIE is still a round to see it.