Jack Cunliffe

[MYT]

When we sing the praises of great Wigan players there is never a mention of Jack Cunliffe.

Here is a man who played 447 games for Wigan spanning 4 decades (beat that!) and was the superb professional. I remember him as a totally unselfish utility back player who, despite not being spectacular, exuded class in everything he did.

One of my boyhood memories from the henpen was watching Jack collect the ball near his 20 yard line in a match against either Bramley or Batley (only one division then) and go on to jinx his way through the opposing team using his wonderful side step and score under the posts. He was a pretty good goal-kicker as well.


From memory, I think he was somewhat overshadowed early on by the great Martin Ryan but that does not detract from a truly distinguished career. Wigan has rarely had a more loyal one club player whose record could only have been more impressive if it were not for the war.

I'm sure there are a few oldies out there who share these memories.

[Wiganer Ted]

Jack was Wigan full back when I first started watching in 1956/7 or so.
My father and his generation always spoke well of Jack (Jackie?).
I didn't go into the henpen too often as my dad took me through the gate into the main ground where we stood on the Kop. Quite a walk then I suppose on and off as that was before the Colin St turnstiles were put in.

[morley pie eater]

Lovely post, MYT!

I'm not old enough to remember Jackie Cunliffe, but nevertheless grew up revering the great and mysterious names of the past like Jim Sullivan, Martin Ryan, Syd Abram, Danny Hurcombe, Ken Gee and on and on.

I hope I've passed onto my lads names like Kevin and Keiron O'Loughlin, Dave Bolton, Trevor Lake, Brian McTigue, Bill Sayer, Danny Gardiner, Frankie Parr, Frank Collier, Roy Evans, Laurie Gilfedder, Chris Hesketh, as well as the more obvious Boston, Ashton etc. And then my favourite of the next generation - Bill Francis, pure class.

Also relate to your henpen memories, and later asking "Will you see me through, Mister?" to get into the main ground. "Magee Marshall" on the roof of the stand on the Douglas side.

The close season seems a good time to revive these memories - more of them, please!

[Charriots Offiah]

Lovely post, MYT!

I'm not old enough to remember Jackie Cunliffe, but nevertheless grew up revering the great and mysterious names of the past like Jim Sullivan, Martin Ryan, Syd Abram, Danny Hurcombe, Ken Gee and on and on.

I hope I've passed onto my lads names like Kevin and Keiron O'Loughlin, Dave Bolton, Trevor Lake, Brian McTigue, Bill Sayer, Danny Gardiner, Frankie Parr, Frank Collier, Roy Evans, Laurie Gilfedder, Chris Hesketh, as well as the more obvious Boston, Ashton etc. And then my favourite of the next generation - Bill Francis, pure class.

Also relate to your henpen memories, and later asking "Will you see me through, Mister?" to get into the main ground. "Magee Marshall" on the roof of the stand on the Douglas side.

The close season seems a good time to revive these memories - more of them, please!

Bill Francis was a very underrated player. He played 400 games for Wigan (ranked 10th of all time) and scored 159 tries (ranked 16th). I have a chat (and a pint) with Bill and Colin Clarke, another Wigan great, at most home games. Bill is still very fit, the only downside is that he is a Yorkshireman

[morley pie eater]

Lovely post, MYT!

I'm not old enough to remember Jackie Cunliffe, but nevertheless grew up revering the great and mysterious names of the past like Jim Sullivan, Martin Ryan, Syd Abram, Danny Hurcombe, Ken Gee and on and on.

I hope I've passed onto my lads names like Kevin and Keiron O'Loughlin, Dave Bolton, Trevor Lake, Brian McTigue, Bill Sayer, Danny Gardiner, Frankie Parr, Frank Collier, Roy Evans, Laurie Gilfedder, Chris Hesketh, as well as the more obvious Boston, Ashton etc. And then my favourite of the next generation - Bill Francis, pure class.

Also relate to your henpen memories, and later asking "Will you see me through, Mister?" to get into the main ground. "Magee Marshall" on the roof of the stand on the Douglas side.

The close season seems a good time to revive these memories - more of them, please!

Bill Francis was a very underrated player. He played 400 games for Wigan (ranked 10th of all time) and scored 159 tries (ranked 16th). I have a chat (and a pint) with Bill and Colin Clarke, another Wigan great, at most home games. Bill is still very fit, the only downside is that he is a Yorkshireman

Give Bill my regards. He came along just as I was old enough, and had watched the game long enough, to appreciate the subtleties, the thinking and ball-handlng skills as well as the more obvious biff and speed. I rate him as one of the top players I've seen.

I was chuffed to meet his dad sometime in 1974, when I delivered to Glasshoughton Colliery, where Bill's dad worked in the stores. Had a good chat with him.

Bill was probably underrated because the Wigan team he played in wasn't up to the standards of previous teams from WW2 on.

Incidentally, I also remember a quick chat with Colin Clarke after a cup game at Batley (early 1980s?), just before he got into a Rolls Royce iirc! Probably got a lift from a club sponsor

[Charriots Offiah]

Will do Morley, when we eventually get back playing. By the way Clarkey is still a character however, his mobility is not great these days following his hip replacement. What a great hooker he was, he would be a superstar in the modern game.

[morley pie eater]

Will do Morley, when we eventually get back playing. By the way Clarkey is still a character however, his mobility is not great these days following his hip replacement. What a great hooker he was, he would be a superstar in the modern game.

He certainly would.

I recall us signing Colin from Orrell and he became the replacement for an ageing Bill Sayer. Eventually Sayer signed for Saints as Clarke took over at hooker.

Unfortunately I also remember that we got to Wembley that year (1966). Clarke picked up a ban and we'd have to play Saints without a hooker. I think we had a "top 16 play-off" game against Halifax. If we could engineer a draw, Clarke would serve his ban in the replay and be available for Wembley. We lost to Halifax.

A young prop (from Hindley) called Tommy Woosey played 9 at Wembley. To rub salt into the wound, Saints' hooker was Bill Sayer. Alex Murphy realised that offside resulted in a scrum in those days, so every time we got the ball, Murph would be offside: scrum with our head and feed, but Saints get the ball back.

Luckily my dad banned me from going to Wembley that year as I had a bad report from school, so I only had to suffer watching in black and white.

[I may have some details wrong, as it's 55 years ago.]

[Exiled Wiganer]

I am slow to this, but my auntie (96 and still going strong) tells me that she remembers Cunliffe as a centre who played 1 when Martin Ryan was unavailable. But that Ryan was her favourite full back in her 88 years watching the team. He “was Wigan born and bred. Started at the age of 16 to be a regular. He changed the style of full back play from them just kicking the ball to each other, to what we see today. We were very lucky to have them both. His name cannot be left off any list of great Wigan full backs.”

(Incidentally, the first Wigan full back I remember was George Fairburn, who was as close to a one man team as I can remember.)

[Charriots Offiah]

George was a fine player but even a better bloke.

[Wintergreen]

I am slow to this, but my auntie (96 and still going strong) tells me that she remembers Cunliffe as a centre who played 1 when Martin Ryan was unavailable. But that Ryan was her favourite full back in her 88 years watching the team. He “was Wigan born and bred. Started at the age of 16 to be a regular. He changed the style of full back play from them just kicking the ball to each other, to what we see today. We were very lucky to have them both. His name cannot be left off any list of great Wigan full backs.”

(Incidentally, the first Wigan full back I remember was George Fairburn, who was as close to a one man team as I can remember.)

I would echo this.

Closest to him would be Andy Farrell at times but, George was night and day the best player in that team.