Bill Ashurst

[Wiganer Ted]

A great player in every sense.
There have been threads on here for us to name our all time best Wigan 13. Bill Ashurst has been on my list and will be as I believe it his rightful place.
If he played now he would be the best 2nd row in the game and by a mile!
There isn't a back rower in today's game with Bill's skill set.
None come anywhere near.
A true great of Wigan RL club and Rugby League.

[Stanfax]

I'm trying to find that bizarre match when he came off the bench for Runcorn Highfield, whalloped Joe Lydon and got sent straight off....anyone remember that?

He headbutted Andy Goodway didn't he?

[pedro]

I'm trying to find that bizarre match when he came off the bench for Runcorn Highfield, whalloped Joe Lydon and got sent straight off....anyone remember that?

He headbutted Andy Goodway didn't he?

yeah goodway

[The Yonner]

What a fabulous player Bill Ashurst was!

Big and strong, yet fast and agile. If you didn't see him, think of Andy Farrell and Andy Gregory combined.

I never saw anybody execute a chip over the top and regather so expertly. Passing, long and short kicking, extravagant drop goals, powerful running and great tactical awareness - all second to none.

Forget his indiscretions, rugby league was a much more violent game when he played, and players like him had to be aggressive to survive.

When Bill went to Australia, he gave up the chance of being selected for Great Britain, so his international record is scandalously brief. There was lots of political chicanery going on with the GB selection committee then, otherwise he would have played two more tests against the 1971 NZ tourists instead of just the first.

Words like "legendary" and "great" are bandied about too easily these days. In Bill's case he really was the genuine article - not just a great player, a phenomenal one. I feel very lucky to have seen him in his prime.

[PJC]

The Yonner has described Bill Ashurst’s playing skills in a nutshell. A combination of Farrell and Gregory. I have never seen a forward with the ability to chip a ball as he did.
I heard him say that when he played they were told to express themselves. Lamenting how a lot of play today can be structured.

[MrAlex]

I'm trying to find that bizarre match when he came off the bench for Runcorn Highfield, whalloped Joe Lydon and got sent straight off....anyone remember that?

He headbutted Andy Goodway didn't he?

I stand corrected....I remember looking at my Dad and Grandad and saying did that just happen??!

Aaaah the smell of the bar under that stand still lingers.

[Stanfax]

Hahaha no worries!

[Big Steve]

I'm trying to find that bizarre match when he came off the bench for Runcorn Highfield, whalloped Joe Lydon and got sent straight off....anyone remember that?

He headbutted Andy Goodway didn't he?

Ha ! I remember that!

He must have been into his 40's when he played in that game - only time i ever saw him on the field - and it wasn't for long ! Runcorn were down on numbers for some reason - was there a player strike over wages or something - so he stepped up and played which must have taken some guts considering how good Wigan were at the time.

Obviously knew he wasn't going to be able to play many minutes !!

[archiekeith]

A great player in every sense.
There have been threads on here for us to name our all time best Wigan 13. Bill Ashurst has been on my list and will be as I believe it his rightful place.
If he played now he would be the best 2nd row in the game and by a mile!
There isn't a back rower in today's game with Bill's skill set.
None come anywhere near.
A true great of Wigan RL club and Rugby League.

Ditto to your tribute Ted

[Firestarter]

I'm trying to find that bizarre match when he came off the bench for Runcorn Highfield, whalloped Joe Lydon and got sent straight off....anyone remember that?

He headbutted Andy Goodway didn't he?

yeah goodway

I remember that……unfortunately that was the only time i saw him play but my dad used to say he was a belter lol…… wasnt that in the old lancashire cup?