Happy Birthday

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
josie andrews
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Re: Happy Birthday

Post by josie andrews »

I cant quite stretch back to Ken Gee, but remember most of the others
Ken Gee & my Dad were mates & drinking buddies, that’s what I can remember 😂
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
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jaws1
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Re: Happy Birthday

Post by jaws1 »

josie andrews wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 8:31 pm
I cant quite stretch back to Ken Gee, but remember most of the others
Ken Gee & my Dad were mates & drinking buddies, that’s what I can remember 😂

I used to go to St John's school in Pemberton I very often had to take the dinner money coins to his pub the Pack Horse always gave me an orange juice always made me feel great as he was my hero on the field.
BriH
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Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:12 am
Location: Prudhoe

Re: Happy Birthday

Post by BriH »

Fizz Bomb wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:24 pm It’s a shame to limit it to one memory. From the fifties I can just remember Ken Gee kicking for goal from just outside the 20 yard line and 10 yards from the touch line. Everyone in the stands expecting him to land short due to the water an old fashioned rugby ball absorbed ( it was like kicking a heavy lump of concrete) . Please forgive me but as l was under 4 years old l can’t remember if he kicked it or not. I also remember the Good day Friday game against St Helens when Central Park was packed literally to the rafters with officially a crowd of over 47000 .They had to put several people on the roof of The New Stand as it was called to remove people already up there to get a better view and stop other people climbing up. You really couldn’t move on the terraces. The anticipation of seeing Billy Boston hammering Tom Van Vollenhoven into the ring side seats was all anybody talked about all week. T V V was such a threat Billy B swapped wings to cope with him.

In the sixties l can remember the CC Final at Wembley against Hunslet (remember them ) . A forward pack of John Barton, Bill Sayer, Brian Mc Tigue, Norman Cherrington, Frank Collier, and Roy Evans, what a pack that was.

In the seventies even though it was a quiet decade there was the O’loughlins, Bill Francis, and the incomparable Bill Ashurst to watch, even though we were relegated. Colin Tyrer getting his jaw broken in the CC Final against Castleford, still can’t understand where Classy Cas comes from. Signing George Fairbairn from Scottish RU.

The 80’s started off with promotion and went on from there. The Manley game must be a standout. Everybody will have a favourite game. Maybe Hull FC at Wembley. So much happening at Wigan.

The selling of Central Park and moving into a shared ground with Wigan Pathetic in the 90’s. Andy Farrell giving his all. Martin Offiah flying down the wing. Players like Chris Radlinski emerging from the youth set-up. Watching Va’aiga Tuigamala playing with a smile on his face no matter what the opposition did to him.

Skirting with relegation again in the ‘00. Bringing in one of the most overrated coaches ( and now commentators) Brian Noble who let Kevin Brown go. Ian Milward didn’t work out either. 17-18 000 people watching hoping we could avoid the drop. In my humble opinion it was Michael Dobson that saved us from relegation not Brian Noble’s coaching.

In the ‘10 emerging like a chrysalis and starting a new era with the ups and downs that followed.
It’s certainly never been boring supporting this Club, and whatever happens in the ‘20 l will be there as long as life will let me. Nothing will be completely new and will have happened at sometime before and if people like me who post occasionally on this forum were good enough we would be out there playing along side them.

So many thanks to the players who have shed blood, sweat and tears; gone through countless pain barriers and made my life a lot better. To the present and future players l hope they remember we are nothing compared to them, they are “ simply the best”
I

I remember the pack you mention from watching the contest between the Whitehaven pack of those days and the one you mention.
You are absolutely right, that Wigan pack was the best I ever saw especially the late, great Brian McTigue. What a player!
jobo
Posts: 3653
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 1:33 pm

Re: Happy Birthday

Post by jobo »

Fizz Bomb wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:24 pm It’s a shame to limit it to one memory. From the fifties I can just remember Ken Gee kicking for goal from just outside the 20 yard line and 10 yards from the touch line. Everyone in the stands expecting him to land short due to the water an old fashioned rugby ball absorbed ( it was like kicking a heavy lump of concrete) . Please forgive me but as l was under 4 years old l can’t remember if he kicked it or not. I also remember the Good day Friday game against St Helens when Central Park was packed literally to the rafters with officially a crowd of over 47000 .They had to put several people on the roof of The New Stand as it was called to remove people already up there to get a better view and stop other people climbing up. You really couldn’t move on the terraces. The anticipation of seeing Billy Boston hammering Tom Van Vollenhoven into the ring side seats was all anybody talked about all week. T V V was such a threat Billy B swapped wings to cope with him.

In the sixties l can remember the CC Final at Wembley against Hunslet (remember them ) . A forward pack of John Barton, Bill Sayer, Brian Mc Tigue, Norman Cherrington, Frank Collier, and Roy Evans, what a pack that was.

In the seventies even though it was a quiet decade there was the O’loughlins, Bill Francis, and the incomparable Bill Ashurst to watch, even though we were relegated. Colin Tyrer getting his jaw broken in the CC Final against Castleford, still can’t understand where Classy Cas comes from. Signing George Fairbairn from Scottish RU.

The 80’s started off with promotion and went on from there. The Manley game must be a standout. Everybody will have a favourite game. Maybe Hull FC at Wembley. So much happening at Wigan.

The selling of Central Park and moving into a shared ground with Wigan Pathetic in the 90’s. Andy Farrell giving his all. Martin Offiah flying down the wing. Players like Chris Radlinski emerging from the youth set-up. Watching Va’aiga Tuigamala playing with a smile on his face no matter what the opposition did to him.

Skirting with relegation again in the ‘00. Bringing in one of the most overrated coaches ( and now commentators) Brian Noble who let Kevin Brown go. Ian Milward didn’t work out either. 17-18 000 people watching hoping we could avoid the drop. In my humble opinion it was Michael Dobson that saved us from relegation not Brian Noble’s coaching.

In the ‘10 emerging like a chrysalis and starting a new era with the ups and downs that followed.
It’s certainly never been boring supporting this Club, and whatever happens in the ‘20 l will be there as long as life will let me. Nothing will be completely new and will have happened at sometime before and if people like me who post occasionally on this forum were good enough we would be out there playing along side them.

So many thanks to the players who have shed blood, sweat and tears; gone through countless pain barriers and made my life a lot better. To the present and future players l hope they remember we are nothing compared to them, they are “ simply the best”
Cracking post 👏👏👏
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