Chris Irwin????

[morley pie eater]

On page 5 of this week's League Weekly there's a full page on 37 year-old "former Wigan full-back" Chris Irwin. Apparently he also played for Leigh, Oldham, Rochdale and Swinton.

I can't remember him at all. Neither can I find him on the list of Heritage Numbers.

It seems strange given the following paragraph:

"Chris's favourite playing memories include being put over for a try by his hero Denis Betts during a Boxing Day game against St Helens, and a Challenge Cup semi-final at a packed Hilton Park."

Can anybody enlighten me? I hardly missed a Boxing Day game from 1964 to when summer rugby started, but I just can't remember his name or recognise his picture. As he's 37, it must have been in the last 20 years?

[wall_of_voodoo]

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/playe ... mmary.html

Might have been an academy player but the stats disprove the rest

[MiThor]

Rugbyleagueproject

2002 Leigh 2 appearances
2003 Oldham 1 app
2005 Swinton 1 app

can't find any other infomation

[morley pie eater]

Thanks to you both for replies.

Reading what he said in the interview, it sounded Walter Mitty type of stuff - a bit of sales spiel this bloke uses to promote himself and his business.

Then again, I thought, a respected journalist like Steve Mascord, and League Weekly, wouldn't just repeat this stuff without checking facts, surely? Maybe after the bit about Betts putting him over for a try versus Saints on Boxing Day, they forgot to add the bit about him waking up?

[Fujiman]

Fake news

[morley pie eater]

Fake news

[morley pie eater]

I just sent this to League Weekly - it'll be interesting to see if they publish it:

Your "Mascord Meets" article in last week's LW about Chris Irwin, ex player for "Wigan, Leigh, Oldham and Rochdale", said his favourite memories include "being put over for a try by his hero Denis Betts during a Boxing day game against St Helens.."

As a Wigan fan who hardly missed a Boxing Day game in 30-odd years, I was puzzled that I didn't remember his name (or the try!).

I looked up Wigan Heritage Numbers, and Chris Irwin doesn't have one, suggesting he never played for the 1st team at Wigan. And http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/playe ... mmary.html reveals that he played just 2 games for Leigh, and 1 each for Oldham and Swinton.

Does LW check these claims? Or maybe you'd like to publish my memories of scoring the winning try at Wembley from a pass by Billy Boston?

Thanks, Wall of Voodoo and MiThor for the link/research.

[steavis]

Here's a link to the Challenge Cup game match report with Chris' name in the team list. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2002/ ... anwarriors

[SJ]

It's that well known fantasist WW I guess??

[Wandering Warrior]

You've got Whelley Warrior deep in the heart of you SJ!
Back in your coffin and in your coma!!