Wigan water polo club

I vaguely remember watching them play at Wigan baths probably in the 1950's. Anybody know anything about their history.

Do the horses wear flippers and a snorkel?

Only in Yickersville tonker

The Town Police had a Water Polo team in the 40's/50's.

Some of the Wigan Sea Cadets, played a friendly with 'em...

They b***dy drowned us...We were mainly kids..

There's a picture in one Wigan book (Not sure which at moment) that features cartoon caricatures of the police water polo team. Roy Orrell is one of the players depicted.

my dad played water polo for wigan in the thirties' it was a big sport back then' they was one of the best teams in the country

my cousin played for the Wigan team

Couple of photos on album - sports section.

Anne's links - WW Album Photos:

Wigan Swimming and Water Polo (17) / Wigan Water Polo Club's Internationals

Comments by Sally K, 25th Feb 2015

Hugely interesting fact - Great Britain were the WINNING team at the 1908 London Olympics, and G. Nevison and C. Smith (from this photo) were on the team. Wigan can be proud of its OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNERS! :D

It just gets more fascinating - George Nevison and Charles Smith won OLYMPIC GOLD with the GB Water Polo team in the London 1908 Olympic games. I've just discovered www.waterpololegends.com, which is a fabulous blog with a few further images, including a VIDEO of a 1908 Olympics match and a match review of the final. There are also a few further photos of the Wigan team of the era in different sections on this site. Fascinating! :)

www.waterpololegends.com + "Wigan" Search Results

Past & Present Water Polo Champions - www.sportcentric.com

Wigan and Leigh Archives Online - "Polo" Photos (7)

I can vaguely recall going to watch a water pool game in Wigan probably around 1956. I think it was a police team that was playing.

Do you get sent off for foul play or fished out

A player caught committing a major foul is asked to leave the pool for 20 seconds. A major foul includes sinking (dunking) a player, swimming on another player’s back or trying to stop the other player from swimming.
Once asked to leave the pool a player who has committed a major foul may return sooner if a goal is scored or his team regains possession. If a player commits a major foul three times they must sit out the whole match. (www.swimming.org)

The major fouls sound like attempted murder to me

its a rough old sport my uncle played for wigan ? in the late twenties and early thirties.

At least he lived to tell the tale baker boy

i remember wigan rugby full back fred (punchy) griffiths used to play water polo for wigan

C. Smith who played for Wigan Water Polo team won 3 Olympic gold medals. Must be Wigans greatest sports man yet no one has heard of him.

What was C Smith first name admin