Wigan Album

A photo taken in 1938, showing a number of Welsh players that Wigan had on their books, including my own father Jack Bowen in the 1930's. This is a selection since there were many other Welsh players who represented Wigan during the lean economic times of the 1930's. It's said that on one occasion Wigan fielded a full team of Welshmen. I haven't found the evidence but there's a strong chance it was nearly a full team.
From left to right, Jim Sullivan, Roy Francis (he went on to become the first black manager of a Rugby League Club), Jack Bowen (became tenant landlord of the Crispin Arms from 1950 and the Wellfield Hotel from 1956 until he retired in 1974), Emlyn Jenkins (ex-Salford went on to manage Leigh RL and later was a College lecturer), Ted Ward (was manager of Wigan for a brief spell when Billy Boston (another Welsh player) signed, Joe Jones (later went to Barrow) and the only non Welshman in the photo, Eddie Holder a New Zealander.
This photo is some 71 years old but at the time it was taken Rugby League itself was a mere 43 years "old" a fact my father (he's 93) sometimes reminds me about.