Wigan Album

And a Wigan lad went to Huddersfield with the proceeds.

Looks as if Wigan paid over the odds...

Over the odds for one of the finest wingers to wear a Wigan shirt (and there have been lots) I think not. Did you ever see him play???

What would have been the equivalent to £9,500. in today's valuation?. I still wouldn't think it would measure up to what they pay for, the transfer of soccer stars.

A great piece of RL nostalgia. That Huddersfield board sound a canny lot!

Albert. Its about £500,000 in todays money. Which as you say is still nothing compared to footballs overpaid divas, but a big deal in todays RL terms.

I think Wigan paid somewhere near that for Offiah and that was quite a few years ago.

They paid over £400,000 for Offiha

They paid £440,000 for Offiah in 1992 and £450,000 for Fielden in 2006.

£9,500 in 1957 equates to £214,420 in 2016 says the Historic Inflation Calculator.

Carolaen. Thinking about it. I shouldn't think they would pay a transfer fee much more, or even equivalent to £9,500, for a top class soccer player, when Mick Sullivan transferred to Wigan. I have a feeling, television has had a big part to play in the colossal soccer transfer fees. It is a very much more, viewed sport.

I think John Charles was transferred from Leeds to Juventus in 1957 for something around £50 to £60,000.

Yes at that time it was a lot of dosh but it's all relevant at the time i think wigan got a good deal for a hard first class winger and a GB test player what else is there to say?

They signed my dad after he had just finished a shift down the pit at Victoria colliery Standish on the Friday. He made his debut the day after!

My Dad.... " How much do I get for signing "
Huddersfield Chairman.... "We don't operate like that,Roy"
My Dad... "I Do!"
Huddersfield Chairman.... "Tha'll be well looked after in a good team"
My Dad... " Go on then. I'll give it a go"
And he was very well looked after, at Fartown. As were all the players. The Wiganers who played for them in that era will testify that.

Can anyone recollect when Mick Sullivan transferred to Wigan?.

Albert, he made his debut for Wigan on 26th October 1957 at home against Leigh (see "Cherry and White" website). One of the finest and hardest wingers to play the game and still holds the record for the most GB caps.

Thank you, John.

I will never forget him going over for a try under the clock at Central Park in the cup replay against Leeds all the men were throwing there caps in the air and going wild,I was only a kid at the time but i will never forget it as it was right in front of me. What a great player sadly died this year RIP.

Dave, i remember the game well, Feb 1961, i was 20 at the time, my then girlfriends father lost his cap that day, as you said there were loads of them thrown into the air.

PS, Dave, the match programme is still for sale, £5-99 nowadays as opposed to the 3d (just over 1p) as it was on the day.