Wigan Album

A few legends there, but why are there fourteen on the photo?

10 local lads

Regarding 14 on the Photo. That Photo was included in a Album presented by the Manchester Evening Chronicle to Directors of the Club. Frank Collier and Terry Entwistle did not play in the Final but were part of the First Team Squad along with Jack Cunliffe. Rees Thomas who played Scrum Half was for some reason missing from the photo.

1959: FINAL Scum half Rees Thomas; Forwards bretherton sayer barton mctigue cherrington evans

My next door neighbour played in this final but he played scrum half for Hull. he also played in the the final the year before against Wakefield and lost in that final as well. I think he scored the only try for Hull against Wigan he is now in is eighties and a bit frail but a lovely gentleman.

Dave ;could it be Tommy Finn

AH yes it is Tommy finn.

I was wondering why frank Collier didn’t have a blazer and matching tie.like John said ,he didn’t play in the final

Dave; The try he scored at Wembley was shown on the introduction to Grandstand BBC in the earley sixties ; I think Tommy came from St Helens ?

AH i have watched an abridged version on you tube of the game unfortunately it doesn't show the try.

Dave ; it is on youtube, on a short clip approx. 2min long , the try was scored near the end

Hi i would just like to add that this was the team my father took me watching all those years ago ,but what i wanted to say about the photo and team was that i was and still very proud of my cousin ,,,BILL BRETHERTON,he would pass on stories that live with me to this day i thought he was a damn good forward as where all that particular side,happy memories.

Played on the same team as half a dozen of em.......cricket at Highfield, when John Heaton was captain!

Hi there Derek did you go to Highfield school? i attended there between 1957/1962 but my first school was the infants almost opposite the church 1954 started there ,oh happy days.

Would this team beat todays team answer - yes

Always difficult to compare teams. A totally different game. Today’s team would have to have the edge because of fitness.
I believe that today’s game is more of a team game because each player needs to know exactly what the others are doing further down the line.
However is it a more attractive game ? No I don’t think so. I once heard Bill Ashurst say that we could express ourselves whereas today’s players aren’t coached to do this.
Today you see few long distanced tries as defences are so good. You can’t blame the coaches it’s the way the game has developed.
Despite my comments I have seen some excellent games eg Grand Final

alan (golden bear)
Wasn't Bill Bretherton a wrestler as well as a R L player?

Yes he was golden bear