Anybody of more advanced years help me with summat that's been bugging me for ages.

Back in the late 50's early 60's I remember a song going around about a Leigh v Wigan cup tie. I think it might have first appeared in a newspaper, possibly the Journal, maybe even the Manchester Evening News or Wigan Post.

It went to the tune of "Tom Dooley".

The chorus was -

Hang down your head Joe Egan (Wigan coach)
Hang down your head and cry
You thought you were going to Wembley
But for Mickey Martyn's try

There were a few verses but the only one I can remember went -

Now Billy Boston has the ball
And he's running for the line
Here comes full back Hewitt
And poor Billy's down for nine

NOW the only cup game it can possibly refer to as I see it is the 1959 Leigh v Wigan semi-final at Swinton, BUT in that match Wigan beat us 5-0 before murdering Hull at Wembley. So was it wishful thinking on behalf of some Leyther Tim Rice?

Or have I dreamt the whole thing?

No you didn't dream it I remember it myself I was 15 at the time I can only remember the first line but it did refer to that Semi-final Ithink it was in the Manchester evening Chronicle

Me too except I am much younger than Peawapp.

Think Mick Sullivan scored their try. Was from a forward pass imo.

Thanks for the responses Peawapp and Frank - would love to know more if anybody has owt else to add

Remember the game but not the song!
Fred Hewitt tackled Billy Boston into touch about 4 times in the match. (He could really tackle that lad!)

been racking my brains a bit all I can remember is like you say the first line was
Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Wigan might have got to Wembley
but for Mickey's try
and the next two lines were
He scored it in the corner
The best try of his life

after that I don't know. two many years of supping common has taken it's toll and the mind's gone blank sorry

Sorry to go on about this but....

If it refers to the 1959 semi-final then I was all of 7 years old at the time, so it obviously made a massive impression on a young Leyther to be still in my yed 54 years later.

Is there really only me, peawapp and Frank who remember it?

So here's my final appeal for information - I'd dearly love to know:

(1) Any more words?
(2) Who wrote it?
(3) Why was it written? It's a fictional account featuring a fictional result, a fictional match-winning try and a fictional big-hit but it refers to a real match where none of these things happened!!
(4) Why would a newspaper publish it? Or did they also publish a similar effort featuring fictional events but written from a Wigan point of view?

Remember the song, think it was written in the build up to the game, couldnt get to the semi, the A team played at the same time, so went to watch the A team as they said they would be giving scores out during the game, it poured down all afternoon, first report was that Leigh had scored then changed to the humbles.