Opposition Greats.

Quote: stillinthepast "A couple of weeks ago a poster who goes by the user name of Singing Warrior introduced himself with some very interesting comments about the players he had seen since he began watching Wigan, greats like Sullivan, Mountford, Bradshaw, Blan, Cunliffe and Boston etc. Some of these players who where still playing in the 50s I saw myself.

It was by reading this that made me think about great players I had seen myself since I first watched Wigan in 1953, being a Billy Boston mad teenager I could not believe that there could have been a better winger than Billy.
When I went with a few mates on away trips to Yorkshire we always said to the Yorkshire fans that Billy was the greatest, one name was always thrown back at us, that Lionell Cooper of Huddersfield was better.
Even the older Wigan Fans used to say that he was a very good winger (he scored 10 trys in a match against Kieghley in one match in the 50s)

So I have had look at the stats of 4 wingers playing in the days when I first began supporting R/L.

Brian Bevan of Warrington
Pld 695 club matches and scored 740 trys which equates to 1.064 trys per match.

Billy Boston of Wigan
Pld 488 club matches and scored 478 trys ...".........".......to .979 trys per match.

Tom Van Vollenhoven of St Helens.
Pld 409 club matches and scored 392 trys...."........."........to .958 trys per match.

Lionell Cooper of Huddersfield.
Pld 332 club matches and scored 432 trys ..."........."........to 1.3 trys per match

Even though I cant remember seeing Cooper, (but I more than likely did at the back end of his career) he must have been some player, he came over from Australia in 1946 and played until 1955.

It would be interesting to see the comments of other posters who remember Cooper, probably Singing Warrior or Fleabag and his dad.
I know stats can sometimes mislead, but they can also open ones eyes. But I still say Billy was the best.

It would of interest also to see which OPPOSISTION players fans have seen who stand out in there memories without naming players from their own teams.'"

Yes I did watch Lionel Cooper play although the match I best remember is one in which he failed to shine. It was the Championship Final at Maine Road in 1950. Wigan went into that match minus 8 players who were in the Great Britain squad on their way to Australia. Huddersfield were largely unaffected by international calls and as a few weeks earlier they had beaten a full strength Wigan team they were considered nailed on certs to win. Among the A team players coach Jim Sullivan was forced to play was a young 2nd row forward by the name of Nat Silcock. Sullivan put him on the wing opposing Cooper and not only did he completely bottle him up but he scored the first try into the bargain. Wigan went on to win 20 points to 2 and in my humble opinion that was the greatest achievement in our club's glorious history. On the other wing for Wigan that day was Brian Nordgren who until Billy Boston came on the scene was the best winger I had ever seen.