Bill Ashurst RIP

Quote: MattyB "First met Bill (and his son) around ten years ago when we were lucky enough to be sat on the same table at Flags fundraising event at Springview Cricket Club. I'd obviously heard of his name but never had seen him play (other than the Goodway incident) but he was before my time, heard about his fierce reputation but great skills. My wife was sat by him, she didn't know him from Adam and they spent a while chatting. After we said our goodbyes she told me she'd just met one of the nicest people she'd met in her life, an absolute gentleman. She was quite upset when I told her the news of his passing on Monday "what a lovely man, a real gentleman".

That's what I'll remember.'"

As.you know, had the pleasure of interviewing him that night on stage
The thing that stood out for me was before the night he couldn't have been more helpful, going through how we were going to do it, setting up all the stories etc and no amount of time taken was too much trouble.
Wouldn't accept a penny

A few months later he held a dinner at the DW and we sold 3 tables of 14 from the lads and lasses who'd attended and jelped the flag event, all because of how helpful he'd been for us.

My favourite Bill story
He was doing some coaching at hindley around 20 years ago so he was early 50s
There was a point were they were discussing drop goals and he was explaining how to do it and one of the young lads (he was about 11 or 12) said "Show us".
Pitch was muddy, he was stood on touchline and he dropped the goal straight through the middle of the sticks, In his Wellies !!!

I saw him but I was only young, maybe 6 or 7, and I have this vision of him chipping over the top and regathering and scoring a try at the club end of Central Park.

My dad, and many of the older guys who I grew up listening too talk about Ashurst/Robinson/Laughton being the best back 3 Wigan have ever had (very lucky to have met and talked to all 3).
Most of them put Bill in their greatest ever team.

When you consider these guys all saw Betts/farrell/Clarke/Goodway/Hanley etc it just shows how good they must have been, and Bill in particular