He's been very poorly for a few years now and has sadly passed away. One of the toughest players ever to play our great game. Part of the greatest backline this country ever produced and toured together in 1962. Boston, Ashton, Fox, Sullivan, Bolton and Murphy. www.wiganwarriors.com/news/20...-mick-sullivan

He's been very poorly for a few years now and has sadly passed away. One of the toughest players ever to play our great game. Part of the greatest backline this country ever produced and toured together in 1962. Boston, Ashton, Fox, Sullivan, Bolton and Murphy. www.wiganwarriors.com/news/20...-mick-sullivan

One of the best Mick Sullivan quotes ever.

A TV presenter - possibly Hemmings, asks: "How would you have dealt with Martin Offiah, Mick?"
Mick: "He'd have to go."

S.I.T.P
That semifinal v Saints at Knowsley Road was played in the evening so people could watch the FA Cup final in the afternoon. It was the one in which Dave Whelan broke his leg (1960) Sullivan moved to Saintsthe following year and played against us in the 1961 final.

My abiding memory of Mick Sullivan was earlier in that 1959/1960 season and a last minute try v Leeds in a Challenge Cup game at Central Park. He scored at the scoreboard end Douggie side and Punchie Griffiths converted to win the game 14 - 11. There must have been close to 40,000 speccies on that afternoon. Great memories.

Before my time but as a student of Wigan RL I've read so much about Mick. A hard man who played a hard game. R.I.P

I seem to recollect the match you mention Rogues as being the one when Brian McTigue threw out a 30 yard pass (seemed like it) American Quarter Back style to Sully who went in at the corner.

It was also a measure of how good Sully was as a great winger in that Billy Boston broke the record for trys scored by a GB player on an Aussie tour by scoring 36 trys on the 1954 tour, Mick went on to score 37 on the 1958 tour.

I think Billy was the better player but the stat shows how good Mick was as well.

I remember that match at Knowsley Road so well. Actually it was 1960 and for the only time in my life i had a pitchside seat ( hasn't been allowed for many years now). My abiding memory of that match was seeing Billy Boston hand off Vollenhoven on his way to scoring one of his two tries. I think John Barton was the other try scorer.

Sullivan was a bit before my time but I grew up on anecdotes from my old man similar to yours. Thanks for sharing your memories.
I read these stories then watch full time pros fall over at play the balls (Clark last week was more than pathetic) and shake my head as to what proper hard lads like Sullivan, Holden, Greenall, Jack Arkwright et al would make of today's moaners and arms open wide merchants which every team has today.
It sounds like another world but I would have loved to have watched RL at the end of the 50's early 60's when GB gave the Aussies a walloping in rugby and fisticuffs if required.

A great winger with 2 standout memories for me.

1. Wembley 1959 in the CC final when he scored a try and was part of the best Wigan team I have ever seen that hammered my team Hull 30-13.

2. Wigan 1959 playing for Gt Britain in the deciding match of the Ashes series when he played in the team that defeated Australia. This was the last time that Australia lost an Ashes series in England.

RIP Mick Sullivan.

Regarding the 61 semi final I once asked Mick about that and he said he was in the stand off position to get stuck into Murphy rather than get him sent off (strictly speaking).

R.I.P. Mick