Eric Ashton

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Eric Ashton
Personal information
Born(1935-01-24)24 January 1935
St. Helens, England
Died20 March 2008(2008-03-20) (aged 73)
St. Helens, England[1]
Playing information
PositionCentre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1955–68 Wigan 497 231 448 0 1589
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1954–61 Lancashire 11 8 3 0 30
1957 Rest of World 1 1 0 0 3
1957 GB & France 1 5 5 0 25
1957–63 Great Britain 26 14 1 0 44
1962 England 1 1 0 0 3
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1963–73 Wigan
1973–74 Leeds
1974–80 St. Helens
Total 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1979–80 England 2 2 0 0 100
1979 Great Britain 6 2 0 4 33

Eric Ashton

MBE (24 January 1935 – 20 March 2008) was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, and coached
in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

He played his whole top flight football career for Wigan along with at times both captaining and coaching them; his position of choice was right-centre. Over the span of his career he came to be known as one of the best centres in the modern game and formed a devastating partnership with Billy Boston somewhat because of this combination he went on to represent the Great Britain national side making his début in 1957. After his retirement from playing rugby league in 1969, Ashton went on to coach Wigan as well as Leeds, St. Helens, England and Great Britain; he also had a brief stint as chairman of St Helens in 1996.[7] He was a member of the St Helens board for fifteen years.

Background

Ashton was born and brought up in St Helens, Lancashire, England.

He began playing rugby league at an early age and it was not long before his talent became noticeable; he was signed to the St. Helens schoolboys side before joining the army not long after.

Playing career

1950s

In 1954, Ashton was spotted playing rugby union during his

Championship in 1960, a Lancashire Challenge Cup and two Lancashire League Championships as well as a BBC Floodlit trophy. He played centre, and was captain in Wigan's 30–13 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1958–59 Challenge Cup Final during the 1958–59 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1959, in front of a crowd of 79,811.[12]

1960s

Ashton would become somewhat immortalised as one of the players involved in the all-conquering British side of 1960, captaining

1968 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1968–69 season at Central Park, Wigan on Tuesday 17 December 1968.[15] Eric Ashton's Testimonial match was a St. Helens born XIII against a Wigan born XIII (but including the Tiger Bay, Cardiff born Billy Boston) at Central Park, Wigan on Whitsun
Monday 26 May 1969.

Coaching career

In 1963 he was appointed player-coach of the Wigan club, a position that he held for a further six years before hanging up his boots as a player in 1969. He would continue on his managerial role at the club for another four years.

Eric Ashton was the coach in

1969 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1969–70 season at Central Park, Wigan
on Tuesday 16 December 1969.

Following the 1973 season Ashton resigned his post as Wigan coach and moved to Leeds for a short spell before moving on to coach St. Helens from May 1974 to May 1980, including two Challenge Cup finals in 1976 and 1978.

Eric Ashton was the

1978 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the 1978–79 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens
on Tuesday 12 December 1978.

In 1996 he was appointed chairman of St. Helens, and was at the helm when they won the double that year.

In 2005 Ashton was also inducted into the

Wigan Hall of Fame. Prior to his death, Ashton was a director
at St. Helens for almost fifteen years.

Only two men have played in, and coached Rugby League World Cup winning Great Britain sides, they are; Eric Ashton, and Jim Challinor.[16]

On 20 March 2008 it was announced that Eric had died at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer.[17][18]

Honours

Ashton is one of five rugby league players immortalised with a statue at Wembley Stadium

As a player

As a coach

References

  1. ^ Hadfield, Dave (25 March 2008). "Eric Ashton: Great Britain rugby captain". The Independent. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. ^ RL Record Keepers' Club
  7. ^ news.bbc.co.uk (27 February 2004). "Cup heroes: Eric Ashton". BBC Sport. UK: BBC. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  8. ^ "Eric Ashton". www.yorkshirepost.co.uk.
  9. ^ Denis Whittle (26 March 2008). "OBITUARY: RL world mourns death of legend Eric Ashton (From St Helens Star)". Sthelensstar.co.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  10. ISBN 978-0-7524-3470-4
    .
  11. ^ "1957–1958 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  12. ^ "1958–1959 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  13. ^ "1964–1965 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  14. ^ "1966–1967 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  15. ^ "1968-1968 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  16. ^ "HALL OF HEROES: Warrington Wolves' Jim Challinor, World Cup winning footballer, and coach". warringtonguardian.co.uk. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  17. ^ "Club Mourn The Loss of a Great". Wigan Warriors Official Website. 20 March 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2008. [dead link]
  18. ^ "Rugby League legend Ashton dies". BBC Sport. 20 March 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2008.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eric_Ashton&oldid=1218603448"