Did he have ginger hair?

Some of our own produced players

Chris Tuson
Rob Smythe
Luke Robinson
Kev Brown
Logan Tomkins


never made at Wigan for various reasons, in some cases achieving more success at other clubs or injury in other cases. There was a full back who played a few times for Wigan but later played for London whose name escape me who showed some early promise but seemed to drift after that.


I suppose you could also list players who played in the junior or academy levels and went on to play for other clubs.

I will always hold Chris Tuson in the highest regard after the way he flattened Sean McGennis in the Magic Weekend game. McGennis threw some cowardly shots to the back of his head when he wasn’t looking and got put on his backside with one good dig by Tuson.

wes cotton?

Off the top of my head...


Sean Long.

Was the natural successor for Shaun Edwards. Could have been our starting half for years, the success he brought to Saints could have been with us.

Ben Currie.

Signed, played for our school boys then went to Wire.

Owen Farrell.

If his father Andy hadn't gone to Union and took up another position with Wigan, I'm sure Owen would have never even looked at Union.

Does anyone know how Currie ended up at Wire? I know we can't keep them all, but I've never heard anyone say why he didn't stay.

Wes Davies billy Boston’s grandson?

No - it will nag at me now until I remember, he played for Wigan but not for long then moved to London but I think he had to finish due to injury Chris something maybe? Think he may have started as a winger but I recall him playing full back as well.

chris melling?

Nick had a pub in Horwich about 10 years ago... Was great sitting with him watching games, as he could point out stuff most of us would miss... Nice bloke from my experience.

Karl Pryce has to be #1. So much potential unfulfilled!

Others would be Luke Davico, Richie Mathers, Wayne Godwin, Micky Higham, Iain Thornley and Gil Dudson. Some not as much potential, some just as much but I feel all of the above let themselves down at Wigan.

Good shout. I saw him play in the academy team that beat the Aussies at Knowsley Road and Headingley. Didn't he score three tries and kick a lot of goals V Limoux in the cup?
I think he then got a bad injury v Leeds a couple of games later. He was an excellent young player and leader.

Daryl Cardiss was very quick, was given a chance against Canterbury in world challenge , looked a decent fullback in the making , Phil Ford had a short spell scored against HKR in a nail-biter at central park

Danny Ellison

yes

Robinson was a big one IMO. We let him go and and ended up with Orr and Moran nearly relegating us whilst he took Salford into the play offs, then later became a big fan favourite at Huddersfield. In a parallel universe I think he could have been a big deal here if we had given him more time and coaching. I seem to recall the reasons he left weren't purely rugby related though.

Neil Baynes springs straight to mind.

Played against a good few of lads that went in to have great careers from that era at Academy level but Baynes was unbelievable.

Destructive runner, very powerful, cracking offload and a belting passing game.

IIRC he always looked unfit, Physique wise, A bit like Barry Ward at Saints

I was a big fan of Andy Johnson and in the transitional 97 season I thought we had a world beater in the making along with Nigel Wright. This subject is making me feel real melancholy

Craig Murdock
Chris Ashton
Mark Preston
Rob Louw
Ray Mordt
Sott Quinnell
Robbie McCormack
Nigel Wright
Matty Johns
Denis Moran

Ray Mordt and Rob Louw where short term signings but did very well in their time at the club as was Robbie McCormack dont think you can put these 3 in the same bracket as Dennis Moran

Lee Gilmour. He kind of did make it but left in 2000 as he wanted to play centre when second row was clearly his best position. He was a top player for us in 98 and 99 and i was gutted when he left.

Another one was Simon Haughton. Again he sort of did make it at Wigan but he got injured and Raper never gave him a fair chance after that and he vanished off radar. In the late 90's, Haughton was the one of the most effective impact players in the world. He was the most destructive wide running second rows ive ever seen. He had immense strength in his upper body and legs and was really quick for his size. He even managed to terrorize the Aussies in the 97 WCC and the few internationals he played. Anybody know if he played for anybody else after leaving Wigan?

He signed for Orrell RU, after they had gone professional

Ah right, i didnt know that. Im sure i read somewhere that he lives in Australia now and is a fire fighter.

he is