You did not recognise the genius of Nijinsky at the time!!!!!!

Edwards was one of the best support players I have seen. Arguably the best scrum half Wigan have had since the 80's.

Opinion of course but I still don't think that makes Richards a "Legend". Ultimately it's about performance on the pitch- that's what we pay to see at the end of the day.

That said I have the utmost respect for Graeme West, as much for the off-field side of things as on them.

Oh aye, we knew Colin Bell was good. But it's like when we now look back at the Edwards and Gregory partnership, and then compare with what we have had since. The 'legend' status builds over time I think.

Often we know when someone is good .

I am too young to have viewed Nat Lofthouse, but it is only recently that they have erected a statue in his memory.

One thing I have noted though, is that great players, be it in footie or Rugby League. Seem to have all the time in the World. Brett Kenny for example at Wembley 1985, he seemed to go in slow motion.

If Pat isn't a legend then it must be a very small group. I missed the Boston / Ashton era so since then:

Certs
West
Farrell
Edwards
Bell
Rads
Colin Clarke
Hanley

Possibles
Greg
Betts
Connolly
Fairbairn
Ashurst
Offiah
Gill
Hampson
Doc Murray (sorry couldn't resist)

Going O/T a little:

Is Sam Tomkins a Wigan legend / Could Sam Tomkins be a Wigan legend?

If so:

Now.
In years to come.

??

My thoughts exactly, 'legend' is a word used far to easily these days.

It is my opinion that Pat is a Wigan legend. It is also my opinion, humble as it may be, that those who say he is not are deluded.

What more does one man have to do to prove himself?

Oh that's right, come from another era.

Bizarre thread.

Pat sits VERY high up in the Wigan all time points scorers list.

He won a thoroughly deserved MoS (it's worth looking up his stats for that season, they are extraordinary).

How can he not be a Wigan legend?

This is a very weird thread!

I cant believe what I am reading here, you have Colin Clarke in a Wigan list of all time greats (Certs you say).at the time there was an hooker at Leigh (Kevin Ashcroft) who used to have Clarke in his pocket every time they met.
I am a Wigan fan, but even I could recognise what used to happen when Wigan met Leigh at the time.

Then to make matters worse you have Bill Ashurst down amongst the Possibles, Bill was probably the best second row to put on a Wigan shirt in my 60 years of watching Wigan, even though I don't watch Wigan live as much as I used to do.

Clarke played over 400 games for Wigan over 16 seasons and coached us to victory in the 85 classic final. A legend in my eyes.

Yes Bill was a truly great player, possibly my favourite player of them all, but the reason I didn't put him down as a cert was because he spent a lot of his best years in Aus and finished his Wigan playing career in acrimony so his Wigan record must unfortunately be filed under potential unfulfilled. Sadly Bill only played 6 seasons for us.

If you've a few minutes spare, he wasn't too bad in Aus either. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKOSLLJ ... r_embedded

If you've a few minutes spare, he wasn't too bad in Aus either. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKOSLLJ ... r_embedded

My view also. His records and statistics are right up there. So despite getting brownie points for loyalty, attitude and professionalism his playing record speaks for itself.



If BK hadn't piped up early with a contrary view we'd already be erecting the statue outside the ground. It's funny how threads can form opinions and not the other way around

Quote ="Finfin"If you've a few minutes spare, he wasn't too bad in Aus either. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKOSLLJ ... r_embedded'" A great bit of video, it was a great tribute to Pat from his fellow Aussies, I didn't realise Benji Marshall has been around so long.

Quote ="Finfin"If you've a few minutes spare, he wasn't too bad in Aus either. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKOSLLJ ... r_embedded'" A great bit of video, it was a great tribute to Pat from his fellow Aussies, I didn't realise Benji Marshall has been around so long.

Great video. Pat Richards, GF winner in NRL and SL, Two times CC cup winner, top try scorer 2010, MoS 2010, first Aussie past a 1000 points with Wigan, club record points scorer for Wigan.....and some say he is not a legend

He just didn't convert enough chances off the back of David Vaealiki's top notch centre play in the early days. You can't just bandy the term 'legend' about with gay abandon DaveO or it loses its meaning. If every Aussie Wigan player with those qualifications was called a legend you wouldn't be able to move for them. Everyone would be a legend!

They don't make legends anymore, we used up the last of our legends quota in the 80s. Andy Farrell, Tomkins, O'Loughlin, Richards, Sinfield, Briers, Long, Sculthorpe, Cunningham, Fielden, Peacock and Vainikolo were/are all good, everyone else is average/poor. Thank God we have middle-aged posters to tell us about the true greats of the game!

Ah the old Ashton to Boston back flip pass. Every kid in Wigan could do it back in the late 50's to late 60's.

That was when Billy could really run.

I almost preferred it when he dragged 3 or 4 opposition players with him over the line.

Quite a few times just for a bit of variety he left 3 or 4 opponents in a semi comatose position embedded in the mud 5/10 yards from the line (some of them with boot marks running the length of their bodies).

Bernard Ganley developed the finest sidestep I have ever seen in an effort to get out of Boston's way.

we have had so many good players its always difficult when it comes to rating them. eg when Inga was playing for us, he was sensational. One of the outstanding players of his time, yet now he appears to have been forgotten.
I am sure that I could find similar players who are as good as pat but because they are slightly older they are easily forgotten.

Pat is good player, but not a legend. he's just been a very good player in a decade of mediocrity for the Club as a whole.

Blimey, like other teams believe, seems that RL only started in 1996!!!!

Every generation has its memorable players, My kids don't remember Wigan without Pat Richards, they will remember him as superman & he deserves it.

thats harder to do that be a good player in a good team.

I remember the Ganley sidestep, he could read Billy like a book. Billy went one way Ganley went the other.

But the best example of Billy being one on one with a fullback was in a cup match at Hunslet when he faced Langton.

In the first half Billy trundled down the middle after receiving one of the Ashton back passes , he came up to Langton and Billy sidestepped to the right and Langton guessed right and brought Billy down. Much backslapping and rejoicing from the Hunslet players.

Ten min after the same thing happened, Billy off down the middle again with Langton waiting with a confidant look on his face.
Billy must have said "sod the sidestep" and he ran right over the top of Langton to put the ball down under the sticks..

Hunslet in those days where a force to be reckoned with.