Wigan are one of a handful of clubs that present a challenge with this quiz in that we’ve only been playing them for the past forty years or so, but I always try to come up with the usual seven questions and I’ve done so again this time.
60s. The sixth of eleven children, this prolific winger never got to play against the place(s) that bore his surname or for the city of his birth and the suspicion is that the latter was for reasons that had nothing to do with his playing ability. Instead, he turned out for a team which sounded like a means of water transportation and, eventually crossed a border to sign for Wigan. He spent a decade and a half with them including all but the very end of the sixties when he moved to the seaside to represent a Borough which played in orange – who is he?
70s. Figuring that he was “too fat and lazy” to play outfield, this goalkeeper played his first league football for Wigan while on loan from a First Division club for whom he played around thirty times without establishing himself. His next two permanent moves saw him continuing to play for sides with blue in their kit, but it was only when he moved to a team which played in white (a team he has been caretaker manager of three times) that he became a first choice. When he moved on again after six years, he was reunited with the colour blue for a couple of years where he made his biggest impact in a cup match. He finished his playing days with Pitmen from Keys Park, can you name him?
80s. What is the connection between a Wigan goalkeeper from this decade and a container for use in the preparation of things like jam and relishes?
90s. Which Wigan forward from this decade was the subject of a joke in an episode of the television series Cracker?
00s. Mix candy that is for Ken? (5,5)
10s. Newcastle tribute act for Sandgrounder indie band perhaps?
20s. Challenge a Persuader?
Answers:
60s. Apologies for this being a catch question – the answer is Cardiff born Billy Boston who is a legend in Wigan after representing their rugby league team for sixteen years. He never played for Cardiff RFC and his Wikipedia entry and a fairly recent documentary on him suggests that this was more down to the colour of his skin than anything else. Playing for the CIACS (Cardiff International Athletics Club), Boston attracted the attention of Wigan and signed for them in 1953, staying with them until 1969 when he played for the now defunct Blackpool Borough (club colours orange, black and white hoops) for a season.
70s. Mark Grew was loaned to Wigan from West Brom in 78/79, playing four games for them. Primarily an understudy at the Hawthorns, Grew had the same role during spells at Leicester and Ipswich and it was only when he signed for Port Vale that he became a first choice. In 1992, Grew signed for Cardiff an, during an injury ravaged couple of years at Ninian Park, is best remembered for saving Keith Curle’s penalty in City’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Fourth Round of the 93/94 FA Cup. Grew retired from playing after a season with Hednesford Town.
80s. John Kilner was a goalkeeper with Wigan between 1979 and 1983 and someone with the same name was the inventor of the Kilner jar, a rubber sealed glass container used mainly in the preparation of preserves like jam and relishes.
90s. Ricky Tomlinson, who played DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker told how Stuart Barlow (then with Everton) was nicknamed Jigsaw by the club’s supporters because he always went to pieces in the box.
00s. Nicky Eaden.
10s. Jordi Gomez (Gomez are an award winning indie band from Southport).
20s. Curtis Tilt (Tony Curtis starred with Roger Moore in the 1970s TV series The Persuaders).