Ray Ashby
Personal information
Full nameRaymond Ashby
BornSt Helens, England[1]
Playing information
PositionFullback, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
19??–64 Liverpool City
1964–67 Wigan 124 10 1 0 32
≥1967–≥67 Blackpool Borough
Total 124 10 1 0 32
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1963 Lancashire 1 0 0 0 0
1964–65 Great Britain 2 0 0 0 0
Source: [2][3]

Ray Ashby (birth unknown) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Liverpool City, Wigan,[4] and Blackpool Borough, as a fullback, or centre.

Playing career

Club career

Ashby started his professional career at Liverpool City. In March 1964, he was signed by Wigan for a fee of £3,500.[5]

Ashby played fullback in Wigan's 20–16 victory over Hunslet in the 1965 Challenge Cup Final during the 1964–65 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 8 May 1965, in front of a crowd of 89,016.[6] He jointly won the Lance Todd Trophy with Hunslet's Brian Gabbitas for man of the match,[7] and was the first time two players polled the same number of votes.[8]

He returned to Wembley with Wigan the following year in the 1966 Challenge Cup final, but this time lost 2–21 to St Helens.

During the 1966–67 season, Ashby played fullback in Wigan's 16–13 victory over Oldham in the 1966 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton, on Saturday 29 October 1966.[9]

International honours

Ashby was selected to play for Great Britain against France while he was at Liverpool City in 1964, and was one of only four players in the club's history to be capped for Great Britain.[10] He won a second cap against France while at Wigan in 1965.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Rugby League Heroes: Ray Ashby". Total Rugby League. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Player Summary: Ray Ashby". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Heritage Numbers - In Debut Order". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Wigan Sign Liverpool Full Back". Liverpool Echo. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "1964-1965 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Lance Todd Trophy winners". BBC Sport. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  8. ^ Ledger, John (31 August 2007). "What a shoddy way to treat Challenge Cup final heroes". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  9. ^ "1966-1967 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. ^ Fletcher, Raymond; Howes, David, eds. (1998). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1998. London: Headline Publishing Group. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-7472-7683-8.

External links

Wigan squad – 1964–65 Challenge Cup Final winners
Lance Todd Trophy winners
Categories