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| Born | (1935-01-24)24 January 1935 St. Helens, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 20 March 2008(2008-03-20) (aged 73) St. Helens, England[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Eric Ashton (24 January 1935 – 20 March 2008) was an EnglishWorld Cup winning professionalrugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, andcoached in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
He played his whole top flight football career forWigan along with at times both captaining and coaching them; his position of choice was atcentre. 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 withBilly Boston somewhat because of this combination he went on to represent theGreat 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 asLeeds,St. Helens,England andGreat Britain; he also had a brief stint as chairman of St Helens in 1996.[5] He was a member of the St Helens board for fifteen years.
Ashton was born and brought up inSt 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 theSt. Helens schoolboys side before joining thearmy not long after.
In 1954, Ashton was spotted playing rugby union during hisnational service in theRoyal Artillery[6][7] and was subsequently invited for a trial withWigan. He attended the trial and was seen by the directors of the club as being a player with exceptional talent, after Wigan offered him a spot in their top-level side he offered his home town clubSt. Helens the chance to sign him but they passed and he then signed for Wigan in 1955 for £150. He made his first representative later that year, appearing forLancashire against New Zealand.[8] He represented Rest of the World in the 11–20 defeat by Australia atSydney Cricket Ground on 29 June 1957, and represented Great Britain & France in the 37–31 victory over New Zealand atCarlaw Park,Auckland on 3 July 1957. After signing for Wigan he quickly linked up with WelshwingerBilly Boston, and formed one of the most devastating right-hand sidethreequarters partnerships of modern times. Ashton played atcentre in the 8–13 defeat byOldham in the1956–57 Lancashire Cup Final during the1957–58 season atStation Road, Swinton on Saturday 19 October 1957. He playedcentre and wascaptain in the 13–9 victory overWorkington Town in the1957–58 Challenge Cup Final during the1957–58 season atWembley Stadium,London on Saturday 10 May 1958, in front of a crowd of 66,109,[9] such was the impact of both Ashton and Boston it led to Ashton being promoted ascaptain of the Wigan side after just two years at the club at the age of 22. It was a position he would go on to hold for the next twelve years. He made his international début at the age of 22 for theGreat Britain side againstFrance in 1957. He would go on to collect a total of 26 caps for theGreat Britain side with his firstSouthern Hemisphere tour coming in 1957 as the British side competed in theWorld Cup. He was a true professional in every sense, being sent off just twice in his whole career and due to his professionalism, talent and intelligence he would go on to achieve a long and distinguished footballing career. Ashton's honours and achievements are nothing short of impressive, with 3 victoriousWembley StadiumChallenge Cup finals (out of a possible six), aChampionship in 1960, a Lancashire Challenge Cup and two Lancashire League Championships as well as a BBC Floodlit trophy. He playedcentre, and wascaptain in Wigan's 30–13 victory overHull F.C. in the1958–59 Challenge Cup Final during the1958–59 season atWembley Stadium,London on Saturday 9 May 1959, in front of a crowd of 79,811.[10]
Ashton would become somewhat immortalised as one of the players involved in the all-conquering British side of 1960, captainingGreat Britain to victory over theAustralians on several occasions. It's usually said that Ashton's greatest moment could have come in the 1962 tour toAustralasia when while captaining Great Britain to an almost complete whitewash over the Australians, a last minute refereeing decision ruined the chance of this occurring. In total Ashton captainedGreat Britain 15 times. He wascoach andcaptain, played atcentre and scored aconversion in the 20–16 victory overHunslet in the1964–65 Challenge Cup Final during the1964–65 season atWembley Stadium,London on Saturday 8 May 1965, in front of a crowd of 89,016.[11] Due to his heroics in theSouthern Hemisphere, Eric Ashton was the first rugby league player to be honoured by the Queen. He was awarded theMBE in June 1966. Eric Ashton played atcentre, and scored atry inWigan's 16–13 victory overOldham in the1966–67 Lancashire Cup Final during the1966–67 season atStation Road,Swinton, on Saturday 29 October 1966.[12] Eric Ashton playedcentre, and was thecoach inWigan's 7–4 victory overSt. Helens in the1968 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1968–69 season atCentral Park,Wigan on Tuesday 17 December 1968.[13] Eric Ashton'sTestimonial match was aSt. Helens born XIII against aWigan born XIII (but including theTiger Bay,Cardiff bornBilly Boston) atCentral Park,Wigan onWhitsun Monday 26 May 1969.
In 1963 he was appointedplayer-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 inWigan's 6–11 defeat byLeigh in the1969 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1969–70 season atCentral Park,Wigan on Tuesday 16 December 1969.
Following the 1973 season Ashton resigned his post as Wigan coach and moved toLeeds for a short spell before moving on to coachSt. Helens from May 1974 to May 1980, including twoChallenge Cup finals in 1976 and 1978.
Eric Ashton was thecoach inSt. Helens' 22–2 victory overDewsbury in the1975 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1975–76 season atKnowsley Road,St. Helens on Tuesday 16 December 1975, was thecoach inSt. Helens' 11–26 defeat byHull Kingston Rovers in the1977 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1977–78 season atCraven Park,Hull on Tuesday 13 December 1977, and was thecoach inSt. Helens' 7–13 defeat byWidnes in the1978 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1978–79 season atKnowsley Road,St. Helens on Tuesday 12 December 1978.
In 1996 he was appointed chairman ofSt. Helens, and was at the helm when they won the double that year.
In 2005 Ashton was also inducted into theRugby League Hall of Fame, and theBritish Rugby League Hall of Fame. He is also an inductee of theWigan Hall of Fame. Prior to his death, Ashton was adirector at St. Helens for almost fifteen years.
Only two men have played in, andcoachedRugby League World Cup winningGreat Britain sides, they are; Eric Ashton, andJim Challinor.[14]
On 20 March 2008 it was announced that Eric had died at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer.[15][16]
As a player
As a coach
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