Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:10 pm  

I remember the signing of Bill very well.. he signed at the same time as John Burke and made his home debut agaist Warrington (I think John Suitcliffe the 6ft 4 inch winger/ policeman scored 2 tries that day) ... then we played HKR away and the game was famous for both Ashurst and Burke being sent off and Andy Fletcher picking up a loose ball (a lost ball as HKR attempted to score a try) and running the legnth of the field to score at the other end of the pitch, it would have been one of Fletch's first few games.... I believe Ashurst was also dismissed in the following game then both he and Burke (who had the worst reputation in RL at the time) settled in to perhaps the best Trinity team that I have had the pleasure of watching. Ashurst signed with an existing crutiate ligament injury, and played far too few games for the club, coach Bill Kirkbride took a huge risk by playing him in the 1979 cup final after only one game in the previous 3 or 4 months. I have the 79 cup final on dvd and the guy is just so immobile its sad!

during the first half of the 1978/79 season he played some sublime football along with Dave Topliss, Keith Smith and Alan McCurrie who had signed early in the season from Whitehaven along with Brian Juliffe and Steve Diamond from Welsh rugby union... Diamond and another welsh guy named Adrian Barwood were signed after a newspaper release advertising trials to play for Trinity... all in all I think the club invited 5 or 6 players to try out... another played against Cas in the first home game of the season, he played very well but chose not to make the move). We beat Cas the Widnes at home (a fantastic 8-0 win) the lost at St Helens... then came the home game against Ashurst's old club Wigan and the infamous tackle on Bill... trinity lost the game and Ashurst looked like he had been victim of a street mugging.

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:50 pm  

The Clan wrote:

I remember that trip well, Bill was indeed the father figure on that trip and held sway in the local bars while us young kids enjoyed a bier! I was just 16 and because Bill had a good relationship with Andrew he spent a fair bit of time making sure I was looked after.

One particular barman was too scared to shut the bar while Bill was in and we a few late nights in his place.

On the field he was peerless at times with a slight of hand that any ball playing forward in the games history would be proud of. His kicking game was pinpoint often uncanny and his physical stature meant he could mix it with anyone including the likes of big Jim Mills.

So do I! It was meant to be a Rugby tour including 2 or 3 matches but they all got cancelled!
We ended up with forty 16 - 18 year olds and some so called adults having the week of there lives, with stories that I still enjoy telling today.
Colin Maskills toothbrush being used to clean up BA, trips down Pigalle with BA trying to negotiate a bulk discount, Liverpool fans arriving for the European Cup Final at the Parc des Prince, the night in the cafe bar that ended with the armed military police attending and Alan Box (brother of Harold) coming down in the lift naked after having a drinking competition with the coach driver.

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:02 pm  

Remember Maskie coming into the hotel, eyes wide as dinner plates, shouting come round the corner and see this,

Pigalle

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:04 pm  

snowie wrote:

he did and the cock and crown was his local, he tried to entice me back to the club after I broke my ankle in the colts,

I wish I had listened to him now

had some great nights though at the bar

Yep me and my mates had a few pints with him when Tommy was the landlord Bill lived on Cock lane just before Ashdene, he was a real character

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:09 pm  

PHe wrote:

When BA got a broken cheek bone it was an 'off the ball' elbow from the Wigan forward Steve Breheney (sp), I seem to recall he only got a couple of matches from the RFL. Magnificent skills had BA. I remember one particular game against Bradford (could be the same as mentioned above), when attacking on their 25 he threw out 3 dummies, chipped over the defence the ball bouncing up into his midriff, he then went on to round the fullback and under the sticks.Another time was away at Featherstone when he was player-coach and we fielded a very young and inexperienced side which included Hopkinson at prop (he went into the police force mounted section and then had heart problems at a young age). Bill led that team round the field that day, he was on one leg because of his knee injury that ended his career, but he wouldn't give up and I seem to recall him being involved in every play, coaching and telling players where to run and line up etc. I can't recall one player dominating a game so much as BA that day - I think we lost, he ran out of steam.

That try still sticks in my mind 30 years later. When he signed it was a record £18,000.

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:13 pm  

Talking about cock,

Remember the club splashing out on a proper photographer to do the team photographs, everyone was assembled, new kit on, all wearing boots no shoes no trainers, shirts tucked in, left knee on the ground right elbow on right thigh, tallest at the back and in the middle, coaching staff split evenly to left and right, two rugby balls set on the ground in front of the third man in from each end with the Mitre brand showing forward....

All went well until the photos came back and someone spotted Bills old man dangling down the leg of his shorts!

If only they'd have had Photoshop back in those days.

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:18 pm  

PHe wrote:

When BA got a broken cheek bone it was an 'off the ball' elbow from the Wigan forward Steve Breheney (sp), I seem to recall he only got a couple of matches from the RFL. Magnificent skills had BA. I remember one particular game against Bradford (could be the same as mentioned above), when attacking on their 25 he threw out 3 dummies, chipped over the defence the ball bouncing up into his midriff, he then went on to round the fullback and under the sticks.
Another time was away at Featherstone when he was player-coach and we fielded a very young and inexperienced side which included Hopkinson at prop (he went into the police force mounted section and then had heart problems at a young age). Bill led that team round the field that day, he was on one leg because of his knee injury that ended his career, but he wouldn't give up and I seem to recall him being involved in every play, coaching and telling players where to run and line up etc. I can't recall one player dominating a game so much as BA that day - I think we lost, he ran out of steam.

I envy everyone's great specific memories of Bill Ashurt. I just remember that he had truly sublime skills with the ball and he could produce moments of pure magic that were breathtaking.
I do, however, remember clearly the game against Wigan at Belle Vue who came with the sole intention of putting Ashurst out of the game and their prop Steve Brezheny (sp) cynically taking him out off the ball.
I also remember the cup game at Fev, Ashurst's knee's had become so bad he could barely jog but he came off the bench and despite his valiant, courageous effort we still lost, think it was about 10-6.

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:20 pm  

Remember Bill coming very well. They had to raise the height of one of the touchline boxes for him to sit in as he was so tall.

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:31 pm  

The games has changed just a little bit since then!

Re: Bill Ashurst.. : Sat Feb 26, 2011 5:36 pm  

REDWHITEANDBLUE wrote:

Bill lived in Crofton I remember he got his face smashed by Wigan I think just prior to the Cup Final in 1978. Was a massive signing at the time. I understand he is a born again christian now.

yes your right he did live in crofton near me he used to go drinking with my dad in the cock & crown he played in the village cricket knock out with alan macurry