I know this is a bit out of the blue, but I was just looking through bilko's excellent site. I'd always grown up being told by my grandad that Jim Sullivan was a legend, but I hadn't fully appreciated what a staggering amount he achieved.



I'm of course really happy to see the stand named after Billy Boston - again a true legend (and I know this is DW not Wigan RL that have done this), i just can't believe a player can have done so much (both as player and coach) for our great club and my kids haven't even heard of him.



I'd like to see the club honour his memory in some way noticeable to the younger generation, so they can see that a huge part of the success and history of our great club is due in no small part to a man they haven't even heard of.



sorry that this is a bit off the wall, i was just totally taken aback when i looked at the stats.



Our greatest ever player?

Greatest ever player in terms of skill might be stretching it but greatest clubman/servant by far. His record appearances/goals/points stats at Wigan will never be beaten.



The Frano Botica of his time. I mean he was the leagues top goal kicker for an amazing 16 out of 18 seasons between 1921-22 and 1938-39 (14 times being top points scorer).



Looking back at stuff like I do I was always maintain the post war team coached by Sullivan was far better than the late 80s/early 90s teams so fondly remembered by many today.

I mean thier were a couple of seasons during that post war spell when they had the key players plucked from the squad before the cup/championship finals had been played because they had to sail with GB for a tour down under.



In 1946 they still won the Championship (Grand) Final despite losing Joe Egan, Ken Gee, Martin Ryan and Ted Ward for the tour and in 1950 they won it without Ernie Ashcroft, Tommy Bradshaw, Jack Cunliffe, Joe Egan, Ken Gee, Jack Hilton, Gordon Ratcliffe and Martin Ryan.



Imagine in the early 1990's trying to win those cup finals without the GB players.



If they ever did raise a statue like Keiron Cunningham is getting in St Helens then thier is only one candidate in Wigan and thats Sullivan.



Although he did tarnish himself a bit by coaching St Helens in the 1950s and succesfully as well. Wigan and St Helens are the two biggest clubs in Rugby League but I do believe we'd be nothing without the influence of Jim Sullivan. Saints had only won a paltry 1 league title and 1 lancashire cup in 57 years of Rugby League before Sullivan went there. In three/four years he coached them to both of them and the Challenge Cup for the first time.



Truly immense and both sides of the lump should be thankful. Maybe they should stick a statue of him at the top of the lump?

I think that's what i'm getting at, for such a true giant of the game (in contribution as player and coach) it would be great to see something done in his honour.



Hell even if it was only a player of the season trophy or something, though ofc a statue would be much better.



Really wish i was able to goto the fans forum now and mention it

Liverpool had Bill Shankley



Man U had Matt Busby



We had Jim Sullivan



Funny how it takes a special individual to take an ordinary run of the mill club and builds great clubs. Usually built on hard work

And Wigan Council honoured him by naming a small cul-de-sac in Scholes after him! Always makes me laugh when some people try to list the greatest Wigan team of all time and come up with Hampo or Radders at number 1. Sullivan is the greatest full back Wigan ever had or will have.



We had the Sulliavn Bar on the Popular Side. Maybe the South Stand bar can be renamed the Sullivan Bar?

It would depend on what age you are really



If people like myself didn't get to see him play then they dont have a clue how good he was

And i think that's what i'm getting it, lots of people now have no idea who he was. It's not like the council even named a major street after him, or even used his first name in the title so people might at least wonder who he was.



Maybe a most points in a season trophy?



Just wondering on peoples thoughts and ways to remember him and promote the great history of one of our (and indeed rugby league over all) greatest players and coaches to the future generations

I started watching wigan in 1942, admittedly theywere only wartime matches and Jim was getting toward the twilight of his career. But I remember mammoth kicking duels between him and the opposing fullback, which I found boring. when Martin Ryan under Sully's coaching started to run the ball back, it was like a breath of fresh air and I was hooked on RL. Jackie Cunliffe was even better at it than Martin Ryan. The team in 1945 to 1950 was the most succesful Wigan team in the 67 years I have supported them

Jackie Cunliffe is one of my Grandad's favourite all time players.

My Dad still reckons Jim Sullivan was an even better kicker than Frano Botica ! One of his sayings is "Sully could backheel that over !"



I do know that Sullivan used to put a few thousand fans on matches including at the Sydney Cricket Ground.



At one test match at SCG in the 1920's which was a lockout, with thousands outside, a huge roar went up from the crowd. Some outside said who's scored, the reply was no - Sullivan has missed one !



So highly regarded by 'speccies' all over the World.

Neither did I. It's just a basic awareness of the history of the club you follow

It is told that late in his life, Sullivan was interviewed by a local journalist who asked, "Jim you've had a wonderful time in rugby league. Signed for Wigan as a full back when you were just 17 years old, played 774 matches over 25 years. You kicked a record 22 goals in one match and scored the first ever points at the first ever RL Challenge Cup final at Wembley in 1929. You were captain at Wigan for many years and played in total 54 times for Wales, England and Great Britain and toured with the Lions to Australia on 3 occasions including the last as captain. Altogether you amassed a total of 6,022 career points. You also coached Wigan winning the Championship and Challenge Cup and then St Helens in the 1950's bringing them their first real success including the Lancashire Cup three years in a row. Tell me, what do you regard as your greatest achievement?"



Perfectionist to the last, Sullivan simply replied, "I never took a dummy."



That's a great rugby league full back and a Sullivan lesson from which all players could learn.