REVEALED: Six new inductees into rugby club's hall of fame

SIX new inductees to be added to the Woolston Rovers Hall of Fame have been revealed.

The sextet will be officially inducted at the club’s season launch dinner next month.

Ray Pickersgill, John Tilling, Chris Lawton, Gary McKean, Jon Cole and John Welch are the new additions, spanning three distinct eras – 1959-1980, 1981-2000 and 2001-present.

Former inductees conducted the voting process.

“All six inductees have played a significant role, both on and off the pitch for the club, and thoroughly deserve this recognition,” says a club statement.

Pickersgill and Tinning are to be inducted from the 1959-1980 era.

A stalwart of the side in the late 1960s and 1970s as a strong running and hard-tackling prop who never took a backward step, Pickersgill was a powerhouse in the pack along with his brother Roy.

He is still a prominent member of the club’s past players association.

Tilling was a goal-kicking winger who regularly topped the point-scoring charts for the club during the 1970s.

He was fast, had a great sidestep and kicked goals for fun after coming through the successful under 19s side of the early 1970s.

After he finished playing he coached several open-aged sides.

Lawton and McKean’s selections represent the 1981-2000 era.

Coaches knew what they would get from Lawton, a player who always gave 100 per cent and when the going got tough in the forwards he put his hand up in both attack and defence with his never-say-die attitude.

McKean was Woolston’s first-choice hooker during one of their most successful eras, in the 1980s.

He was an 80-minute grafter who was always near the top of the tackle counts.

‘Gaz’ famously landed the drop goal in a 1-0 win over Wigan St Patricks.

Onto the 2001-present era, Cole and Welch, with the former making his debut in the open-age first team at 17 and never looked back.

Equally at home in the back row or at centre, he came through the junior ranks and went on to represent Great Britain.

Jon Cole, back in 2011 when he was Woolston Rovers vice-captain (Image: Mike Boden)

Welch, who started at the club in the 1990s but his contribution spanned well into the 2000s, was a strong runner and excellent goalkicker who started life in the backs but as time went on transitioned into a formidable front-row forward.

He was instrumental in steering Woolston to move to Monks Sports Club and eventually became chairman for a period of time.

After a few years away he came back and played in the National Conference League side when in his 50s.

Woolston’s annual season launch dinner will take place at Warrington Masonic Hall, Winmarleigh Street, on Saturday, February 7 at 7pm.

Also on the season-launch evening, coaches Liam Lawton and Craig Woolvine will be outlining their hopes and aspirations for the forthcoming season, with the first team featuring in a revamped league – the North West Conference – which starts against town rivals Crosfields at Monk Sports Club on Saturday, March 7.

The North West Men’s League side are looking to regroup after last season’s difficulties and Rovers will be running an under 18s side again.

There will also be heritage numbers handed out to numerous players who have represented the Green and Gold with distinction over the years.

Tickets are now on sale, £25 each. To reserve a place, contact Dave Whalley, either by phone call or text on 07809 647014.

REVEALED: Six new inductees into rugby club’s hall of fame

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