Viv Richards’ Rishton debut May 5, 1987 (Picture: Newsquest)
Taken in May 1987 this photo shows the club’s new professional, West Indian Viv Richards, walking out to bat at Blackburn Road in his first match in the Lancashire League.
He had arrived in style with a helicopter landing on the pitch, the exotic form of transport having been paid for by the Sun newspaper.
In the match against eventual league champions Haslingden, Richards hit 87 in a comfortable victory for the home side.
Several thousand fans packed into the ground with TV crews including the BBC and from ITV recording the moment.
Although a genuine superstar, Richards took his professional role seriously and would coach youngsters during the week.
He spent the summer living at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel at Clayton-le-Moors and driving around in a sponsored BMW.