Ray Ashby

Ray Ashby (birth unknown) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Liverpool City, Wigan,^[4] and Blackpool Borough, as a fullback, or centre.

Ray Ashby

Personal information
Full name	Raymond Ashby
Born	St Helens, England[1]
Playing information
Position	Fullback, Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 19??–64 Liverpool City 1964–67 Wigan 124 10 1 0 32 1968–70 Blackpool Borough 40 4 3 0 18 Total 164 14 4 0 50 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1963 Lancashire 1 0 0 0 0 1964–65 Great Britain 2 0 0 0 0
Source: [2][3]

Playing career

Club career

Ashby started his professional career at Liverpool City. In March 1964, he was signed by Wigan for a fee of £3,500.^[5]

Ashby played fullback in Wigan's 20–16 victory over Hunslet in the 1965 Challenge Cup Final during the 1964–65 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 8 May 1965, in front of a crowd of 89,016.^[6] He jointly won the Lance Todd Trophy with Hunslet's Brian Gabbitas for man of the match,^[7] and was the first time two players polled the same number of votes.^[8]

He returned to Wembley with Wigan the following year in the 1966 Challenge Cup final, but this time lost 2–21 to St Helens.

During the 1966–67 season, Ashby played fullback in Wigan's 16–13 victory over Oldham in the 1966 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton, on Saturday 29 October 1966.^[9]

International honours

Ashby was selected to play for Great Britain against France while he was at Liverpool City in 1964, and was one of only four players in the club's history to be capped for Great Britain.^[10] He won a second cap against France while at Wigan in 1965.^[2]