Ray Ashby
{{short description|GB international rugby league footballer}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Ray Ashby
|fullname = Raymond Ashby
|image =
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date =
|birth_place = St Helens, England{{cite web |title=Rugby League Heroes: Ray Ashby |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rugby-league-heroes-ray-ashby/ |website=Total Rugby League |date=1 December 2021 |access-date=20 June 2022}}
|death_date =
|death_place =
|height =
|weight =
|position = {{rlp|FB|CE}}
|club1 = Liverpool City
|year1start = 19??
|year1end = 64
|appearances1 =
|tries1 =
|goals1 =
|fieldgoals1 =
|points1 =
|club2 = Wigan
|year2start = 1964
|year2end = 67
|appearances2 = 124
|tries2 = 10
|goals2 = 1
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 32
|club3 = Blackpool Borough
|year3start = 1968
|year3end = 70
|appearances3 = 40
|tries3 = 4
|goals3 = 3
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 18
|teamA = Lancashire
|yearAstart = 1963
|yearAend =
|appearancesA = 1
|triesA = 0
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 0
|teamB = Great Britain
|yearBstart = 1964
|yearBend = 65
|appearancesB = 2
|triesB = 0
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 0
|new = yes
|retired = yes
|updated =
|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ray-ashby/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}{{Rugby league records |id=8714 |title=Ray Ashby |access-date=1 August 2023}}
}}
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,{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1822|title=Heritage Numbers - In Debut Order|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}} and Blackpool Borough, as a {{rlp|fb}}, or {{rlp|ce}}.
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.{{cite news |title=Wigan Sign Liverpool Full Back |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000271/19640331/192/0012 |work=Liverpool Echo |page=12 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}
Ashby played {{rlp|fb}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=439|title=1964-1965 Challenge Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2016|accessdate=1 January 2017}} He jointly won the Lance Todd Trophy with Hunslet's Brian Gabbitas for man of the match,{{cite news|work=BBC Sport|title=Lance Todd Trophy winners|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/6954237.stm|accessdate=22 May 2009|date=26 August 2008}} and was the first time two players polled the same number of votes.{{cite news|last=Ledger|first=John|newspaper=The Yorkshire Post|title=What a shoddy way to treat Challenge Cup final heroes|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/john-ledger/John-Ledger-What-a-shoddy.3164288.jp|accessdate=22 May 2009|date=31 August 2007}}
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 {{rlp|fb}} in Wigan's 16–13 victory over Oldham in the 1966 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton, on Saturday 29 October 1966.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=440|title=1966-1967 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}
=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.{{cite book |editor-last1=Fletcher |editor-first1=Raymond |editor-last2=Howes |editor-first2=David |title=Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1998 |date=1998 |publisher=Headline Publishing Group |location=London |isbn=978-0-7472-7683-8 |page=101}} He won a second cap against France while at Wigan in 1965.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=111 Statistics at wigan.rlfans.com]
- (archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20200111043739/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=111 Statistics at wigan.rlfans.com]
- [http://www.wembleystadium.com/StadiumHistory/greatmoments/1965thedaydavidalmostslewgoliath.htm 1965 The Day David Almost Slew Goliath – Wigan v Hunslet]{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- (archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20100114200717/http://totalrl.com/features/content.php?feat_id=233&featcat_id=32 Kiwis open British tours…]
{{Wigan - 1964–65 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Lance Todd Trophy winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashby, Raymond}}
Category:English rugby league players
Category:Rugby league players from St Helens, Merseyside
Category:Blackpool Borough players
Category:Great Britain national rugby league team players
Category:Lancashire rugby league team players
Category:Lance Todd Trophy winners
Category:Liverpool City (rugby league) players
Category:Rugby league fullbacks