Willie Aspinall
{{Short description|GB international rugby league footballer (1942–2021)}}
{{for|the rugby league player for Keighley|William Aspinall}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Willie Aspinall
|fullname = William H. Aspinall
|image =
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1942|11|8|df=y}}
|birth_place = St Helens, England
|death_date = {{death date and age|2021|10|23|1942|11|8|df=y}}
|death_place =
|height(ft) = 5
|height(inch) = 9
|weight = {{convert|11|st|7|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|SO}}
|club1 = Warrington
|year1start = 1962
|year1end = 71
|appearances1 = 268
|tries1 = 55
|goals1 = 40
|fieldgoals1 = 30
|points1 = 305
|club2 = Rochdale Hornets
|year2start = 1971
|year2end = 75
|appearances2 = 98
|tries2 = 22
|goals2 = 8
|fieldgoals2 = 4
|points2 = 86
|teamA = Great Britain
|yearAstart = 1966
|yearAend =
|appearancesA = 1
|triesA = 1
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 3
|teamB = Lancashire
|yearBstart = 1965
|yearBend = 67
|appearancesB = 7
|triesB = 2
|goalsB = 2
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 10
|teamC = GB tour games
|yearCstart = 1966
|yearCend =
|appearancesC = 19
|triesC = 9
|goalsC = 0
|fieldgoalsC = 0
|pointsC = 27
|retired = yes
|updated = 18 July 2020
}}
Willie Aspinall (8 November 1942 – 23 October 2021){{cite news |title=Talented and trusty Wire stand-off who became a Hornet |work=Rugby Leaguer & League Express |date=8 November 2021 |issue=3202 |page=19}} was a professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Warrington, and Rochdale Hornets, as a {{rlp|so}}
Playing career
=International honours=
Willie Aspinall won a cap for Great Britain while at Warrington on the 1966 Great Britain Lions tour against New Zealand. He also made 19 non-test match appearances for Great Britain during the 1966 tour.
=Club career=
Willie Aspinall gained two winners' medals while at Warrington, the 16–5 victory over Rochdale Hornets in the 1965 Lancashire Cup Final at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Friday 29 October 1965, and victory in the Lancashire League during the 1967–68 season. He played {{rlp|so}}, and scored a drop goal in Warrington's 2–2 draw with St. Helens in the 1967 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 October 1967,but did not play in the replay.
He played on the {{rlp|wg}}, in Rochdale Hornets' 16–27 defeat by Warrington in the 1973–74 Player's No.6 Trophy Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 9 February 1974.
Honoured at Warrington Wolves
Willie Aspinall was inducted into the Warrington Wolves Hall of Fame in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.wire2wolves.com/halloffame.php?player_id=72&browse_level=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718070444/http://www.wire2wolves.com/halloffame.php?player_id=72&browse_level=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2011|title=Hall of Fame at Wire2Wolves.com|publisher=wire2wolves.com|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://wolvesplayers.thisiswarrington.co.uk/martini/results.asp?txtName=Aspinall Statistics at wolvesplayers.thisiswarrington.co.uk]
{{Great Britain squad – 1966 Tour}}
{{Warringon Wolves Hall of Fame Inductees}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aspinall, William}}
Category:English rugby league players
Category:Great Britain national rugby league team players
Category:Rochdale Hornets players
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
Category:Rugby league players from St Helens, Merseyside