Andy Burnham MP: remembering Wigan rugby legend Sir Billy Boston

On Thursday, our Sir Billy Boston will be taken to the home of the Wigan Warriors.

At half past 12 he will be carried down the tunnel and onto the pitch at The Brick Stadium where fans that adored him can take to the stands to pay their respects.

I know that I am among many thousands that are heartbroken that we have lost him.

Billy was one of the greatest Rugby League players of all time. The skill and precision with which he played inspired a generation of players who followed. He truly put Rugby League on the map.

But anyone who knew him will tell you that his greatness wasn’t just about what he achieved on the pitch.

It was also about the man he was off the pitch.

Billy was one of the kindest, most down-to-earth people you could ever wish to meet. He had achieved things that most of us could only dream of, but you would never have known it from talking to him.

Most importantly, he always had time for people.

That was Billy’s way. He never forgot where he came from, and he never stopped giving back to the place he made his home.

For generations of people across Wigan, Billy was a familiar face and a source of enormous pride. His name is part of the story of these towns.

But Billy’s is also a story of what Britain should be – of talent overcoming prejudice, of a sport that grew from the North West to become a national sport, and of someone from a small town who earned his place among the country’s greatest.

Billy broke barriers at a time when racism and prejudice could make it incredibly difficult for people from his background to reach the very top of British sport.

He didn’t just overcome those barriers himself; he helped make the path easier for those who came after him. And he did it without ever losing his humility.

That is why his knighthood meant so much. It was recognition not just of an incredible sporting career, but of everything Billy gave to his community and to the country.

I was so pleased to see him receive that long overdue honour.

In public life, we talk a lot about leadership. Billy was the real thing. Not just because he was talented or because he was known, but because of the way he treated people.

He showed that you can reach the very top levels of your profession and still remain grounded.

You can reach the highest halls of power and still be completely at home among the people and towns who knew you first. I carry that with me wherever I go.

My thoughts are with Billy’s family, who are still grieving the recent loss of his beloved wife Joan. I know how much she meant to him, and him to her.

Wigan has lost one of its greats.

A giant of a man in every way.

Thank you, Billy. We will miss you.