Green Vigo

[JonM]

South African wingman, Green Vigo, who played for Wigan, Swinton and Oldham (and Other Nataionalities) passed away last night. 

[JohnM]

Aged 75!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Vigo

[The Phantom Horseman]

Memories of that amazing televised hat-trick he scored against Leeds at Headingley, all spectacular efforts from inside his own half.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Memories of that amazing televised hat-trick he scored against Leeds at Headingley, all spectacular efforts from inside his own half.

 

 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

RIP

[JonM]

Before my time, but didn't he score 7 tries for Wigan in a game against St. Helens?

[sentoffagain2]

Sad news a great finisher and entertainer.I have sweaty palms he was a couple of years younger than me.Condolences to friends and family R.I.P.

[DG70]

Remember him well back in the day, quite a few passed in recent times, Watkins, Drummond, Millward, Gill, Pimblett etc, 70s and 80s had some real characters in the game back then.

[Futtocks]

In his own words: https://www.totalrl.com/rugby-league-heroes-green-vigo/

[Pyjamarama]

59 minutes ago, Damien said:

 

 

I was a 17 year old lad at stood the end where he scored the last try. Our coach broke down on the way to Leeds so we missed the first try - but still one of my favourite games attended watching RL. That same season I think he was the league leading try scorer and a few weeks earlier had scored another memorable spectacular full length of the field effort at Bradford.   RIP Green.

[Padge]

47 minutes ago, JonM said:

Before my time, but didn't he score 7 tries for Wigan in a game against St. Helens?

Yes, Lancashire Cup game.

[Ullman]

2 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Memories of that amazing televised hat-trick he scored against Leeds at Headingley, all spectacular efforts from inside his own half.

Immediately sprang to my mind too. Just one of those games that somehow gets etched into our collective consciousness.

Sad news that he's passed but he won't be forgotten.

[Futtocks]

12 minutes ago, Ullman said:

Immediately sprang to my mind too. Just one of those games that somehow gets etched into our collective consciousness.

Sad news that he's passed but he won't be forgotten.

There was a post on here (which I can't find) from someone who'd been talking with him quite recently about his life for a book or a retrospective podcast or video or something.

Not a moment too soon.

[Padge]

5 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

There was a post on here (which I can't find) from someone who'd been talking with him quite recently about his life for a book or a retrospective podcast or video or something.

Not a moment too soon.

I know some good tales about him being on Steve Davies's stag do in Leigh when I worked with Steve at BICC.

 

[Gooleboy]

He scored a try at POR for for Wigan's A team and my mate who was his opposite winger tried to tackle him and Green's boot came off. So my mate threw it over the Bullock Stand and was sent off! RIP Green.

[Agbrigg]

Yes I remember watching him at Wakey ,very good player. 

 

However just digressing .Back in the 60's and 70's there was quite a bit of exciting talent around the game from South Africa its a pity we see that no more, because our game could benefit from players  like Green 

Edited February 16 by Agbrigg

[JonM]

11 minutes ago, Agbrigg said:

However just digressing .Back in the 60's and 70's there was quite a bit of exciting talent around the game from South Africa its a pity we see that no more, because our game could benefit from players  like Green 

Different times though, someone like him would simply play rugby union for his country nowadays. One of the tributes I've seen mentioned the fact that the Wigan directors met him at the airport and he was amazed that these white men carried his suitcases to the car.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

11 hours ago, DG70 said:

Remember him well back in the day, quite a few passed in recent times, Watkins, Drummond, Millward, Gill, Pimblett etc, 70s and 80s had some real characters in the game back then.

I take it you don’t mean Henderson Gill. He was alive and well at the recent Hornets v Wigan game.

For the Leeds fans - Is that the game were John Atkinson said he was retiring with immediate effect right after the game ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, JonM said:

Different times though, someone like him would simply play rugby union for his country nowadays. One of the tributes I've seen mentioned the fact that the Wigan directors met him at the airport and he was amazed that these white men carried his suitcases to the car.

Yes he’d be playing for the Springboks if he was playing now.

[The Phantom Horseman]

22 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I take it you don’t mean Henderson Gill. He was alive and well at the recent Hornets v Wigan game.

For the Leeds fans - Is that the game were John Atkinson said he was retiring with immediate effect right after the game ?

I'm sure he will have been referring to Salford's international half back Ken Gill who died just over a year ago.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

15 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I'm sure he will have been referring to Salford's international half back Ken Gill who died just over a year ago.

Yes, I’d forgotten about Kenny.

[bird]

RIP

[paulwalker71]

I remember him scoring a long-range try at Odsal against Northern - can't remember the year, but late 70s

The Northern winger "showed him the outside", as they say, and he just scorched around the outside and went the distance. 

[The 4 of Us]

Sad that he fell on harder times but good to see in his own words that he pulled it back together. One of his children was in the same school year as one of my own. He was famous enough that he has a little street in Wigan named after him. 
 

One of the original hero’s in the 70’s. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, paulwalker71 said:

 

The Northern winger "showed him the outside", as they say, and he just scorched around the outside and went the distance. 

The Leeds wing he skinned for all three tries in that hat-trick at Headingley was the late, great John Atkinson, who was admittedly more noted for his attacking prowess but was widely regarded as one of the swiftest wings in the game.