Billy Boston, like Gus Risman before him, was a product of South Church Street School in Butetown, Cardiff.

Such was his impact on the game of Rugby League that at the age of 19 and after playing only half a dozen games with Wigan he was selected for the 1954 Australasian Tour, scoring 36 tries in 18 matches, a record at the time.

When he began playing he weighed twelve and a half stones but, as he matured and gained weight, he became possibly the most powerful winger of all time, who seemed to have the ability to burst out of almost any tackle. This with extraordinary speed, a body swerve and fine handling gave him an advantage which he exploited to the full.

In all he scored 571 tries in first class matches, the most by any British player, and only surpassed by the Australian Brian Bevan. In three seasons he scored 50 or more tries, with 60 in 1956-1957. He played 31 games for Great Britain, his last in 1963, scoring 24 tries. During his career, Wigan appeared in six Challenge Cup finals, winning three times.

He finished playing at Wigan after 15 seasons but came out of retirement to play 11 games for Blackpool Borough in 1970.

Billy Boston has served Wigan, the club and the town where he settled, for most of his life. Today he can very often be seen alongside the coaching team at Wigan's games.