A popular visitor to Bracken Hall Community Centre was rugby league star Henderson Gill.
He was pictured in the Examiner in October 1985 as he signed winners’ certificates for children who were successful in a gardening competition organised by the local community association.
The Wigan and Great Britain international winger, who was born in Huddersfield and lived in Birkby, was sidelined at the time after breaking a leg.
1985 was an eventful year for him. He had put in 38 appearance for Wigan in the 1984-85 season in which they won the Challenge Cup and he went on to play 28 games in the 1985-86 season in which Wigan won the John Player Trophy.
He also played eight games for South Sydney during the 1985 Australian rugby league season.
Henderson Gill had started his early career with Bradford Northern and Rochdale Hornets, but was best known for his Wigan years from 1981 to 1989 in which he played 232 games, scoring 762 points.
His international career included 15 games for Great Britain and one for England.
