James Slevin was one of the founder members of the current Wigan Warrior club back in September 1879. He made over 290 appearances for Wigan in a career spanning three decades from 1879-1891. He also made two more cameo appearances for Wigan in 1893 and 1897 and holds Heritage No. 48 in the club's official list, along with with No. 4.1 in the pre-Northern Union list.

Jim's career is extensive and became a Legend not only in the town but in Northern rugby circles. During his time at Wigan, Jim won 8 major honours and scored over 131 tries. If included in today's stats, Jim would rank #20 in tries scored, behind the great Trevor Lake.

Captain Slevin made sure Wigan remained a rugby town. His jersey is thought to be the oldest surviving Wigan jersey in existence and is still kept lovingly by his family.

Jimmy Leytham was a superstar of pre-War rugby. Thousands of rugbyites flocked to rugby grounds across the North to see Jim play. Hailing from Lancaster, the struggling Wigan club signed him in 1903 and the rest, they say, is history. Capped by Lancashire and Great Britain, Leytham was the perfect captain and spearheaded Wigan's first series of Northern Union successes. Captaining Wigan during the 1908-09 season, he lifted no less than four major trophies that season in a backline that included Joe Miller, Bert Jenkins and Lance Todd: the Greatest backline Wigan has ever had.

Leytham sits at No. 5 in Wigan's all time try scoring charts with 258, and at No. 17 in the goal kicking charts with 267.

He also set the record for most tries for Great Britain in a match with four against Australia in 1910, and also jointly holds the England record, again scoring four tries.

Half-back Johnny Thomas had a career at Wigan spanning three decades between 1904-1920, making 388 appearances, scoring 108 tries and 439 goals and gaining 12 major honours with the Wigan club.

Thomas was one of the first names of the team sheet and enquiries happened when he was absent from the starting line up at Central Park. His success continued on the International scene, representing Wales and Great Britain, as well as earning caps for Glamorgan ad Lancashire whilst at Wigan.

Thomas was the key to success alongside his half-back partner Fred Gleave in Wigan's famous 1908-09 season when they won four major honours.

Before we had Billy Boston, we had a gent named Johnny Ring. His try scoring record is literally "second-to-one". In 331 Wigan matches, Ring notched up a total of 368 tries, second only to Boston.

During the 1925-6 season, when Wigan recorded a Championship win, Ring set a club record of 62 tries in a season.

Ring had scored a total of 7 tries in a match one three occasions, a record that was eventually broken in 1992 by Martin Offiah (and Shaun Edwards). He holds a total of 39 hat-tricks to his name, again only bettered by his fellow Welshman Billy Boston.

Wigan, with Jim Sullivan at fullback and kicking the goals, and Johnny Ring on the wing scoring the tries, were formidable in the inter-war period.