St.Helens R.F.C. would like to send our Club's condolences to the family and friends of Bill Appleton, who sadly passed away on 19th May 2025, aged 75.
Bill was involved in rugby league and St.Helens R.F.C. for most of his life. Born in Gladstone Street, he attended St Teresa’s School in Devon Street before moving on to secondary education at Edmund Campion.
“His house was next to the newsagents that later belonged to former Saints’ hooker Graham Liptrot,” remembers Dave Dooley, his friend from the early days. “It was a well-known family in the locality with his two aunties running a cobbler’s shop in Boundary Road. We used to play informal games of rugby on Saints’ training pitch but not on Tuesday or Thursday nights of course!”
After leaving school, Bill worked at Pilkingtons in the offices at Cowley Hill before moving on to their plant at Greengate.
Bill was on the Saints’ Supporters Club Committee for a spell and supported the local amateur scene before his organisational skills were put to good use at Knowsley Road. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the lower grade teams at the club, which was used to great effect at Academy level, in particular.
St.Helens R.F.C. Hall of Famer Eric Chisnall pays his own special tribute: “Bill was Saints through and through, just like his dad and they were inseparable. When I took over Saints’ Academy, after Bob Dagnall and Jeff Heaton, Bill did all the paperwork and form filling. He was an excellent administrator. I remember when Nick Halafihi left Saints to work at the RFL, Bill went over to Red Hall too and stayed there until he retired. He was a quiet lad – quite reserved you could say – but he just loved rugby league and rugby league people and was well-liked by everyone.”
Bill also toured Down Under with Saints’ Academy and his role at the Rugby Football League involved the administration of the Academies’ Programme and he retired from the organisation 11 years ago.
His close friend Kevin Wellens reveals that Bill had another on-going interest which he pursued with his usual enthusiasm and aplomb: “He had been Chairman of Greenalls Club in Alder Hey Road for 15 years and was responsible for overseeing the re-building of the club itself over the past few years. He married Ann in August last year on his 75th birthday. Bill was a caring, generous and hard-working man and will be sadly missed by so many in our town.”
Bill’s funeral takes place on Thursday 19th June at St Teresa of Avila at 10:15 am.
All involved at St.Helens R.F.C. extends their condolences to his wife, Ann and his family at this sad time.
