In Memoriam: Doug Laughton
Wigan Warriors are saddened to hear of the passing of former player, Doug Laughton.
Charles Douglas Laughton more commonly known as Doug was born in Widnes on 13 May 1944 and played for St. Paul’s and Lowerhouse junior team before signing professionally for St. Helens as an 18-year-old.
Laughton made 78 appearances for Saints making his debut on 16 November 1963 against Featherstone Rovers before making his move to Wigan in 1967.
Doug Laughton came to Wigan with a reputation for being a supremely gifted and skilled player, who led from the front and consequently was made Wigan’s Captain. Laughton’s first team debut for Wigan was on 19 August 1967 against Salford in a first-round Lancashire Cup defeat at Central Park 18-14, earning him his unique Wigan Heritage Number 653.
During his Wigan career, Doug gained four major medals the BBC 2 Floodlit Trophy, a Lancashire Cup in 1971, a Lancashire County Championship in 1969-70, a League Leaders Trophy in season 1970-71, and won the coveted Man of Steel award in 1979. He also led Wigan as Captain into the ill-fated 1970 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley against Castleford.
Laughton would go on to make 185 appearances for Wigan scoring 39 tries for a total of 117 points and was selected for the Great Britain tour of Australasia in 1970, the tour was one of the most successful in Lions history, with the team winning all but two of the matches. The tour is perhaps more specifically remembered for the last time that Great Britain won an Ashes series against Australia.
Laughton would make his final appearance for Wigan in a quarter-final Challenge Cup defeat against Bradford Northern on 4 March 1973 in a game that saw Colin Clarke sent off for dissent as Wigan lost 11-7.
In 1973 Laughton would go on to sign for his hometown club Widnes after the famous incident involving “The Chairman’s Turkey Dinner” a story Doug loved recalling after his career had finished. Laughton’s move to Widnes was extremely successful, and the Chemics won every club honour leading them to their first Wembley win in 11 years.
After finishing his playing career, Laughton took over as the coach at Widnes and made them a formidable cup-winning team when they became well-known as the Cup Kings in the late 70s and early 80s. Laughton had three stints as coach at Widnes 1978-83, 1986-91, and 1995-96 and a spell at Leeds from 1991 – 1994-95
Aside from the trophy successes Doug Laughton’s biggest feat was perhaps enticing Jonathan Davies and Martin Offiah to the 13-man code two players of rare talent who would go on to build a flamboyant team that would win back-to-back League Championships with a team that combined home-grown stars like Tony Myler, Andy Currier, Darren Wright and the Hulme brothers with further rugby union recruits like Alan Tait, Paul Moriarty, and John Devereux.
Laughton was not only a smart, skilled footballer, he was an innovator, knowing how to generate publicity, and was prepared to venture into rugby union persuading major talent to cross the line into rugby league.
Wigan Warriors send their condolences to Doug’s family and friends at this sad time.
