Posted by... quigs eraofthebiff - on ... Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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Phil the Widnes Vikings
Warrington
UK
Widnes
.. is the club I follow
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Search for Players - games or your own previous entries.
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This is a picture of a widnes
fan only known has chopper,who i believe rode a
raliegh chopper bike from widnes to wembley stadium
for charity and during the match climbed on the
posts at the great stadium.
Possibly the first and last rugby league fan to
do this and all for charity.
It was in the seventies during the widnes cup kings
era.
FROM QUIGS. Thanks Widnes Viking. Does any other
one out there remember the story and can enlighten
us more about the episode. Love to hear it. Email
me with the info and I will include it.
From Widnes Viking 5 december 2005
Just a quick word to add on to the Chopper story.
His second name was Smith and was a character well
known around town. Sadly Chopper went to the 'Hall
Of Fame' a couple of years back. They don't seem
to make many characters like him any more.
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From Jackie, England
Comment added 29/9/2006
Hi, I'd like to add more to fave moments no.59,
'chopper' Smith.
He was a very good friend of my dad's. He was a
lovely, generous man with a great sense of humour
and a big heart.
It was really sad to say goodbye to him.
His christian names were 'John Thomas', which I
always thought the 'chopper' nickname came from!!!
If asked how he got the name, he would never tell.
I printed no.59 for my dad, he'll be made up with
it. Jackie
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From Ronnie Campbell (Former Referee), Widnes, England
Comment added 12/1/13
John Chopper Smith was a Widnes fanatic Home and Away ! He used to get sponsors to climb those posts at Wembley any money he got he donated to charity which was considerable ! He did it every time Widnes got to Wembley which in those days was nearly every year .
That photo shows the bobbies asking him to come down . They promised him faithfully they would let him get back in the paddock ! As soon as his feet touched grass they grabbed him carried him down that famous tunnel and flung him out the ground ! He got back in about ten minutes before the end !
Funnily enough he never trusted a cop again !
He was in my class at the local school (Oxford University was too far ) his mother was Olive Smith. a staunch Labour councillor on Widnes Town Council for many years For her tireless work on that council she was honoured and elected to be the Mayor of Widnes an honour she richly deserved !!
Chopper wasnt put off by his treatment by the bobbies and did it again the next time Widnes got to Wembley !!
He was a great character Quigs Larger than life !!!
Additional comment by the Honourable Ronald Campbell
For someone with your handycaps Quigs ,Aussie and Ugly you provide a great service to Rugby League people !!
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