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Videos - Jim Mills interview during his playing days - and includes the famous quote about counting to ten.
To view just click the Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F22lMOVI_6k

props biff some good scraps inc jim mill stamping on new zealand player john greengrass which lwad to a life ban,also good punchup between terry oconner and gordan tallis - (Thanks Phil of Widnes)
To view just click the Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfSWhA9vZQE

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Of all the great prop forwards to have worn the famous black and white of Widnes, Jim Mills stands out as one biggest characters and possibly the most controversial! 'Big Jim as he is affectionately, known played at all levels during a Iong and distinguished career. He was honoured to play for his beloved Wales and also to play prominent roles in the Great Britain sides of the Seventies, not to mention picking up virtually every winners medal available to him during his time with that great 'Cup Kings' side.

Much has been made over the years of his disciplinary record, but it was unfortunate that in some circles it disguised the fact that Jim was one of the best forwards that this country has ever produced! When ever anyone asks the big man about the best thing that he's ever done in his eareer Jim is most adamant, 'signing for Widnes'. Jim's adventures on the field quickly endeared him to the Widnes public, they loved his no nonsense slyle and his epic duels with opposing props.

On the pitch he loved to tangle with the likes of Nicholas, Van Bellen and the others. There was at times what seemed like a war of attrition going on but really on occasions the public made too much of it. One of the things that Jim liked so much about the game says a lot about the integrity of the player, no matter what happened out on the pitch and how close a struggle it had been, after the match it was all forgotten. In fact some of his best friends now are those who used to try to knock him into the ground!

Jim's most memorable game for Widnes is perhaps no surprise. He remembers the day when he stepped out at Wembley Stadium for the first time against arch rivals Warrington in the 1975 Challenge Cup Final.That day was very special, not only to Jim but to the thousands of Widnesians who travelled down the M6 to Wembley Stadium. He's been back to Wembley to play since that day but nothing ever matched up to the thrill of the event. Some players say that they can't remember anything of their first visit to the twin towers but he remembered it all!

He had good reason to. In what was a classic final Jim scored Widnes's only try, he strolled in unopposed wide out in the centres. It was the 'game breaker'. Vinty Karalius was the Widnes coach that day and it had been he who with the then chairman of the club Jim Davies had persuaded Big Jim to come to Widnes back in 1972. He had a choice of offers from both Wigan and Bradford Northern as well as Widnes, as we know he chose Widnes, and the rest is history The 1980/81 season proved to be Jim's last with the club as a player. He was 35 years old at the time and in a night match against Bradford he suffered a badly damaged knee, aggravating an older injury.

Surgery followed and the specialist issued a stern warning to him against even considering playing again. Wisely he heeded the warning. It was the end of a career that had spanned some 16 years. If the truth be known, Jim wasn't too upset. He'd had a good run and achieved everything possible. He'd played all over the world, including a very lucrative spell with North Sydney Bears in Australia, and made many friends along the way. The people of Widnes took him to their hearts and still today in many of the towns pubs and clubs people recall his exploits with affection and respect. The man was a raging bull on the field and a gentleman off it!

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Jim was sent off 22 times in his career I think. A great prop forward but he had a very short temper on the pitch and the oposition often riled him on purpose. He went to Working ton at one point where he was out of the limelight and less high profile games before returning to Widnes.

Two clashes stand out in my memory. First against Wigan at homein aleague game in the 1970's. Bill Ashurst, no small man himself riled Jim until Jim just took matters in his own hands. He was dispatched with a punch or two, at a play the ball I think. Mills walked Ashurst was carried off on a stretcher out cold. It is alleged on his return to the living he said" Vinty can get someone else to rile him next time!" Karalius was coaching Wigan at the time.

The most memorable assault I can recall was in a test match at Bradford. O'Neill an Australian forward must have miffed Jim. It ws right infront of me. Again at a play the ball I think. Jim head butted and threw a left and a right before his adversary hit the ground. (See Memorable Matches No 4 - 1970 World Cup Final)

Not sport at all but it was accepted as part of the game in those days. Like him or loathe him Jim was one of many characters and there are none around today, and he was a tremendous forward and was an automatic choice for Wales and Great Britain .

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When he first signed he was nothing special early 1970's .

In one game at home he was substituted. It was near the end of the game so he walked off towards the tunnel when a voice was heard to shout "Go on Jim run the bath water for the rest of them its about all you are fit for!".

Jim stopped turned ,spotted the guy presumably climbed the wall and slowly walked up the terracing to where the spectator was. It was just up to the left of where I was standing with friends.

They went eye ball to eye ball and a converstion was held between the two.

The game continued but on our side of the pitch no one was watching all eyes were on Jim! After Jim strolled slowly back down the terraces onto the pitch .

I have often thought about what was said but I never sawthat chap stand in that place again!

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In my 30 years of watching hard men of rugby league big jim was by far the hardest, never put down by anyone. If someone it him then it was retaliated by a awesome barrage of head buts and punches.

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It was the time that Jim left Widnes for a season to play at Workington Town.

Workington had a home game at Derwent Park, referee for the day was Ronnie Campbell, who came from Widnes.

Because he didnt live too far from Jim he managed to get a lift to the game off the big man.

During a particularly torrid match, he had to warn jim a number of times about his "over zealous" play. Finally, with his patience running out he called Jim over to him and told him he was going to have to
send him off.

Jim said to Ronnie,"have u got any idea of the bus timetables back to Widnes," referee Campbell asked why? Jim reminded Ronnie how he had travelled to the ground.

"Send me off," said Jim "and you are travelling home by bus" (approx.130 miles) Needless to say, Jim was let
off with a stern warning and remained on the field.

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During a test match asainst Great Britan, Randall
locked horns with Big Jim Mills who had a big reputation as a biffer.

This reputation was ruined as Randall hit him with a right cross that
landed right on his chin which promply decked the big pommie and duly
sat him on his ass.

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A comment and nomination from Steve Yeomans concerning Mike Nicholas......with links to Mills

I would like to nominate Mike Nicholas a fiery Welshman who had many a set to with Jim Mills in the 70's.

It is alledged that he was returning back to Wales, having played kick'n'clap in Scotland and turned up at Warrington asking for a trial.

Alex Murphy, who was the coach at the time, was alledged to have told the committee to either sign him or get rid of him before he does too much damage

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The only time I've seen a professional player run away from tackling someone in 40 years was when Jim Mills was playing for Widnes against Leigh.

The Leigh fullback was a young lad probably about 18 and not too big.

At one point he came in as second "tackler," punched Jim on the head and ran back into position before Jim could respond.

Later in the game Jim ran onto a ball at speed (he was pretty quick for a big man) about 30 yeards out and built up a head of steam with just the the little fullback between him and the try line.

The kid actually ran out of his way and Jim scored (at the clubhouse end).

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I was at a welsh ex players dinner about 5 years ago and was sat at the same table as tony fisher, himself a rough, tough as teak no compromising ex wales and gb forward who played in the same wales team as jim.

Jim was late getting to the dinner and the soup was already served.

Big jim entered the dining room and spotted his old mate and walked up to him, good to see yer tony said mills and he then grabbed hold of fishers nose between his thumb and forefinger and gave it a great twist.

You could here his nose break all over the 120 seater dining room, there was blood everywhere and mills walked away without a comment.

Later that night they were propping up the bar the best of mates

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For at least two of Jim Mills 3 years with the Bears I was either in the bush (teaching) or overseas and following things from a distance.

His time at Norths was not a particularly memorable one I think he was suspended almost immediately and ended up playing most of his final year in the reserves.

His off-field antics (I understand he worked as a hotel bouncer at Cremorne) were rumoured to have been as "interesting" as some of the stories already posted on your web site.

Your photo of him certainly captures the seriously scary persona he undoubtedly presented both on and off the field.

He would have sent our current crop of administrators apoplectic and spent most of his time camped at the judiciary. No "amnesia" excuses for Jim Mills!

Nevertheless, for all that, an enduring character of the game.

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You have a picture showing Andy Greg and Kurt Sorensen scrapping with gentleman Mick Adams looking on!!
viking means this one "Quigs"

Ironically all 3 played for the Widnes club in the UK!! Are we the hardest club? we also had Vinty Karalius, Jim Mills and Kevin Tamati... whilst our Hulme brothers were labelled by gary freeman as the dirtiest men he'd ever played against.

And he should know!!

More recently Penrith Rock Steve Carter played for us too.

Hail to the Chemics.. the Worlds hardest team.

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The story of Randall decking Mills is absolute fabrication by an Ausie who just can't stand it when a Brit is the toughest man to wear a league shirt. EVER!!!!

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Jim was always to be found in his nightclub at Widnes and on this one occasion he was absent when one of the Managers had certain problems with a local hardman and thug who was not adverse to injuring people himself.

The man refused to leave and created quite a scene in the club , he was feared and loathed by the community and had up to this point been the top hardcase around the town. The manager called Big Jim and he duly arrived , after some talking (Jim was also very good at that and still does after dinner speeches) the man went outside.

A few minutes later the thug arrives back at the club and starts to drive his car into Jims which was parked outside. After trying to stop the man, a scuffle took place, Jim only landed the one punch and the thug ended up with a reputation in tatters and a broken jaw.

He never caused much of a problem around Widnes again . Like most cowards who eventually
meet their match he went off to the Police and tried to have Jim arrested , but unsurprisingly recieved little sympathy.

Jim was without doubt one of the games real hardmen.........but a nicer guy (off the field) you couldn,t wish to meet.

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I watched Jim Mills in one of his last games before retiring against WAkefield Trinity, he came on as substitute and was sent off after only 2 minutes after kicking a Wakefield player.

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I'm too young to remember the players I nominated, but their legend still lives on.

My Dad and Granddad saw them play and talked about them as being real tough bastards, genuine hard men, at a time when dirty play was far more common due in part to the lack of blanket recording games we get today.

My Granddad insisted that "Big Jim" Mills should have got a sine die ban for what he did to John Greengrass.

Personally the most vicious thing I have ever seen was Anthony Swann's (Auckland Warriors) multiple attack on the head of St Helens centre Andy Haigh in June 97.

Unbelievabley it escaped unpunished under the weak judicial system in place for the World Club Championship, despite Haigh being sent to hospital with a fractured cheekbone.

Of course there was nothing hard about what Swann did, I doubt he would have lasted 2 minutes if he tried that with a monster like "Big Jim".

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Les Boyd must have been very easy to wind up due to the nature of his 'girlie' voice.

Mills was a cross section of hard and mad.

But hardest Pom has to be VK and Ray Price always put his body on the line, especially those bandaged knees.

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Just been reminded about a story I heard at a sportsmans dinner a couple of months ago about Big Jim Mills of Widnes, it was told by Roy Dickinson, a big daft lad who played prop for Leeds in the 1970's.

Roy is getting into the after dinner speaking lark and he's very funny.

This may or may not be true but it's typical of his humour.

He(Roy)was only 19 when he was picked to prop against Jim Mills for the first time, when Jim was at his peak and a frightening sight for us in the stands let alone for those on the pitch.

Roy was taken aside by the Leeds coach Roy Francis and told that he wanted to see some aggression and that the only answer to Jim Mills was to hit him hard in the first tackle to get his respect, he was assured that after that he'd have an easy time, you nust had to hit Jim hard enough for him to know that you meant business, thats all.

Roy says that three minutes into the game a scrum was called and as he took his place in the front row he saw Francis signalling to him with his fist, mouthing the words "hit him Roy". As they packed down Roy was just about to swing an uppercut from his knees when he was hit with something and woke up with the trainer wafting smelling salts under his nose and was told to "get after him Roy, he's making a fool out of you"

The next scrum came up and once again Roy got the instruction from the
bench to hit Mills first, they packed down again and smack, Roy got another one on the chin, woke up again with the trainer telling him that Francis had said that if he didn't hit Mills the next time then he'd be substituted.

At the third scrum Roy managed a half hearted punch which missed Mills by miles and as the scrum broke up Mills had Roy in a headlock using his face as a punchbag.

He stopped to tell Roy to pack in the rough stuff and get on with the game, to which Roy, on his knees and bleeding from every pore on his face replied "alright Jim, if you've had enough we call it quits"

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From Andy Gilder - off RLfans Forum - Leeds Rhino Southstander.com

Aye - he told that at the Leeds ex-Players Association dinner. Very similar to the Jim Mills one about his time in Australia.

Big Jim made his debut in the old NSWRL, and promptly got sent off. When he turned up at the disciplinary meeting, he was full of contrition about what he'd done as they read out his "previous" from the game over here. Looking for a way out, he pleaded jetlag and tiredness from the heat compared to what he was used to in Widnes, and they sent him on his way with just a fine.

Next game, Jim smacks someone and gets sent off again. Back he goes to the judiciary, same panel members as the previous week. They read out his "previous" again, adding on the one from the last game, and ask if he has anything to say for himself in defence. To which Jim replies,

"Bloody hot out there again isn't it".

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Big Jim poleaxed Bill Ashurst with a haymaker of frightening proportions in a night game against Wigan at Naughton Park.The game was only a few minutes old and people were still coming through the gate but Ashurst was intent on giving Jim the bird and niggled him in an early couple of tackles.The big fella saw the blue mist and retaliated in frightening style,dropping Ashurst like a brick with an awesome right hander.He was walking before the ref raised the red card.Poor Ashurst was left prostrate on the deck and it was scary watching him receive treatment looking at deaths door,his arms flailing.I still remember the late comers asking 'is Mills not playing?'

SEE MILLS ENTRY 01 From Geoff @ Widnes he wrote on the 13-01-2004

Two clashes stand out in my memory. First against Wigan at homein aleague game in the 1970's. Bill Ashurst, no small man himself riled Jim until Jim just took matters in his own hands. He was dispatched with a punch or two, at a play the ball I think. Mills walked Ashurst was carried off on a stretcher out cold. It is alleged on his return to the living he said" Vinty can get someone else to rile him next time!" Karalius was coaching Wigan at the time.

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Yeah I remember that too, it was down in the scoreboard corner. Vinty was Wigans coach at the time and apparently had told Bill Ashurst (who was a big man) to get Jim. He niggled Jim and I remember it as a headbutt rather than a punch, but whatever it was he was still giving it to him all the way down to the ground! He was stretchered off (eventually) , and we wondered if he had killed him as his arms were swinging at the sides of the stretcher. The story went that when he eventually woke up, he said to Vinty, "Next time, get somebody else to do your dirty work"!

SEE ENTRY ABOVE AND SEE MILLS ENTRY 01 From Geoff @ Widnes
he wrote on the 13-01-2004
br> Two clashes stand out in my memory. First against Wigan at homein aleague game in the 1970's. Bill Ashurst, no small man himself riled Jim until Jim just took matters in his own hands. He was dispatched with a punch or two, at a play the ball I think. Mills walked Ashurst was carried off on a stretcher out cold. It is alleged on his return to the living he said" Vinty can get someone else to rile him next time!" Karalius was coaching Wigan at the time.

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Another Mills story. He'd been on Tour with Eddie Cunningham for GB (or maybe Wales but I think GB).

Anyway there had been a great team spirit on tour so on the last day Jim called all the players together and said "right - as a group we'll watch out for each other next season - no rough stuff when we are on opposite sides."

A few months later Widnes played Saints in a BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final and Jim headbutted Eddie.

In the bar afterwards Cunningham collared Mills and asked "what about 'no rough play' then?".

"Well" said Jim "obviously I wasn't including cup ties in that".

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Think the player he layed out in the 78 test at Bradford was Rocket Reddy, and it was because Reddy had bit him.

Mills showed the ref and GB got the penalty.

Also remember an interview with Mills in which he said people had suggested he count to ten when he had been riled, he said he tried but sometimes he didnt get past three !!

Great site by the way.

Could I also put forward Georgie Nichols of Widnes and Saints, voted best forward in the world by Australian press after 72 world cup.Not a brawling hard man, just tough in every way.

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Salford paid alot of money to halifax for big jim in the late sixties and then we sent him to bradford in exchange for a winger by the name of mike kelly.

I remember a cup tie at the willows on a saturday afternoon.

We lost 8-4 and jim had a bit of nightmare !!!

So much so that he went toe to toe with team-mate peter smethurst in the dressing room after the match.

They talk about soccer hard-man, big jim would still sort them all out now.

Bring them on keane, vinnie jones, whoever you want.

Even now he would cream them all.

I had a BIG persian cat that could only be given one name...BIG JIM

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Billy thompson was a ref at the time jim was playing. he was widely regarded as the best ref at the time and known not to stand any nonsense.

In one match both billy and jim managed to live up to their reputations magnificently. as per usual billy made his pre-match warnings about not standing for any dirty play, to which jim responded with an audible chuckle, nothing said.

As perusual, in the first 5 minutes of the game, jim committed an act of thuggery. sure enough billy called him over. as he walked across jim was laughing. perplexed, billy asked what was so funny? no reply except more laughter and a shake of the head. billy responded by pointing out that the big fella was about be sent off and "you think it's so funny then". more laughter.

So the whistle went and the finger pointed to the sheds - even more laughter as jim turned to walk off, continuing to chuckle to himself. billy couldn't stand it any more and had to ask what was so funny. jim turned and pointed to billy's hair. "where did you get that f@x@in' rug" was all he said before turning to leave the field for yet another early bath, and leaving the remaining members of both sides in fits.

As told by the immortal mr thompson himself.

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I watched jim mills in a test v australia in the seventies at bradford .

Big jim picked tommy raudonikis up by the scruff of his neck & butted him. he then showed the ref the bite mark on his hand & got a penalty awarded to G.B. that shut the little aussie gob-shite up

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Regarding Mike Coulman, i remember many a set two between Mike and the great welsh hard man Jim Mills (dirty Ba*****), one of which was at gods ground the Willows during a England vs Wales game.

Played in awful weather i dont think any one fancied the night out, within ten mins of the start they both kicked off.

After a severe telling off by mr F Lindop, the game resumed however the very next scrum it went off again with these two players. Resulting in both of them being sent from the field, as both left the field Coulman winked at Mills and both left with a great big smile on their faces.

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Despite a failing memory about the Mills and Ashhurst I can hopefully clarify part of what happened ie whether it was a fist or a butt. My recollection of the incident between the posts and the scoreboard corner is that Bill Ashurst hit Jim with a swinging arm whilst tackling him.

Jim literally turned round and butted him.

He seemed to drop like a sack of spuds, but not quickly enough.

On his way to the ground Jim managed to get in a totally wasted punch to the jaw, wasted because Ashurst was already unconcious!

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I was only a young lad when my Dad took me to St Helens to watch Wales v NZ in 1975 so don't remember the incident very well. I've seen the video a few times since and can say I haven't seen anything like it since - Greengrass goes over for a try & big Mills stamps on his head twice. According to Mills, Greengrass deserved it.

A great proponent of the head-butt and a top class Mad Bloke!

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In the 1970's as a teenager and "one of the few" from South Wales who preferred League to union, I remember an article in the News of the World on Jim Mills headlined "The Hardest Man in British Sport?".

Its probably the only truthful article this crap editorial ever wrote!!

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England v wales at widnes jim mills GIVES HARRY
BEVERLEY AT PUNCH IN FIRST 15 MINS HARRY PLAYS REST OFF GAME WITH ONE EYE
CLOSED WHAT A PUNCH

WHAT A GAME

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BIG JIM MILLS GIVING OUT AWARDS AT WIDNES TIGERS U 11/12 PRESENTATION NIGHT WAS ASKED WHY HE HAD BEEN SENT OFF SO MANY TIMES.

HE ANSWERD TWICE IT WAS DESERVED

ALL THE REST WAS MISTAKEN IDENITY

HE WAS GREAT WITH THE KIDS AND THEY LOVED HIM FOR IT

THANKS FOR THE MEMORY
JIM A REAL GENT

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Went to a dinner last month that had Andy Gregory as a guest speaker. He was asked to describe JIm Mills (who he had played with early in his career). He said that he was 'Tempermental - 50% temper, 50% mental'.

He talked about a game when he was on the bench. Mike Nicholas (spelling) hit Jim Mills with a high tackle early in the game, leaving him on the floor. The ref (Billy Thompson) called Nicholas out. As he did, Mills shouted "Leave him on Billy". Nicholas gets to the ref, who gives him a caution. He says "Am i not going off then?". The ref replied "Not yet, but very likely in the foreseeable future". He left on a stretcher soon after.

If you get chance to listen to Gregory, he's a good after dinner speaker.

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John O'Neill was recalled to the Australian Test team to try and tame big Jim Mills in the Sydney Test of 1973? O'Neill let loose in the first scrum and hit Mills so hard he was a passenger for the rest of the match.

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Was at a lancashire cup game about 1977-78 against wigan.

It was a night match and mills came on as a sub.

Anyways there was a scrum down about 20 yards of the wigan try line. mills had only been on about 5 mins the teams scrummed down and as they locked up the wigan second rower was pin wheeled out the scrum by a huge hay maker from mills who to his credit just walked off without looking at the ref.

i dont think he fancied the weather that night either.

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Tom Raudonikis was a great player and as tough as they come. The person got it wrong regarding Tommy in the 2nd test in 78 at Bradford. Jim Mills nutted Rod Reddy and accused him of biting. I don't think Jim could reach down that far.

What I do remember is the blue that Tommy and Steve Nash had at a scrum in the same series. If my memory serves me they both got sent off.

The only time I can remember Roger Millward getting sent off was when playing against Australia; not a test match. Again, I think it was the same year. However, Roger was really pee'd off because he said Tommy laid in to him and he was just trying to get away from all the blows raining down on him.

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Jim Mills regularly produced performances that deserved my vote but the particular game I remember was against Wakefield Trinity when he responded to a head butt by Bill Ashurst by simply shaking his head and then by seemingly knocking him out with one punch but with amazing speed (for a big man) threw another punch whilst Ashursts unconcious body was still on its way down to the ground.

This incident has been reported before and I must admit that the opposition might have been Wigan but I still think it was later in Bills career when he joined Trinity.

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