www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... &type=news

www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... &type=news

Important to get this one right.

His previous work looks very good.

[urlhttp://stephenjwinterburn.com/Bronze%20Gallery.htm[/url

Sounds fantastic

Bit confused that they are asking for money from the Wigan public to fund this??!

Yet work has already started?? and artist commissioned?

I did wonder about that.
I'm not doubting the validity of the enterprise (at least not yet) & I'm surprised it's not been done before. But the web-site labels the fund holders as a charity already & the Charity Commission has no record of them. The registered address is the Observer & the backers include an [iex [/iMP, an [iex [/iMEP and the [ideputy [/ileader of the council. Hardly an auspicious list of luminaries.

Sorry, but I need more convincing or at least a more professional presentation before the padlock comes off my wallet.

Same here, I actually find it really disrespectful to Billy Boston that they are requesting public money for this, it takes away everything from the whole concept of a statue and I'm stunned that Billy would agree to this.

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But the team behind the £100,000 project is now ready to go public - with a call on Wigan fans to help pay for it.

Once the appeal has reached £5,000 the Trust will apply for charity status and then you will be able to donate online

Going of those two quotes from the article I'm guessing yes they want the Wigan public to help fund it and I'm guessing for some reason they need £5k before they can get charity status. Given it is on Wigan's official website I'd be confident it is genuine.

Still think the decision to ask the public for money is wrong and disrespectful to Billy.

Can think of few people who would want the public to fund a public statue in their honour, particularly in the current climate.

Love the idea of a statue but not at the publics expense.

To be fair it's not public money. That comes from taxes. They are asking for donations, you have the choice whether to do so or not.

True, still think it leaves a a sour taste though....some might say its even worse!

The town has not got the best of records when it comes to public art and whilst a fitting tribute to the towns sporting heritage has been well overdue Im not convinced that asking for donations is the right way to go here.

If you were a sporting icon would you want the Wigan public to be asked to contribute to part of the cost?

To play devils advocate would you consider it an honour that the public thought highly enough if you and were prepared to do so?

So how do you think it should be funded?

To be honest I would just be really uncomfortable with the fact that the public are being asked in the first place and would sooner have no statue at all.

The article also seems to suggest that the statue will be constructed anyway, its as if funding has been in place and then suddenly cut and now they are asking for public donation's.

Local businesses and the club.

Most statues are funded by charity donations.

Perfect recent example;

[urlhttp://www.wigantoday.net/news/war-memorial-restored-to-former-glory-1-6321634[/url

I have to admit, and this might be controversial for some, that i don't really want a statue of BB. Now before i start let me say that i like and respect the great man. He's a club legend and for many people he's one of the finest players we've ever seen. On top of that i agree he's one of nicest people going and a true gent.

Having said that however i think he's had a lot of respect paid to him by the club/town already. He's had the honour of having two stands named after him, he's one of only 11 hall of fame members and i also think he's had the honour of leading the side out at Wembley on a couple of occasions.

Whilst he's undoubtedly a worthy candidate and i don't/wouldn't begrudge him getting more praise i would like to see more given to other legends.

Wigan Warriors CF is the clubs very own charity.

Its fairly common for local businesses to contribute to such projects too.

Love the idea of a statue and think it should have been done years ago but the way in which it is funded is important as is public consultation.

I thought the same thing regarding Boston already having been honoured and there being plenty of other legends. Having spoken to my granddad about Boston he said he was obviously good but also a player who turned up when he wanted and wasn't the most professional as evidenced by his weight gain later in his career. This is second hand info which i may not have relayed entirely accurately but we did only win one league title while Boston was with us despite his try scoring exploits.

Obviously I've not seen these players but looking at the history Jim Sullivan seems deserving of more recognition than he's received given he has no stands or statues i'm aware of but instrumental in creating winning culture at the club.

Well, there's a first time for everything I suppose. But I didn't think I'd ever see the day, even on a Wigan RL message board, when a Wigan fan would badmouth Billy Boston.

Some people just want and desire to be controversial. Obvious troll is obvious.

I certainly wouldn't want anyone to think I was 'bad mouthing'the great man. He's a club legend who deserves to be revered.

I just think there might be others who are equally deserving. My personal choice would be Edwards. A Wigan lad who went on to become the games most decorated player. When you look at his defining characteristics of hard work, self sacrifice and sheer determination/will to succeed then, for me, he's deserving of a statue

On top of that I see his RU stuff as an added bonus as it speaks volumes about how good we are at Rugby in Wigan. The fact we can produce so many talented players & coaches who have/ are dominating both codes is something to me proud of.

Weight gain and only turning up when he wanted to? That's your Granddads memory of Billy Boston?

Don't want to appear disrespectful to your Granddad but if that's his abiding memory, then he must have had a hard life.

He's not a bitter blue Latics fan is he?

I do think that the reporting so far make it appear that the driver behind the the appeal is the sculptor himself, looking for a commission.

I don't know if this is the case, or who in fact first proposed the idea.

Either way, public donation is I reckon, the best way to go.

If public donation is the way to go then the public should really have been involved from the beginning.

According to Greg Farrimond the statue will be situated in the town centre next year.

I've got no problem rummaging through the mothballs in the wallet to help move this on, my issue is that (regardless of whether the club support it or not - imagine the uproar if they'd said "no"icon_wink.gif the whole enterprise seems a bit amateurish.
It's often the case that public money is used for this sort of thing. I'm not sure where the money for the Wembley statue is coming from for example, but I'm pretty sure it won't be (all) the RFL.

Is the Wembley statue the one where the public could vote on which player's were to be included?

From experience a lack of consultation is likely to divide opinion and support which is a real shame.