RUGBY League bad boy Big Bill Ashurst used to think anybody who went to church was soft.

But now the ex-Wigan and Great Britain star is a committed churchgoer who has written a hymn and Christian play.

And he was humble enough to admit he was wrong 26 years ago when he turned-down Westleigh Methodist minister the Rev Dick Plant's church invite.

Big Bill was leaving Hilton Park in March 1970 after his Wigan side had knocked Leigh out of the second round of the RL Challenge Cup.

Mr Plant approached him but his invite to a sporstmen's service at Westleigh was bluntly refused.

Bill recalls:"Putting it simply in those days I used to think anybody who went to church was, shall we say, a bit effeminate.

"So I told him no way would he get me to church."

Nowadays Bill and his wife, Sheila, are actively involved in Leigh and Wigan Methodist Churches, organising services and projects and working with young people.

And when Mr Plant visited Leigh recently Bill was only too happy to shake hands and apologise.

Bill's play will be performed on Good Friday - different action from his old Easter weekend routine in the rough and tumble where he earned his "bad boy" nickname.

"I suppose I was sent-off 14 or 15 times in my career - but there were some bad referees in those days. I reckon in most cases it was mistaken identity," laughed Bill.

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