Jim Sullivan

Jim Sullivan (2 December 1903 – 14 September 1977) was a Welsh rugby league player, and coach. He attended St Alban's School, and joined his hometown rugby union team Cardiff at the age of 16. He made his début against Neath in October 1920, and went on to make 38 appearances for the club. In December 1920, 26-days after his seventeenth birthday,

Rugby league career In June 1921, Sullivan turned professional and joined rugby league side Wigan, reportedly signing a 12-year contract for a fee of £750. played , and scored 4-conversions in the 22-10 victory over Warrington in the Championship Final during the 1925–26 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Saturday 8 May 1926. played , and scored 2-conversions, and a drop goal in Wigan's 15–3 victory over Salford in the Championship Final during the 1933–34 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 28 April 1934, and played in the 12–5 victory over Dewsbury in the Championship Final second-leg during the 1943–44 season at Crown Flatt, Dewsbury on Saturday 20 May 1944 (Joe Jones having played in the first-leg).

Jim Sullivan played , and scored 4 conversions in Wigan's 20–2 victory over Leigh in the 1922–23 Lancashire Cup Final at the Willows in Weaste, Salford on Saturday 25 November 1922, played , and scored a conversion in the 11–15 defeat by Swinton in the 1925–26 Lancashire Cup Final at The Cliff, Broughton on Wednesday 9 December 1925, played , and scored a conversion in the 2–5 defeat by Swinton in the 1927–28 Lancashire Cup Final at Watersheddings, Oldham on Saturday 19 November 1927, played , and scored a conversion in the 5–4 victory over Widnes in the 1928–29 Lancashire Cup Final the Willows, Salford, on Saturday 24 November 1928, played , and scored 2-conversions in the 12–21 defeat by Salford in the 1934–35 Lancashire Cup Final at Station Road, Swinton, on Saturday 20 October 1934, played , and scored 2-conversions in the 7–15 defeat by Salford in the 1935–36 Lancashire Cup Final at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 19 October 1935, played , and scored a conversion in the 2–5 defeat by Salford in the 1936–37 Lancashire Cup Final at Wilderspool, Warrington on Saturday 17 October 1936, and played and scored 5-conversions in the 10–7 victory over Salford in the 1938–39 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1938–39 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 22 October 1938.

On 14 February 1925, he landed 22 goals against amateurs Flimby & Fothergill in the Challenge Cup, which is still a record. He toured with the Great Britain Lions three times (1924, 1928 and 1932) and was captain on the last occasion. He top-scored on all three tours. He refused what would have been a record fourth trip, in 1936, for personal reasons.

For twenty years, he dominated at , representing Great Britain (28 times), Wales (26), Other Nationalities (6), British Empire (1), Glamorgan (1) and Glamorgan and Monmouthshire (12). He was Wales' most capped player for over 70 years before his record was surpassed by Ian Watson in 2010. During the Second World War, he played infrequently for Wigan, as he chose to appear as a guest for a number of other clubs, including Dewsbury, Keighley and Bradford Northern. His last season before retiring was in 1945–46 – the season when the peacetime league resumed – and played his last game against Batley in February 1946. (including representative games). He had won three league Championships, two Challenge Cups and three Lancashire Cups.

Appearance record Sullivan holds the world record for the most first team appearances in the sport of Rugby League. In his 25 year career, Sullivan made 928 first team appearances, a figure unmatched anywhere in the world.

Coaching career Having been captain-coach at Wigan since 1932, Sullivan continued managing the team after retiring as a player in 1946, creating one of the club's greatest sides by winning a record five championships and a brace of Challenge Cups.

In 1952 he joined St. Helens, overseeing their rise. Sullivan was the coach in St. Helens' 10–15 defeat by Huddersfield in the 1952-53 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 25 April 1953, in front of a crowd of 89,588, and was the coach in the 13-2 victory over Halifax in the 1955–56 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 28 April 1956, in front of a crowd of 79,341.

Sullivan was the coach in St. Helens' 44–22 victory over Hunslet in the Championship Final during the 1958–59 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 16 May 1959.

He later returned to Wigan as coach in 1961, but left months later due to ill health.

Jim Sullivan died in the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan, on the 14th September 1977 at the age of 73. He was one of the inaugural inductees of the British Rugby League Hall of Fame in October 1988. He is also an inductee of the Wigan Hall of Fame, and the St Helens Hall of Fame.