WE all know that Warrington is home to a lot of famous faces such as Kerry Katona and Ian Brown- but did you also know about the sports people who were born and raised here?

From footballing legends, to people who represented the country in the Olympics, plenty of incredible athletes hail from Warrington.

Here are just seven sports people who were raised right on your doorstep- how many were you aware of?

Jesse Lingard

(Instagram/jesselingard)

This list would be incomplete without the addition of Jesse Lingard.

The talented football has hand an incredible career so far, playing as a midfielder for Manchester and the England national football team.

In 2018, he made history as the first Warrington-born player to feature at a World Cup since 1966.

Jim Challinor

If you are a rugby fan, you might recognise this local name.

He played for Warrington but also represented his country on the national team too.

After retiring from the game, he became a rugby coach in the 1960s and 70s.

In 1972, he even coached Great Britain to Rugby League World Cup victory.

James Chester

(Instagram/jameschester23)

Chester is a pro footballer who has plays centre back for Stoke - but he was actually born in Warrington.

In 2016 he joined Aston Villa and was a regular player in the team’s championship seasons.

He also made appearances for the Wales team, notably playing for them in the 2016 Euros.

Roger Hunt

Warrington Guardian: The England team which won the World Cup in the final at Wembley. Left to right: Harold Shepherdson (trainer); George Cohen; Martin Peters; Gordon Banks; Alan Ball; Bobby Moore (captain); Norbert (Nobby) Stiles. Front row: Bobby Charlton; Roger Hunt; Geoff Hurst; Ray Wilson; Jackie Charlton. (Photo: PA Wire/PA Images)The England team which won the World Cup in the final at Wembley. Left to right: Harold Shepherdson (trainer); George Cohen; Martin Peters; Gordon Banks; Alan Ball; Bobby Moore (captain); Norbert (Nobby) Stiles. Front row: Bobby Charlton; Roger Hunt; Geoff Hurst; Ray Wilson; Jackie Charlton. (Photo: PA Wire/PA Images)
Were you there when the England football team secured World Cup victory in 1966?

If so, you might remember Roger Hunt, who played in every game in the cup scoring a total of three goals.

In 1958, he was signed by Liverpool FC and was the team’s record goal scorer until Ian Rush came along
 

Richard Egington


Richard Egington is a Warrington rower who represented Team GB in the Olympics.

Back in 2008, he won a silver medal in the men’s eight and a bronze in London four years later, making him the town’s most successful Olympian.

Before finding Olympic game, Egington attended Lymm High School and even studied at Priestley College.

He joined Warrington Rowing Club at just 15, unaware of where he would end up in the next 18 years of his life.

Steve Donoghue 

(Facebook/Warrington Museum)

This jockey was somewhat of a racing legend in the early 1900s.

The Warrington-born flat race jockey was champion 10 times between 1914 and 1923 and his most notable victories came in the Epsom Derby which he won six times.
Currently, there is a portrait of the legend hanging in Warrington’s Museum and Art Gallery- have you seen it before?
 

Neil Fairbrother

This Grappenhall cricketer made quite an impression on the sporting world.

After being named after one of Australia’s most notable run-scorers, Neil had no choice but to excel in the world of cricket.

The former Lymm High School pupil represented Lancashire, which he captained for a time in the 90s, and also played for the national team.

His England breakthrough came in 1987 and his first international appearance was in the Sharjah Cup against India.

All together, Fairbrother racked up 20,612 first-class runs in 366 matches.

Who do you think is the greatest sports star to ever come out of Warrington? Let us know in the comments.​​