Saturday 12th April 1924.
Not exactly a date that jumps out at you is it? A quick Google search doesn't reveal much. Wigan Borough beat Chesterfield 3-1, as did Blackburn rovers against Bolton Wanderers. Alas for Wigan Rugby League Football Club it was a date that started it all. As 1,000 or so spectators watched Wigan Borough FC at Springfield Park, 21,000 Wiganers made their way to Rochdale. Why? Wigan Rugby were playing in their Challenge Cup Final against Oldham with the hope of finally winning the Famous trophy at the third time of asking.
For Saturday 12th April 1924 was to be the date that kick started Wigans love affair with the Challenge Cup as Jim Sullivan's men defeated Oldham 21-4 in front of 41,500 at the Athletics Grounds, Rochdale. At the time of writing this post, Wigan were inbetween Challenge Cup rounds. On the 15th March, 1924 Wigan defeated Hunslet at Parkside 13-8 in front of a record 25,000. On the 29th March, Wigan were due to play Barrow at Salford in the semi final. So what's the big deal? 89 years ago Wigan first lifted the Famous old Trophy. Since then, the Trophy has come back to the Wigan town 17 times dressed in cherry and white ribbons. Roughly every 5 years Wigan have lifted the Trophy since to become the dominant name in the sport and Cup competition.
I think that it is important to remember our proud history in this competition. There are people alive still who may still remember that day, albeit they are very old and certainly, people's fathers and grandfathers would have been there and told the story through the generations. Back in 1924, Wigan had a class team for the Final which included Sullivan, Ring, Howley, Parker, Van Heerden, Jerram, Hurcombe, Webster, H. Banks, Van Rooyen, Brown, Roffey, Price. Players names are made during the Challenge Cup. The first thing you think about when anyone mentions Martin Offiah is Wembley 1994. Henderson Gill? 1985. Brett Kenny? Trevor Lake? Joel Tomkins? Attie Van Heerden is almost unknown today but back then his 1923/24 season was amazing. Johnny Ring too, the free-scoring Welshman also scored a try in this Final. Everyone knows about Jim Sullivan who in his own right is remembered perhaps more for the first ever Final at Wembley in 1929 against Dewsbury.
The win in 1924 certainly captured the spirit of the Wigan town. On the team's homecoming an estimated 100,000 people lined the streets of Wallgate, King Street and Library Street to get a glimpse of their heroes. Times have changed since then, I doubt 100,000 will turn up today, or even 10,000. It doesn't matter though, the events of April 1924 triggered a love affair in this town that has remained ever since. Over time, Wigan have risen past Leeds, Broughton Rangers, Oldham and Huddersfield to have won the trophy on more occasions - and kept on going. Nobody comes close. Wigan stand alone on 18, their bitterest rivals St Helens are at least 6 years away on 12 wins. We then get Leeds (11) and Warrington (8). It is looking increasingly familiar that no team will catch Wigan. As cycle's go, every club has a period of success and failure. Wigan for example enjoyed the 1960s, forgot the 1970s and early '80s and then enjoyed the late '80s and '90s. The turn of the millenium saw another low period for the Wigan club and now... now we are on an upward curve.
Old clubs like Batley, three times winners, the last in 1901 will never win it again. Huddersfield perhaps, on 6 wins with the last being in 1953 or maybe Bradford on 5 wins have a realistic chance. Hunslet, 2 wins, sadly, have not. The thing is, for clubs like Hunslet and Batley, the Challenge Cup remains their dream. The love is there in the old boardrooms, the old men on the terracing remember days of old hoping that their day will return. It is like that for Wigan, or at least, me.
The Challenge Cup defines this club. Without it, Wigan RLFC would not be what it is today. 8 in a row? what was that? St Helens won it three times in a row in the 2000's. It's not the same is it? For those back in 1924, they were witness to the start of something great, something that defines the town and the sport of rugby league. 100,000 can't be wrong. Many of those travelled down to Wembley in 1929 and saw Jim Sullivan bring home the Cup. Their children would have been around the next time Wigan tasted success in 1948 when Joe Egan starred. The next big name would have been Billy Boston in the late 1950s, Brett Kenny in 1985, Ellery Hanley, Shaun Edwards... Martin Offiah and onto Kris Radlinski and more recently Sam Tomkins. You see the big names, the really big names that have played for our club have brought the Trophy home. It defines us.
Growing up in the late 80s and 90s I only knew of success, that was the way it was, the way it should be. Anything that will be achieved today will always be compared to the 1990s. When I am 80 I can stand up and argue that nothing was better back then, despite the game changing. It's success like that which drives and moulds a supporter. We are lucky here in Wigan, and have been for the past 89 years. For those who were born after the Glory Years of the Uncle Mo era, they must know. When we sing "We were by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen", people will actually know it has meaning.
There is nothing better than Wembley week. Having a day off work and heading into town. You don't actually need anything, you have the shirt already and possibly a scarf or two. It's the walking down Marketplace and feeling the buzz of flag sellers and looking into a shop window at Good Luck messages for the team. It's old fashioned but it's still here.
In the past 89 years the Cup has been ours, we merely lend it out every now and then.
If you'd like to read all about where it started in 1924, click here... extensive read through of the 1924 Cup success from start to finish: http://www.wiganrugbypast.co.uk/1924-Challenge-Cup
Flimby & Fothergill
20.3.13
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