Archive - Tuesday, 4 May 1999


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FRANK'S FAREWELL TO WEMBLEY

TOMORROW'S Challenge Cup final will mean an emotional farewell to Wembley for Warrington Rugby League official Frank Hawley.

The 48-year-old has previously been involved in six major games at the national stadium and will be working as a touch judge when London Broncos take on Leeds Rhinos at 2.45pm.

Hawley, a member of the Wasrrington Referees' Society, expects to have retired from top level officialdom by the time Wembley is rebuilt so he knows the game will be a memory to treasure.

He said: "There's no other feeling in the world like being involved with a big game at Wembley.

"It's a very emotional time, which may sound daft when you're talking about strapping rugby players but the sheer volume of noise when you step out there is unbelievable and you can't help but be affected by it.

"Walking out at Wembley is something you dream about as a kid and I was no different. The place has such a history and an aura about it."

Hawley has worked as a touch judge in most of the top games for the last three years, including Test matches away from Wembley.

Hawley works as an arts and RE teacher at Newman High School.

And he is also the only man to ever work as a referee, an in-goal referee and a touch judge in different games at the stadium.

He added: "I first went there in 1989 when I referred an England Schoolboys curtain raiser. I was an in-goal referee for the Saints/Bradford Challenge Cup final and I've been a touch judge in the games since." came close to blowing his seventh trip to the stadium though when he failed he recognised the voice of referees' assessor Greg McCallum.

He explained: "I got a call at 7.25am just after my birthday from Greg McCallum asking me to work at the final. The problem was that there is a bit of a standing joke about talking in a fake Australian accent and I thought it was Stuart Cummings pulling my leg!"

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