ONLY five years ago Chris Hill was lining up to face side like Hunslet and Dewsbury whilst plying his trade as a part-timer in the Championship, but this weekend he will lead Warrington Wolves out as captain at Wembley Stadium for the Challenge Cup Final.

Saturday’s big match with Hull FC will mark another milestone in what has been a meteoric rise for the skull-capped prop forward since joining the club.

Few will have expected truly great things from the 28-year-old when he was signed from Leigh Centurions ahead of the 2012 season, but Hilly soon impressed with his workmanlike performances and remarkable consistency.

By the time that year’s Challenge Cup Final rolled around he was a fixture in a side containing superstars like Adrian Morley, Lee Briers and Michael Monaghan, and Hill started up front as the Wire beat Leeds Rhinos 35-18 to claim their third Challenge Cup in four seasons.

He said: “I came to the club that year and I just wanted to do my best and get in the first team – I didn’t think I’d be playing that much, never mind starting a Challenge Cup Final.

“The week leading up to the final is just as good as the event – it’s like no other week at all.

“There’s a real buzz around the town when it’s in all the papers and all the flags are knocking around.

“It was just a bit of a blur last time and this year I want to take a little bit more in.

“Probably the best bit was going back out into the stadium after the game and having a few beers sat in the stands just chilling out, and then the open top bus the day after was unbelievable with thousands and thousands of people lining the streets.”

Hill has gone on to earn international honours for England and has played in two Super League Grand Finals while with the club, and was named captain ahead of this season following the departure of Joel Monaghan.

Now Chris will lead his side out under the iconic Wembley arch.

He added: “I always had aspirations of playing in Super League, probably not at a big club like Warrington, but I never even thought about captaining the side.

“Even just walking out at Wembley is special but as captain it’s going to be something very special, but I’ve tried not to think about it too much.

“My mum and dad mentioned it after we won the semi-final and I think it brought a bit of a tear to my mum’s eye to be honest.

“You probably don’t want to think about lifting the trophy as captain beforehand, but it would probably be the highlight of my career – hopefully it will come.

“It’s a long way up there but it seems about four steps when you’ve won and you spring up them even though you’ve played 80 minutes.

“I’m sure Warrington will be empty on Saturday – we’ve not been to Wembley for the last few years and I’m sure the fans will travel down in massive numbers as they always do.”

Of the side who lined up at Wembley in 2012 only five remain at the club, and Hill is keen to influence the younger members of the squad in the same way that Adrian Morley mentored him.

Chris said: “Moz is outstanding and he lifted it as captain – following in his footsteps will be something special.

“He was a massive influence on my career from when I joined, as well as people like Mickey Higham and Paul Wood, and Tony Smith has played a big part in maturing me and moulding me.

“It was a great squad to walk in to with people who had good advice and ethics that they taught me.

“We have a whole new squad from 2012 and we can pass our experience on to the young lads and let them know what the build-up is like – we will be ready as a team and a squad.”

But Chris is still grounded and spends most of his time away from the training pitch running his plumbing business.

He set up Premier Plumbing with his business partner last year and will spend the week running up to the big clash at Wembley working on coach Richard Agar’s bathroom.

Chris said: “I went on work experience with one of my mate’s dads who was a plumber while I was at school and it stemmed from there, then when I first joined the club our welfare manager Karl Fitzpatrick was big on getting players an education after rugby.

“It’s something I want to do when I finish my career when I’m 34 or 35 – it’s a plan for the future but I didn’t think it would go as quick as it has.”