WEMBLEY: Warrington Wolves kit duties are in the blood for Bobby Moore

And among the devotees behind the scenes of ‘the Wolves family’ is kit man Bobby Moore.

He was the first to get his hands on the team’s cup-final playing attire this week.

“I’ve had to get them all numbered, named up, heritage numbers on them, and pack them away,” said the 66-year-old.

Bobby looks after a number of team and player requirements, meaning he has close relationships among the current and past members of the squad.

This is seen in the kit room at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, where the framed Australia shirt presented to him ‘with thanks’ by Andrew Johns from his guest spell with Wolves in 2005 is one of many treasured items.

“I sometimes think they see me as their dad, but I’m more of a granddad now,” he said laughing.

“You have your players who are independent and some who do rely on you. I treat them all the same and they respect what I do. We’re all part of one family.

“I used to go to Wembley regularly as a supporter.

“But being on the other side of the fence is absolutely tremendous. It’s a privilege being in the dug-out.

“There are good players in rugby league who have never graced Wembley.

“I’m just a kit man and I will be gracing it in that role for a fourth time.

“Wembley is something else. I’ve been to Old Trafford a couple of times, but when we go to Wembley on a Friday for a look around it is tremendous.

“There’s nobody there, you look around, you picture what it’s going to be like. Then on Saturday Abide With Me comes on and that is the time you know you are at Wembley for the Challenge Cup Final.

“That’s the best time – and at half past four when you win.”

Bobby, born in Longford and resident in the town all his life, has had a role with Warrington Wolves since he was 12 years old, when he sold programmes.

“If it’s in your blood it’s in your blood. I can’t think of a better job for me now,” said Bobby.

He used to work on the turnstiles at Wilderspool for first and second-team matches, then he helped former stadium manager Bernie Lenihan with odd jobs.

It was ex-head coach Darryl Van de Velde who asked him to assist previous groundsman and kitman, the late Roy ‘Ockher’ Aspinall, at the back end of the 1990s.

“Ockher showed me the ropes as it was then and I’ve carried it on,” he said.

“It has changed quite a lot. It’s a bit harder now with having the under 16s, under 19s, reserves and the first team. You have to be all over the place.

“I work at the training camp, sorting all the training gear out. Cones, balls, bibs, everything that they need for that training session is on the side of the pitch.

“I see Richard Agar and Lee Briers with regards to what is required. Sometimes they’ll say we need this or need that, and I’ll have sorted a little bit extra just in case they ask me for it. You have to think one step ahead.”

Bobby, who said it is the Rugby Football League who instruct clubs whether to wear their home or away strips on any given week, revealed that each player has two kits on a match day, plus he carries spares, in case of damage or blood stains.

Players are measured in pre-season before adding their names, squad and heritage numbers to them, though some players can go a size smaller or bigger during the campaign.

Ahead of the Super 8s game against Catalans Dragons in Perpignan on Saturday, September 3, the club have to pay for the Kingstone Press badge to be covered up on the shirts due to French law regarding advertising of alcohol.

The cover will have to be removed again afterwards, and it is a similar process with the badge of Super League title sponsors First Utility for Challenge Cup matches.

He does not clean the kit.

“I take it to Risley prison,” he said.

“They do the laundry for us and do a good job. That has been going on for about seven years – I’ve been in there longer than the prisoners. I pick it up after two days and it’s all washed, pressed and ready to go.”

And Bobby does not clean the players’ boots either.

“The lads do their own cleaning,” he said.

“There are certain players for whom I put the boots in. I don’t think Bennie Westwood has ever had a kit bag – it’s always me who carries his boots. I don’t mind for Bennie because he’s a superstar isn’t he?

"About three years ago at one stage I had about 30 pairs of boots in a bag. I didn't know whose boots they were because they don't mark them up. I took them with me, left them in the bag and if they needed them they got them themselves."

There was an occasion, back in the 1970s, when Bobby thought he might get to pull on the primrose and blue jersey in a playing capacity.

He takes up the story: "I was good friends with Warrington player Mike Peers and I used to go away matches with him to watch the team play.

"And when we were on the bus Tommy Grainey (assistant coach) had a word with him and said I'd best get prepared, you might be playing.

"As it was, two more players arrived at the ground and I wasn't needed.

"I was playing for Rylands open-age at the time. I started off on the wing, and Tony Gandy was my centre.

"Then you just move up to stand off, hooker, loose forward, anywhere. Because when we were at Rylands it didn't matter where you played. We just had to go to pubs, pick players out and put a jersey on.

"I even played prop at under 19s for Warrington Supporters Club."

On another occasion he recalls a sad incident while he was taking supporters' entrance money at an A team game at Wilderspool in the 1980s.

"I even had one gentleman drop dead on me in the turnstiles," he said.

"This chap walked through the turnstiles and just screamed. I legged it round, caught him and just lay him down. He practically died in my arms."

In more recent times, he recalls how the squad made two trips to Wembley on the eve of a cup final because the coach driver needed some assistance.

The day before the final takes place, both teams visit the stadium to get familiar with their surroundings and sometimes for the captain's run - the final training session.

"You only get three quarters of an hour at Wembley for those," said Bobby.

"On one occasion I went in the van and the coach hadn't turned up. The driver had set his postcode for Wembley, but it's a massive stadium and he went to the front door while we're all waiting at the back door.

"And it's all one-way at Wembley. So by the time he'd got round, the squad had 20 minutes to look round instead of 45.

"The boss said to us later that Friday afternoon 'Right, get back on the bus, and show him the way'.

"Getting on that M1 on a Friday afternoon isn't very pleasant.

"We went back to Wembley and we were supposed to be turning left, but he didn't. I said 'What are you doing'? He said 'The sat nav said so'. I said 'Your sat nav was wrong earlier on'.

"So we had to go another 200 yards and then turn left to bring you back under and to the back of Wembley."

It shows how no stone is left unturned to make sure everything is right on the day.