THE old argument always used to rage among the town's grey-bearded sports fans as to which was the town's top rugby team, the Saints or St Helens Recs.

And now, reader Jim Johnson of Parr, a keen researcher into local history, has come up with a result.

He claims that it's a case of honours even, at least as far as derby matches were concerned, with the Recs (formed as a rugby union club in 1878 and winding up around the outbreak of the second world war) playing Saints a total of 46 times.

Each won 20, with six matches drawn.