Paul Cullen and Ben Westwood on Warrington Wolves' last game at Wilderspool

The old Wilderspool scoreboard has been put back on public display in Victoria Park after a lengthy restoration process.

Neil Kelly, Stuart Middleton, Ben Westwood, John Bevan and Paul Cullen at the unveiling of the restored Wilderspool scoreboard

Cullen and Westwood were among the Wire legends present as the scoreboard was unveiled at the Asics Stadium on Saturday, February 16 - and they shared their memories of that final game at the club’s spiritual home in 2003 to mark the occasion.

Homegrown hero Cullen was coach of the Warrington team who crushed Wakefield Trinity 52-12 on that day.

Paul Cullen salutes the Fletcher End after the last game at Wilderspool

He said: "The final game at Wilderspool was my proudest moment as a Warrington supporter, player and coach.

"The last game at Wilderspool was the only game where I literally never slept in the week leading up to it - I could not lose that game as the Warrington coach.

"It was nothing to do with rugby league - it was all of your family and friends, those who are still with us and those who aren't.

"We all have a history, and we all have a piece of Wilderspool in us.

"I couldn't leave that ground on that day with a negative, but we were outstanding - the players wiped Wakefield off the face of the earth and we left with pride.

"The emotion involved in that match still chokes me to this day.

"This club will build and build and build, and eventually we'll get that win we want in the Grand Final.

"More importantly, this club will keep going forwards under the guardianship that we now have."

Now a veteran forward, Westwood was a fresh-faced youngster in 2003 having joined from Wakefield midway through the previous season.

Super Bennie played on the wing that day, scoring two tries.

Ben Westwood scoring the first of his two tries during the last game at Wilderspool

He added: “I can remember when I first signed for the club, I turned up to the changing rooms and I thought 'oh my god, what have I come to here?' - and that was me coming from Wakefield.

"But Lee Briers soon came up to me, shook my hand and said 'you're going to enjoy it here' - and he was right.

"For the year-and-a-half that I was there, we were walking out to a sell out crowd every week because you could only fit about 7,000 people in - the atmosphere was fantastic.

"There are very few games I've played in over the years where I knew we were going to win before we even played - that was one of them, the other was the first Challenge Cup final.

"We knew before we went out that there was no way we could lose, and to put in a performance like that will always stick in my mind - it was one of the highlights of my career so far.

"Everything is in place now for us to go on and improve and get better as a team.

"Hopefully, before I hang my boots up we'll get that one that trophy we all want - I've only got about five years left."

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Westwood scores his second try of the day at the Fletcher End

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WARRINGTON Wolves chairman Stuart Middleton has a unique connection to the Wilderspool scoreboard.

The business entrepreneur would go on to found Card Factory, eventually leading to him becoming the chairman of the club he supported as a boy.

But his first company, Excelsior Graphics, was one of the sponsors on the scoreboard in the stadium's final year.

And it will continue to feature on the restored version of the Wilderspool icon.

Warrington Wolves chairman Stuart Middleton

Stuart said: “When I sponsored the club then, it cost me £5,000.

“I got my name on the scoreboard and the shorts, then went onto the shirts.

“It’s cost me about £1.5million since, but it has all been for a great cause.

“In those days, the club was in a right state.

“There was a point in the late 1990s where we thought the club might not survive, so it’s great for me to be here today – because the club is now in a great position at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.”