A LOT of games take place in sport that are run-of-the-mill league games, that you wouldn’t think have any significance at the time.

Two such Warrington matches took place 60 years ago, in December 1961.

One was on the 9th against Blackpool Borough, and the second the following Saturday at Whitehaven.

Could the backline in these two games have been the oldest in Warrington’s history, with an average age of over 31?

Certainly they would become the most experienced, as between them they went on to play around 2,000 club games, and score incredibly more than 1,380 tries for their various clubs!

In both games only, Warrington’s three-quarters lined up as follows:

Terry O’ Grady – right wing, age 27. Heritage number 594:

O’Grady played for Oldham from 1950, before going to Wigan in 1957, and then making his debut for Warrington in September 1958. His form in 1961-62 made Great Britain pick him against the touring New Zealand team, and he would end as Warrington’s leading try scorer that season with 28.

Brian Glover – right centre, age 24. Heritage number 584:

This robust winger signed for the club in 1956. He had just done his National Service, the last two years, and was back at the club doing a stint in the centres, and would continue his Warrington career up to 1970.

Ernie Ashcroft – left centre, age 36. Heritage number 625:

The new coach on the block, Ernie had taken over at the start of the season, after a 10-year reign by Cec Mountford.

Ashcroft had had a stellar career in the backline with Wigan from 1942-58, as well as many representative appearances, before going to Huddersfield were he also coached.

He would only play six games for The Wire, bringing himself in to cover injuries.

Brian Bevan – left wing, age 37. Heritage number 470:

This would be his Warrington swansong. By the end of the season he had played the last of his 620 appearances for the club, and he would move on to Blackpool Borough. These games however saw him play on the left wing for the club, for the only time in his career.

Warrington, as Championship runners-up the previous season, were expected to do well in 1961-62.

At the time of these two games, they stood sixth in the league, having played 15 and won 11.

They beat Blackpool 31-8, but lost 5-12 at Whitehaven, were they had been defeated in three of their last four games.

With thanks to Stanski and Gary Slater