"IT was when we needed a police escort to get us to the ground that we knew this was going to be something very special."

Those were the words of Frank Wright, Warrington's hooker on the night, as he reflected on the 50th anniversary of the final replay.

Frank, now aged 75, played for five seasons with Wire, but Odsal was the highlight in his career.

He said: "We were in the dressing room and one of the lads looked out of the window and shouted us over.

"When we looked out, it looked like fleas round a jam pot. I remember very little of the game."

Frank, who also played for Wigan during his career, said he remains proud of his involvement in one of the most famous games of rugby ever played.

He said: "It is amazing how many people come up to you and say they were involved in the game - I think the crowd must have been nearer three million."

One man who has mixed memories of the final experience was Arnie Stevens.

The centre played in the drawn first game at Wembley but missed the replay when Ronnie Ryder took his place.

Arnie, now aged 69, followed in his father's footsteps to play at Wembley but sat on the sidelines for the Odsal game.

He told the Warrington Guardian: "The dressing rooms used to be at the top of Odsal in those days.

"And it took us ages to get up there at the end of the game, simply because there was so many people.

"It was just a tremendous night and you can't take the memories away.

"I don't think it was just Warrington and Halifax fans there - it was half of the north of England."