HERE is a lighthearted look at some Christmas records, rugby style:

Merry Xmas Everybody – Slade

X-mas being more X-rated.

Brian Bevan was sent off for the only time in his Warrington career at Widnes on Christmas Day in 1948 for a head-high tackle. He had to have two policeman’s  help, the first escorting a Widnes spectator off the pitch, who had jumped the rails and appeared to argue with him, the second escorting Bevan to the tunnel, where he received thunderous applause from a sympathetic Warrington crowd. It’s Chrisssstttmasss!

Stop the Cavalry – Jona Lewie

No one could stop the Warrington ‘charge’ at the start of season 1948/49, and after the game on Christmas Day 1948 they stood top of tree, their league record being played 17 won 17!

Do They Know It's Christmas? – Band Aid

Christmas time was all about having great local “derbies” , against either Widnes or Leigh, so how come the fixture planners every now and then had too much Christmas ‘spirit’ and gave us Rochdale Hornets, Bradford Northern and even Liverpool Stanley to play!

Baby It's Cold Outside  – Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews

Sometimes it was even too cold for a game of Christmas rugby to be played. Particularly bad was the period from 1961 to 1965 when four out of the five Boxing Day fixtures were postponed due to the weather.

I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard

The Wizzards in this case were a couple of wing wizards called Bevan, Brian and John. Both scored a Christmas quadruple of tries in a match, Brian in 1953 and John twenty years latter.

Mince pies – Christmas tries, Brian Bevan was the best, crossing for 16 tries in the festive season during his career.

Lonely this Christmas – Mud

Lowest crowd for a Boxing Day encounter was the one in 1974, when 2,750 hardy soul were at the Athletic Grounds in Rochdale, to see the ‘Wire’ win 13-3, presumably on a ‘Mud’dy pitch!

Last Christmas – Wham!

What had the following former players got in common?

Jackie Fleming, ‘Spiv’ Riley, Cyril Knight, John Hudson and Colin Hart.

Well they had the dubious distinction of playing their last ever game for Warrington at Christmas.

The last Christmas Day game was in 1959, which resulted in a 9-9 draw at Wilderspool. Since the War, Warrington had played on Christmas Day 11 times, won 8 and lost only once.

The last Boxing Day game was in 1994, when Warrington beat Widnes 11-2.

How about this for a top ten of Christmas records that could have been played over the tannoy, made up of former players, with a bit of leeway, now and again!

Driving Home for Christmas – Chris (Kevin) Rea

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy (Rhys) Williams

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow – Dean (Tommy) Martyn

Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ (Warren) Stevens

Mistletoe and Wine – Cliff (Basil) Richards

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Mel (Morgan) Smith and Kim (Sam) Wilde

Step into Christmas – Elton (Andrew) Johns

Walking in the Air – Aled (Clive) Jones

White Christmas – Bing (Dom) Crosby

Wonderful Christmastime – Paul (Tyrone) McCarthy

Merry Christmas to one and all, Stanski