100 years on from Warrington's first Lancashire Cup win

It was regularly played for in the early part of the season from 1905 up to 1992/93 until it was axed due to clubs complaining about an overload of fixtures.

Today, our resident Wire statistician 'Stanski' looks back some of Warrington’s success in the finals of that competition...

Winners are grinners!

Wire took part in 15 finals and won 9.

One man down

Warrington won their first Lancashire Cup in 1921, beating Oldham 7-5 with only 12 men after centre Charlie Collins suffered a dislocated shoulder after half an hour.

They did it again in 1937. This time they beat Barrow 8-4 but had to tough it out after prop forward Jack Miller was sent off by referee Peel for dissent…after only eight minutes!

Try or No Try?

Probably the most controversial try scored in Warrington’s history came in the 1959 final. The meeting of the Wire and Saints generated enormous interest, as more that 10,000 Warrington fans journeyed to Wigan where a crowd of 39,237 gathered.

The pitch surface was treacherous due to a persistent drizzle and despite potential match-winners all over the field, this was an afternoon when tackling was the staple diet, and awe-inspiring!

There was however one chink in the match and it came after half an hour.

Warrington’s winger Terry O’Grady fielded a long Saints drop-out well inside his own half,and ripped infield, stepping a trio of Saints defenders in a 40-yard run and fed Bobby Greenough, who shot outside their left wing Prinsloo and kicked ahead just before St Helens full back Rhodes crashed him down.

As the Wire fans yelled for obstruction, the action rolled on. Saints wingers Vollenhoven and Prinsloo were rapidly converging on the ball, when out of the blue there was Brian Bevan tapping the ball forward into the in-goal area.

Players dived hands and feet, homing in at the slippery ball –had Voll booted the ball dead just before Bev's fingertips had touched it down?

Bev jumped into the air and referee Coates gave a try! To this day many Saints fans claimed Bevan never got a touch to the ball – he did, and so say the history books! Warrington won the game 5-4.

Did Brian Bevan get a touch to this? Of course he did!

Lights, camera, action

The first ever final to be played under floodlights was won by Warrington in 1965.

The game was played at Knowsley Road, St Helens before over 21,000 spectators and we were victorious 16-5 over Rochdale Hornets thanks to an marvellous display from centre Jackie Melling, who scored two tries.

Kelly's Heroes

Ken Kelly is the only player to captain TWO winning Warrington teams.

The former Man of Steel led his team to win the Lancashire Cup in 1980 and 1982 against our arch rivals Wigan and St Helens respectively, with Kelly also scoring a try in the latter game against his hometown club.

Dressing room celebrations following the 1980 final

Record Breaker

In the 26-10 victory over Wigan in 1980, left winger that day Steve Hesford scored a Lancashire Cup Final record for points in a match with 17, thanks to a try and 7 goals.

Crocodile Dundee

Warrington’s final victory in this competition came in 1989 when they beat a then Second Division side Oldham 24-16.

The inspiration that day was a “Crocodile Dundee” character, an Australian second row named Bob Jackson who won the man-of-the match award. Bob scored two tries, one down each wing!