England football team will tonight play their biggest game for 55 years, so we take a light hearted look at any links between the date, the teams and players with Warrington Wolves

Matching surnames

Three players expected to be in the England starting line-up tonight are Kyle Walker, Luke Shaw and Kalvin Phillips. Former Warrington players who have had the same surname are:

Walker (George) a centre / second row forward who played in the 1920s

Shaw (Glyn) rugged ex-Welsh forward, who played in 1984/85 and has also been an A N Other.

Shaw (John) a centre who only made one appearance in 1914

Phillips (Ivor) a centre who played a number of games in the Sixties

Phillips (Rowland) a popular Welsh forward, who was a Regal Trophy winner in 1991

Phillips (Syd) second row Championship winner in 1955

We didn’t ever have a Maguire, but we once did have a Bruce McGuire!

What’s the score?

What do you think the scoreline tonight will be, and have a Warrington side matched it?

0-0 The BBC2 Floodlight Trophy Final at Salford in 1974, our last ever ‘pointless’ game.

1-0 A drop goal by ‘Boxer’ Walker settled this for Workington Town, here in 1979.

1-1 Yes this unusual score has happened, in a Premiership First Round tie at Leigh in 1982.

2-0 We have to go back to a league loss at Wakefield Trinity in 1965.

2-1, 3-1, and 4-1 have never occurred in a Warrington game..yet.

2-2 Lancashire Cup Final with St. Helens in 1967.

3-0 A New Years Day victory in 1976 over Wigan, played in snow and driving rain, but still a win!

3-2 An infamous Challenge Cup semi final defeat to Wigan.

3-3 In 1982 an identical score in the Bradford Northern v Warrington league game.

4-0 Warrington won the one and only Captain Morgan Trophy Final against Featherstone Rovers.

4-2 A gutsy home Challenge Cup Quarter Final win over St.Helens.

4-3 Boxing Day defeat at Wilderspool by Leigh in 1960.

4-4 The score against Halifax in the Challenge Cup Final of 1954, and this was also at Wembley!

What have former Warrington players Graham Appo and Alan Hunte got in common?

Well they both celebrate their birthday today, 11 July.

Graham, heritage number 1029, was born in Southport, Australia in 1974. He played from 2002-2005 at usually either stand-off or full back, and scored 32 points, from three tries and ten goals, in the final league match at Wilderspool.

Alan Hunte is a Yorkshire lad, born in Wakefield in 1970. Heritage number 982, Alan played in various back position for Warrington between 1999 and 2001, and once scored a hat-trick for the club against Saints.

On this day

Warrington have played on 11 July in Super League on six occasions, here are the results.

1997 (H) v Leeds Rhinos – lost 16-23

1999 (A) v Bradford Bulls – lost 6-56

2004 (H) v Hull – lost 18-38

2008 (H) v Bradford Bulls – won 32-28

2009 (H) v St. Helens – lost 26-40

2010 (H) v Castleford Tigers – won 54-30

Let’s celebrate together

England captain Harry Kane will celebrate his birthday later this month on the 28 July, as does Warrington Wolves' Matty Ashton!

Did you know?

By the way, on the same day that England won the World Cup on Saturday 30 July 1966, a Warrington Rugby League superstar was born in Ipswich.. that’s Ipswich, Australia! And his name was Allan “Alfie” Langer, who played 55 times at scrum-half for our club from 2000-2001.

Article by Stanski