1994 Regal Trophy Final - 25 years on

[DarloTiger]

Great day, long overdue another!
I went to school in Wakefield and that weekend all my Trinity supporting school mates became cas fans. They were borrowing scarves and cas tops for the game. They certainly picked a good day for it, we all stood together and for one day only supported the same team! One of those Cas fans for the day was a certain Chris Chester.
Great thing I always enjoyed was amongst all those big name players on the pitch the star of the show was ‘Betty’

[mdean]

By an amazing coincidence I was going through some old videos in my loft this morning and came across the Regal Trophy Final. I had to dust off an old video player so I could watch it again. Although I went to the game, I always remember this bit of commentary from the BBC:
Ray French - "Ian Smales is there..."
Steve Simms - "Ian Smales is everywhere!"
That just about summed it up for the whole 15.
I also remember going back to the ground that evening, the players turning up and everyone, including fans, drinking out of the trophy - unfortunately pre-smart phones so no selfies to show!

Exactly the same, place was heaving back at the ground, full of smoke and drunk happy people! In my top 10 days watching Cas. As a young man, I remember shaking hands with T and he had some massive hands, albeit mine are small I have to say.
I guess some of the lustre for me has dulled since there are only CC or GF to win these days, but that day is a fond memory.
Makes me think of mates in my old local I haven't seen for many a year as well.

[tigerfeat]

Great day, long overdue another!
I went to school in Wakefield and that weekend all my Trinity supporting school mates became cas fans. They were borrowing scarves and cas tops for the game. They certainly picked a good day for it, we all stood together and for one day only supported the same team! One of those Cas fans for the day was a certain Chris Chester.
Great thing I always enjoyed was amongst all those big name players on the pitch the star of the show was ‘Betty’

Great story that mate about Chester ha
Smalesy and kettridge both had best games id seen em play

[fords]

We’ve not really had much to shout about the last few decades or so. The most obvious answers would probably be Wembley 86 or winning the league in 17. But for me, the game I have the most fond memories of would have to be the NL GF at Headingley v Widnes.

Everything about that day was special. Don’t even think Leeds have ever filled the South Stand like we did that day, it literally bounced. The significance of it of course was massive and we’ve not looked back since. I often wonder what would of happened had we not won that day, if I remember correctly, franchising came in the year after and saved us as we finished bottom on returning to Super League. Had we not gone up that year, would we of ever seen Super League again? We were in a pretty bad place back then, financially most importantly, I think a few more years of League 1 rugby would of finished us.

That game surely has to go down as the most significant in our history?!

I have been in some big stadiums over the years but i agree Headingley south stand that day was immense.

[Stokesey]

What a weekend. Night previous was at a engagement party in wigan. Got plenty of stick. Cas made up for it the day after. My wigan mates paid out on their bets with me at half time

The engagement was also when I met up again with an old friend from uni - 3 years later we married. One weekend I'll never forget

[Hepworth7]

Great to look back on an amazing day,from what I recall our play the ball and defensive line speed were phenomenal and Wigan were on the back foot throughout,I can't remember a better Cas performance and that's saying summat after fifty years. To see an outstanding Wigan taken apart like that was awesome and capped off by an unforgettable moment when they tried to shift the ball to the wing and the centres pass sailed in what seemed like super slo mo into touch,the wingers face was an absolute bloody picture. There are some things money can't buy lol.

[SuffolkTiger]

Lee crooks try.
Right infront of me.
Also singe jumping on the wall scoreboard end in absolute elation.
Waiting for the lap of honour to come round to us, yet again singe going mental.
That will always live with me.

That's a wonderfully evocative and emotional post OCL. Thank you.

Singe captured the spirit of the fans in that short halcyon period in our history. RIP fella.

It was a great day and memories that will never leave me.

[43s flyer]

They talk about wanting to speed the game up, todays game looks pedestrian by comparison .

[gateman]

Wigan up to this had a number of dominant years being the only full time professional team, if my memory serves me right

[Fearless' Headguard]

I was about 17 at the time and we had smuggled loads of cans of Fosters in with us in the expectation of the then-standard Wigan drubbing. Game was fantatsic and went by in the blink of an eye...upshot was about 3 or 4 cans left so after the long lap of victory was nearly over me and my mate's brother shot round to the Main stand from the West to where the players were going down the tunnel.
We leant over the top of the tunnel holding out the cans and high-fiving with the player's going in...no one actually took one until one of the last to go in that day, Tony 'Fearless' Morrisson who grabbed a can, gave us a thumbs up and a 'cheers lads...thanks for coming.'
As you can see by my username that stuck with me a great deal, I always liked Morrisson even though he came from Swinton without much fanfare, -nothing flash but a good honest forward with most of his tackles going in around the bootlaces. Like all the team that day he had a game like no other, played out of his skin but that gesture at the end will stay with me forever.

[Flat Capper]

Was there with my younger brother when we were just lads and the only memory I have is the feeling of joy from start to finish.

I have watched the recording many times since but from being there, the details are now just a misty haze.

[derbystiger]

I was 18 at the time. I'll never forget Singe that day (RIP Singe). I've recently moved house and found the programme in a box in the loft clearing the old house out and was thinking about him while flicking through it. I also found a load of old newspaper cuttings, programme etc.. from the '86 Challenge Cup final and the homecoming. Happy days!

[yorky]

got home off 6-2 shift thinking we would lose, what a game & what a team.

[bane73]

Stood in the middle of the Wigan supporters at the end opposit the score board and a Wigan fan, an old guy, said “you were brilliant n we were terrible” they were terrible cos we wouldn’t let em get into any kind of rhythm at all. I truly believe we’d have beaten anyone that day.

[derbystiger]

a Wigan fan, an old guy, said “you were brilliant n we were terrible”

Nothing has or will ever change with Wigan fans. When they get beat it's always because they were terrible. Wigan could have been at their very best ever and we'd still have won. As you said, we'd have beaten anybody that day, we were unstoppable.