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Back at Wembley in 1950, the team was beaten 19-0 by Warrington. During this period, the club reverted to selling its players to richer teams.
Back at Wembley in 1950, the team was beaten 19-0 by Warrington. During this period, the club reverted to selling its players to richer teams.


No team had ever played more games in reaching Wembley than Widnes in 1964. In the first round, two replays were necessary before beating Leigh. Liverpool were beaten in the second round, then Widnes played Swinton in front of 19,000 at Naughton Park. A 5-5 draw meant another replay, which was scoreless. A second replay was watched by 21,369 with Widnes winning 15-3. The semi-final against Castleford was drawn 7-7. 28,732 spectators watched the replay, which Widnes won. A Wembley crowd of 84,488 saw Widnes win the Challenge cup for the third time with a 14-5 victory.
No team had ever played more games in reaching Wembley than Widnes in 1964. In the first round, two replays were necessary before beating Leigh. Liverpool were beaten in the second round, then Widnes played Swinton in front of 19,000 at Naughton Park. A 5-5 draw meant another replay, which was scoreless. A second replay was watched by 21,369 with Widnes winning 15-3. The semi-final against Castleford was drawn 7-7. 28,732 spectators watched the replay, which Widnes won. A Wembley crowd of 84,488 saw Widnes win the Challenge cup for the third time with a 14-5 victory.

The seventies saw the first really outstanding Widnes team. A host of young local players developed into the "Cup Kings", a golden age for the club. The first cup-final was a loss in the 1971-2 Lancashire Cup. The following two seasons, Widnes reached the finals of the BBC2 Floodlit trophy. The first success came in the 1975 Lancashire Cup which Widnes won by beating Salford that season. They also won the 1975 Challenge Cup final 14-7 versus Warrington at Wembley.

Widnes visited Wembley in the following two seasons, losing to St. Helens and then Leeds. However, this was made up for by victories in the Lancashire Cup and John Player Trophy. The season after this (1977-78) saw their first league championship. The team went through the season unbeaten at home in the league. There were also trips to the John Player and Premiership finals.

The 1978-79 season saw no less than four cups come to Widnes - the BBC2 floodlit trophy, Lancashire Cup, Premiership and a win at Wembley over Wakefield Trinity in front of a crowd of 93,218.

The 1979-80 season saw Widnes beat Bradford in the Premiership final, but come second to them in the league and John Player Trophy. The Lancashire cup was won for the fifth time in the seventies.

The eighties started with a Wembley win over Hull Kingston Rovers in 1980-81. The season after this, Widnes again returned to Wembley, to face Hull FC. Widnes led 14-6 with less than 20 minutes to go, but the game finished 14-14 and Hull won the replay 18-9 at Elland Road. Widnes kept their record of winning a cup every season by defeating Hull FC 23-8 in the Premiership final. The next season saw Hull again beaten by Widnes in the Premiership final.

The 1983-4 season saw appearances in the finals of the Lancashire Cup and John Player Trophy and another Wembley victory appearance 19-6 against Wigan.


===Modern era===
===Modern era===

Revision as of 23:10, 30 October 2006

Widnes Vikings
File:Widnes 100x100 whiteback.jpg
Viking
Club information
Full nameWidnes Vikings Rugby League Football Club... aka "the Chemics"
ColoursBlack and white
Founded1873
Websitewww.widnesvikings.co.uk
Current details
Ground(s)
CompetitionNational League One

Widnes Vikings are a professional rugby league club based in Widnes (formerly part of Lancashire, now considered part of Cheshire). They play in the National League One.

Their traditional nickname is 'The Chemics' after the main industry in Widnes. They have a strong rivalry with Warrington Wolves and resisted the idea of merger with their rivals.

History

The early years

The club was formed in 1873, under the name of Farnworth & Appleton Cricket and Football Club. The name Widnes was adopted two years later. The club moved to the present site at Lowerhouse Lane in 1884. The nickname "Chemics" was adopted around this time.

In 1895, Widnes were founder members of the Northen Union which broke away from the Rugby Football Union. Their first game was an away fixture against Runcorn which they lost 15-4.

During the early years, the club often had to sell players to balance the books. The strength of junior rugby league in the area meant the club had a steady stream of new players to offset any losses.

In 1902, the Lancashire and Yorkshire leagues were combined to form a second division, Widnes was added to the first division.

The team's first ever success came when they won the Lancashire League trophy in the 1919-20 season. However, the twenties saw the club almost go to the wall. Local rivals Warrington donated their share of the traditional Easter and Christmas derby matches to keep Widnes afloat in 1927-8.

The Kingsway housing scheme threatened the loss of Widnes' ground. After several years of fund-raising during the great depression, £3,250 was raised to save the ground. This came with a stipulation that the ground could be sold only to the local council at the original price. The newly named Naughton Park was opened in 1932.

A major boost for the club was Widnes' first ever trip to the Challenge Cup final, staged at Wembley. Their opponents were St.Helens, Saints scored after 6 minutes to take a 3-0 lead, but Widnes hit back with a penalty try, a further try and a penalty to take a 10-3 half-time lead. A scoreless second half meant Widnes had won the cup.

Widnes became the first club to make two trips to Wembley, with a loss to Hunslet in the 1934 cup final.

In 1935-6, the team came close to being rugby league champions. Having finished third in the table, Widnes beat Liverpool 10-9 but lost to Hull, in the championship final. A third trip to Wembley came in 1937, with an 18-5 win over Keighley.

Post war

Tommy McCue led the club to its first ever Lancashire cup win, with a 7-3 victory against Wigan in 1945.

Back at Wembley in 1950, the team was beaten 19-0 by Warrington. During this period, the club reverted to selling its players to richer teams.

No team had ever played more games in reaching Wembley than Widnes in 1964. In the first round, two replays were necessary before beating Leigh. Liverpool were beaten in the second round, then Widnes played Swinton in front of 19,000 at Naughton Park. A 5-5 draw meant another replay, which was scoreless. A second replay was watched by 21,369 with Widnes winning 15-3. The semi-final against Castleford was drawn 7-7. 28,732 spectators watched the replay, which Widnes won. A Wembley crowd of 84,488 saw Widnes win the Challenge cup for the third time with a 14-5 victory.

The seventies saw the first really outstanding Widnes team. A host of young local players developed into the "Cup Kings", a golden age for the club. The first cup-final was a loss in the 1971-2 Lancashire Cup. The following two seasons, Widnes reached the finals of the BBC2 Floodlit trophy. The first success came in the 1975 Lancashire Cup which Widnes won by beating Salford that season. They also won the 1975 Challenge Cup final 14-7 versus Warrington at Wembley.

Widnes visited Wembley in the following two seasons, losing to St. Helens and then Leeds. However, this was made up for by victories in the Lancashire Cup and John Player Trophy. The season after this (1977-78) saw their first league championship. The team went through the season unbeaten at home in the league. There were also trips to the John Player and Premiership finals.

The 1978-79 season saw no less than four cups come to Widnes - the BBC2 floodlit trophy, Lancashire Cup, Premiership and a win at Wembley over Wakefield Trinity in front of a crowd of 93,218.

The 1979-80 season saw Widnes beat Bradford in the Premiership final, but come second to them in the league and John Player Trophy. The Lancashire cup was won for the fifth time in the seventies.

The eighties started with a Wembley win over Hull Kingston Rovers in 1980-81. The season after this, Widnes again returned to Wembley, to face Hull FC. Widnes led 14-6 with less than 20 minutes to go, but the game finished 14-14 and Hull won the replay 18-9 at Elland Road. Widnes kept their record of winning a cup every season by defeating Hull FC 23-8 in the Premiership final. The next season saw Hull again beaten by Widnes in the Premiership final.

The 1983-4 season saw appearances in the finals of the Lancashire Cup and John Player Trophy and another Wembley victory appearance 19-6 against Wigan.

Modern era

Before Super League they were one of the stronger teams in British rugby league but have generally struggled since then. Dubbed "Cup Kings" after going to Wembley nearly every year in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Widnes were the envy of most rugby league supporters after becoming the first official World club champions in 1989 beating Canberra 30-18.

However, financial problems riddled the club in the early 1990s, and nearly saw the club merge with arch-rivals Warrington. Widnes were then excluded from the new Super League competition in 1996, and spent the next 5 years in the next tier of the English game, then known as the Northern Ford Premiership. They were finally promoted to Superleague under coach Neil Kelly in 2001. Their debut season in Super League was in 2002, Superleague VII, and the Vikings surprised everyone by narrowly missing out on a play-off place, and finishing 7th.

The following season saw them consolidate with a 9th place finish, but in 2004 they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth, with Castleford's defeat to Wakefield on the final day of the season saving Widnes' fate. But they had no such luck in 2005, and with 2 teams being relegated in 2005, Widnes' job was made tougher, and they eventually went back down to the second tier of the English game.

Since relegation, Widnes parted company with coach Frank Endacott and the majority of their under-achieving Superleague squad. They have built a new team in preparation for the 2006 season in National League 1 under coach Steve McCormack, who led Whitehaven to two consecutive NL1 Grand Finals. The club have also pulled off a major coup in securing the services of Australian full back David Peachey, who kept his word to join the club, despite its relegation.

However Peachey was sacked just a few months into the season by Chairman Steven Vaughan. In order to make room under the salary cap for players such as Dennis Moran. Widnes recently put in a franchise application for the 2009 season and the result is yet to be announced but if it is successful the Widnes Vikings rugby club could be permanently in Super League (Europe).

Hall Of Fame

Mick Adams

Mick Burke

Keith Elwell

Fred Higgins

Jimmy Hoey

Arthur "Chick" Johnson

Vince Karalius

Doug Laughton

Tommy McCue

Harry Millington

Jim Mills

Frank Myler

Nat Silcock

Kenny Gill

Les Holiday

Current Squad

(As of May 2, 2006)

Honours

Records

Player records

100+ Tries

234 Mal Aspey  1964/65 - 1979/80 
199 Eric Hughes [Centre]  1969/70 - 1983/84   
181 Martin Offiah  1987/88 - 1990/91   
161 David Hulme  1980/81 - 1996 & 2000 - 2001   
151 Stuart Wright  1976/77 - 1986/87   
144 Frank Myler  1955/56 - 1967/68   
120 John Devereux  1989/90 - 1997   
118 Andy Currier  1983/84 - 1992/93 & 1997   
114 Phil Cantillon  1999 - 2003   
111 Johnny Gaydon  1961/62 - 1971/72   
110 William Thompson  1956/57 - 1964/65   
108 Derek `Mick` George  1971/72 - 1981/82   
107 Darren Wright  1985/86 - 1996   
106 Tommy McCue  1931/32 - 1948/49   
103 John Basnett  1981/82 - 1986/87   
102 William Reid  1909/10 - 1926/27   
101 Jimmy Hoey  1922/23 - 1934/35

150+ Goals

1072 Ray Dutton  1965/66 - 1977/78   
708 Mick Burke  1978/79 - 1986/87   
434 Jonathan Davies  1988/89 - 1992/93   
395 Jimmy Hoey  1922/23 - 1934/35   
389 Robert Randall  1960/61 - 1964/65   
383 Harry Dawson  1951/52 - 1962/63   
243 John Myler  1976/77 - 1988/89   
213 John Sale  1951/52 - 1957/58   
209 Robin Whitfield  1961/62 - 1967/68   
207 Arthur Pimblett  1957/58 - 1961/62   
202 Mark Hewitt  1998 - 1999   
201 Andy Currier  1983/84 - 1992/93 & 1997   
195 Peter Topping  1927/28 - 1939/40   
167 Colin Hutton  1945/46 - 1950/51   
162 Harry Taylor  1908/09 - 1921/22

Team records

Notable Former Players

Template:Rugby league NL1

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