I know its a big statement but I expect most fans would say the same. Yesterday was my greatest day as a Wire fan. It felt better than last year on many levels, because of who it was against, because of the circumstances of winning back to back making us look like real champions rather than a one off, also possibly mostly because of the performance, that was one of the most complete performances I've seen from us against a top team, admittedly Leeds were below par but we can only control what we do and it was superb.

Wembley also seemed more Wire dominated this year than last. Last year it felt like the two teams who didn't expect to be there, having a fun day out, this was us now 2nd in the league and one of the big boys, against the dominant side in RL over the past three years.

Another great thing about yesterday was that there were so many good substories to it. Chris Hicks is one of our most popular players and greatest finishers and he gets only the third hat-trick in Wembley history, and the first ever by an Australian. Adrian Morley who is going to be remembered as the greatest forward of his generation, has now twice lifted the Challenge Cup with Warrington. He's won the Cup before with Leeds, and the Super League with Bradford (after 4 games!) and the NRL with the Roosters as a player but the two trophies where he has captained a side to success have been with us. His Wire days will not be remembered as a footnote at the end of a great career but as a defining part of his achievements as a leader and role model. It's like Alex Murphy after a great career with Saints, has forever been associated with us as well because he led us to success, or like Fittler when he captained the Roosters to the title after his early success with Penrith as a player. And then there was Briers winning the Lance Todd. Both this year and last year reminded me of that semi at Huddersfield in 2001 when we put up a great fight against Bradford against the odds and Briers had one of his best games for us, that was right at the time he had lost his brother. It just seems like it has come full circle and for Lee as a personal achievement and for his family, what started that day at Huddersfield is now complete, he's just achieved something special that he can dedicate to his brother and this competition will always have that meaning to him, he has done something which will forever mean a lot to his whole family. Then there was a trophy for Clarke who missed out last time, so that box has been ticked. It was great to see Clarke, Wood, Westwood in the team as well as Briers, the blokes who have been in some bad times with Wire. I wonder what those guys would have thought if you'd told them back in 2002, that they would be celebrating back to back Challenge Cups at Wembley? Also Richie Mathers in his last season with us, having a great game, he picked the right time to join us, 18 months and two Challenge Cups. Chris Riley a Warrington lad, tearing up Leeds in broken play on the big expanses of Wembley. So many stories that just made the game perfect for Wire.

I was too young to go to Elland Road 1986 for the Premiership, but for the fans who were at that, would you rate that your greatest day as a Wire fan or yesterday? What about the veteran fans who were at the 74 or 75 finals...? Was yesterday the greatest...?

Today was the second best day. Can't beat last year, thirty years of watching the wire (I was 3 months old when they won it in 1974). To finaly win it, will never be topped IMHO.

Oh I forgot about the GF, that would be good.

super post and fully agree with what you say in every aspect.

Certainly my greatest day as a wire fan as well Sally, for all of the reasons you've mentioned, and for two more.

1) Adrian Morley coming back out on to the platform after collecting the trophy, to go and give what I am assuming is his son (can anyone confirm? kids' shirt had "little man" printed on the back) a big hug, before rejoining the rest of the team to lead them back down to the pitch.
2) Lee Briers hanging his winners medal around the neck of the kid in the wheelchair and posing for photos (Is this the same kid who Riley gave his boots to after the semi final?)

Those two moments really choked me up a bit!

God I love this sport

It said "little moz" so i presume it is Mozza's son and i believe it was the same kid

Great post Sally. Also, the manner in which we played the game yesterday, to me, suggested we have turned some kind of corner. We played like we expected to win, and without fear. And that suggests to me that the name of Tony Smith should be added to the role of honour so eloquently articulated.

I came home last night and said to my Wife that the day had been my greatest ever Wire day.
I have watched the Wire for many many years and yesterday was easily my great ever day.

At the end of the game and after watching that complete and perfect performance, I shed a tear, because I knew that the team I love and have supported throughout my adult life has finally arrived at the top table of Rugby League.

My greatest day was last year, as after being crap for years we finally won a trophy.

Yesterday was brilliant don't get me wrong, to smash a Leeds team who are the reigning SL champions was immense.

Yes great post Sally but this one very tricky for me to rate but while last year was brilliant after so long waiting for a trophy yesterday just shades it just simply for the way we dismantled the 3 times grand final winners.35yrs as a Wire fan and this is going to take some beating

The best day in my life as a Wire fan.

Nice read Sally C - just one issue <admittedly Leeds were below par >, only because our defence was so strong, we gave them nothing - speed and impact put them on the back foot. Once we overcame that first 10 minutes, they were a broken team. Lord Smith of Halliwell has finally given us a brutal defensive structure.

To the question that you pose - yes, yes and yes - the best day ever as a Wire fan (to become the greatest fortnight ever when we go to KR a week on Saturday and end the saints hoodoo !)

Yes it was. The little lad is a regular on the south stand and really loves his rugby. God help a cameraman or steward who gets in his view.

As a neutral at Wembley yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It's always nice to see Leeds choke again !! I thought the writing was on the wall when your line being battered in the opening ten but you weathered the storm and played some sublime rugby. A great day with the correct result. Well done Wire.

Definately better than last year. There was just something about the day, it was like a street carnival. Outside I walked around the ground and I swear the Leeds end was in shade, no fancy dress, no singing as if they knew, but as I got closer to OUR end the sun, the noise, the partying. The singing in unison by Wire fans was better than last year(God knows how loud it would be at OT) up in the gods were definately more fans giving it some welly than last year plus I had 1 of my sons with me which was emotional. IMHO yesterday was better than last year and looking ahead to next year, IF we get there again, I could only imagine more fans wanting to go.


I think we need a bigger stadium, we`ve arrived

Great post Sally...totally agree with you..the best day so far in my life watching Wires. I was at elland road in 86 to see a Les Boyd master class against the champions Halifax....It was a great day...but this tops it.

The bookies could not separate the two teams yesterday before kick off ...and that tells you everything about the enormity of the victory...against 3 times in a row, current champions..a team we haven't beaten in the league for a while. And they really wanted to win this one...

So to take them apart in the manner we did, showing levels of skill, determination and commitment that go beyond any team I have seen in the Primrose and blue...makes this the best day so far.

I have had many good day watching Wires...but there have been some really low, dark points as well....that makes this so much sweeter...experiencing the very low points makes you really appreciate the highs.

AND THERE ARE MANY MORE TO COME!

Give Tony Smith the Key to the town...the man is a legend.

Great post and cant argue with anything.

Certainly as great as day as last year, but enjoyed it more having been there last year.

Was that possibly the best Wire performance we have ever seen ???

Soooooo many plus points and little 'moments' throughout the day, but for me the one that brought the tears on - Lee Briers being announced as the Lance Todd winner, pumping the air and pointing to the heavens (still feel the same writing this now....). Will mean as much to him as all the medals he has now won, and the ones to come....

Sally you mentioned turning a corner, for me I feel we have already done that.
Hull last week showed us what we are becoming. A week before a major final against the Super League Champions, and a match we really needed to win, which we did convincingly.

We blew Leeds away yesterday and showed what we are really capable of, we cannot be now labelled as one hit wonders.

1-17 - simply AWESOME

On this weekend ten years ago, we got thrashed by 50 points at home to Wigan which clinched them the minor premiership under Frank Endacott. It was the game where we were shouting "You Fat B-" and O'Connor and Cowie were having a bit of banter with the crowd pointing at each other about who we were referring to.

We had just had that stadium meeting with the local council where the local council approved the stadium and it had to go for approval from John Prescott (we were to get a nasty surprise around Christmas time when we found out it was being called in). Peter Deakin quit to go to take over at Sale Sharks. We had just tied up signing Kevin Campion as our big overseas signing for 2001 (another surprise awaited when we found out he didn't like the weather whilst playing for Ireland in the World Cup, so didn't come).

We were trying to sign Rob Smyth permanently after he had been doing quite well for us on loan. Meanwhile a young Academy prop Paul Wood was emerging and just getting into the first team.

Things have changed a lot in 10 years!

(to the tune of one man went to mow)

One man went to hunt,
Went to hunt a Rhino
He got his gun, to have some fun
When he went to hunt a rhino.

(Two men went to hunt etc etc etc as far as you want)

The whole team went to hunt
Went to hunt the Rhinos
What can I Say, they'd ran away
The day we stuffed the Rhinos!

I liked that as well. Usually when players are shown on the big screen when they are announced as Lance Todd, they just start shouting and pointing at other players as if to say "look I don't care about winning Lance Todd, I just want to show everybody how much of a professional I am". It was good to see Briers show that getting a famous award meant something, and it was the moment which sort of capped off that we were going to win. How much fun were the last ten minutes or so, when we knew we were going to win the game, and the Wires were attacking our end, and we got Hicks finishing his hat-trick and Louis Anderson scoring in front of us.

1974 was a great occasion, similar in a way to 2009 in that it signalled Wires ending a long, dark period of no success. Murphy was the 'Briers' of that team, John Bevan the 'Hicks' and Mike Nicholas the 'Ben Westwood' character - but without the goalkicking. Sadly, it did not last, the team started to break up in 1975 and we could not back up at Wembley againt the Comics.

1986 and the demolition of the champions, Halifax, also looked like the birth of a great new Wire side. The Premiership ( as was ) can't be compared to the Challenge Cup, however. Also, in another 1970s parallel, that 1986 team also soon fell apart, Wigan poaching several of our stars, Boyd retiring, 'Rhino' Duane picking up a career-ending injury.

After all that, I'd conclude that yesterday was my greatest day as a Wire. This team looks dangerous, dangerous, dangerous, and with a defence that's mean, mean, mean. We've never looked like that in games against the likes of Leeds before. On top of everything, to win back-to-back Challenge Cup finals for the first time in the history of the club is an achievment of true historic importance.

Note to the anti-Wire posters on these boards: now that we've won two cups is it alright to be '[iarrogant[/i'?

superb post and one im in total agreement with......it was better this time around and much better than the 86 achievment with sir les and co...now we have another wire great in adrian morley..lee briers and so on....my lasting memory of yesterday and there were many,was adrian morley taking time out to join in the teams celebrations to go back to the young child(who ever he or she was)it was a lovely moment......

I didn't even dream days like yesterday in the dark days at the Zoo.

Unreal

What a feeling

74, i was very young, 86 was brilliant, last year was good, this year was unbelievable and to top it all we're 3rd in the table pushing for second. so yes best time ever!

I was above the scorboard and the atmosphere was great, i didnt think it would be as good being so high up but the view was excellant. I only been following wire since 2003 so just had the two finals and i think this year was better than last. This is due to it being a packed wembley and beating Leeds with ease.

1974 was excellent - 1975 was a disappointment.
2009 we thought we could win, and did.
2010 we were hoping for a good performance against the Superleague champions, but wouldn't have been too surprised if we had lost.
2010 beats 2009 because of who we were playing, and how we crushed them. The new Wembley and all the team colurs on the terraces beats the atmosphere in '74 and '75.
So 2010 is the clear winner for me.