the best game i went to was warrington australia 31st october 1990
still have the programme

Not only was it an intimidating place - because you were reasonably close to the pitch you actually believed that the opposition or referee could hear the abuse you were hurling at them - but according to Garry Schofield the crowd at Wilderspool were good judges of medical conditions/injuries.

If you were carried off but got roundly booed then it was a fair bet you'd be up and running within a couple of minutes as if nothing had happened.

If you were carried off but got a round of applause then it was likely you would miss the following weeks game as well.

But if you got a standing ovation as you were carried off then it was time for your last rites.

He always maintained that not one opposition player got even a second of applause if they were on the pitch or even likely to be on the pitch.

Not like now at the HJ where we even applauded Catalans onto the pitch - what the hell was that all about

Thats how me n TANCW met up, we'd stood practically next to each other for ages before realising who was who, funnily enough it's in the same area you were, just out of interest, were you anywhere near the ginger twin girls who had a wainwright vendetta?

glad you mentioned ginger twins, it helped narrow it down from about 8,000

8 thousand? using the hull calculator?

KR or FC

both, they're each beyond the ru random attendance generator.

Remind me again why you didn't get the Poet Laureate gig?

4,000 clones of Johnny X.

i think he got village i.........

Are you new?

I was going to mention them.

Remember the man who used to have a bag of mints? Always offered them to my mum.

.......dol

I think i need an IQ of at least 150 and the vernacular of the Divine comedy
to come on to Web forum about a sport played by mainly daft northern meat heads ??

Nah a ready wit will suffice in their absence. Hope to see you again soon.

hahaha thats my old man he doesnt rare up like that at the hj.

wasnt the fletcher end also known as the cage.

the atmos was allround better at wilderspool id say it helped with snookers down one side bouching the sound off.

The die hard fans all stand in the same place...the south west corner...yeeaahhh baby.

The opposition didn't fear coming to Wilderspool as much as we liked to reckon they did.

Maybe for a brief period in around 1985-88, we had a great pack and a good record at home, they feared it then, but for most of the rest of the time they didn't look too scared because home defeats were a regular occurence.

Teams feared going to Odsal and Valley Parade in the Elliott and Noble era and they had about the least intimidating set of fans ever although the fat women who waved pom poms and sang to Wooly Bully might have given some of the opposition players the chills.

Have Warrington had a winning season at the HJ yet?

Quote ="sally cinnamon"The opposition didn't fear coming to Wilderspool as much as we liked to reckon they did. Maybe for a brief period in around 1985-88, we had a great pack and a good record at home, they feared it then, but for most of the rest of the time they didn't look too scared because home defeats were a regular occurence. Teams feared going to Odsal and Valley Parade in the Elliott and Noble era and they had about the least intimidating set of fans ever although the fat women who waved pom poms and sang to Wooly Bully might have given some of the opposition players the chills.'" I think you may also be missing the 1950's and 1970's period when we had a strong, aggressive pack also. In actual fact the statistics look pretty impressive for the Zoo, showing we won 73% of all home games, drawing 4% and losing 23%. The HJ doesn't even compare. P 1590 W1155 D65 L370 Courtesy of www.odeauk.fsnet.co.uk/archive/allgames.htm

Quote ="sally cinnamon"The opposition didn't fear coming to Wilderspool as much as we liked to reckon they did. Maybe for a brief period in around 1985-88, we had a great pack and a good record at home, they feared it then, but for most of the rest of the time they didn't look too scared because home defeats were a regular occurence. Teams feared going to Odsal and Valley Parade in the Elliott and Noble era and they had about the least intimidating set of fans ever although the fat women who waved pom poms and sang to Wooly Bully might have given some of the opposition players the chills.'" I think you may also be missing the 1950's and 1970's period when we had a strong, aggressive pack also. In actual fact the statistics look pretty impressive for the Zoo, showing we won 73% of all home games, drawing 4% and losing 23%. The HJ doesn't even compare. P 1590 W1155 D65 L370 Courtesy of www.odeauk.fsnet.co.uk/archive/allgames.htm

Wasn't it Fred Lindop who christened it 'The Zoo'? I'm led to believe that he used to say 'if you can referee there, you can referee everywhere'.

Warrington crowds are best when provoked. A bit of 'biff' or controversy helps get us behind the team. An ideal start to every game:-

- Warrington kick off
- Opponent takes the ball up. Tackle
- Second drive, 1 in from the ruck. Tackle - pushed back.
- Third drive, 1 in from the ruck. Tackle - bit high. No penalty.
- Fourth drive, 2 in from the ruck. Very hard tackle. Ball dislodged. Opposition player starts fighting. Brawl ensues.

- On report*. Warrington penalty.
- Warrington try

DER DER DER DER DER DER, DER DER DER, DER DER DER, DE DER DER DER DE DER DER DER DER DER WIRES!

*Ben Westwood and Adrian Morley not guilty

If you are going to dish out a bit of biff, best to do it very early in the game. It would take a brave referee to take decisive action just after KO.

Especially if refereeing an international between GB and the Aussies. Do we have a referee that brave?

I just knew some smart ar$e would mention that one but realistically when has that EVER happened before or after? Pretty standard tactic around the amateur game as well; kick the ball from kick-off at the opposition danger man and then gang tackle him with extreme prejudice or give the ball carrier a good rattle around the chin.