It was on this day in 2013 we won the Northern Rail cup, and look at the team that did it.


1.Gregg McNally. 2.Steve Maden. 3.Stewart Littler. 4.Matt Gardner. 5.Jonny Pownall. 6.Matryn Ridyard. 7.Ryan Brierley. 8.Micheal Ostick. 9.Bob Beswick. 10. Tom Spencer. 11.Simon Finnigan. 12.Tommy Goulden. 13.Sam Hopkins. 14.Sean Penkywicz. 15.Andy Thornley. 16.Anthony Bate. 17.Rob Parker.

Of the 17 that played in that game 9 players are still regular starting 1st team players now.
Ridyard, Goulden, Higson & Armstrong (OK he then left & came back but still) played in the 2011 Northern Rail Cup Final!

The success we're enjoying now really has been a long time building and this really is the way to do it, not to go boom or bust or to throw loads of money at it and try to buy a great team overnight, rather to build one over the years. Hopefully we'll win promotion this year and show just how possible it is to all the other Championship teams & hopefully a few will follow us.

It is great to see. I hope that we can keep the nucleus of the squad whatever happens in the Middle 8's. I also hope that people fully appreciate the challenge of finishing in the Top 4 and don't jump off the bandwagon IF we don't get promoted. We have come a very long way, perhaps quicker than any of us could have dared hope. But it will boil down to 7 games, where anything can happen. I am sure we are good enough but also that we might have to be patient and have another go next year...

Couldn't agree more. There's a hell of a lot of real competitive rugby to be played but we can dream meanwhile

At the start of the season at a meeting at LSV It was Stated that the clubs aim was to qualify for the Missle 8's and finish in the top 6 with SL a target for next year. Not read that this has changed.