Wigan Album

A couple of facts that might be of interest - The idea of moving the final to London came from a Welshman, John Leake, who proposed in 1928 that the game should be played at Wembley, six years after the FA Cup final was first played at the Empire Stadium.
Also, as in later years, Wigan did not just rely on local-born players and included five Welshmen, two New Zealanders and a Scot in their side. Dewsbury fielded only one non-Yorkshireman and not a single international.

A London correspondent, writing in the Manchester Guardian, was suitably impressed by the game.
He wrote: "Most rugby union players will be grateful to the authorities for showing them the rugby league cup final even though it made the average southern game look rather weak and watery.
"It showed the possibilities of intensive training, hard running and the closest possible marking.
"The most astonishing revelations which the game gave to southerners were the terrific speed at which it was fought out."

I wonder if Keith ever heard or read of a game I saw at the time or during his fathers era. The date was the 13-12-47and was a league game between Wigan v Leigh at Wigan Because an international match was taking place the following day in France and Wigan had six players representing England, Wigan had to field a weakened side.During the action Wigan also suffered injuries to two of the more experienced players,Nordgren and Hudson,at a time when subs were not allowed reducing the team eleven players.The match became akin to a titanic struggle with score level three points each.My friend and i although still schoolboys were watching from the enclosure next to the Hen pen and sat on the wall at back of the crowd. As the game was nearing its close and only minutes left still level 3 points each we began to work our way to the exit to avoid the crowd As we made our way into the street the noise began to increase and a surge of excitement becoming apparent something was about to begin.We turned to go back and as we approached the entrance the roar erupted and the crowd started to come down the steps everyone laughing clapping. I asked a man what had happened,he said Mountford has kicked to corner and Lawrenson has gathered scored. Brilliant.A few days later the local paper had a article with braid round the headlines ,saying ,this was their greatest victory

That's quite a memory Griff. I've looked the game up in the record books and it confirms that Wigan won 6 - 3, with Lawrenson scoring two tries. The only contradiction is the date which states the game was played on December 6th at home against Leigh in 1947. My father did not play in that particular game, although he was in the team for the following game on December 13th and managed to score a try. It was his 10th year at Wigan. He played 23 times in that very successful season for Wigan, but it was Hudson, who had been signed for a record fee at the start of the season, who claimed the Wembley spot when they beat Bradford at Wembley that season. The Wigan team you saw in 1947 against Leigh was, W Blan, Nordgren, Roughley, Lawrenson, Ratcliffe, Mountford, Ritchie, Gee, McIntyre, Banks, Barton, Atkinson and Hudson.

Attendance 18,000.