-------- going to Wembley?
We're setting off on Friday at lunchtime for High Wycombe, where we'll enjoy a bit of karaoke in the evening, then crash out for the night.
Saturday morning will include a far from healthy breakfast, before we train it to the stadium.
We've not won the cup since 1928, and it was as far back as 1932 when we last appeared in the final, but I wouldn't miss the game's number one showpiece for the world!
Soooooooooooo looking forward to accompanying the first lady of RL in "Abide With Me" So.....
Bring it on, and hope to see a few Chemics on Wembley Way!
Spelly.
On way home.
RL remains the Greatest Game on the Planet, but it can be soooooo cruel, however......
I seriously doubt there's many of you shedding a tear at the result!
Your nearest and not so dearest, we're worth a draw to take it to GP, but......
C'est la vie!
Spelly.
Yes a draw would have been a fair result, unfortunately you can’t have one. Both sides tries were very lucky. HKR didn’t play as well as they have been doing, I don’t know if that had anything to do with the heavy rain or not.
A half-empty stadium looked a bit sad.
A half-empty stadium looked a bit sad.
A mate of mine at the Lions, has made a similar call on our Station Roaders Facebook page, and my reply to him, was...................
That it's the sofa dwellers making the comments!
Wembley is iconic, it's the national stadium, and a player's dream to tread the hallowed turf.
Would I like to have seen it full? Of course I would, but...............
I don't see fans of the round ball game, giving grief about (other than the one for promotion to the top tier) the play-offs, where the "sold out" signs didn't go up!
I make no secret of the fact that I love Wembley, always have, and I'll next be there come the Autumn, when we lock horns with the Green and Gold Machine again!
Spelly.
The sofa dwellers are that because they are fed up of being ripped off in that there London. It should have moved from Wembley a long time ago. Old Trafford ,Newcastle or Ethiad are where it should be. Potential investers watching the game would think twice seeing a half empty stadium. Any sentiment has been well buried with the old Wembley.
That was the worst coverage I have ever seen, seen more of Peters and the crowd than the game absolutely disgusting panning the camera anywhere but on the play.
The old Wembley & its RL traditions have gone, the new Wembley means Jack sh*t to RL.
Thousands of empty seats from two big clubs made our 'show piece' final embarrassing, god help us if its Catalans v Huddersfield next year. Neutrals not interested, final should be moved elsewhere.
BBC coverage, as mentioned, not good enough. Far to many times, cameras more focused on coaching staff from both clubs than the game which was in progress, absolute joke. Mark Chapman looked as though he had popped in from a funeral the way he was dressed.
Positive though, them lot lost at the death, sheer bliss, well done Mikey
As has been said in previous years, but the RL don’t listen, the 1895 cup should be the curtain raiser to the challenge cup, not the women’s final. I think quite a lot of supporters from the 2 SL clubs would come to the stadium to watch that game as well as the c cup final, as it is once the main final is over, they naturally want to go and celebrate, and it’s quite hard for the fans of the championship clubs to get to the station in time for the last train home, unless your staying for the weekend.
I think they should close the top tier, then it would look fuller with 63,000 fitting into the 2 tiers. Yesterday’s attendance wasn’t too bad, the 2nd highest since 2017, and just a 1,000 down on last years.
With you there!!!! Soccer producers used to gaps in play filled with coaches views etc!!! Robbie Paul playing the run around the pitch game!! Way behind the times.
Wembley meant something years ago when the ignorant Northerners visited the centre of the universe!!! At least the crowd managed to sing the National Anthem in those days.
As has been said in previous years, but the RL don’t listen, the 1895 cup should be the curtain raiser to the challenge cup, not the women’s final. I think quite a lot of supporters from the 2 SL clubs would come to the stadium to watch that game as well as the c cup final, as it is once the main final is over, they naturally want to go and celebrate, and it’s quite hard for the fans of the championship clubs to get to the station in time for the last train home, unless your staying for the weekend.
I think they should close the top tier, then it would look fuller with 63,000 fitting into the 2 tiers. Yesterday’s attendance wasn’t too bad, the 2nd highest since 2017, and just a 1,000 down on last years.
Good call mate, and the ladies' final could be a curtain raiser at OT, as both are sponsored by Bet Fred.
I realise that the girls would then lose playing on the hallowed turf, but staging the 1895 after the main game, is 101% wrong in my opinion.
Another poss could be playing the 1895 in Manchester, and leave the ladies where they are, but.............
Whatever, the "big one" should always be last on.
Spelly.
When I was there in 2019 for our game, it felt like a friendly, after a great day in the lead up to it with over 7,000 Widnes fans making the journey, we felt short changed by how the dull our game actually was from an atmospheric point of view.
Another issue with the CC is RL is losing supporters, back in the day, they’d be a few coaches going to wembley from Widnes and that would be the same for towns like Oldham, Halifax, and Cumbria.
Now RL is becoming increasingly irrelevant in those places which impacts the attendance.
Was reading an interesting article on the CC final today. Amazing that in 1982 our game against Wakefield in 1979 attracted 94,000 and our finals against both Hull clubs in 81 and 82 attracted 92,000, these were some of the last big Wembley attendances.
By 1989 CC finals struggled to break the 80,000 mark and then gradually went towards 75,000 in the mid 90s.
Did Wigans dominance play a part in the CC final losing its appeal?
I believe that one of many factors in the reducing appeal of the Challenge Cup is that RFL/SL have consistently relegated its importance in the game behind SL, SL Play-Offs and SL Magic Week-End. In fact, rugby league as a game does not seem to exist outside SL, so it's no wonder that many fans outside the 12 SL teams, who would travel to the CC final each year, have lost interest over the years.
@frankg I think the costs are a factor, if you go to magic and say Catalan away then means less money for Wembley.
However, that been said, CC final attendances was in decline before them events and I feel now it’s escalated because overall RL supporter base is decreasing in size.