BBC Radio Manchester presenter Trevor Hunt was at Wembley in 1971 to watch Leigh defeat red-hot favourites Leeds 24-7 in one of the biggest upsets in Challenge Cup history…
Wembe-Leigh! Wembe-Leigh! Wembe-Leigh!
That is not a chant that the Rugby League fans of Leigh have been able to sing for more than a couple of games for over 52 years.
Perhaps the 1987 Cup semi-final – that Leigh lost 14-8 ironically against St Helens – was the last year it was sung with real feeling.
But now, in 2023, the fans are readying themselves for only the club’s second trip to Wembley in their 145-year history – and what a trip it promises to be as the club sits third in Super League after a sensational return to the top-flight.
Just how many of this year’s faithful followers would have been there in 1971 when the legendary Alex Murphy was player-coach to an unfancied and underrated Leigh side, affectionally known as the ‘Comics’, would be hard to say. But with everything now built around the leopard-skin prints of the Derek Beaumont vision for Leigh, the town is rapidly responding to the re-invention of the club with a fervour and passion that has not been since those halcyon days of ’71 and then 1982, when only a second Championship success was achieved with John Woods and Dessie Drummond the heroes of the day!
For too long the diet of every home-born Leyther has been a video recording of the Eddie Waring commentary of that 1971 Cup Final success. In fact, Leigh probably has more video-players per population than any other place in the world – just so they can play that video!
Because of this, everyone who was not there, feels like they were, because they have heard so many tales of the Grand Day out at ‘Wembe-Leigh’ from their parents or grandparents. It’s folklore!
Memories of a coach trip from the centre of Leigh! A convoy of buses of all shapes and sizes heading to London! Touch and pass at the Hilton Park services (where else), and even banter with Leeds fans, who little knew what was in store at Wembley. That walk down Wembley Way! Seen on TV (black and white for some) but never walked until now, and the stalls with extortionate prices for beer and odd-tasting sausages named saveloys!
Then into the stadium – the gladiatorial arena! Murphy leading out the side, Joe Walsh skipping, jumping, waving! And then the game! What a bruiser! Charging Clarkson, strutting Smethurst, battling Barrow, canny Kevin Ashcroft, and galloping ‘Jethro’ Grimes!
Then what a sensation, as Alex Murphy was stretchered off! Leeds captain Syd Hynes becoming the first player ever sent off in a Cup Final at Wembley. “I never touched him!” said Syd. “I didn’t know where I was,” said Murphy.
Tries from Dorrington and Dave Eckersley, five goals from Welsh kicker Stuart Ferguson, and drop-goals for Eckersley, Jimmy Fiddler and the indomitable Murphy (before the stretcher) to keep the score ticking along. Murphy inevitably recovering to remember he had to collect the Cup, even if he did stumble a little on the way up to the Royal Box.
Oh, how we sang all the way home. What a day! And what a celebration outside the Town Hall the next day!
Every so often players from that ’71 Final are wheeled out (almost literally) to the rapturous adulation of the Leigh fans. But sadly, the surviving players are fewer and fewer, and so are the fans.
But not now! Gates are on the up while leopard-print jackets, dresses, shirts, or ties abound around the ground.
And the Leigh fans are singing again. The Leopards are a new name for an old club, but they play with a passion and flair, purpose and brotherly belief that has not been seen in a Leigh team for many years. The whole Leigh Sports Village is rocking along with the big bands Derek is booking for pre-match entertainment.
Can they beat a rejuvenated Hull KR with Brad Schneider seemingly set on a path for a fairytale ending of his own? Or will Leigh knock the spots off them?
Edwin Ipape, John Asiata, Lachlan Lam, Tom Amone, Gaz O’Brien, and the evergreen try-scoring machine Josh Charnley and the rest, are already guaranteed their pride of places in Leigh’s not overly illustrious history.
But if the Leopards can win on Saturday, the players in this team will become immortals within their adopted town, with a lifetime of Challenge Cup reunion parades ahead of them!
