Do you remember the first ever game you attended?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

As I've said on here before, I haven't actually been a rugby league fan for very long in the grand scheme of things.

The first game I attended was the 2013 World Cup group game between England and Fiji at the MKM Stadium in Hull. What an incredible experience that was, unbelievable atmosphere in a packed to the rafters stadium and a really entertaining game as well. That experience just made me want more and I went out the next year and immediately got myself a season ticket for Hull.

As there are many, many more fans on this forum who have been following the game a lot longer than me, I was just wondering if you remember the first game you ever attended?

[ATLANTISMAN]

Hull FC v Swinton 1974 at The Boulevard since then between Championship/Super League/NRL/Internationals/Elite 1/Elite 2 in France reckon i am around 4000 + ish.

Usually rack up around 60/70 a year around 20 years ago managed a few years with 100 + between England and France 

 

Once did 3 in a day (Boxing Day) 

Fev v Wakey 

Leeds Cas (Left at half time)

Doncaster v Sheffield 

Need to see a psychiatrist but its too late:)))

Edited July 1, 2024 by ATLANTISMAN

[sam4731]

WCC Saints vs Souths 2015. Had to wait until my second Saints game to watch them score any points.

[Whippet13]

Boxing Day 1983, my dad took me to see Wigan v Sts at Central Park. Wigan won 12-6 with Colin Whitfield scoring 2T and 2G, think the crowd was around 13000. At 16, it was the first time I'd seen that many people in one place, the atmosphere was great and I was immediately hooked. Always 3pm Sunday KO so I used to cycle 10 miles each way to and from CP for the first couple of years and lock my bike up to some raillings by a derelict wooden garage a couple of hundred meters from the Kop end until my dad eventually got himself a season ticket and drove us.

[Sports Prophet]

Only vaguely. Would have been a Saturday or Sunday afternoon on the hill at Leichardt in 1985. Really enjoyed watching the Tigers on the hill through the 80s.

[Eddie]

Mine was a Widnes match, must have been around 1986, no idea who they were playing! 

[Waynebennettswinger]

Saints V Whitehaven in a Challenge Cup match in 1989. My family are from St Helens but we moved to The Wirral when I was young. Not sure what my Dad was thinking but he took us to watch New Brighton Rugby Union first and it was awful, next up Saints V Haven and the (then) magic of the Challenge Cup. Happy days and been hooked ever since, still can’t get through even a 1/2 of kick and clap or football either! 

[graveyard johnny]

yes, I remember my 1st ever game I went to

[Dunbar]

Sunday, 28th October, 1984.

Lancashire Cup Final Wigan vs. St Helens. 

I remember thinking if this puny Mal Meninga fella could play Rugby League, I'm going to be superb.

[17 stone giant]

England A v Australia at Brentford in 2003.

It was a good atmosphere and a very good performance by England A (lost 22-26).

I hadn't remembered from the time, but just looking now at the team there were a few notable players that I watched - e.g. Sean O'Loughlin and Rob Burrow.

[Spidey]

No idea. All I know is my first season ticket was for the 1988/89 season for Widnes (when I was 8 years old) expect my first game was the years previous - no idea who or when exactly 

[Keep The Faith]

1 hour ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Hull FC v Swinton 1974 at The Boulevard since then between Championship/Super League/NRL/Internationals/Elite 1/Elite 2 in France reckon i am around 4000 + ish.

Usually rack up around 60/70 a year around 20 years ago managed a few years with 100 + between England and France 

 

Once did 3 in a day (Boxing Day) 

Fev v Wakey 

Leeds Cas (Left at half time)

Doncaster v Sheffield 

Need to see a psychiatrist but its too late:)))

 Boxing Day was the best time to play 

I do wonder what year that was 

Edited July 1, 2024 by Keep The Faith

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

First game I can remember attending was against Australia in Nov 67.  

[Pigeon Lofter]

Oldham vs Blackpool, a Saturday afternoon at Watersheddings (Sunday rugby was just about to take hold), 1972 or 1973. The turnstile operator took my money, than had me climb over the turnstile, which was normal back then.

[Gooleboy]

Featherstone v Bramley 64 - 65

First final: Hunslet v Wigan 65

[Gav Wilson]

First game I likely attended was York 24-20 Featherstone on September 2nd, 1987 (I would have been 3 months old at the time)

The first game I can vividly remember attending was Batley 5-10 Doncaster on April 24th, 1994.

[Treize Hombres]

Rochdale Hornets v St Helens at the Athletic Grounds. It was a midweek fixture in the mid 70s. I'd be about 7 years old. I think it was a cup tie or a cup replay and Hornets narrowly lost if I recall correctly. The only other thing I remember is Geoff Pimblett playing for the Saints. 

[Hopie]

 Leeds Rhinos v London Broncos Challenge Cup Final - 1st May 1999
 

Watched all the rounds that were on grandstand and then my dad decided to buy tickets for the final, went to a few league matches after that in 1999 and got a junior season ticket the next year.

It would have been a deciding Test match at Elland Road, but my dad went to Elland Road then Headingley to buy tickets and neither could help. By the time he found out where the tickets were actually on sale they were either unavailable or too expensive, I don't remember that part.

[moorside roughyed]

Oldham v Swinton (I think ) Watersheddings, Oldham 1988. Loved that stadium .

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

13 minutes ago, Treize Hombres said:

Rochdale Hornets v St Helens at the Athletic Grounds. It was a midweek fixture in the mid 70s. I'd be about 7 years old. I think it was a cup tie or a cup replay and Hornets narrowly lost if I recall correctly. The only other thing I remember is Geoff Pimblett playing for the Saints. 

Rochdale 10 St Helens 11  1979?

[Londonbornirishbred]

Sunday, February 24th 2002.

London Broncos lost to Castleford Tigers in the challenge cup and what has followed has been 2 decades+ of agony watching a club I quickly fell in love with make huge mistakes at every turn off the park. They're that much under my skin that I am arriving at Gatwick next week from NZ and heading straight to Ebbsfleet for the Castleford game before rerurning to Gatwick for an onward flight the next morning.

I often call David Hughes a fool (or worse) but reading that back to myself, I think I may need to seek professional help myself.

I do believe that a lot of RL marketeers (especially those on-line) believe EVERYONE is like me and will be hooked after one game. The reality is somewhat different (alas)

[Treize Hombres]

12 minutes ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Rochdale 10 St Helens 11  1979?

Could well be. Thanks 

[Tommygilf]

Can't remember mine, my parents had season tickets at Leeds when I was born. I was definitely taken to the 1999 Cup final too! 

[ATLANTISMAN]

2 hours ago, Keep The Faith said:

 Boxing Day was the best time to play 

I do wonder what year that was 

Think around 1987/8/9 round about then 

[gingerjon]

14 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I was definitely taken to the 1999 Cup final too! 

That game never happened. Such an oddity.