Challenge Cup Winners 2024!

[morley pie eater]

The first final to be played at Wembley was 1929 we beat Dewsbury 13 - 2 in front of 41000 fans


If you look into our history we have been a club who have been first in a lot of main events

#WhereWiganLeadOthersFollow #21

I'm with you all the way, Josie. That history needs to be passed on to future generations.

My great aunt Alice Dootson (nee Hamer) from Hindley went to most Wigan matches up into her 90s. How I wish she'd passed on some of her memories (and programmes!) to me.

As for the 1929 final, Syd Abram scored the first ever try at Wembley in that game. Syd was born on Liverpool Road in Hindley, probably in the late 1890s or very early 1900s. He played centre and occasionally stand-off. In the 50s and 60s, he lived on Arundel Street or Bridgewater Street in Hindley (I can't remember which), and I also came across him in 1974 when he had a couple of hours a day job for Norman Bibby, ex Wigan chairman, fuelling up lorries on Wigan Road in Hindley.

Syd's grave is prominent in Hindley cemetery and has "first ever try scorer at Wembley" inscribed.

In 1985, the BBC did a series around Christmas about sporting highlights of the year, with it not being an Olympic or international football summer. It included a 17yo Boris Becker winning Wimbledon, and Dennis Taylor beating Steve Davis at about 100am in the World Snooker final.

There was also a programme on the iconic Challenge Cup final of that year, including Harry Gration interviewing Syd Abram about 1929. Syd explained how he was taught always to give it the fast man if he made a break, but he explained how Lou Brown (I think - I'msure A&L will correct me if I'm wrong!) told him just to "keep going Syd". Lovely piece of TV!

Great stuff! I wonder if it's archived?

[Stanfax]

Searched for it but drew a blank unfortunately...