Correct, Chris Sanderson died in Hope hospital after in inocuous looking tackle he attempted/made on Salford's Ken Gill at the Willows 24th April 1977. It was during the 30th and final league game of the season with Leeds needing a win to qualify for the Premiership top 8 play-off. The game was abandoned at half-time when news reached the ground of Chris' fate (with Leeds leading 5-2) and the game was declared void by the RFL who decided the match would not be re-arranged.

Bradford took the 8th spot.

Two weeks later Leeds defeated Widnes at Wembley (16-7) and Chris' widow Sally was the first person taken in to the Leeds changing rooms after the match.

Peter Banner was Leeds' primary scrum-half that season and had played in all the earlier rounds of the cup but left for a new life down under immediately after the semi-final triumph over St Helens at Central Park (7-2)

He had offered to come back for the final if Leeds required him but instead the club decided to go with the players still here and committed to the club to fight it out for Wembley places. That battle at scrum-half was between Chris Sanderson and the emerging Kevin Dick. The rest as they say is history.

(As a post-script, Leeds were given special dispensation by the RFL to 'purchase' an additional winners medal for Peter Banner.)

Ah - that would explain it. Memory's playing tricks again I'm afraid.

I still have a copy somewhere of the 1976-77 season review brochure the club produced, might have to look it out over the weekend.

Another belting game. 2nd half long range effort by Atkinson to settle it from an offload by Phil Cookson out of a 3 man tackle?

Oulton had arrived during the 1976/77 season. Murrell had lost his place at full-back early in the 1977/78 seaon but it was John Holmes who took on the role for four games when it was reported that Murrell had missed a couple of training sessions and Syd Hynes was hoping he would return to the next one and have a chat. (Not an invitation I'd be looking forward to accepting.) That said he did return but Oulton was now getting the full-back gig more often than not (including the 2nd round, Quarter-Final and Semi Final of the cup) and had taken on the kicking duties with some success although obviously not many would believe that on his Wembley showing but it was the case nontheless.

Murrell would make the 22 man travelling Wembley squad but was one of the 7 to miss out on playing in the final.



Fantastic game played in proper rugby conditions and a remarkable deciding score from Atkinson but not IIRC from a Cookson offload.

I see the ball coming out of the Leeds twenty from the dressing room end of Central Park in Steve Pitchford's hands, I then see Neil Hague on to Les Dyl with John Atkinson running it in from around half way.

Either way I'd love to see it again .... and again .... and again.

I didn't get my first video recorder until late the following year (1st game recorded - Leeds V Hunslet - Boxing Day - Grandstand - 2nd half coverage only - they even missed the kick-off and when Frank Bough handed over to Eddie he was describing a similar try to the one scored above only this time it was finished off by John Holmes)

I rarely watch any game a second time these days - if ever - I've already watched that '78 final twice this week and likely as not will watch it again sometime before Sunday. I think my record for re-watching a game has to be the JP semi-final V Wigan at Bolton's Burnden Park in '87. I must have watched that thing twice a day for a fortnight until the next game which was Halifax at Headingley on Boxing day.

Pity about the final mind.

That's really interesting as my memory of it differs somewhat. I seem to recall Dyl receiving somewhere near the left wing, running crossfield before doubling back, passing to Cookson who crashed through said 3 man tackle before passing to Atkinson who did the rest. However, a misspent youth has taken its toll on a fair few braincells and it wouldn't be the first time my memory's let me down (see above).

Happy times, my first visit to Central Park, first big game and I remember jumping around with the old man when Atkinson crossed. Brilliant.

I'm still waiting to mis-spend my youth. I saw others doing it and thought - what a bunch of s. No offence like. 3.5791015625:5