I know that most threads are (quite rightly) to do with Wembley at the minute, but with all the talk of new stadia on other clubs' forums, it got me to thinking about cherished memories of Wilderspool. Teams like Saints, Salford, Wakey and Cas will eventually be saying goodbye to their crumbling old homes with the same “it may be a sh*te hole but it’s our sh*te hole” philosophy and the same was true of Wilderspool.

Below is a series of arbitrary memories that I have from Wilderspool over the 20 years I watched us play there and I hope that other people will post a few of their own to get the nostalgia flowing. In no particular order.................

Darren Burns kicking the ball dead into the crowd at the Fletch with a few minutes left of the Cas game in 2002 then jumping up and down and fist-pumping on the pitch in acknowledgement that we’d stayed up.

Walking down Fletcher Street before kick off and hearing the old corrugated metal back of the stand being banged by the fans inside –then you knew it was match day. Closely followed by the narrow, dingy walkway as soon as you got through the turnstiles and the view of the ground that made the hairs on the back of the neck stand up when you came out in the middle of the Fletch or under the scoreboard. To me, that never got boring. Ever.

Pondlife Corner and all who sailed in her.

Rick Thackray snapping his leg right in front of a very young me on the touchline under Snookers in the early-mid eighties. You could hear the snap and screaming!

Alfie Langer stealing the ball off Tommy Martyn behind the Saints try line and plonking it down for a try as Martyn tried to fend him off like a troublesome fly. Then the look on Martyn’s face when he looked at his hands where the ball had been half a second earlier and realised what had happened.

Beating Sheffield Eagles 36-18 in the last game of the 93-94 season to go top of the league and dreaming that we might stay there if Wigan and Bradford both lost later that weekend.

Playing Blackpool in a midweek cup game in about 1992 in what ended up being the lowest ever attendance for a Wire first team game at Wilderspool and there being 2 Blackpool fans in the Railway end.

Spending the entire half time interval trying to change ends once they shut the Snookers side down.

The scoreboard still listing our opponents as “Bradford N” right up to 2002 (only when we played Bradford, obviously).

The daft, low-budget game at half time where fans had to run round in circles with their foreheads on a broom until they were dizzy, then try and run up and kick a conversion. It was always funny.

Coming back from 12-32 down to beat the all-conquering Bradford 42-32 in 2000 after Brian McDermott got sent off for fighting and Lee Penny went round Stuart Spruce like he was in concrete wellies.

That dance troop from Watford that we used to have (the original Starlights??) who were all fit – especially “the twins” who did that cartwheel thing together (ooh, my giddy aunt!).

Playing Australia in 1990 and 1994 – FIGHT! I wasn’t old enough to remember ’78.

The last ever game when we wore two different strips in each half and Graham Appo went point crazy. A great but very sad day.

Never seeing the kick off to any game between 1983 and 1991 due to my old man and his mates always being in either the Golden Lion, Royal Oak or Causeway till five to three.

Rob Smyth scoring in the last minute against all-conquering Bradford in 2001 to win us the game 18-14 when we had about 10 players missing. It went wild! Then we played them again four weeks later and they stuck 84 points on us!

Beating St Helens quite often and with minimal fuss. Yes, that actually used to happen.

Goosebumps! Some crackers there mate. I would also add, THAT try by Henare as one of the great moments.

What a feeling that was.

1995 NZ V Tonga in the WC

Easter Monday V Wigan we were having a rubbish season Dorahay and Murphy were in charge i think and we thrashed the pies. I stood there in shock as the performance was nothing like we'd seen all season

Fletcher street singing "Shave your eyebrows off" to Mal Meninga against Australia dont know what year.

Middle of the Fletcher End every time. Me and my old man used to stand behind the pillar to left left of that walkway (and then complain we can't see the match because theres a f*cking pillar in the way) every week without fail. As I got older I'd sneak off to be with my friends, but I'd always walk into the ground up those stairs and into the middle of the terracing. Magical!



A beautiful moment. IMO one of Alfie's finest playing in the P&B. To this day whenever I'm playing and trap the defender in goal, I always look to do that one-on-one steal.



When did the Snookers side of the ground shut down? I can remember walking down that side on a few occasions, but I don't think we ever did it afterwards. When I was little I always used to try and see down the tunnel, but I was always too small to get a view of anything.



Unlike the uninteresting kick at goals we have now. Proper half time entertainment.



Never went to this game. I was 10 and so convinced we'd lose I didn't want to go. More fool me.



A day I'll never forget. A win on the final game at Wilderspool, and it confirmed us as top six play off hopefuls.



My favorite try at Wilderspool. It was in the dying moments and the crowd went wild. IIRC Paul Derbyshire took charge of that game after DVDV left. Probably one of few men to have a 100% coaching record with Warrington IIRC.

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1978 and beating the aussies, will never forget that night.

1985 and beating widnes in front of a full house, boyd's first game if memory serves me right.

Des Drummond and his ninety yarder against saints.

The fight against wigan well cullen battered goodway

John Bevan's many tries & Steve Hesford's goals

Yep, I think you're spot on with all that. I remember Mark "Mong" Gleeson made his debut in that match and played a blinder at hooker tackling the chemically-enhanced (allegedly) Bratfutt pack for 80 minutes despite being 11 stone wet through. Even Dave Alstead played well.

When Smyth went down the touchline for the winning try at the Railway End, you can see Pondlife Corner going absolutely crackers in the background on the Sky replay. I've still got that game on video somewhere. C'est magnifique!

God that felt good reading that.

Always went in the turnstyle just to the left of the old club shop, turn left the right up the stairs into the fletch turn right upto the top just by the white posts in the middle, and listening to the rip his spleen out man.

Alfie in the right hand corner (my right) stealing the ball off Tommy was a classic

The 17-17 all draw in which Briers missed god knows how many drop goal attemts to finally get one in the dying minutes.

I remember Guisset getting his nose splattered over his face and all the big hits he used to put in, both Fozzard with his armchair on his arm and Hilton crashing in. Foster and Penny playing forever, and Nat Wood. Mate it might have been a dump but god i miss that place over the HJ.

I'm getting all teary now

Where's the guy with all the pin badges that used to stand by the betting shop on Wilderspool Causeway ?

rlThisrl

One of my funniest memories from wilderspool was a time when wolfie used to throw the rubber chicken into the crowd and one day it got stuck on the rafters. This was when I was about 8 so it was hilarious.

As much as I love the nostalgia of wilderspool my favourite wire memory was at the HJ with the first tackle of the match against leeds when joey debuted and chris lightbulb flattened rob burrows and the already electric crowd just went sick lol. Good memories from everywhere

I dont really have any specific game memories from wilderspool as i was still quite young,but i do remember many many good times there.

Running onto the pitch after the game to ask the players for their "tie ups" from their socks (more so in academy games) and getting Fozzies one week,that made my year!

Being on crutches in the fletcher end and struggling to stay on the terrace steps when i had a fair bit of trouble with my knees.

Standing by the bench at almost every home game and getting players to sign my shirt (i even had the physio tony rothwell sign it!) then taking it home to my gran to get her to stitch over the autographs so they wouldnt wash off! i still have that shirt and will wear it again at wembley this year!

The smell by the dugout, is it wintergreen or something they call it? wilderspool always had a "scent" if it wasnt that it was fag smoke and probably a little bit of wee!!

Walking back to the bus station after the game singing the whole way win or loose!

good times!

Paddling through the gents toilet - and on a cold day, the steaming wall.

Calling in at the sweet shop prior to the game.

Watching Wire play Cas in the Cup in 1973 (?) a mid-week, mid-day replay. A capacity crowd with people having half a day of work to attend.

"The end is nigh" bloke with his placard stood in Fletcher Street - I think he also turned up at Wembley in 1974.

Being crushed when walking down the narrow cindered path at the back of the main stand and seeing the players arrive/ leave.

The blue invalid cars that used to park on the pitch edge.

The bloke on the corner of Bridge Street selling the evening pink after a Saturday afternoon game.

Happy days.

funny how your eyes decieve you 4.8369140625:5