Always been a Wire my dad was in the police in Warrington when he did overtime on matchday he would sit me on his shoulders to watch the game while he did his shift imagine that now. Was a season ticket holder for 35 years before moving to Kent used to get back up to watch couple of games a year until me mam died couple of years ago now watch pandemic allowing all games in Market Inn which actually had a growing Wire support especially after signing Butler.

A bit of a diversion from the topic, but Kev Tamati inspired my mum and I to back Maori Venture in the National. Top bloke, and was always worth a trip into the butchers for a bit of banter with your meat products.

Grandad took me with my uncle we sat under snookers where he would explain the game a bit one thing he told me was a 6/7 should hardly ever be tackled I picked it up n was hooked from their, with the highlight being the end of the match running in the pitch getting autographs. I then was a ball boy for a good few seasons then went with my dad who films the games was interesting being stood or sat by the coaches at the time seeing seeing if the message is translated into the pitch n pays off. I then worked in the bars until we moved from wilderspool at the away end which was fun

Dont really go to the games as much now just not the same as wilderspool in terms of atmosphere I find the hj quite flat even when were winning, however we had to move and the hj is a much better stadium facilities wise and has helped us get to where we are today financially stable in comparison to other clubs.

Just realized didn't put time line I am 64 this year so would have been 60 years ago when first taken to games through school days went at halftime when got in free after side gate was opened watched 75% home games and 50% away games until moving to Kent

On the Kevin tamiti theme. I bought a raffle ticket off Paul Cullen in his playing days in golden square. A couple of days later Kevin tamiti rang me to tell me I'd won a 3 litre bottle of vladivar vodka. I picked it up from wilderspool and put it on the back seat of my car and set off to Ainsdale as it was a hot day. Got back to my car after an afternoon in the dunes and was greeted by a burning smell. The sun had been magnified through the bottle onto my back seat and left a 3 inch scorched line.
I got a tenner from the landlord of the greenwood for the vodka.

I presume you weren't confronted by what Private Eye referred to as the "Chief Constable's lycra clad lovelies" on the trip? A group of male officers deployed in the dunes to arrest "unclad" males. Knowing some of the officers involved the thought of them in lycra was enough to turn the strongest stomach. You could always tell when they had been on patrol, the custody area resembled a small sand dune. Apologies for the diversion from topic.

I was born and bred in Warrington, though growing up I didn't know much about RL, my sport was football. Plus in high school and college I was actually a RU fan, though as part of a project in High School we actually went to Wilderspool to interview some of the players. It was at the time when they had the joint set up of Alex Murphy and John Dorahy. Murphy was really welcoming, and we spoke to players such as Scully and Iestyn Harris. Dorahy was a bit more withdrawn, wouldn't say too much.

However, back in 2002 one of my best mates (who is the sister of a famous Wire fan) asked me if I wanted to go to a game at Wilderspool. I didn't have anything on that weekend so I said yeah, why not. We did the walk down to the Fletcher end and my first thoughts were "wow, what an absolute s***hole this place is". Got in, stood in the Fletcher End with all the hardcore fans and absolutely loved it. We lost the game, think it was 46-34 against Saints, but after that, I wanted to go week in, week out.

It was quite an eventful season anyway as we almost got relegated but I went to all the remaining home games, any time they were on TV i would watch and also went to Halifax when Briers ran the show and we won 19-16 and Widnes when we lost 19-18. Obviously the greatest relief was when I went to Wilderspool and we beat Castleford 29-14 and stayed up. Didn't put me off though as the following season i got a season ticket and that began my 14 year stint as a ST holder until having to give it up at the beginning of the 2017 as we were moving up to Scotland. I've not been to a game for nearly 4 years and I miss it dearly so hopefully this season I might actually be able to get down to one.

Thanks to the Wire I've met some really good people, and a few s as well, and a few mates back then are still good mates of mine to this day. Had some great days and nights out (Perpignan 2006 certainly springs to mind!!!) My only regret is not becoming a fan sooner.

That's put me right off my sausage butty! What was your reason for being in them there dunes, Captain, doing a bit of plundering, perhaps?

X marks the spot me hearty!