and most of us have tried to forget that day, so thanks for bringing it back up

was gutted at the time. but you have to give credit where credit is due. they did a number on us

When you play in so many finals, statistically there's a chance that you will lose unexpectedly.

after reading that im now nervous about saturday !!!!!!

It was the worst final I've ever attended in terms of atmosphere. There were huge gaps on the terraces, and very few RL fans around London that weekend - compared to the previous years when the West End in particular had been hopping.

On our way there from our hotel, we saw almost no RL colours until we actually reached Wembley. I still don't remember seeing any Sheffield fans even while I was there.

I remember being in my early teens and being heart broken as it was my first major final I'd seen us lose in. But then I seen Sheffield fans crying their eyes out and realised it must of meant the world for them to beat us and we shook hands with them congratulating them etc... It was a strange day but it's quite sad to see that they are no longer in the top division after probably the biggest shock in cup final history.

If you'd all just had a little bit of faith...
you gave up too early!

we were sat just behind a set of eagles fans dressed up with eagles wings on and such like. I just couldnt believe we lost - one poster on here all the way through the game was trying to convince me that sheffield would tire in the 2nd half and we would come back.


Of course that didnt happen and with 4 minutes to go he then conceded defeat.

Didnt cry until they played simply the best

aaarrrggghhhh you are there again!!!!!

I used to deal with Lynton Stott through work and spoke to him about that final.

He said he remembers being in the tunnel that day and it felt as though there was a wall between both sets of players. The Sheffield players were focused, silent and determined where as the Wigan players were joking about and loud.

He said the Sheffield players all knew they were going to win and they all put a bet on theirselves to win.

That was surely the most salutory lesson ever taught to a Wigan side. But even now I feel disappointment that the lessons of so many finals - of which it was said in the mid-90s we didn't know how to lose because we were always so well prepared - could have been forgotten so quickly.

Though, later that season, we went on to win the first ever Grand Final, I still look back on 1998 and think of it as the true start of our long decline.

This was my very first CC Final, I remember getting the tickets as an Easter present as a 9year old still relatively new to RL.

Making a flag with my Grandad in the week leading upto the final putting the whole of the Wigan squads names on it, and using my Grandads advice spelling 'Kris Radlinski' as 'Chris Radlinsky' as in his words it would "Get me on TV" Going out to buy my very first Wigan RL top, I literally slept in it for weeks leading upto the game.

Then not sleeping the night before reading up on previous Wigan wins at Wembley and then sleeping all the way from Ashton to London in the car on the day itself.

Standing by watching the Wigan team bus drive in and Radlinski giving me a confused look at how his name was spelt

Watching the match a bloke in front of me refused to sit down so I used my seat to stand up on to watch the match, watching on in disbelief that we were losing and then being heartbroken at the end when we lost. So a miserable first experience of a CC final for me, and one that I've been keen for Wigan to avenge ever since.

COME ON WIGAN!!

We had a fine team in 98 but Sheffield probably would have beaten Brisbane that day. Our boys took it a little bit lightly, I am sure, but they also had the rest of the season to concentrate on. Sheffield knew with absolute certainty that that match was their one shot at glory and they combined perfect preparation with belief, intensity, and a game-plan that exposed every weakness we had and played to their strengths. They were playing with no tomorrow because they knew there probably wouldn't be one. Had it been the same for us, I think it might have been a different story. Also, Plan A had worked so well for us that season that I don't think we were able to find a Plan B when we needed it. This season, they can rake up all the old memories they like - they're outclassed and it will show.