1976–77 League Cup (rugby league)
Structure | National knockout championship | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Number of teams | 32 | |||
Winners | Castleford | |||
Runners-up | Blackpool Borough | |||
|
This was the sixth season for the League Cup, which was once again known as the Players No.6 Trophy because of its sponsorship.
Castleford won the final, beating Blackpool Borough by the score of 25-15. The match was played at The Willows, Salford. The attendance was 4,512 and receipts were £2,919.
Background
The council of the Rugby Football League voted to introduce a new competition, to be similar to The Football Association and Scottish Football Association's "League Cup". It was to be a similar knock-out structure to, and to be secondary to, the Challenge Cup. As this was being formulated, sports sponsorship was becoming more prevalent and as a result John Player and Sons, a division of Imperial Tobacco Company, became sponsors, and the competition never became widely known as the "League Cup"
The competition ran from 1971-72 until 1995-96 and was initially intended for the professional clubs plus the two amateur BARLA National Cup finalists. In later seasons the entries were expanded to take in other amateur and French teams. The competition was dropped due to "fixture congestion" when Rugby League became a summer sport
The Rugby League season always (until the onset of "Summer Rugby" in 1996) ran from around August-time through to around May-time and this competition always took place early in the season, in the Autumn, with the final usually taking place in late January
The competition was variably known, by its sponsorship name, as the Player's No.6 Trophy (1971–1977), the John Player Trophy (1977–1983), the John Player Special Trophy (1983–1989), and the Regal Trophy in 1989.
Competition and Results
This season saw no changes in the entrants, no new members and no withdrawals, the number remaining at thirty-two. For the second season there were no drawn matches in the competition.[1][2][3]
Round 1 - First Round[4]
Involved 16 matches and 32 Clubs
Game No | Fixture Date | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Venue | Att | Rec | Notes | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sat 23 Oct 1976 | Hull F.C. | 18-5 | Warrington | Boulevard | [5][6] | ||||||
2 | Sat 23 Oct 1976 | Leeds | 34-10 | Rochdale Hornets | Headingley | |||||||
3 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Blackpool Borough | 16-15 | Barrow | Borough Park | |||||||
4 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Bradford Northern | 23-18 | Huddersfield | Odsal | |||||||
5 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Bramley | 33-5 | Dewsbury | McLaren Field | |||||||
6 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Featherstone Rovers | 43-13 | Whitehaven | Post Office Road | |||||||
7 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Ovenden | 4-24 | Halifax | Thrum Hall | 3680 | 1, 2 | |||||
8 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Hull KR | 7-12 | St Helens | Craven Park (1) | 5984 | [7] | |||||
9 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Huyton | 6-8 | York | Alt Park, Huyton | |||||||
10 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Leigh | 29-7 | Swinton | Hilton Park | |||||||
11 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | New Hunslet | 10-24 | Castleford | Elland Road Greyhound Stadium | |||||||
12 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Oldham | 17-9 | Batley | Watersheddings | |||||||
13 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Ace Caravans | 15-39 | Salford | The Willows | 3037 | 3, 4, 5 | |||||
14 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Wakefield Trinity | 8-10 | Widnes | Belle Vue | [8][9] | ||||||
15 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Wigan | 33-0 | Keighley | Central Park | [3] | ||||||
16 | Sun 24 Oct 1976 | Workington Town | 45-15 | Doncaster | Derwent Park |
Round 2 - Second Round[10]
Involved 8 matches and 16 Clubs
Game No | Fixture Date | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Venue | Att | Rec | Notes | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sat 6 Nov 1976 | Leeds | 18-17 | Salford | Headingley | |||||||
2 | Sat 6 Nov 1976 | St Helens | 18-22 | Castleford | Knowsley Road | 2691 | [7] | |||||
3 | Sun 7 Nov 1976 | Blackpool Borough | 7-3 | Halifax | Borough Park | |||||||
4 | Sun 7 Nov 1976 | Hull F.C. | 19-5 | Bradford Northern | Boulevard | [5] | ||||||
5 | Sun 7 Nov 1976 | Oldham | 13-28 | Leigh | Watersheddings | 6 | ||||||
6 | Sun 7 Nov 1976 | Widnes | 10-0 | Featherstone Rovers | Naughton Park | [9] | ||||||
7 | Sun 7 Nov 1976 | Workington Town | 17-13 | Bramley | Derwent Park | |||||||
8 | Sun 7 Nov 1976 | York | 8-7 | Wigan | Clarence Street | 6503 | 7 | [3] |
Round 3 -Quarter Finals[10]
Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs
Game No | Fixture Date | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Venue | Att | Rec | Notes | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sat 20 Dec 1976 | Leeds | 14-20 | Castleford | Headingley | ||||||
2 | Sun 21 Dec 1976 | Leigh | 17-12 | Hull F.C. | Hilton Park | [5] | |||||
3 | Sun 21 Dec 1976 | Widnes | 13-10 | York | Naughton Park | [9] | |||||
4 | Sun 21 Dec 1976 | Workington Town | 5-11 | Blackpool Borough | Derwent Park |
Round 4 – Semi-Finals[10]
Involved 2 matches and 4 Clubs
Game No | Fixture Date | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Venue | Att | Rec | Notes | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sat 27 Dec 1976 | Castleford | 15-10 | Widnes | Wheldon Road | 8 | [9] | ||||
2 | Sat 11 Jan 1976 | Blackpool Borough | 15-5 | Leigh | Borough Park | 8 |
Final
Game No | Fixture Date | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Venue | Att | Rec | Notes | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday 22 January 1977 | Castleford | 25-15 | Blackpool Borough | The Willows | 4512 | 2919 | 9 | [11][12] |
Teams and Scorers[11][12]
Castleford | № | Blackpool Borough |
---|---|---|
teams | ||
Geoffrey Wraith | 1 | D. Reynolds |
Steve Fenton | 2 | D. Robinson |
John Joyner | 3 | J. Heritage |
Philip Johnson | 4 | P. Machen |
Trevor Briggs | 5 | Phil Pitman |
Bruce Burton | 6 | G. Marsh |
Gary Stephens | 7 | J. Newall |
Paul Kahn | 8 | James "Jimmy" Hamilton |
Robert Spurr | 9 | Howard Allen |
Alan Dickinson | 10 | J. Egan |
Mal Reilly | 11 | Paul Gamble |
Geoffrey "Sammy" Lloyd | 12 | K. Groves |
Steve 'Knocker' Norton | 13 | Malcolm Pattinson |
? Not used | 14 | C. Lamb (for Phil Pitman) |
? Not used | 15 | P. Hurst (for K. Groves) |
Coach | ||
25 | score | 15 |
HT | ||
Scorers | ||
Tries | ||
Geoffrey Wraith (1) | T | P. Machen (1) |
John Joyner (1) | T | Howard Allen (1) |
Philip Johnson (1) | T | J. Egan (1) |
Bruce Burton (1) | T | |
Gary Stephens (1) | T | |
Goals | ||
Geoffrey "Sammy" Lloyd (5) | G | J. Egan (3) |
Referee | Micheal "Mick" J. Naughton (Widnes) | |
Man of the match | Gary Stephens - Castleford - Scrum-half/Halfback | |
joint with | Howard Allen - Blackpool Borough - Hooker | |
Competition Sponsor | Player's №6 |
Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = one (1) point
Prize Money
As part of the sponsorship deal and funds, the prize money awarded to the competing teams for this season is as follows :-
Finish Position | Cash Prize | No. receiving prize | Total Cash | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | ? | 1 | ? | |
Runner-up | ? | 1 | ? | |
semi-finalist | ? | 2 | ? | |
loser in Rd 3 | ? | 4 | ? | |
loser in Rd 2 | ? | 8 | ? | |
Loser in Rd 1 | ? | 16 | ? | |
Grand Total |
Note - the author is unable to trace the award amounts for this season. Can anyone help ?
The road to success
This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures
First Round | Second Round | Third Round | Semi Finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Rochdale Hornets | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Salford | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ace Caravans | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Salford | 39 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hull KR | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
St Helens | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
St Helens | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
New Hunslet | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wakefield Trinity | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Featherstone Rovers | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Featherstone Rovers | 43 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Whitehaven | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
York | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Huyton | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
York | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
York | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 33 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Keighley | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Blackpool Borough | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Workington Town | 45 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Doncaster | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Workington Town | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bramley | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bramley | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Dewsbury | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Workington Town | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Blackpool Borough | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Blackpool Borough | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Barrow | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Blackpool Borough | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Halifax | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ovenden | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Halifax | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Blackpool Borough | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leigh | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Oldham | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Batley | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Oldham | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leigh | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leigh | 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Swinton | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leigh | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hull F.C. | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hull F.C. | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Warrington | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hull F.C. | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bradford Northern | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bradford Northern | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Huddersfield | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes
1 * Ovenden are a Junior (amateur) club from Halifax
2 * Ovenden were drawn at home but chose to give away home advantage
3 * Ace Caravans were a Junior (amateur) club from Hull
4 * Ace Caravans were drawn at home but chose to give away home advantage
5 * The Rothmans Yearbooks 1990-91[11] and 1991-92[12] gave the attendance as 3,037 but The News of the World/Empire News annual 1977-78[2] gave it as 3,680
6 * The News of the World/Empire News annual 1977-78[2] gives the score as 13-25 but other sources including RUGBYLEAGUEprojects,[1] Wigan official archives[3] give the score as 13-28
7 * Wigan's centre threequarter (No. 4) Bill Francis & York's second row (No. 11) Gary Hetherington were both sent off for fighting in the 78th Minute
8 * Wigan official website[10] states incorrectly that the match date was Saturday 27 November
9 * The Willows was the home ground of Salford with a final capacity of 11,363 which included 2,500 seats. The record attendance was 26,470 on the 13 February 1937 in the Challenge Cup first round match vs Warr
See also
- 1976-77 Northern Rugby Football League season
- 1976 Lancashire Cup
- 1976 Yorkshire Cup
- Player's No.6 Trophy
- Rugby league county cups
References
- 1 2 "Rugby League Project".
- 1 2 3 Frank Butler and Patrick Collins (1977). News of the World Football Annual 1977-78 - 91st year. News of the World Ltd.
- 1 2 3 4 "Wigan "Cherry and White" archived results".
- ↑ "Wigan "Cherry and White" J Player round 1 archived results".
- 1 2 3 "HULL&PROUD - Stats - Fixtures & Results".
- ↑ "Warrington Wolves - Results Archive - 1897". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02.
- 1 2 "Saints Heritage Society - History - Season 1896-97".
- ↑ "Wakefield until I die".
- 1 2 3 4 "Widnes Vikings - History - Season In Review - 1896-97".
- 1 2 3 4 "Wigan "Cherry and White" J Player round 2 onwards results".
- 1 2 3 Raymond Fletcher and David Howes (1990). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-1991. Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0 35617851 X.
- 1 2 3 Raymond Fletcher and David Howes (1991). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-1992. Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0 35617852 8.
External links
- Saints Heritage Society
- 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season at wigan.rlfans.com
- Hull&Proud Fixtures & Results 1896/1897
- Widnes Vikings - One team, one passion Season In Review - 1896-97
- The Northern Union at warringtonwolves.org
- Huddersfield R L Heritage
- Wakefield until I die