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Cup clash will stir many memories
A cup semi-final looms this Sunday - Halifax versus Widnes.
That's sure to bring back memories indeed of 1987 for that generation of Fax fans who the club are desperate to lure back.
That was the challenge cup semi-final played at Headingley in front of over 16,000 spectators and Chris Anderson's Fax continued the daydream of the previous year's championship success by winning 12-8 to reach Wembley.
In many ways this was the side that most Halifax fans of that generation would name if asked do so.
Household names if only in Calderdale!
It was a team assembled over the previous couple of years after the amazing Australian influx of 1984/85, recorded by Andrew Hardcastle as Graham Eadie, Scott Wilson, Colin Whitfield, Grant Rix, Wilf George, Anderson, Gary Stephens, Ben Beevers, Seamus McCallion, Keith Neller, Paul Dixon, Mick Scott and John Pendlebury with the substitutes being Brian Juliffe and Neil James.
Strangely enough neither of the subs named took to the pitch and you will get long odds against that happening this weekend.
This despite Anderson getting a painful whack in the ribs which caused him to pass out in the dressing room afterwards, along with the crush from journalists desperate for a quote from the architect of the triumph.
No stage managed post match press conferences in those days!
One of the newest recruits had been full back Eadie, lured out of retirement by Chris Anderson after three years in retirement following a glittering career with Manly and Australia.
"Wombat" actually did the unthinkable in this match and knocked on in the shadow of his own posts with a mere five minutes remaining but Fax held on for victory.
The Aussies always tend to come up with inventive nicknames.
The dictionary definition of Wombat is that of a slow cuddly beast with a large head....but he, wife Barbara and the kids soon settled into life in Calderdale.
Eadie had had to be something special to fill the number one jersey worn by Joe Kilroy during that 1985/86 championship season and excelled in that cup run, scoring tries in every round up the semi-final against Fulham, Hunslet and Hull KR.
Another new boy was Pendlebury who forced his way over for a try from close range. He had only arrived at Thrum Hall the previous November for a bargain 23,000 from Salford and swelled the ranks of former Wigan players already there like Scott, Stephens, Whitfield and Juliffe.
We all know what the pair of them achieved at Wembley.
But at least we saw his try.
Grant Rix's effort wide on the left was all but missed by the BBC who only caught the latter part of the move.
It was a remarkable achievement.
A mere three years earlier Colin Dixon's side had earned promotion to the top flight by beating Rochdale at Thrum Hall. That was in front of fewer than 1000 people.
Now the club found themselves organising special trains whilst the players were being fitted for their suits.....
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Weather for Halifax
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to -1 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
