I watched a cup tie at Canal Street where Runcorn were within 4 points of Bradford with minutes to go. Keith Mumby scored a late try to give Northern a flattering scoreline in the end.

I was there at the Greyhound Stadium with the NFL goal posts in '75. I think we played them in both cup runs of '74 and '75 at that ground. Rochdale's Athletic Ground was another that had an unusual feel for an RL stadium.

One thing I do remember from my travels then (the only time I frequently travelled away) is that Warrington were very much disliked - most if it was good-natured banter, but there was a lot of hatred from some fans in places you would not really expect e.g Hull, Featherstone.



Was it my imagination and some fans are like that whoever is visiting? Why are Warrington hated even when they are mediocre?

I assume that you're talking 70's to early 80's?

This was 90s mostly.



I understand why we are disliked now - rich owner, (some) arrogant fans.



I understand why we may have been disliked in the 80s - dirty team (Les Boyd, Alan Rathbone etc).



Never really knew why we were badly received in some places in the 90s though (apart from the obvious local rivals).

We had a considerable hooligan element in the 70's and 80's, but it had died out in the 90's. I suppose fans of other teams were sick of getting their stadiums and town centres damaged whenever we went there.

The worst violence I saw was at Wigan and Widnes. These two teams plus the Hull sides also had their share of nutters. A lot of these weren't interested in the actual game.

Someone mentioned Alan Rathbone. Before he turned professional I remember seeing him being questioned by police outside Wigan NW station after a game at Central Park, asking him about his bleeding knuckles. Used to go by the nickname of "action".

As for the arrogant Wire tag, it's just nice to have something to be arrogant about.

??

Can't think of any, now that the boulevard and fartown have gone.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Family-Game-Un ... 1903158621

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Family-Game-Un ... 1903158621

I remember going watching Warrington at the Willows which i think was the last game before Salford moved to Barton. It was an evening game & the ground looked quite spectacular when the Salford fans set the score board on fire.

Quote Miro="Miro"Have you seen the book "The grounds of rugby league" printed in the 80s or 90s?'" I got this book, as suggested, and am reading it now. I think it may have answered an earlier question as to Wire being hated. One incident: A derby at Widnes in 1988 when apparently a players' brawl spilled into the terraces and fans got stuck in too. I'm amazed I never heard about this. Coincidentally, there is also a write-up of Warrington vs Wigan 'World War III' match in today's Guardian, which I had heard about but had missed by a few years. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/ ... gby-league

Quote Miro="Miro"Have you seen the book "The grounds of rugby league" printed in the 80s or 90s?'" I got this book, as suggested, and am reading it now. I think it may have answered an earlier question as to Wire being hated. One incident: A derby at Widnes in 1988 when apparently a players' brawl spilled into the terraces and fans got stuck in too. I'm amazed I never heard about this. Coincidentally, there is also a write-up of Warrington vs Wigan 'World War III' match in today's Guardian, which I had heard about but had missed by a few years. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/ ... gby-league