Sunday, 14 April 2013

The Story of Wembley 1983. Part X

Heroes! All the players involved throughout our 1983 Cup campaign.

Nigel Barker: 5 games, 2 tries. Solid as a rock full-back, Nigel contributed a couple of vital tries on the way to Wembley.
John Marsden: 5 games, 2 tries. Two priceless tries from John in the quarter and semi-finals sent Rovers through.
Steve Quinn: 5 games, 13 goals. Rovers greatest ever goals and points scorer, Steve enjoyed his finest hour at Wembley, kicking four goals from five shots.
John Gilbert: 5 games, 4 tries. In magnificent form during Rovers Cup run John was cynically removed from the final by a head-high tackle.
Ken Kellett: 5 games. Consistent wing-man who formed a bridge back to the 1973 final, Ken retired after the final.
Alan Banks: 5 games (1 as sub). Teenage sensation who grabbed the headlines, thrown in against mighty opposition and coped with it all.
Terry Hudson: 5 games, 3 tries. The master of ceremonies, club captain and on-field general who revelled in this Cup run.
Mick Gibbins: 5 games. Veteran tireless prop who enjoyed his benefit season during the amazing Cup run.
Ray Handscombe: 4 games. Vital ball-winner, Ray, like Ken Kellett, retired after the final.
Steve Hankins: 5 games. Hard man who alternated between prop and second-row throughout the Cup run to good effect.
David Hobbs: 5 games, 4 tries. Two tries in the first round, and two tries in the last from this strong running back-rower.
Tim Slatter: 3 games (2 as sub). Signed from Wakefield, straight into the team and plenty of aggression from this young forward.
Peter Smith: 5 games. Pack leader and exemplary player, Peter added real class to the side.
Paul Lyman: 1 game (1 as sub). A surprise choice of another talented teenager, Paul filled in at centre at Wembley off the bench.
Gary Siddall: 4 games (2 as sub). Likeable prop who started both quarter and semi-finals, Gary was on the bench for the final.
Neil Pickerill: 4 games (2 as sub). Played in every game except the final, Neil was kept out by Hudson’s switch to scrum-half.
Keith Bell: 3 games (2 as sub). Veteran forward who filled in at hooker and back-row during the Cup run, but missed out at Wembley.
Phil Johnson: 1 game, 1 try. Stand-off in the first round where an injury put paid to most of the rest of Phil’s season.

In five Cup games Rovers scored 74 points, made up of 16 tries and 13 goals.

The coaching and backroom staff were Allan Agar, Keith Goulding, Sam Windmill, Jimmy Williams and Trevor Walker.

2 comments:

  1. Alan Millward and Fred Living were also back room staff there too. Alan helped Jimmy williams carry John Gilbert off after one of the worst tackles in rugby league, before or since. Great blog by the way

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  2. It was supposed to say Fred Lavine by the way. Bloody predictive text

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