Widnes' First Game.

[Peter]

In 1895 when the breakaway from RU took place, does anyone know who Widnes played for their first fixture?

[prehensile]

I think we lost to either Runcorn or Leeds and the score 15-4 rings a bell.  Would need to cheat and use Google to be sure though.

[Peter]

I think we lost to either Runcorn or Leeds and the score 15-4 rings a bell.  Would need to cheat and use Google to be sure though.

Good answer. It was away to Runcorn, which was a long way away. No bus across!  My Grandfather was there!

[Rafe Wrench]

I think we lost to either Runcorn or Leeds and the score 15-4 rings a bell.  Would need to cheat and use Google to be sure though.

On that point, how on earth did teams and supporters get to away games Yorkshire in say 1897? Could only have been by rail? Can't see em doing the Wells Fargo across the tops through places like Diggle and Denshaw.

[Peter]

On that point, how on earth did teams and supporters get to away games Yorkshire in say 1897? Could only have been by rail? Can't see em doing the Wells Fargo across the tops through places like Diggle and Denshaw.

I went to watch Hull in the early fifties -- on the train from Liverpool. The train took about 5 hours. It was freezing cold and we lost.

[Rafe Wrench]

Plus ça change, Peter!

So, changing subject slightly, what was the club's first ever game in 1873 then? And why are the present-day Wids sometimes referred to as 'Old Wids'?

[HopeThisHelps]

So, changing subject slightly, what was the club's first ever game in 1873 then? And why are the present-day Wids sometimes referred to as 'Old Wids'?

Seems that the club was formed in 1875 not 1873 and the first game may have been against Northwich Victoria in January 1876.

http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/page.php?id=637

[Banky Old Boy]

Seems that the club was formed in 1875 not 1873 and the first game may have been against Northwich Victoria in January 1876.

http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/page.php?id=637

I think we were called Farnworth and appleton then

[Peter]

Plus ça change, Peter!

So, changing subject slightly, what was the club's first ever game in 1873 then? And why are the present-day Wids sometimes referred to as 'Old Wids'?

When I was young, which was a long time ago, the Old Widnesians were the Rugby Union team, mostly comprised of ex-WDGS players. I do remember Kevin Higgins, teacher at Fisher-More was an excellent scrum half for them. They played at Heath Road.

A bit of research tells me that the club was founded in 1924 as the Widnes Secondary Schools Old Boys and changed its name in 1959 to the Widnes RUFC.  You could get a fair pint at the clubhouse and it was always packed on Saturday nights.

[Wirralviking]

Although it seems strange now given the way the two towns went, in terms of sporting interests, but Widnes were very much the poor relation to Runcorn in the early days of the Northern Union.  Runcorn were the better side with the Jolley brothers (I think ) being their star players.

I remember my parents reciting the chants of their youth about Widnes - Runcorn rivalry, which I never quite understood, but went something like this "Who put the pig on the wall - Runcorn, who knocked it off - Widnes" (or it could have been the other way round!).  This could of course have been about something other than Rugby since Runcorn were forced to fold in 1918 (which just about fits in with my parents very early years in Widnes).

[geoffw]

Yes my father used to recite that tale to me. He never explained what it meant though or what it refwerred to. I guess he just heard other youths saying it? Does anyone else know what it meant.

The other rivalry saying he used to quote was. In Runcorn they turn the gas off when they turn the bacon over!

[BEANO]

In the 1937 Wembley programme Keighley V Widnes it states " The first gate at the opening match of the Widnes club was 5s  6d.