1984–85 John Player Special Trophy

1984–85 John Player Special Trophy
StructureNational knockout championship
Teams38
WinnersHull Kingston Rovers
Runners-upHull F.C.

This was the fourteenth season for the League Cup, which was again known as the John Player Special Trophy for sponsorship purposes.

Hull Kingston Rovers claimed the trophy by beating their local rivals Hull F.C. by the score of 12–0 in the final. The match was played at Boothferry Park, Kingston upon Hull on 26 January 1985 and the attendance was 25,326. Gate receipts were £69,355 (equivalent to £265,000 in 2023).[1]

As of October 2024, this marked the last time that Hull Kingston Rovers won a major trophy in a final. Most recently in the Super League era, Hull Kingston Rovers lost the 2024 Super League Grand Final against the Wigan Warriors, who also claimed the 2024 season's League Leader's Shield, as well as the 2015 and 2023 Challenge Cup Finals to Leeds Rhinos and Leigh Leopards respectively.

Background

This season saw several changes in the entrants:

  1. Cardiff City Blue Dragons were renamed Bridgend Blue Dragons and Kent Invicta were renamed Southend Invicta
  2. Mansfield Marksman and Sheffield Eagles joined the league and also the competition
  3. Huyton changed their name to Runcorn Highfield and moved from Alt Park, Huyton to Canal Street, Runcorn
  4. and the re-introduction of the invitation to two junior clubs.

This involved an increase in entrants to thirty-eight, in turn resulting in a six-match, 12-club preliminary round to reduce the number of clubs taking part in the first round proper to thirty-two.

Competition and results

[2][3]

Preliminary round

Involved six matches and 12 clubs

Game No. Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Attend Rec Notes Ref
1 Fri 2 Nov 1984 Myson (Hull) 2-8 Dewsbury Boulevard [a]
2 Sun 4 Nov 1984 Bramley 20-6 Southend Invicta McLaren Field 572
3 Sun 4 Nov 1984 Keighley 24-10 Bradford Dudley Hill Lawkholme Lane 1570 [b], [c]
4 Sun 4 Nov 1984 Sheffield Eagles 17-6 Wakefield Trinity Owlerton Stadium 1279 [d] [6]
5 Wed 7 Nov 1984 Carlisle 8-26 Bradford Northern Brunton Park 1215 [e]
6 Wed 7 Nov 1984 Hunslet 2-6 Workington Town Elland Road 719 [e]

[7]

Round 1 – First round

[7] Involved 16 matches and 32 clubs

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1 Sat 17 Nov 1984 Hull Kingston Rovers 32-5 Leigh Craven Park (1) 4541 [f]
2 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Bradford Northern 22-1 Swinton Odsal 3712
3 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Bramley 12-10 Blackpool Borough McLaren Field 653
4 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Bridgend Blue Dragons 4-42 Castleford Coychurch Road, Bridgend 1803 [g]
5 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Dewsbury 14-8 Salford Crown Flatt 1176
6 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Featherstone Rovers 17-12 Barrow Post Office Road 1651
7 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Fulham 14-36 Hull F.C. Polytechnic of Central London 2324 [h] [8]
8 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Leeds 50-2 Sheffield Eagles Headingley 4881
9 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Rochdale Hornets 10-8 Mansfield Marksman Athletic Grounds 620
10 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Runcorn Highfield 18-5 Batley Alt Park, Huyton 760
11 Sun 18 Nov 1984 St. Helens 60-8 Keighley Knowsley Road 5145 [9]
12 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Warrington 5-17 Halifax Wilderspool 4171 [10]
13 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Whitehaven 64-0 Doncaster Recreation Ground 1717 [i]
14 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Wigan 50-6 Huddersfield Barracudas Central Park 7375 [3][11]
15 Sun 18 Nov 1984 Workington Town 12-22 Widnes Derwent Park 1010 [12]
16 Sun 18 Nov 1984 York 6-22 Oldham Clarence Street 2504

Round 2 – Second round

[13] Involved 8 matches and 16 clubs

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1 Sat 1 Dec 1984 Leeds 10-4 Wigan Headingley 9261 [3]
2 Sun 2 Dec 1984 Bradford Northern 12-12 St. Helens Odsal 9419 [9]
3 Sun 2 Dec 1984 Bramley 33-5 Whitehaven McLaren Field 1358
4 Sun 2 Dec 1984 Dewsbury 31-16 Runcorn Highfield Crown Flatt 1242
5 Sun 2 Dec 1984 Halifax 20-18 Castleford Thrum Hall 4784
6 Sun 2 Dec 1984 Hull F.C. 26-14 Oldham Boulevard 11500 [j] [8]
7 Sun 2 Dec 1984 Hull Kingston Rovers 34-12 Rochdale Hornets Craven Park (1) 4835
8 Sun 2 Dec 1984 Widnes 28-10 Featherstone Rovers Naughton Park 3850 [12]

Round 2 – Second round replays

Involved one match and two clubs

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Attend Rec Notes Ref
1 Wed 5 Dec 1984 St. Helens 24–10 Bradford Northern Knowsley Road 10156 [9]

Round 3 – Quarter-finals

Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs:[13]

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1 Sat 22 Dec 1984 St. Helens 8–14 Halifax Knowsley Road 5,768 [9]
2 Sun 23 Dec 1984 Dewsbury 8–22 Hull F.C. Crown Flatt 7,197 [14]
3 Sun 23 Dec 1984 Hull Kingston Rovers 14–6 Widnes Craven Park 7,710 [15]
4 Sun 23 Dec 1984 Leeds 28–14 Bramley Headingley 6,404

Round 4 – Semi-finals

Involved two matches and four clubs:[13]

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Attend Rec Notes Ref
1 Sat 29 Dec 1984 Hull Kingston Rovers 14–8 Halifax Headingley 6,390 [16]
2 Sat 5 Jan 1985 Hull F.C. 18–6 Leeds Boothferry Park 13,214 [17]

Final

1985 John Player Special Trophy Final
26 January 1985
12:00 GMT (UTC+0)
Hull F.C. 0 – 12 Hull Kingston Rovers
Tries: 0
 1st: 0 – 8
2nd: 0 – 4
Report
 Tries: 3
Hogan rugby ball 18'
Prohm rugby ball 23'
Clark rugby ball 72'
Goals: 0
Fairbairn rugby goalposts icon (0/3)
Hull F.C. Position Hull Kingston Rovers
1 Gary Kemble downward-facing red arrow 21' Fullback 1 George Fairbairn
2 Steve Evans Wing 2 Garry Clark rugby ball 72'
3 Fred Ah Kuoi Centre 3 Ian Robinson
4 James Leuluai Centre 4 Gary Prohm rugby ball 23'
5 Dane O'Hara Wing 5 David Laws
6 David Topliss (c) Stand-off 6 Mike Smith
7 Peter Sterling Scrum-half 7 Paul Harkin
8 Phil Edmonds downward-facing red arrow 64' Prop 8 Mark Broadhurst
9 Shaun Patrick Hooker 9 David Watkinson (c)
10 Paul Rose Prop 10 Asuquo Ema
11 Chris Burton Second-row 11 Lee Crooks
12 Wayne Proctor Second-row 12 Phil Hogan rugby ball 18'
13 Gavin Miller Loose forward 13 Gary Divorty
14 Garry Schofield upward-facing green arrow 21' Interchange 14 John Lydiat
15 Andy Dannatt upward-facing green arrow 64' 15 Len Casey
England Arthur Bunting Head coach England Roger Millward

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 ?
Loser in prelim round ? ? ?
Grand total

The road to success

This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures

First round Second round Third round Semi-finals Final
               
Hull Kingston Rovers 32
Leigh 5
Hull Kingston Rovers 35
Rochdale Hornets 12
Rochdale Hornets 10
Mansfield Marksman 8
Hull Kingston Rovers 14
Widnes 6
Workington Town 12
Widnes 22
Widnes 28
Featherstone Rovers 10
Featherstone Rovers 17
Barrow 12
Hull Kingston Rovers 14
Halifax 8
Bradford Northern 22
Swinton 1
Bradford Northern 12 (10)
St. Helens 12 (24)
St. Helens 60
Keighley 8
St. Helens 8
Halifax 14
Warrington 5
Halifax 17
Halifax 20
Castleford 18
Bridgend Blue Dragons 4
Castleford 42
Hull Kingston Rovers 12
Hull 0
Dewsbury 14
Salford 8
Dewsbury 31
Runcorn Highfield 16
Runcorn Highfield 18
Batley 5
Dewsbury 8
Hull 22
Fulham 14
Hull 36
Hull 26
Oldham 14
York 6
Oldham 22
Hull 18
Leeds 6
Leeds 50
Sheffield Eagles 2
Leeds 10
Wigan 4
Wigan 50
Huddersfield Barracudas 6
Leeds 28
Bramley 14
Bramley 12
Blackpool Borough 10
Bramley 33
Whitehaven 5
Whitehaven 64
Doncaster 0

Notes

  1. ^ Myson are a Junior (amateur) club from Hull.
  2. ^ Bradford Dudley Hill are a Junior (amateur) club from Bradford.
  3. ^ Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-1991[4] and 1991-92,[5] and the Rugby League Project[2] gives score as 24-10, but Wigan official archives[3] gives it as 24-8
  4. ^ Rugby League Project[2] and Wakefield Till I Die[6] give the score as 17-6 but Wigan official archives[3] gives it as 17-8
  5. ^ a b This fixture not shown on Wigan official archives[7]
  6. ^ Rugby League Project[2] give score as 32-5 but Wigan official archives[3] gives it as 32-6
  7. ^ Rugby League Project[2] give score as 4-42 but Wigan official archives [3] gives it as 4-34
  8. ^ Venue possibly Crystal Palace NSC or Chiswick Poly Sports Ground.
  9. ^ The highest winning margin to date between professional clubs.
  10. ^ Rugby League Project[2] and Hull official archives[8] give score as 26-14 but Wigan official archives[3] gives it as 23-14
  11. ^ The attendance at this final was a new record, which would never be beaten in the competition.

See also

References

  1. ^ Sexton, John (28 January 1985). "Sweet revenge: Rovers power to Trophy triumph". Hull Daily Mail. p. 13. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Rugby League Project".
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Wigan "Cherry and White" archived results".
  4. ^ Raymond Fletcher and David Howes (1990). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91. Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0 35617851 X.
  5. ^ Raymond Fletcher and David Howes (1991). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92. Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0 35617852 8.
  6. ^ a b "Wakefield until I die".
  7. ^ a b c "Wigan "Cherry and White" J Player Rd 1 archived results".
  8. ^ a b c "HULL&PROUD - Stats - Fixtures & Results".
  9. ^ a b c d "Saints Heritage Society - History - Season 1896-97".
  10. ^ "Warrington Wolves - Results Archive - 1897". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02.
  11. ^ "Huddersfield Rugby League Heritage" (PDF).
  12. ^ a b "Widnes Vikings - History - Season In Review - 1896-97".
  13. ^ a b c "Wigan "Cherry and White" J Player Rd 2 onwards archived results".
  14. ^ Tingle, Richard (24 December 1984). "Hull had too much guile". Hull Daily Mail. p. 12. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Sexton, John (24 December 1984). "Second-half revival sees KR through". Hull Daily Mail. p. 12. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Sexton, John (29 December 1984). "Rovers recover to reach final". Hull Daily Mail. p. 13. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Tingle, Richard (7 January 1985). "Emphatic victory answers critics". Hull Daily Mail. p. 14. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Newspapers.com.