A DYNAMIC duo of Test stars who enjoyed leading roles in Saints' greatest triumphs of the 1960s before starring with Cronulla have made the return 12,000-mile trip to receive the Knowsley Road club's ultimate accolade.

For man-mountain prop Cliff Watson and pocket-battleship scrum-half Tommy Bishop were installed into the Saints' Hall of Fame at the annual dinner of the Past Players Association at Knowsley Road on Friday.

The Saints' board and PPA linked with Cronulla to set up the nostalgic 'homecoming' of Cliff and Tommy, and they received a rapturous welcome from a full-house 200-strong audience.

Both were clearly moved at being elected to Saints' exclusive clique courtesy of chairman Eric Ashton, with 'Bish' recalling the days when he dreamed of playing for his home-town club, but didn't think he stood a chance with Alex Murphy around.

"So I signed for Blackpool Borough and then Barrow, and I couldn't believe it when Saints came for me in 1966, and with Alex in the centre, we won no fewer than four trophies."

Now tipping the scale at 20 stone, Cockney Cliff Watson re-lived the day when he answered Saints' newspaper advertisement in 1960, a time which proved a turning point in his career after Rugby Union with the Kingswinford side.

"It was a marvellous gesture by all concerned to bring Tommy and myself all the way from Australia to be here tonight, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," said Watson who, like Bishop, is now aged 57.

Inevitably an occasion knee-deep in nostalgia in being a time to chew over battles won and lost, characters remembered and epic tries recalled, this PPA highpoint was organised by secretary Geoff Pimblett and compered by Ray French.

And this18th yearly 'bash' was graced by other Hall of Fame members in Steve Llewellyn, Austin Rhodes, Duggie Greenall, Kel Coslett, John Mantle and Billy, with apologies being received from Harry Cook, Glyn Moses and Eric Chisnall.

For the record the remaining stars to be dubbed with Saints' most coveted honour are Alf Ellaby, Jack Arkwright, Jim Sullivan, Jimmy Stott, George Nicholls, Vince Karalius and Alex Murphy.

As ever there was goodly representation from the Past Players' Associations of other clubs, including Trevor Foster (Bradford), Bill Kindon and Mick Martyn (Leigh), Ken Kelly and Alistair Brindle (Warrington) plus Tommy Leyland and Alan Davies of Oldham.

The good wishes of the Association were extended to other HOF stalwarts Stan McCormick and Alan Prescott, who are in hospital, while there was the customary silence for members Brian Briggs, Tommy Stott, Vint Matthews and Vint Moran, who died during the year.

Main speaker was Saints' coach Shaun McRae, who gave a fascinating insight of his life in Rugby League both in his native Australia and at Knowsley Road, while other distinguished guests were RL board of directors member Harry Jepson and Crunalla chief executive Shaun Richardson.

The revelry and bonhomie continued well into the small hours and was brought to a fittingly patriotic finale by one Douglas Greenall with a rendering 'Land of Hope and Glory' - stirring stuff indeed!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.