By Saints historian Alex Service HOW fitting it is to see the Saints back at Wembley to celebrate the 100th Challenge Cup Final.

It seems hard to believe that when the competition was first launched in 1897, Batley were our opponents - and the pride of the White Rose county!

The Saints were unlikely finalists, showing indifferent form in the league. Yet the team really pulled out the stops in the new cup competition, defeating Lees, deadly rivals Wigan, Tyldesley and Swinton on their way to the Headingley showdown.

The Saints' team and officials caught the ten past nine train to Leeds, arriving at noon, where they were taken to Headingley by horse-drawn carriage.

The Saints of 1897 were a superstitious lot and wore what the Athletic News described as 'Faded and washed out blue and white hooped jerseys,' which they had worn during the earlier rounds. Mind you, it was unlikely that the hard-up St Helens committee would have purchased a new set anyhow! Both teams lined up together for the cameras. Batley in three rows of five, in immaculate brand new white shirts and black shorts-don't forget it was still 15-a-side in those days- and the Saints sort of ... posed in a less conventional manner, complete with their dwarf mascot! Eat your heart out St Bernard!

The St Helens captain, Tom Foulkes, grandfather of former Manchester United centre half Billy, won the toss and decided to take advantage of the strong breeze. Yet the mobile Batley pack began to dominate and soon the first-ever points were scored ... a drop-goal by Batley stand-off Oakland. Batley went further into the lead shortly afterwards. Who says the cross-kick is a modern Bobbie Goulding invention? Winger Wattie Davies cross-kicked for his captain John Goodall, who caught the ball and cantered over the line. Saints' skipper Foulkes insisted he was off-side, but there were no TV replays to back him up then! Just after half-time, the crowd was swelled by several hundred St Helens supporters, whose special excursion trains had taken well over three hours to complete the journey to Leeds. Despite losing stand off Little, the Saints gave the 'Gallant Youths' a real fright in the third quarter. A sliced drop-goal from Goodall was fielded by Saints' Cumbrian winger 'Bob' Doherty, who shrugged off two attempted tacklers. A dummy to the supporting Jacques, a quick turn and a lovely timed pass fizzed out to Dave Traynor on the right wing.

The auburn haired Widnesian - the Anthony Sullivan of his day - ran at full pace along the touchline, brushing aside three white-shirted tacklers, before touching down as close to the posts as he could. Unfortunately, the conversion was missed and Batley secured the game with a 'forward rush' try so typical of the game in those days.

The final result? 10-3 to the Yorkshiremen. The Saints ruefully collected their runner's up medals and reflected on what might have been.

David Traynor received special praise for his marvellous score.

A most disconsolate Tommy Foulkes sportingly congratulated his opposite number and the magnificent trophy - the same as today, of course - was presented to Batley skipper J B Goodall by Mrs Walker, wife of the President of the Northern Union. The Saints ruefully collected their runner's up medals and reflected on what might have been.

From those early beginnings in front of 13,492 at Headingley, the Challenge Cup has grown into Rugby League's most famous knock-out competition, worth thousands of pounds to the winners. Hard to believe that receipts from that first final totalled just £624!

The players were smaller too! The average St Helens player in 1897 would be 5 feet 7 inches in height, weighing 11 stone 11 pounds! The average height and weight of the Saints' team which played Leeds in the 1972 final is 13 stone four pounds, 5 feet 9 inches in height! Doubtless the Batley team of 1897 would have faced a second row forward like John Mantle - 6' 2" and 15st 4lbs with great respect and more than a little trepidation! Although the Saints lost that first final, they had played their part in creating history. Now, a century later, the club is about to make an historic return to Wembley for it's first back-to-back final - and a second Roses clash to boot! Don't know about you ... but I can hardly wait!

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