GIVEN Saints' soaring successes and Bobbie Goulding's peerless performances in1996, suggestions that the season so far has been rather more traumatic for the skipper might appear an understatement.

The new campaign dawned with Bobbie in contract dispute with Saints, and this was followed by a transfer request - later withdrawn - but little was Goulding to know that he was about to suffer arguably the most savage blow of his career.

For after being dismissed for a high tackle in the Challenge Cup clash against Wigan, the brilliant Test scrum-half was suspended for eight matches which, although reduced to six on appeal, was nonetheless a staggering penalty.

Bobbie returned to captain the Saints in Paris and was quickly back into his stride as the Knowsley Road team swept to victory, but further heartache was hanging over Goulding. And it fell at Headingley last month when, after Goulding had grabbed last-gap try to give Saints the scent of victory, he hit a post with the vital conversion attempt. But Bobbie has put the recent past behind him as he braces himself to lead Saints to successive Challenge Cup victories at Wembley for the first time, and against the same opposition

It is now a matter of history that Bobbie had a major role in bringing Saints' back from the dead when they trailed 26-12 with 20 minutes remaining against Bradford Bulls in last year's showdown. They say that lightning does not strike twice in the same place, but Goulding proceeded to prove that it does even more often than that by launching THREE 'bombs' to the posts, which deceived Bulls' full-back Nathan Graham and resulted in Saints regaining a lead they did not lose.

Looking ahead to the Knowsley Road side's repeat visit to the Twin Towers on Saturday Bobbie said: "As with Bradford, our lads will have benefited from last year's experience, and although 12 months have passed Saints have still managed to keep the average age of the side down to around 23.

"Danny Arnold, Keiron Cunningham and Andy Haigh are all under 21; Julian O'Neill, Steve Prescott and Chris Morley are not much more, while there is no shortage of experience when one remembers the likes of Anthony Sullivan, Alan Hunte, Tommy Martyn and Chris Joynt,' added Goulding, a mere stripling at 25.

"So it's all systems go on Saturday, and although we are second favourites with Saints' form having slipped a litte of late, I have no doubt that our coach Shaun McRae will ensure the preparation is spot-on and the players are quietly confident the Challenge Cup will be coming back to Knowsley Road.

"It will be no more than our supporters deserve because they have stood by the team through thick and thin, and the lads know that, win or lose, the ground will be packed for the home-coming celebrations on Sunday," ended Bobbie Goulding.

And there are few more familiar with Wembley's unique atmosphere than Bobbie, for he has played there on no fewer than eight occasions, kicking-off as a member of the Widnes Schoolboy under-11 team in the curtain-raiser of 1983. As well as last year, Goulding earned winners medals for Wigan against Warrington in 1990 and versus Saints 12 months later. He was also in the Widnes side defeated by Wigan in 1993, with his other appearances beneath the Twin Towers being in Test matches and World Cup games.

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