Eagles Historical 1984-1989

I rapidly became disillusioned with soccer in the 1980s, which more or less coincided with the (difficult) birth of Sheffield Eagles RLFC. So, after another dull 0-0 draw I popped along the next day to see my first Eagles game - they had already played a few games, winning the first one then going on to mostly lose the next ones. Expecting to see lots of points, the half-time score in this game was 1-0, through a drop goal. Eagles lost that game, but I was hooked and from then on, apart from an away game in Whitehaven, I think, I didn't miss one game home or away for two seasons.

I can remember successive Wednesday night away trips to Barrow & Whitehaven; Fulham during the London Marathon; having a pint thrown over me at Leigh; going to Batley the night before having to get up at 7am the next day for the Challenge Cup final at Wembley; sunbathing in Dewsbury (!); lots of rain; John Calvert who ran the busses to away games; Pat Parkinson & her husband who ran the supporters club.

Anyone else from those pioneering days ? Owlerton ? Trying to speak french to visitors from Roanne; that fantastic day when we beat Donnie away in front of 3000 partisan fans and their mudbath of a pitch; John Glancy ? Derek Bridgeman ? Top blokes.

The humiliation of defeat, the only ones to lose to Bridgend and the subsequent letter written to all of the supporters whom had gone to Wales that day, written by Gary Hetherington...?

Sorry for being boring....

I was in London the day they won the cup. My wife and I were browsing in a shop on Carnaby Street when the result came over the radio. We couldn't believe it! The commentator on Radio 5 said it was the biggest upset ever. We were so pleased that we went and got drunk in a nice London pub

I went as a guest of the sponsor when the Eagles beat Wigan (then by far the best team in the country and probably the world). We sat in the Directors box and the sponsor, Mick Lee, gave out old fashioned football rattles and told the kids on our party to make as much noise as they wanted as long as they shouted for Sheffield. He then sat them immediately behind the Wigan Directors. When Eagles won he was absolutely ecstatic.

Fabulous day out.

I went to the opening game at Owlerton against Rochdale Hornets. Saw a few other games, some away including that Doncaster game but it was poor fry compared to Hull FC at that time.

The Wembley triumph of the Eagles against Wigan was astonishing.

Another name from those early days was Mark Gamson.

First home match at don valley 8th Feb go down & cheer the lads on

Gamson - a honest bloke who played just about every position (apart from front row). Paul McDermott- class; Roy Rafferty - they talk about Wilkinson booting them over but Rafferty could do just as good a job, scoring from all over the pitch. But my favourite would always be John Glancy.

The first Old Trafford Final was something else; ok, the Eagles were a curtain raiser for the main game, but still, the performance of Daryl Powell etc to win that game was the sign that the Eagles really had arrived on the rugby scene

i used to take my nephew regularily , one day up in the stands he asked me why a player had done something ,being a union man i hadn't a clue . behind us was nick grimaldi he then spent he rest of the match explaining the finer points to him .the result he is now in the eagles academy