WHEN fans are asked to name classic Saints teams it is invariably the ones with a year ending in 6 that get the nod of approval.

It says much about the allure, attraction and prestige of the Challenge Cup that the exploits of the teams of 1956, 1966, 1976 and 1996 are instantly recalled and compared.

It may go some way in explaining why Saints’ Championship winning team of 1975 is often overlooked when discussing the great sides.

Eight members of that squad were presented to the crowd at half time last Friday, along with the ornate old League Championship trophy.

It was a historical season, the only time that Saints were crowned First Division champions in the pre-Super League period from 1973-74 up to 1995.

The statistics for that season were remarkable with Eric Ashton’s team winning 26 and drawing one of the 30 Division One matches to finish a remarkable 11 points clear of runners up Wigan.

Losing just three league matches was a remarkable feat, and standing out from that league table was the number of tries conceded over the course of the campaign – 36.

It was a talented team, with Geoff Pimblett a rock at full back missing one match and playing 43.

Prolific try scorers Les Jones and Roy Mathias operated on the flanks and knew their way over the whitewash.

Strong running Welshman Mathias powered in for 26 tries during that campaign, one more than Jones, and was assisted in his tally by the craft of John Walsh inside him.

The supremely gifted international centre Walsh was something of enigma, and underlined that by retiring early at the end of that season before his 29th birthday.

With the Knowsley Roaders’ backline also boasting Billy Benyon, Frank Wilson, David Hull and David Eckersley, with Jeff Heaton operating at half back with Kenny Gwilliam as able cover, it is no surprise that there were points in the side.

The pack contained a wealth of experience with a strong Welsh contingent in John Mantle, John Warlow, Chris Charles and skipper Kel Coslett, who kicked 120 goals that season.

Crucially charged with getting a good supply of ball was veteran Widnesian Tony Karalius The second row pairing of two Great Britain internationals in George Nicholls and Eric Chisnall underlined the quality of the Saints pack that was bolstered still further that February by the signing of Eddie Cunningham from Wigan.

Maybe the club’s disappointments in the many knockout competitions that season unfairly stopped the 1974-75 class of getting the recognition it deserved.

Workington Town knocked them out of Lancashire Cup, Salford pipped them in the BBC 2 Floodlit Trophy, second division side Swinton pipped them 7-6 in the John Player and Wakefield ended Saints’ Wembley dreams in the second round of Challenge Cup at Belle Vue. And the year ended with another cup defeat, losing the Premiership Final to Leeds 26-11.

But none of that should detract from the achievements of the only Saints side to win the First Division title during that first past the post, two division spell.