Eddie Cunningham: Wembley 1976 highlight in Saints career

Last week he spoke about signing for Wigan from Pilkington Recs - this week the piece focuses on signing for Saints and his first Wembley win.

Cunningham had enjoyed five-and-a-half years at Central Park, but in early 1975 he was approached by his former coach Eric Ashton, who had gone to Saints, via Leeds.

He explains: “Ash came up to me after a Saints Wigan game and asked if I fancied coming to Saints.

“It made me happy – but I felt a bit guilty then because I had to put a transfer request in and could not think of a reasonable excuse after being there for so long.

“I was put on the list for £5,000 – which was a lot of money then, but Saints came in straight away.

“The night the deal was done I told my taxi to stop at my parents’ house in Penrith Road.

“It was about 1am and my mam opened the door and wondered what was happening, “My dad was in bed and put the light on and woke him up.

“He said, ‘This had better be good’.

“So when I told him I’d signed for Saints he jumped out of bed and gave me a big hug.

“I’ll never forget it because he loved that. “He died young, my dad, but at least he got the pleasure of coming down to Saints watching me play.

“That was the start of a fabulous four-and-a-half years at Knowsley Road.”

He slotted into the second row of that team that was already well on course for winning the First Division Championship.

Kel Coslett had moved up to prop, with George Nicholls slotting into the loose forward role.

Half way through his second season coach Ashton switched Cunningham to centre - initially to cover injuries.

But given one of his strongest assets was his pace – he took to it immediately and was soon scoring tries for fun.

When the injured players returned, Cunningham requested to stay in the centres, with Ashton shuffling the team accordingly.

It paid dividends and his try tally was in the 30s for the last three seasons.

But in his time in the red vee, there would have to be one big highlight - scoring the first try in Saints’ 1976 Wembley win over Widnes.

Cunningham explains: “Widnes were favourites and had the audacity to call us Dad’s Army in the papers.

“Reggie Bowden said they’d have to take the scoreboard down and put a cricket scoreboard.

“This was our Dad’s Army – but John Mantle, Tony Karalius and Kel Coslett – some of best players in the country.”

Having enjoyed the build up to his first of four Wembleys, the minute the team coach hit the crowds he had a ‘must-win’ mentality.

“You could see the red and whites and the black and whites.

“You had all the kids holding their dads hands waving at you.

“In my head, was ‘what are these going to think if we get beat?’ “Even when we were in the changing rooms getting the last minute instructions all that was through my head was we had to do for those kids watching us.

“We performed really well on the day.”

It was a tight game, played in the baking heat of the national stadium.

And it was one in which Cunningham powered on to a Billy Benyon ball to score the opening try of the match.

“I knew what Billy was going to do with that ball when he broke, and that is when I revved up.

“I had pace and as soon as I got that there was only one place I was going to go,” he said.

Despite the sweltering conditions, it was the old heads in the Saints ranks who were producing the masterclass on how to play the conditions.

“Our forwards were terrific that day.

“They were more professional than anyone else, and they needed to be.

“At 12 noon it was 100 degrees in middle of pitch, it was still very hot when we went out.

“A lot of the players got weighed before and after.

“Davy Hull, for example, lost just under a stone that day – that showed what effort he had put.

“We were shovelling salt tablets and as much water on board as we could.

“Our forwards were knocking Widnes about and we were always on top…and I thought ‘Dad’s Army are doing quite well’.

“Widnes were a lot more tired than us as they had to do a lot more tackling and running around.

“Nick Nelson got knocked about so much they had to take him off. Even Widnes centre Mick George had a really big gash on his face too. It was a tough game.”

Jeff Heaton added Saints’ second with 12 minutes to go but Peter Glynn’s late brace added some gloss to the scoreline.

Cunningham recalls: “Once we got the third try to put us 15-5 up I was walking back with Davy Hull.

“We and been classmates and had played in same Rivington Road school team, then at Pilks and now we were both here – walking back to the half way line with the Saints winning at Wembley.

“You couldn’t make it up.

“I turned around and said, ‘What do you think mate?’ – and he answered, ‘I hope it goes on for another hour!’ “You say daft things, but the crowd were singing and buzzing – we knew we had won, they were not coming back, they were on their knees. That killed them.

“When Glynny scored the fourth that was the icing on the cake.

“He produced a bit of class – he was a Widnes lad as well with plenty to prove.

“After the game, the champagne, laughs, the jokes - it is amazing.

“You are floating but everything is happening too quick.”

Those celebrations continued the following day on the open-topped bus parade.

“People were lining the route from the East Lancs all down one side of town and then back up Duke Street. They were standing on the rooftops in Victoria Square.

“And remember people from Duke of Cambridge lobbing cans of beer down for us to drink.

“It was just an amazing feeling.”