𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐁 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝟏𝟖𝟗𝟓 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬: 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐚𝐱 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 🐾

07 August 2023

The Halifax Panthers secured their spot at Wembley for the first time in 35-years with a 10-6 win against the London Broncos.

The Halifax Panthers were originally formed as a Rugby Union team back in 1873, before the birth of Rugby League in 1895. They became the first ever winners of the Yorkshire cup in 1878 an went on to win it a further four times. During these years, several players were supplied for the Yorkshire County Side and five were also chosen for the full England Rugby Union team.

In 1886, the Panthers moved into their previous home of Thrum Hall, where they stayed for the next 112 years before moving in 1998 to the re-developed ‘Shay Stadium’, where they ground share with local footballing neighbors, Halifax Town AFC.

In season 1902-03, Halifax won the Betfred Challenge Cup and finished top of Division One. They won the cup again the following season and were the first ever Championship Play-off winners in 1906-07. In total the Panthers have been to Wembley for the Betfred Challenge Cup Final 7 times, winning 3 times in 1931, 1939 and 1987, with their last appearance being in 1988 when they lost against Wigan.

Halifax Panthers were the last Yorkshire team to win at Wembley before Sheffield in 1998 and were the last Yorkshire team to finish top of Division Once, achieved in 1985-86.

In 2009 they reached the Cooperative Championship Grand Final, and narrowly lost to Barrow 26-18, but in 2010 they managed to do one better and they beat Featherstone Rovers 23-22. The following year Halifax reached the Northern Cup Final, losing to Leigh in the last minute, then in 2012 they managed to bring it back and won the cup, beating Featherstone Rovers 21-12.

The sides of the late 1930s and mid-1980s were outstanding teams, but many would claim the best of all was the team of the 1950s. During this decade they were Championship runners-up three times, Yorkshire Cup winners twice, and Yorkshire League winners four times. They figured in two Wembley finals, featuring in the first ever drawn final in 1954, and then in the replay at Odsal Stadium appearing in front of a world record Rugby League crowd of 102,569.

We asked Halifax Panthers how important it is for them to have been given the opportunity to play at Wembley Stadium and also what it would mean to win for them to win the trophy, this is what they said,

“The chance to play at Wembley is huge not only for our club, our players but also our town. Halifax Rugby League have a rich history in our game, having won four league titles and five Betfred Challenge Cups since our inception in 1873.

It's rather fitting that with it being 35 years since our last trip to the national stadium, that we would make the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final in our 150th Anniversary year in 2023. We are immensely excited at the prospect and looking forward to what should be a great day and one to remember for everyone associated with the Panthers.

To lift that trophy on 12th August would mean everything to us and our supporters. With our head coach Simon Grix departing at the end of the season, we'd love nothing more than to send him off with a cup win, and give our fans a rich reward for their loyal backing over the years.

There are several players in our first team squad that represent their hometown colours so the chance to lift silverware in front of their friends, family and fellow Haligonians would be the stuff fairy tales are made of”.

Halifax Panthers will be competing against Batley Bulldogs in the 1895 Cup Final completing this years’ triple-header at Wembley Stadium alongside both the Women’ and the Men’s Betfred Challenge Cup Finals!

Tickets for Wembley Stadium are available from £20 for adults and £10 for children https://www.rugby-league.com/tickets/challenge-cup-final

Find out more about Batley here:
Meet the 1895 Cup Finalists: Batley Bulldogs – http://absundecks.co.uk/news.php?type=news&newsID=201