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St Helens Rugby League Football Club or simply Saints are a professional rugby league club from St Helens, Merseyside, England. They play in the Super League. Their home ground is known as Knowsley Road. Plans are currently in place for the club to move to a new 18000 capacity stadium, although these plans have been hit by St Helens not being listed as one of the places the government are considering to allow one of the smaller casino's. St Helens' Head Coach is New Zealand's Daniel Anderson.
History
St Helens have been one of the sport's most successful teams throughout their history after the famous Wigan, who are their bitter rivals. They were founder members of the Northern Union which broke away from the Rugby Football Union in 1895.
Founded in 1873, the club moved in 1890, defeating Manchester Rangers in the first match played at Knowsley Road. In 1895 Saints were one of 22 clubs that resigned from the Rugby Football Union and established the Northern Union. The first match of the new code was an 8-3 win at home to Rochdale Hornets before 3,000 spectators, Bob Doherty scoring Saints’ first try.
The Challenge Cup was launched in 1897 and in its first final, at Headingley the "Gallant Youths" of Batley defeated Saints 10-3, Dave "Red" Traynor scoring St Helens’ try.
Perhaps the golden era of the club came in the 1960's as well as more lately in the recent Super League era. With a galaxy of stars including Tom Van Vollenhoven, Alex Murphy, Dick Huddart and Vince Karalius, the 1960's was a decade of great success for the Saints, with the League and Challenge Cup double achieved in 1966. Saints have also become the most successful side of the summer era. Since the inception of Super League they have won the competition on four occasions, and have added four Challenge Cups to their five previous successes. They also won the World Club Challenge in 2001.
They have a strong rivalry with Wigan Warriors, games between the two clubs are one of the biggest derbies in British rugby league- undoubtedly it is the biggest derby, historically. These derbies arouse fierce local passions in the two towns, and are always hard fought battles. Even during Wigan 7 years of being consective champions saints would run them close. During super league it is St Helens who has had the most success in terms of siverware but it is Wigan who have won more derby games in the summer era.
Current squad
As of 20 June, 2006:
| Number | Player | Position | Previous Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Wellens | FB | St Helens Academy | |
| 2 | Ade Gardner | W | Barrow Border Raiders | |
| 3 | Jamie Lyon | C | Parramatta Eels | |
| 4 | Willie Talau | C | Canterbury Bulldogs | |
| 5 | Francis Meli | W | New Zealand Warriors | |
| 6 | Leon Pryce | SO | Bradford Bulls | |
| 7 | Sean Long | SH | Widnes Vikings | |
| 8 | Nick Fozzard | P | Warrington Wolves | |
| 9 | Keiron Cunningham | H | Wigan St.Judes | |
| 10 | Jason Cayless | P | Sydney Roosters | |
| 11 | Lee Gilmour | SR | Bradford Bulls | |
| 12 | Jon Wilkin | SR | Hull Kingston Rovers | |
| 13 | Paul Sculthorpe | LF | Warrington Wolves | |
| 14 | James Roby | H | St Helens Academy | |
| 15 | Mike Bennett | SR | St Helens Academy | |
| 16 | Jason Hooper | SO | St George Illawarra Dragons | |
| 17 | Paul Anderson | P | Bradford Bulls | |
| 18 | Vinnie Anderson | SR | Free Agent | |
| 19 | James Graham | P | St Helens Academy | |
| 20 | Ian Hardman | W | St Helens Academy | |
| 21 | Scott Moore | SH | St Helens Academy | |
| 23 | Maurie Fa'asavalu | P | Samoan Rugby Union | |
| 24 | Paul Clough | C | St Helens Academy | |
| 25 | Matty Smith | H | St Helens Academy | |
| 26 | Miles Greenwood | H | St Helens Academy |
Honours
- World Club Challenge: 2001
- Championship (including Super League): 1931-32, 1952-53, 1958-59, 1965-66, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1974-75, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002 (11 times)
- Challenge Cup : 1955-56, 1960-61, 1965-66, 1971-72, 1975-76, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004 (9 times)
- League Leader's Shield: 1964-65, 1965-66, 2005 (3 times)
- Regal Trophy: 1987-88
- Premiership: 1975-76, 1976-77, 1984-85, 1992-93 (4 times)
- Lancashire Cup: 1926-27, 1953-54, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1984-85, 1991-92 (11 times)
- Lancashire League: 1929-30, 1931-32, 1952-53, 1956-57, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1968-69 (12 times)
- Charity Shield : 1992-93
- BBC2 Floodlit Trophy: 1971-72, 1975-76 (2 times)
Records
Player records
- Most goals in a match: 16 by Paul Loughlin vs Carlisle, 14th September 1986
- Most points in a match: 40 by Paul Loughlin vs Carlisle, 14th September 1986
- Most tries in a match: 6 by all of the following:
- Alf Ellaby v. Barrow, 5 Mar 1932.
- Steve Llewellyn v. Castleford, 3 Mar 1956.
- Steve Llewellyn v. Liverpool City, 20 Aug 1956.
- Tom Van Vollenhoven v. Wakefield Trinity, 21 Dec 1957.
- Tom Van Vollenhoven v. Blackpool Borough, 23 Apr 1962
- Frank Myler v. Maryport, 1 Sept 1969.
- Shane Cooper v. Hull, 17 Feb 1988.
- Most tries in a season: 62 by Tom Van Vollenhoven, 1958-59
- Most goals in a season: 214 by Kel Coslett, 1971-72
- Most points in a season: 452 by Kel Coslett, 1971-72
- Most career tries: 392 Tom Van Vollenhoven 1957-68 (third highest by any player)
- Most career points: 3,413 Kel Coslett 1961-76
- Most career goals 1,639 Kel Coslett 1961-76
- Most career appearances Kel Coslett 519 plus 12 as substitute 1961-76
Team records
- Highest Score: 112-0 vs Carlisle, 14th September 1986
- Heaviest Defeat: 78-6 vs Warrington, 12th April 1909
- Highest Attendance: 35,695 vs Wigan, 26th December 1949
External links
"St Helens RFC"