I remember the classic 1985 final wigan v hull. wigan took 40k plus down to wembley. that was superb.

I've managed to get hold of club wembley tickets through work. They may be a bit corporate (no Wigan shirts allowed) but they're free and right in the middle of the Wigan end. Can't wait.

I may not go this year for a variety of reasons, and will make my mind up fairly late in the piece, like I did last year.

Most of the factors have nothing to do with Rugby, but Challenge Cup finals with Leeds in them hold no special fondness for me. I tend to enjoy the day, wherther Leeds are there or not, but having missed '99 for family reasons, I have been to 9 CC finals. 6 of those featured Leeds and we've lost all of them. The prospect of making it 7 doesn't help. It isn't the real reason I may not go, but it might, if I'm really honest with myself, affect the motivation to move certain obstacles around.

I have enjoyed some fairly heroic defeats in 1994, 2003 and 2005, which were excellent games, but how many times do I want to see the same script? I've also seen some embarrassing pastings in 1995, 200 and 2010. The day out can be fun, but again, been there, done that. Plus, the only time I haven't been to the final when we've been involved we won, so Mr Hethrington should be bloody well grateful if I don't go!

I think there is also a strong feeling that if Mr Hethrington wants fans to part with more of their money to support his team, he needs to show that the club has ambitions to match the fans. I don't share that belief myself, but it's certainly out there.

We may lose, who knows (I doubt it, but after seeing Wigan lose to the Eagles nothing would surprise me!), but I would be amazed if Brent Webb plays anything like as well as Radders did that day.

Those of us who travelled in hope rather than expectation to the 2002 final were rewarded that day with one of the greatest individual performances in the history of British RL - Radders was absolutely sensational. Saints fans have never forgiven him for it.

I was boring the girlfriend to bits after with the tale of Rads that day. Only sport could throw up a tale like that.

The people who were there that day will remember his performance till the day they die.

I can think of no better man then Rads to present the cup final shirts to the players.

what a great occassion that would be, after the final hooter at the Bradford game for Rads to come on the pitch and present Wembley shirts to the 17 mighty warriors who will do battle with the "whinos"

Thats crazy!

Good plan. You might want to monitor a few bumps and knocks after the game and in training the following week before you name the squad though.

Not wanting to rain on too many parades or anything.

I think a mystery 'race against time' injury sort of story in the press is in order from us next week!

The combination of poor form, last seasons disappointment (plus a long line of Challenge Cup final failures) and the fact that many believe you'll hammer us (not that I agree with the latter) has led to the poor sales.

It doesn't surprise me at all, we've been fed on success for a few years, and a couple of poor seasons has seen the floating fans disappear as quickly as they arrived, something which the Wigan faithful are probably familiar with themselves. I understand some may not be going for financial reasons but I wouldn't miss it for the world.

But in all honesty I couldn't care less if you have more fans than us, because as I've said elsewhere, having more fans in the ground doesn't win you anything.

Quality ,




That would confuse Gaz Hock , he'd think he have another game that night if he had 2 shirts at once

Of course.

We saw that in 2002 and it could happen again this year. The beauty of 2002 from my point of view was that I knew that all the Wigan fans at the ground were the real hardcore supporters that will go to games even if they're pretty confident it will end in defeat. We all went to have a good day out and didn't expect a result and what we got in the end was a day that will live long in the memory.

When we lifted that trophy it didn't matter if we had 10, 10,000 or 100,000 fans in the ground to me. All that mattered was we'd beaten the old Enemy in a cup final and we had final that would be remembered forever as The Kris Radlinski final.

Great day.

I live in hope

We saw that in 2002 and it could happen again this year. The beauty of 2002 from my point of view was that I knew that all the Wigan fans at the ground were the real hardcore supporters that will go to games even if they're pretty confident it will end in defeat.

i remember my father in law saying your not wasting your time and money going to watch wigan getting beat. and my wife said do you think we would miss a wigan / saints final.the rest as they say is history

Yes we were there and thoroughly enjoyed the day in Bonny Scotland.

God bless Kris Radlinski's toe, I bet Mo was sucking the poison out all night

"God bless Kris Radlinski's toe, I bet Mo was sucking the poison out all night".

Close your eyes and try and imagine the above scene without throwing up.

Who cares how many we are taking? All that matters is getting the result and coming home with that trophy! It will be great seeing a sea of cherry and white and could be a very, very special day for us.

Drinking outside the pub near Haymarket station when the team coach went past, the look on Julian O'Neils face as he saw fans was priceless

Agree that the 2002 final was a magical moment in Wigan history - the day Rads became a true legend - and it was the real committed supporters who were there. Is this a scenario Leeds can repeat - not a chance. The Wigan of 2011 is not the Saints of 2002 and they won't let it happen. This is our time.
However if there are 30,000 plus going to Wembley how many are true supporters, how many were at the Salford game last week, how many will even know half the Wigan players names. Answer is more than half aren't, weren't and wont know. It will be great to see the stadium half full of red and white but what does that actually mean??

It means the club is well supported and your elitism probably not welcomed.

The 2002 final has a very special place in my heart it was the last ever game i watched with my dad before he passed away so next Saturday win or lose it will be a very emotional day for me win or lose (better win

)

Another thing i really want to see on the motorway driving down is cherry and white scarf's out of car windown blowing in the wind i dont know why but every year it was part of the build up to the match for me

Am I the only one that is gutted about Leeds sales?? Lets be honest we're favourites, we're on fire, we won the league so on top of our well travelling regulars we were always going to have the band wagoners and come join the party I say



Just a little miffed as was looking forward to a massaive crowd from Leeds too to add to the atmosphere of the day

I dont mind it at all if they go and have a really nice day out who says they wont start getting into it?

I know 4 people who came to the gf last season with us and bought season tickets this year and are well into rugby league if we can get more people like that it's better for the club

Look at it from the otherside if we lose then less stick from them lot

Lets me honest we all know folk who turn up for the big games