Made my hair stand on end reading that. bring it on.

I've been watching Wigan since 1963 and to be honest the atmosphere that night was something else. People who talk about "hairs on the back of you neck standing up" they obviously forgot about other hairs because every follicle was tingling. The 27-0 at Wembley was special but will never equal the Manly game.
Roll on Sunday, hopefully getting close to an atmosphere that as not been seen at the DW before!

Manly was the only game I've ever been to at Central Park, or anywhere else for that matter, where with every incident on the field, the crowd surged so much that you moved up and down three or four steps.

Breathlessly exciting, but my diminutive missus still complains that she didn't see a thing all night.

Older hands than me reckoned it was closer to 46,000 than 36,000.

Indeed. If the below was accurate, I'd like to know how the hell they fit an extra 11,000 people into Central Park that day.

Highest attendance:
47,747 vs St Helens , 27 March 1959

This was the game that older fellas than me were recollecting. They reckoned that it was easily the same size crowd.

Would be good to get Rogue's view on it. No doubt he would have been at the 1959 match.

Course, CP was slightly bigger back in 1959? I think there was more terracing.

Guys I was wnderring has anyone got the list of the two teams (87 Manly and Wigan)?

I was told after the match that there were 44,000 on that night.

It was too. You could not move - there is no way 'Elf & Saaafety would allow it these days.

I was 11 years old at the time and couldn't see a thing. Was still very special though, and a real "I was there" moment.

Plenty people said that to me too. My dad, for one, was at the match against St Helens when the attendance record was set, something like 47,000. He said that the ground was just as packed against Manly.

Maurice Lindsey did have something of a reputation, though, for being able to tell you how many people were on before the match even happened.

Yes

Wigan
1. Steve Hampson
2. Richard Russell
3. David Stephenson
4. Joe Lydon
5. Henderson Gill
6. Shaun Edwards
7. Andy Gregory
8. Brian Case
9. Nicky Kiss
10. Shaun Wane
11. Andy Goodway
12. Ian Potter
13. Ellery Hanley

Subs - Lucas, Byrne, West (not used), Gildart

Manly (forwards numbered the opposite way in Aus; 13 Prop through to 8 loose forward)
1. Dale Shearer
2. David Ronson
3. Darrell Williams
4. Michael O'Connor
5. Stuart Davis
6. Cliff Lyons
7. Des Hasler
13. Phil Daley
12. Mal Cochrane
11. Ian Gateley
10. Ron Gibbs
9. Owen Cunningham
8. Paul Vautin

Subs - Shaw, Ticehurst, Brokenshire, Pocock.

Coaches, Graham Lowe and Bob Fulton respectively.

Many big names in both sides, exaggerated by the fact that there was a certain mystery surrounding Aussie sides. Don't forget, there was no Sky, no TV coverage of Aussie RL in the UK. The only way you could see Aussie action was to rent videos from Micron.

If you've not seen the Manly game, get onto Micron and get it. It's the best thing you will ever see. Not only is it full of action, but it's heartening to hear the commentators go from blind arrogance ("These Wigan fans are waiting for Manly take take the field, and boy are they in for a treat! A master class of RL... Exhibition game...blah blah) to total respect for Wigan in the space of about an hour ("I've not seen any team this year keep the pressure up on Manly, like Wigan have tonight"icon_wink.gif

I don't get emotional at RL generally, but this one does it.

I was there, you couldn't move once in the ground. The strange thing was that it was easy to get there, we hardly queued to get in and it was a doddle getting out of Wigan afterwards. Great atmosthere though, the DW has nothing on Central Park.

I was pinned between the crowd and the wall in the Kop end that night. Aside from the crush, my main memory is watching Manly battering our try line at the scoreboard end for the last 15 minutes. It was the most agonising 10 minutes in my life as a wigan fan. From where I was, every drive and tackle looked like a certain try.

Cracking article that.

Really builds the excitement up even more for Sunday!

I was there for both those games and nothing has matched up to the atmosphere since, the Manly game was sensational all Brits apart from our adopted one on the bench Graeme West and the Saints game with 47.000 on well i was on the kop stood on my tip toes nearly all the game, memories is what being a Wigan RL fan does to you- and there are so many of them.

Great article, thanks for posting it .......... one mistake though, Andy Goodway was Man of the Match.

The best game of rugby, and the best atmosphere I've ever witnessed; immense hits and lots of biff.

yes and no.

There were two Man of the Matches - one 'official' one at the ground, and one unofficial one decided by the broadcaster. Andy Goodway got the Channel Ten one, and Shaun Wane got the other.

My mistake.



Whilst all the Wigan players were superb, I agreed with the Channel Ten decision; Goodway was awesome. I especially remember him catching a Manly kick early in the game, his handling skills defied belief.

If anyone would like a copy of game, PM me.

I was sat on the ringside for the Saints 47,747 game. I was only 10 years old at the time so probably didn't see the "big deal" except having to wait ages for a bus home.



The Manly game was amazing, we were sat in the Dougie Stand, but even walking up to the ground you knew it was a special night, the town was buzzing.
After the game I went with my dad for a beer in what is now the snooker club, just to let the crowd get away.
We finished up getting back to Billinge at around 11:30 that night.

Amazing atmosphere, probably the best I have ever witnessed.

Next time we meet Matty, remember to ask me about Leeds away in the Challenge Cup in 1957.

I agree. After watching the DVD countless times; Goodway was immense, he was everywhere and his handling skills as mentioned were unbelievable. Nothing against the big man Wane, he played really well, especially in offloadding and he defended like a warrior as well as gettin stuck in with the biff alongside Brian Case. The whole forward pack that night were brilliant with Case, Wane, Potter, Goodway and Hanley all taking it to the Manly team big time! Lydon and Hampo also played well. But it was a great team effort to keep them out all game. I loved to hear the channel 10 commentators blaming the referee's bias at the end and going on about how the game was so different in England; because it showed we'd rattled them and they didn't want to admit it. They even defended the late shot on Lydon for the red card ha. I just wish I'd been alive to be at that game! Brilliant stuff.

And another thing ..........

Remember the team's entrances. Manly ran out as all teams did . Then, Wigan marched out slowly, in a line led by Hanley. I can't quite explain it, but it seemed to indicate a steely determination and focus. Awe inspiring.

In 1990, the Scottish RU team entered the field in the same manner, in a Grand Slam decider in the 5 Nations, and the media went on and on and on about the great psychologcal blow they'd struck ............. Ellery and his boys had done it 3 years earlier

They had actually been doing that for a few months. I seem to remember it starting at the first home game after getting knocked out of the Challenge Cup by Oldham. I do remember reading about it in the paper at the time, but I can't remember whether it was a retrospective piece, or whether the the report said they planned to do it. Think it was the latter but I can't be sure.

Either way, I think it was planned to replicate somehow the entrances made a cup finals, and in particular, Wembley.

The Manly game was a real I was there moment. It is easily the best atmosphere that I have seen and the greatest occasion that I have been to, it really was that special. Sadly due to the new stadiums and health and safety nothing will ever come close to it again. Just thinking about it again makes me realise how much I miss Central Park and the atmosphere.