I was in the same area, almost bang on with the half way line too. I was convinced I was in the wrong place and expected to be ejected at any moment





The ground is first class and the bar area unbelievable.

As others have said, it was a great game too. Think the best team lost, perhaps Smithies should have been off.

I’ll have to agree to disagree with you 1315 ,back in 79 I was there as a lad and from what I remember Wembley was packed , but back in those days trips were booked by pubs and clubs all over the North as a yearly event regardless who we’re playing, not just the participating clubs fans .Those days are sadly gone and so has the industrial landscape that contributed so much to that era of packed stadiums . What we’ve got now added to our monthly expenditure , mobile phone bill , internet cost , sky , etc etc the list goes on , 79 was a simple lifestyle for most and Wembley was a culmination of their sporting hero’s and fans coming together for a celebration, but which has been dumbed down year on year unfortunately.

It looked great on TV and I commented to Mrs KH that it should be held there every year. The only down side for me was the medal presentation at the end - distinctly low key and naff. The days of pub, club and amateur teams filling buses to go the final are over unfortunately. To quote an awful cliche, it’s no longer, “Rugby League’s big day out” when a trip to London was, for most rugby league fans, a one off, yearly, special occasion. I do think the game yesterday went some way to restoring the image of the Challenge Cup and it could really be promoted as an “event” if the facilities at Spurs are as good as people are saying on here.

Spot on , it was great if it was your club but if it weren't it didn't really matter it was the occasion as you'd already booked anyway, I went in 79 with a dozen or so from Crofton and I was the only one that went to the match, the rest of them couldn't get out of a bar called De Hem's on Shaftsbury Avenue, did well off loading they're tickets though to a tout, they weren't what you'd call regular fans just happy to go for the occasion as is the case with a lot more, sadly as you say through spiralling cost of living and a genuine loss of interest in the game those days are well gone, haven't been to the new Wembley simply won't get ripped off paying the prices, maybe if we get there, saw Toppo in Piccadilly Circus on the Saturday night, it was no good asking him if he was enjoying himself, he was that legless he could not talk properly

I didn't go as unless Wakey are there I am not interested. As for the game I am afraid it's going down the pan. I didn't watch all the game as I find watching other teams play quite boring. That said the consistency around discipline from the recs was out of the window yesterday. Last week Bentley got a yellow that should have been a red and did us no favours. Smithies should have been off on a red without a doubt helped Wigan. Let's see what the panel says but for me it's killing the game. It's like saying dish it out there won't be cards now.

Smithies is definitely going to be sitting a few games out at the very least imo ,maybe more with his track record. Ref definitely aired on the side of caution with the red but should have had 10 on the sidelines at the very least . Lots of pressure on him to keep the game going as a spectacle and we’ll never know now if Hudds would have made the advantage tell, seen plenty of games where the side down on players score next . Enjoyed the game as a spectacle and as an event, it’s still has got a special affinity to me , hopefully my grandkids will carry that on

As much as I try not to bear grudges and am a big fan of anything from Yorkshire, I still can't get over the way shudds have over the years taken advantage of our player situation, so for me I was quite happy to see them lose, especially when it looked like they were going to win, one other pleasing thing about it was Liam Marshall scoring the winner, a quality genuine player who plays the game in the right spirit and manner unlike some others, well done kid you deserve it for having the right attitude.

I'm the same, getting fed up with watching thuggery and them getting away with it, it's bad enough that games are now hardly televised so we don't benefit from reviews and that with professional fouls not being penalised in the proper manner its no wonder crowds are drifting away.
On the spurs stadium I watched a program on its development and it's one hell of a stadium.

the other day I went to watch Killers at the keepmoat and for its size is a nice bowl stadium but my gawd we was a 1 mile away from the stadium queuing to get parked at the race course to do a park ride and it took 1 3/4 hr to get there

Have been going to Wembley for donkeys years, regardless of finalists, but the 2020 pandemic year really got me out of the habit. Would have found it tough to sit through the Saints v Cas final so didn't get back into the grove for 2021 either. Had this years semi draw given us a Saints v Wigan final, with the added incentive of seeing Tottenham's ground, I might have gone but no way would I want to be present at a possible Shudds win.

I’d be than happy for the final to adopt Tottenham as it’s new home.

Fantastic organisation, and great stadium experience. The stewards were superb and despite them not being used to the oval ball seemed to genuinely get into the game.

Bars and toilet access superb.

Know exactly what you mean pal, Jonty Allum took me and Cheshire, they're Gaz and a couple more to the semi final against Hull, we finished up parking in Tesco's in the town and walked there and back to the ground much more simpler.

Cant speak highly enough of the ground, which was just quality.
Enjoyed both games too especially the tension in the main event, Huddersfield were certainly unlucky.

The only downside was getting away from the stadium and onto the tube, which took some of the gloss off the day.

The venue itself and facilities were better then Wembley, the view (even from level 5) was superb.

Stewarding and staff were excellent, well done Spurs !

Smithies called to the disciplinary on two striking charges

4 matches

No surprise there really , toss up between him and Bentley for that new category….Grub of the season 2022

Which suggests that he should have been sent off

Don't think it works like that unless they've changed it, remember David March getting two yellows at Bradford by Ganson?

Haven't watched it back yet.
However, 4 games is a fairly hefty ban and suggests that it was more than a yellow or, 2 yellows ?

Water under the bridge now

For a major venue it was a cracking view and the stadium seemed to keep the noise in, probably because of the steep sides, well worth the trip.

Yep you're right. Happened earlier this season too. Can't remember the incidents but I think it was Welsby who was the player sinbinned.

It's not a 4-match ban. It's 2x 2 match bans.

The net effect is the same, but it's 2 separate incidents, judged separately -both worthy of a 2-match ban.

Earlier in the season everyone was moaning that the game was being ruined by overzealous refs sending people off.

Can't win.

Even one yellow could have affected the game significantly.

You’re correct it’s 2 separate incidents, both worthy of a yellow card.
He was also guilty of a 3rd high shot and had Child been better and seen all three then maybe a red would have followed the 3rd act of fowl play due to repeated dangerous play.

I agree that early in the season it was over zealous but watching the incidents back he threw his forearm in with a closed fist and the look on his face tells you he had intent and hit the target he was aiming for. Yellow for me but borderline red!

Official BBC viewing figures for the game were 1million peaking at 1.4

I certainly wouldn't have complained if he been given the red card.

Earlier in the season, he'd have been sent off (twice)