The BBC2 Floodlit Trophy (also known as the BBC2 Television Trophy) was an annual knockout competition for British rugby league clubs. Organised by the Rugby Football League (RFL), the competition was open to all professional clubs with floodlights installed.

First held in 1965–66, games were typically played during the middle of the week, and were broadcast on BBC television. Eight teams competed during the first season, but the tournament was quickly expanded as more teams erected floodlights at their grounds.

The competition's most successful club was Castleford, who won the trophy four times, including the inaugural tournament. The last staging of the competition was in 1979–80, won by Hull, before the competition was cancelled due to financial cutbacks by the BBC.

History The tournament was not Rugby League's first foray into evening television; the 1955–56 season saw a tournament titled the Independent Television Floodlit Trophy. Eight clubs participated in a series of games played at football grounds in the London area, with Warrington eventually running out 43–18 victors over Leigh.

In 1965, the rugby league management committee agreed to the televising of a mid-week floodlit competition consisting of eight teams, with director of BBC2, broadcaster David Attenborough, being instrumental in its creation. When the competition was first mooted only a few grounds were equipped with floodlights, but the tournament prompted several clubs to apply for loans from the Rugby Football League to install them. The tournament was intended to coincide with the launch of BBC2 in the North of England.

The tournament was played during the early part of the season. Each week, one match would be played under floodlights on a Tuesday evening; the second half of this match that would be broadcast live on BBC2. Non-televised matches were played at various times, depending on clubs' commitments in more prestigious tournaments. Despite the title many matches did not take place under floodlights; clubs such as Barrow and Bramley (for example) did not possess adequate lighting.

The first season, 1965–66, eight clubs - Castleford, Leeds, Leigh, Oldham, St. Helens, Swinton, Warrington and Widnes took part. Seven of the eight teams had floodlights and Leeds installed theirs the following season.

The four-tackles-then-a-scrum rule was first introduced in the competition's second season, in October 1966, before being implemented in all competitions by December.

Castleford won the trophy in the first season, 1965–66 and won the trophy the most times, on three more occasions 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1976–77.

Despite disagreements over shirt sponsorship in the early 1970s, Rugby League remained a mainstay of BBC Television during the 1970s, and 1980s, although the commitment to the Floodlit Trophy decreased before financial cutbacks at the BBC lead to its cancellation after the 1979–80 competition. In the last final, Hull F.C. beat local rivals Hull Kingston Rovers.

List of finals

Year Season Winners Score Runner-up Venue Date 1965 1965–66 season Castleford 4–0 St. Helens Knowsley Road, St. Helens Tuesday, 14 December 1965 1966 1966–67 season Castleford 7–2 Swinton Wheldon Road, Castleford Tuesday, 20 December 1966 1967 1967–68 season Castleford 8–5 Leigh Headingley, Leeds Saturday, 16 January 1968 1968 1968–69 season Wigan 7–4 St. Helens Central Park, Wigan Tuesday, 17 December 1968 1969 1969–70 season Leigh 11–6 Wigan Central Park, Wigan Tuesday, 16 December 1969 1970 1970–71 season Leeds 9–5 St. Helens Headingley, Leeds Tuesday, 15 December 1970 1971 1971–72 season St. Helens 8–2 Rochdale Hornets Knowsley Road, St. Helens Tuesday, 14 December 1971 1972 1972–73 season Leigh 5–0 Widnes Central Park, Wigan Tuesday, 19 December 1972 1973 1973–74 season Bramley 15–7 Widnes Naughton Park, Widnes Tuesday, 18 December 1973 1974 1974–75 season Salford 0–0 Warrington The Willows, Salford Tuesday, 17 December 1974 (replay) Salford 10–5 Warrington Wilderspool, Warrington Tuesday, 28 January 1975 1975 1975–76 season St. Helens 22–2 Dewsbury Knowsley Road, St. Helens Tuesday, 16 December 1975 1976 1976–77 season Castleford 12–4 Leigh Hilton Park, Leigh Tuesday, 14 December 1976 1977 1977–78 season Hull Kingston Rovers 26–11 St. Helens Craven Park, Hull Tuesday, 13 December 1977 1978 1978–79 season Widnes 13–7 St. Helens Knowsley Road, St. Helens Tuesday, 12 December 1978 1979 1979–80 season Hull F.C. 13–3 Hull Kingston Rovers The Boulevard, Hull Tuesday, 18 December 1979

Wins by club

Club Wins Winning years 1 Castleford 4 1965, 1966, 1967, 1976 2= Leigh 2 1969, 1972 St Helens 2 1971, 1975 4= Bramley 1 1973 Hull 1 1979 Hull Kingston Rovers 1 1977 Leeds 1 1970 Salford 1 1974 Widnes 1 1978 Wigan 1 1968

Records from the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Competition

RecordHolderIn FinalTeamMost appearances7St. HelensMost wins4CastlefordHighest Score26-11Hull Kingston RoversSt. Helens 1977Widest margin22-2St. Helens 1977Dewsbury 1975Biggest Attendance18500Hull F.C. v Hull Kingston Rovers 1979Highest receipts16605Hull F.C. v Hull Kingston Rovers 1979IndividualMost tries 2Roy MathiasSt. Helens v Dewsbury 19752Peter GlynnSt. Helens v Hull Kingston Rovers 19772Gerald "Ged" DunnHull Kingston Rovers v St. Helens 19772Stuart WrightWidnes v St. Helens 1978Most goals4Ron WillettCastleford v Leigh 19674Kel CoslettSt. Helens v Rochdale Hornets 19714Dave HallHull Kingston Rovers v St. Helens 1977Most points8The last 3 goal kickersIn CompetitionHighest Score51-0St. HelensDewsbury (1977)Greatest winning margin51-0St. HelensDewsbury (1977)Highest Aggregate score54-16LeedsHull F.C. (1973)Other high scores47-5St. HelensCastleford (1978)47-11LeedsBramley (1978'45-17St. HelensRochdale Hornets (1979)

References

External links BBC Floodlit Trophy results – Rugby league Project Hull FC v Hall KR – BBC Floodlight Trophy Final 1979–80