The 1969–70 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy was the fifth occasion on which the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy competition had been held. This year was another new name on the trophy after the 1969 runner-up defeated the reigning cup-holders Leigh won the trophy by beating Wigan by the score of 11-6 The match was played at Central Park, Wigan, (historically in the county of Lancashire). The attendance was 12,312 and receipts were £2,854 This was to be Wigan's last appearance in the final of the competition.
Background This season saw no changes in the entrants, no new members and no withdrawals, the number remaining at eighteen. The format remained the same as last season with the games in the preliminary round being on a two-legged home and away basis. This preliminary round involved four clubs, to reduce the numbers to sixteen, followed by a straightforward knock out competition.
Competition and results
Preliminary round – first leg Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueaggAttRecNotesRefP1Tue 26 Aug 1969Wigan22-6WarringtonCentral ParkP1Mon 29 Sep 1969Huddersfield10-18CastlefordFartown17501
Preliminary round – second leg Involved 2 matches with the same 4 clubs with reverse fixtures Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueaggAttRecNotesRefP2Mon 29 Sep 1969Warrington 15-10WiganWilderspool21-32P2Wed 8 Oct 1969Castleford19-2HuddersfieldWheldon Road 37-124000
Round 1 – first round Involved 8 matches and 16 clubs Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef1Tue 30 Sep 1969Halifax9-27LeedsThrum Hall2Tue 7 Oct 1969Leigh25-8Wakefield TrinityHilton Park3Mon 13 Oct 1969Oldham24-13Rochdale HornetsWatersheddings4Mon 13 Oct 1969Swinton9-17St. HelensStation Road49005Tue 14 Oct 1969Wigan24-5Hull F.C.Central Park26Mon 20 Oct 1969Barrow13-10WidnesCraven Park7Tue 21 Oct 1969Salford12-16CastlefordThe Willows8Tue 28 Oct 1969Keighley6-15Hull Kingston RoversLawkholme Lane
Round 2 - quarterfinals Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs
Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef1Tue 4 Nov 1969Barrow6-11St. HelensCraven Park45002Tue 11 Nov 1969Wigan12-0OldhamCentral Park23Tue 18 Nov 1969Hull Kingston Rovers6-12LeighCraven Park (1)4Tue 25 Nov 1969Castleford9-7LeedsWheldon Road
Round 3 – semifinals Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef1Tue 2 Dec 1969Castleford11-12LeighWheldon Road 2Tue 9 Dec 1969Wigan13-13St. HelensCentral Park88502
Round 3 – semifinals – replays Involved 1 match and 2 clubs Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRefRThu 11 Dec 1969St. Helens9-15WiganKnowsley Road11500
Final Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRefTuesday 16 December 1969Wigan6-11LeighCentral Park12,3122,8542 3
Teams and scorers LeighNo.Wigan teams Stuart Ferguson1Cliff HillRod Tickle2Stuart WrightStan Dorrington3Bill FrancisMick Collins4Peter RoweJoseph Walsh5Kevin O'LoughlinDavid Eckersley6David HillAlex Murphy7Johnny JacksonDavid Chisnall8John StephensKevin Ashcroft9Colin ClarkeDerek Watts10 Keith AshcroftBob Welding11Bill AshurstPaul Grimes12Keith MillsGeoff Lyon13Doug LaughtonAlex MurphyCoachEric Ashton 11score611HT2 Scorers Tries Rod Tickle (1)T Goals Stuart Ferguson (3)GBill Francis (2)Alex Murphy (1)GDavid Hill (1)RefereeWilliam "Billy" H. Thompson (Huddersfield) Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points
The road to success This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures
Notes and comments 1 * Huddersfield (who joined the competition in season 1967–68) play their first game at home in the competition 2 * This match was televised 3 * Central Park was the home ground of Wigan with a final capacity of 18,000, although the record attendance was 47,747 for Wigan v St Helens 27 March 1959
See also 1969–70 Northern Rugby Football League season 1969 Lancashire Cup 1969 Yorkshire Cup BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Rugby league county cups
References
External links Saints Heritage Society 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season at wigan.rlfans.com Hull&Proud Fixtures & Results 1896/1897 Widnes Vikings - One team, one passion Season In Review - 1896-97 The Northern Union at warringtonwolves.org Huddersfield R L Heritage