1969 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy


1969 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,. 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 TeamScoreAway TeamVenueaggAttRecNotesRef
P1Tue 26 Aug 1969Wigan22-6WarringtonCentral Park
P1Mon 29 Sep 1969Huddersfield10-18CastlefordFartown17501

Preliminary round - Second leg

Involved 2 matches with the same 4 clubs with reverse fixtures
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueaggAttRecNotesRef
P2Mon 29 Sep 1969Wigan15-10WiganWilderspool21-32
P2Wed 8 Oct 1969Castleford19-2HuddersfieldWheldon Road37-124000

Round 1 - First round

Involved 8 matches and 16 clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttRecNotesRef
1Tue 30 Sep 1969Halifax9-27LeedsThrum Hall
2Tue 7 Oct 1969Leigh25-8Wakefield TrinityHilton Park
3Mon 13 Oct 1969Oldham24-13Rochdale HornetsWatersheddings
4Mon 13 Oct 1969Swinton9-17St. HelensStation Road4900
5Tue 14 Oct 1969Wigan24-5Hull F.C.Central Park2
6Mon 20 Oct 1969Barrow13-10WidnesCraven Park
7Tue 21 Oct 1969Salford12-16CastlefordThe Willows
8Tue 28 Oct 1969Keighley6-15Hull Kingston RoversLawkholme Lane

Round 2 - Quarterfinals

Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttRecNotesRef
1Tue 4 Nov 1969Barrow6-11St. HelensCraven Park4500
2Tue 11 Nov 1969Wigan12-0OldhamCentral Park2
3Tue 18 Nov 1969Hull Kingston Rovers6-12LeighCraven Park
4Tue 25 Nov 1969Castleford9-7LeedsWheldon Road

Round 3 – Semifinals

Involved 2 matches and 4 Clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttRecNotesRef
1Tue 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 TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttRecNotesRef
RThu 11 Dec 1969St. Helens9-15WiganKnowsley Road11500

Final

Teams and scorers

Scoring - Try = three points - Goal = two points - Drop goal = two points

The road to success

This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures

General information for those unfamiliar

The Rugby League BBC2 Floodlit Trophy was a knock-out competition sponsored by the BBC and between rugby league clubs, entrance to which was conditional upon the club having floodlights. Most matches were played on an evening, and those of which the second half was televised, were played on a Tuesday evening.

Despite the competition being named as 'Floodlit', many matches took place during the afternoons and not under floodlights, and several of the entrants, including Barrow and Bramley did not have adequate lighting. And, when in 1973, due to the world oil crisis, the government restricted the use of floodlights in sport, all the matches, including the Trophy final, had to be played in the afternoon rather than at night.

The Rugby League season always ran from around August-time through to around May-time and this competition always took place early in the season, in the Autumn, with the final taking place in December