St Helens
Rugby League Football Club (usually shortened to simply "Saints" by fans) are one of the UK's current
Super League teams, and are also currently
Super League champions as of the 2007 season. They currently play from grounds located on Knowsley Road although there are plans currently being hatched to move the team to a purpose built stadium with a much larger capacity. St Helens are typically seen as arch rivals of the
Super League team
Wigan Warriors, the derby between the two teams is one of the highlights of the
rugby league calendar.
St Helens are considered to be one of the oldest members of the current
rugby league. The team was founded and played their first game back in 1873 and saw a string of successes before moving to a new ground in 1890 and defeating Manchester Rangers in their first game played at Knowsley Road. St Helens are also one of the original clubs that left the Rugby Football Union to form the Northern Union in 1895. St Helens played in the first game under the new system and rules and beat
Rochdale Hornets 8-3 in front of 3000 spectators. St Helens also played in the first ever Challenge Cup in 1897, unfortunately they lost out 10-3 against Headingley but nontheless being a part of such a historic event is a reward unto itself. St Helens continued riding the crest of a wave when the Lancashire and Yorkshire leagues merged in 1902 to form a second division; St Helens were immediately promoted to the first division. In 1913 St Helens were joined by another St Helens team, the Recs, in the Northern Rugby Union. The second team only managed to survive until 1939 and was forced from play due to economic constraints.
St Helens continued to have good fortune and managed to make it to the final of the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 1930, however they were beaten by Widnes. 1952 saw the clubs fortunes continue to rise as Jim Sullivan took over as coach and helped to cement the teams reputation in rugby history. Jim Sullivan helped them continue through to their first ever victory in the Challenge Cup final, and St Helens also managed to take two championships. The 1960's heralded what has been referred to as a "golden age" for the team with a string of
rugby league stars playing for the team and taking them to great success in both the League and Challenge Cup double in 1966. Throughout the 1970's St Helens reached three Challenge Cup finals, winning two (first against Leeds and then against Widnes) before being defeated by Leeds who had returned to avenge their earlier defeat. During this time St Helens also lost 26-11 to
Hull Kingston Rovers in the Floodlit Trophy. The 1980's proved to be a relatively barren time for the club with very few major victories, although they did go on to to achieve victory in the Premiership Final in 1985 and the John Player Trophy in 1988.
Since the formation of the
Super League St Helens have once again been on top form and many have described it as the teams second golden age. They have won the
Super League a massive five times, and in this period have also managed to win six Challenge Cups, and two World Club Challenges. When Shaun McRae took over the leadership of St Helens in 1996 the clubs fortunes began to change, and Ellery Handley who succeeded McRae in 1999 also led the team to many successes. Hanley was replaced by Ian Millward in 2000 who is widely regarded as one of the most exciting and enjoyable leaders for the side with St Helens becoming famous for their aggressive, attacking style. The 2007 season started slowly for St Helens but the team gradually climbed up the tables beating the Brisbane Broncos in the World Cup Challenge and
Bradford Bulls in the Challenge Cup. St Helens then went on to beat
Wigan Warriors as part of the Millennium Magic Weekend, and then defended the Challenge Cup against the
Catalans Dragons in the final at Wembley Stadium at the end of 2007.
