1987–88 Rugby Football League season

The 1987–88 Rugby Football League season was the 93rd season of rugby league football in Britain.

1987–88 Rugby Football League season
LeagueStones Bitter Championship
1987–88 Season
Champions Widnes
Premiership Widnes
Man of Steel Award Martin Offiah
Top point-scorer(s) John Woods 351
Top try-scorer(s) Martin Offiah 44
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from Second Division Oldham
Featherstone Rovers
Wakefield Trinity
Relegated to Second Division Leigh
Swinton
Hunslet
Second Division
Champions Oldham
Top point-scorer(s)Kevin Pape (Carlisle) 23

Season summary

During the summer of 1987, freedom of contract was introduced, replacing the retain and transfer system used in previous seasons. Players could now negotiate a move to another club at the end of their contract, with the new club paying compensation to the player's former club. An independent tribunal was created to rule on transfers where the two clubs were unable to agree on a fee.[1] The first case decided by the new tribunal was on 27 August 1987, setting a £40,000 fee for Ged Byrne's transfer from Salford to Wigan.[2]

During the season, defending champions Wigan hosted NSWRL champions, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the 1987 World Club Challenge match. Wigan were World Club Champions for the first time when they beat Manly-Warringah 8–2 at Central Park, Wigan on 7 Oct 1987 before a crowd of 36,895 [3]

The Stones Bitter League Champions were Widnes for the second time in their history, exactly ten years after their first. Leigh, Swinton and Hunslet were relegated.

The Challenge Cup winners were Wigan who beat Halifax 32–12 in the final.

John Player Special Trophy winners were St. Helens who beat Leeds 15–14 in the final.

Rugby League Premiership Trophy Winners were Widnes who beat St. Helens 38–14 in the final.

2nd Division Champions were Oldham. Featherstone Rovers and Wakefield Trinity were also promoted. Blackpool Borough changed their name to Springfield Borough.

Wigan beat Warrington 28–16 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Bradford Northern beat Castleford 12–12 (replay 11–2) to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

At the end of the season players from the League were selected to go on the 1988 Great Britain Lions tour.

League Tables

Challenge Cup
Main article: 1988 Challenge Cup

Wigan had reached the final by beating Bradford Northern 2–0 in Round One at home on 30 Jan; Leeds 30–14 in Round Two at home on 14 Feb; Widnes 10–1 in the Quarter Final at home on 27 Feb and Salford 34–4 in the semi-final played at Bolton on 12 Mar.

Wigan beat Halifax 32–12 in the final played at Wembley before a crowd of 94,273.[4]

This was Wigan's ninth Challenge Cup Final win in eighteen Final appearances. It was the start of their record breaking eight Challenge Cup Final wins in a row.

The Wigan scrum half, Andy Gregory, won the Lance Todd Trophy for his man-of-the-match performance.

John Player Special Trophy
Main article: 1987–88 John Player Special Trophy

County cups
Main article: 1987–88 Lancashire Cup
Main article: 1987–88 Yorkshire Cup

Premiership
Main article: 1987–88 Rugby League Premiership

References
  1. Fitzpatrick, Paul (27 June 1987). "Freedon from the murkier depths". The Guardian. London. p. 17. ProQuest 186698335.
  2. "Sport In Brief". The Guardian. London. 28 August 1987. p. 21. ProQuest 186860056.
  3. "1987-88 Season summary". Archived from the original on 2009-08-27. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
  4. "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-09-01. Retrieved 2009-08-07.

Sources
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