Halton Stadium to house Chemics Heritage Centre

Rugby League World – Sept 2006   by Andrew Kirchin

 

ANYONE with doubts the epochs of fame  in rugby League, no matter how illustrious and glittering, are quickly forgotten only need to look at the reasons why a group of dedicated Widnes Vikings fans are putting blood sweat and tears into the new Widnes Rugby league heritage group. Their experience shows that a club might be the bees-knees right now but have a few years out of the limelight and all your glorious victories , all the silverware, all the magnificent memories that mean so much to so many, will have been forgotten by many, many more.

“We were in the Widnes Viking club shop before a match one day” said group member Debbie Townsend, “and there was a bloke in there from a visiting team that didn’t know Widnes had been World club champions in 1990.” “When we sat down to think about it we realised that there must be lots of people out there just like that and decided to do something about it”“After all it’s les that 20 years since Widnes beat Canberra and there’s not many British clubs that have been World Club Champions since.  I know the club is currently out of the top flight but I don’t think people realise how important the Widnes Club is to the game in this country as a whole”

So the idea of the Widnes RL heritage group was spawned and it is getting plenty of backing, not least from Halton Council, owners of Widnes’s outstanding all-seater stadium.“We want to develop a heritage centre to ensure the history of rugby league in Halton continues as an ongoing experience” said Debbie.  “This will enable present and future generation to embrace and rejoice in their rugby league heritage”And that is not a hollow promise.  Recent visitors to Vikings home games have been able to see the group’s first efforts which feature temporary exhibits from that day’s combatants displayed in the foyer of the stadiums south stand.

“We want to give all fans visiting the stadium something interesting to see” said Debbie.  “It’s difficult to put together but everyone says it’s worthwhile so we will strive to continue. The next phase of the plan depends on further cash coming in from heritage grants but Halton Council has already agreed to give the group space under the new East stand to create a semi-permanent home for the memorabilia being gathered. “We already have had the money for a collator to ensure that anything donated to the group is catalogued properly and looked after” said Debbie.“But we’ve put in for a grant of £50,000 from ‘Your heritage’ and if that comes in then we will be creating a more permanent home for the collection under the east stand” “Phase two of the plan will be to find our own premises close to the Stadium so that we can pay proper tribute to past players and the game in this borough”In time, the group would like to include an educational department to help promote the game.

Anyone with stories or memorabilia or have stories to tell about rugby league in Halton or who has time to volunteer to help can email wrlheritagegroup@yahoo.co.ul or phone 0151 510 298