THE Cup Kings, they used to call them. Fourteen knock-out competition trophies between 1974 and 1992 underlines just why Widnes Vikings earned that nickname.
Challenge Cups, Regal Trophies, Lancashire Cups and even the BBC Two Floodlit Trophy all filled out a bulging trophy cabinet during that 18-year spell – and the number rises even higher if you include the six post-season Premiership titles won during that period, too.
Three decades is a long time ago, though, and Vikings head coach Allan Coleman is blunt about the fact it means little as his side aim to bring long-awaited silverware back to the town when they face London Broncos in the 1985 Cup final on August Bank Holiday Monday.
“I think if we want to be in people’s eye-line, communication, networks regarding being that club with possibilities and chances, you’ve got to start winning trophies,” Coleman said.
“It’s pointless living off history...that’s worthless in this day and age. You’ve got to be in contention.
“It’s a massive, massive statement for us as a group to win something, first and foremost for the club, but then to kick-start the club on the next journey where it needs to be.”
Rugby league’s summer era has not often been kind to Widnes. They failed to make the cut for the new Super League in 1996 and were not promoted back to the top flight until 2002, surviving for four seasons and never finishing higher than seventh.
Moving to a franchise system saw them frozen out of Super League again until 2011, where they remained until being relegated in 2018 to be replaced this year’s cup final opponents, the Broncos.
There have been some highs, however. The Northern Rail Cup wins of 2007 and 2009, both in front of over 8,000 fans at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road, brought trophies back to what is these days called the DCBL Stadium, while the Vikings also returned to Wembley for the first time in 26 years in inaugural edition of the 1895 Cup in 2019, only to lose to Sheffield Eagles.
This year’s final being just over seven miles down the road at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, home of bitter rivals Warrington Wolves, means it might not have the glamour of a trip to the national stadium, but that will bother few involved with Widnes – especially if they go on to beat a London side which has already claimed the Championship League Leaders’ Shield this year and has eyes on a return to Super League next year.
For Coleman, it is a sign of the steady progress the club has made since he joined them from Swinton Lions ahead of the 2024 campaign. So to is securing a play-off place for the second time in three seasons and growing Widnes’ home crowds to regularly topping the 2,000 mark.
“There’s a lot of clubs want instant success,” Coleman said. “I’m very fortunate this board of directors gave me an opportunity, and when I did my interview I explained to them what I saw the future of Widnes being.
“It wasn’t instantly being the best team in the competition, it was trying to improve the thought processes of people coming to the club, playing for club, and people outside of the club. I feel as though we’ve ticked every box so far and I said we’d do that in three years, and we’re on our third season and we’re in a final.
“It’s a slow, gradual thing. I think the board have realised that and, sometimes, if you’ve not got a wealthy backer who can stabilise the club constantly, this is how you have to do it.
“You’ve got to grow the monster, we’ve got the biggest crowds in the Championship...and we just need to keep that thought process of it working all the time, and I’m sure it will.”
Given his background in the community game, coaching Leigh Miners Rangers’ U18 and senior teams before stepping up to the professional ranks as assistant coach at Swinton seven years ago, it is no surprise Coleman has put a significant emphasis on building those links with the area’s amateur clubs since joining Widnes too.
The 50-year-old is well aware of the talent in the town, with the likes of Wigan Warriors and England scrum-half Harry Smith, and St Helens pair Harry Robertson and Mark Percival among the Widnesians currently plying their trade in Super League.
Coleman acknowledges the Vikings might not yet be able to compete with the Super League clubs on their doorstep for the cream of the crop, but is determined to show there is a pathway for players to their home-town club after introducing an U19s side which trains alongside the first team and ensures those involved maintain their eligibility to play for their community teams.
“If you look at the best team in our sport at the minute, Wigan Warriors, how they produce talent, how they perform, how they go about their business, what they do off the field and on it, it’s head and shoulders above anything at the moment,” Coleman said.
“Widnes has got a real hotbed of talent as you can see in Super League, but we’re behind the eight-ball with Wigan, Warrington, St Helens and Leigh Leopards.
“So we’ve got to take the ones the big clubs don’t want, and we’re fine with that because we’re not in a position to argue that toss at the moment.
“In an ideal world, it would be great six or seven players from our U19s who could step up to play. We’re probably not quite there yet, but that’s what we’re striving to be.”
Of course, Coleman knows what will make Widnes more attractive than anything else will be winning trophies, and the 1895 Cup would be as good a place as any to start.
The Vikings have already faced London twice in the Championship this season, losing 44-12 in the opening match back in January in the capital but running the leaders close in a 42-36 home defeat at the start of the month.
The build-up to the final has been dominated by wrangling over fitting in the final Championship fixtures of the regular season, with fifth-placed Widnes even threatening to pull out of the cup decider before being able to bring forward their trip to Sheffield Eagles from Sunday to Thursday night.
One or two of those U19 players are set to make their debuts in that match, although Coleman’s plans of having all of the youngsters heavily involved with the senior squad in the week leading up to the final have been changed due to having to play three games in eight days.
He takes those challenges in his stride, however, as Widnes’ current generation aim to lay the foundations for the next to build on.
“I’ve no doubt these young players’ parents and grandparents have said ‘When we were young, Widnes were the Cup Kings - they were the best in the competition,’” Coleman said.
“It’s really important these young kids we’re working so hard to get at the club that they see times where we win trophies and we can win things.
“It’s down to my group to create that dynasty for these next generation of kids coming up. It’s vital for us we do that so that next generation can see the excitement and grow with us.”