# 1979–80 John Player Trophy

This was the ninth season for the League Cup, known as the John Player Trophy for sponsorship reasons.
Bradford Northern won the trophy, beating Widnes 6–0 in the final. The match was played at Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire. The attendance was 9,909 and receipts were £11560.

## Background

The council of the Rugby Football League voted to introduce a new competition, to be similar to The Football Association and Scottish Football Association's "League Cup". It was to be a similar knock-out structure to, and to be secondary to, the Challenge Cup. As this was being formulated, sports sponsorship was becoming more prevalent and as a result John Player and Sons, a division of Imperial Tobacco Company, became sponsors, and the competition never became widely known as the "League Cup."
The competition ran from 1971–72 until 1995–96 and was initially intended for the professional clubs plus the two amateur BARLA National Cup finalists. In later seasons the entries were expanded to take in other amateur and French teams. The competition was dropped due to "fixture congestion" when Rugby League became a summer sport The Rugby League season always (until the onset of "Summer Rugby" in 1996) 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 usually taking place in late January.
The competition was known by its sponsorship name, as the Player's No.6 Trophy (1971–1977), the John Player Trophy (1977–1983), the John Player Special Trophy (1983–1989), and the Regal Trophy in 1989.
The 1979–80 season saw no changes in the entrants, no new members and no withdrawals, the number remaining at eighteen. There were no drawn matches in the competition.

## Competition and results
### Round 1 – First Round

Involved 16 matches and 32 clubs
| Fixture date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Att | Notes |
| Fri 14 Sep 1979 | Salford | 47–5 | Huddersfield | The Willows | | |
| Sat 15 Sep 1979 | Wakefield Trinity | 25–18 | Hull F.C. | Belle Vue | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Barrow | 13–18 | St. Helens | Craven Park | 4818 | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Batley | 2–12 | York | Mount Pleasant | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Blackpool Borough | 6–3 | West Hull | Borough Park | 555 | 1 |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Bramley | 43–15 | Whitehaven | McLaren Field | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Castleford | 15–12 | Dewsbury | Wheldon Road | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Doncaster | 0–48 | Bradford Northern | Bentley Road Stadium/Tattersfield | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Featherstone Rovers | 17–7 | Halifax | Post Office Road | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Warrington | 25–9 | Huyton | Wilderspool | | 2 |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Keighley | 21–9 | Rochdale Hornets | Lawkholme Lane | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Leigh | 16–0 | Hull Kingston Rovers | Hilton Park | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Oldham | 7–31 | Leeds | Watersheddings | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Pilkington Recs | 9–18 | Wigan | Knowsley Road | 6707 | 3, 4 |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Swinton | 11-30 | Workington Town | Station Road | | |
| Sun 16 Sep 1979 | Widnes | 17-11 | Hunslet | Naughton Park | | |

### Round 2 – Second Round

Involved 8 matches and 16 clubs
| Fixture date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Att | Notes |
| Sat 29 Sep 1979 | Castleford | 24–10 | Wigan | Wheldon Road | | 5 |
| Sun 30 Sep 1979 | Keighley | 9–15 | Bradford Northern | Lawkholme Lane | | |
| Sun 30 Sep 1979 | Leeds | 7–14 | Leigh | Headingley | | |
| Sun 30 Sep 1979 | Salford | 23–9 | Bramley | The Willows | | |
| Sun 30 Sep 1979 | Wakefield Trinity | 21–12 | Featherstone Rovers | Belle Vue | | |
| Sun 30 Sep 1979 | Warrington | 20–15 | York | Wilderspool | | |
| Sun 30 Sep 1979 | Widnes | 31–20 | St. Helens | Naughton Park | 9296 | |
| Sun 30 Sep 1979 | Workington Town | 43–7 | Blackpool Borough | Derwent Park | | |

### Round 3 -Quarter-finals

Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs
| Fixture date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Notes |
| Sat 20 Oct 1979 | Warrington | 6–14 | Widnes | Wilderspool | 6 |
| Sun 21 Oct 1979 | Bradford Northern | 25–11 | Leigh | Odsal | |
| Sun 21 Oct 1979 | Castleford | 6–13 | Salford | Wheldon Road | |
| Sun 21 Oct 1979 | Wakefield Trinity | 26–5 | Workington Town | Belle Vue | |

### Round 4 – Semi-finals

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs
| Game No | Fixture date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Att | Rec | Notes | Ref |
| | Sat 3 Nov 1979 | Widnes | 19–3 | Salford | Wilderspool | 6567 | | 7 | |
| | Sat 17 Nov 1979 | Bradford Northern | 16–3 | Wakefield Trinity | Headingley | 8233 | | | |

### Final

The final was originally scheduled to take place on 1 December 1979, but was postponed because of a BBC TV dispute. The game was rescheduled, but due to a frozen pitch at the original venue, Station Road, Swinton, the fixture was moved to Headingley in Leeds.
| Fixture date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Att | Rec | Notes | Ref |
| Saturday 5 January 1980 | Bradford Northern | 6–0 | Widnes | Headingley | 9909 | 11560 | 8 | |

#### Teams and scorers

| Bradford Northern | No. | Widnes |
| | teams | |
| Keith Mumby | 1 | David Eckersley |
| "Dave" Barends | 2 | Stuart Wright |
| David Redfearn | 3 | Mal Aspey |
| Derek Parker | 4 | Mick George |
| Les Gant | 5 | Mick Burke |
| Nigel Stephenson | 6 | Eric Hughes |
| Alan Redfearn | 7 | Reg Bowden |
| James "Jimmy" Thompson | 8 | Brian Hogan |
| "Keith" Bridges | 9 | Keith Elwell |
| Colin Forsyth | 10 | Glyndwr "Glyn" Shaw |
| Jeff Grayshon | 11 | Les Gorley |
| Gary Van Bellen | 12 | David Hull |
| Len Casey | 13 | Mick Adams |
| Steve Ferres (for Gary Van Bellen) | 14 | ? Not used |
| Ian Van Bellen (for Colin Forsyth) | 15 | Jim Mills (for Brian Hogan) |
| | Coach | |
| 6 | score | 0 |
| 5 | HT | 0 |
| | Scorers | |
| | Tries | |
| D. Parker (1) | T | |
| | Goals | |
| Keith Mumby (1) | G | |
| | Drop Goals | |
| Nigel Stephenson (1) | DG | |
| Referee | | William "Billy" H. Thompson (Huddersfield) |
| Man of the match | | Len Casey – Bradford Northern – loose forward |
| Competition Sponsor | | John Player |
Scoring – Try = three points – Goal = two points – Drop goal = one point

### Prize money

As part of the sponsorship deal and funds, the prize money awarded to the competing teams for this season was as follows:
| Finish Position | Cash Prize | No. receiving prize | Total Cash |
| Winner | £8,500 | 1 | £8,500 |
| Runner-up | £4,000 | 1 | £4,000 |
| Semi-finalist | £2,000 | 2 | £4,000 |
| Loser in Rd 3 | £1,000 | 4 | £4,000 |
| Loser in Rd 2 | £800 | 8 | £6,400 |
| Loser in Rd 1 | £600 | 16 | £9,600 |
| Grand Total | Grand Total | Grand Total | £36,500 |

### The road to success

This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures
| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| Keighley | Keighley | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rochdale Hornets | Rochdale Hornets | 9 | Keighley | Keighley | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Doncaster | Doncaster | 0 | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 48 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 48 | | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 25 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Leigh | Leigh | 11 | | | | | | | | |
| Oldham | Oldham | 7 | | | | | | | Leigh | Leigh | 11 | | | | | | | | |
| Leeds | Leeds | 31 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Leeds | Leeds | 31 | Leeds | Leeds | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Leigh | Leigh | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Leigh | Leigh | 16 | Leigh | Leigh | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | Hull Kingston Rovers | 0 | | | | | | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 16 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 3 | | | | |
| Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 3 | | | | |
| Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hull F.C. | Hull F.C. | 18 | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 17 | Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Halifax | Halifax | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Halifax | Halifax | 7 | | | | Wakefield Trinity | Wakefield Trinity | 26 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Workington Town | Workington Town | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| Swinton | Swinton | 11 | | | | | | | Workington Town | Workington Town | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| Workington Town | Workington Town | 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Workington Town | Workington Town | 30 | Workington Town | Workington Town | 43 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Blackpool Borough | Blackpool Borough | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Blackpool Borough | Blackpool Borough | 6 | Blackpool Borough | Blackpool Borough | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| West Hull | West Hull | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| West Hull | West Hull | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | Bradford Northern | Bradford Northern | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 0 |
| Warrington | Warrington | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 0 |
| Huyton | Huyton | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Huyton | Huyton | 9 | Warrington | Warrington | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | York | York | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Batley | Batley | 2 | York | York | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| York | York | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| York | York | 12 | | | | Warrington | Warrington | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 14 | | | | | | | | |
| Widnes | Widnes | 17 | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 14 | | | | | | | | |
| Hunslet | Hunslet | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hunslet | Hunslet | 11 | Widnes | Widnes | 31 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | St. Helens | St. Helens | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Barrow | Barrow | 13 | St. Helens | St. Helens | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| St. Helens | St. Helens | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| St. Helens | St. Helens | 18 | | | | | | | | Widnes | Widnes | 19 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Salford | Salford | 3 | | | | |
| Castleford | Castleford | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | Salford | Salford | 3 | | | | |
| Dewsbury | Dewsbury | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dewsbury | Dewsbury | 12 | Castleford | Castleford | 24 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Wigan | Wigan | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pilkington Recs | Pilkington Recs | 9 | Wigan | Wigan | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wigan | Wigan | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wigan | Wigan | 18 | | | | Castleford | Castleford | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Salford | Salford | 13 | | | | | | | | |
| Salford | Salford | 47 | | | | | | | Salford | Salford | 13 | | | | | | | | |
| Huddersfield | Huddersfield | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Huddersfield | Huddersfield | 5 | Salford | Salford | 23 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Bramley | Bramley | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bramley | Bramley | 43 | Bramley | Bramley | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Notes and comments

1 * West Hull are a Junior (amateur) club from Hull 2 * Warrington official website and Wigan official archives shows the match played at Wilderspool but RUGBYLEAGUEproject shows Huyton at home 3 * Pilkington Recs are a Junior (amateur) club from St Helens, home ground was City Road until they moved to Ruskin Drive from 2011–12 4 * Wigan official archives give the attendance as 6,500 but RUGBYLEAGUEproject gives it as 6,707 5 * Wigan official archives gives the score as 21–10, but RUGBYLEAGUEproject gives it as 24–10 6 * Warrington official website shows the match played on 2 October but RUGBYLEAGUEproject and Wigan official archives show it played on 20 October
7 * Wigan official archives show Salford at home, but RUGBYLEAGUEproject show Widnes at home 8 * Headingley, Leeds, is the home ground of Leeds RLFC with a capacity of 21,000. The record attendance was 40,175 for a league match between Leeds and Bradford Northern on 21 May 1947.