# 2008 Widnes Vikings season

The Widnes Vikings rugby league club played in the 2008 season. This was their first season since being purchased by Cheshire millionaire Steve O'Connor after the club went into administration following their loss to Castleford Tigers in the 2007 National League One final.

## Championship Table

2008 National League One :
| # | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Bns | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Salford City Reds | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 312 | 45 |
| 2 | Celtic Crusaders | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 120 | 40 |
| 3 | Halifax RLFC | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 120 | 38 |
| 4 | Leigh Centurions | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 34 |
| 5 | Whitehaven | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 21 | 32 |
| 6 | Widnes Vikings | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 43 | 30 |
| 7 | Sheffield Eagles | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 3 | −105 | 29 |
| 8 | Featherstone Rovers | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 6 | −63 | 26 |
| 9 | Batley Bulldogs | 18 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 8 | −151 | 23 |
| 10 | Dewsbury Rams(R) | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 7 | −297 | 13 |
Classification: 1st on competition points; 2nd on match points difference. Competition points: For win = 3; For draw = 2; For loss by 12 points or fewer = 1.
Notes: Widnes deducted 9 Points for going into administration

## League results

LEGEND :
* Win
* Draw
* Loss
| Date | Competition | Vrs | H/A | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Att | Lineup | Subs |
| 21/3/08 | National League One | Batley Bulldogs | A | W | 23-28 | Yates (2), Hardman, Paterson, Grady | Hartley 4/5 | N/A | 1,091 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Shane Grady, Gavin Dodd, Tim Hartley, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Paul Noone, Bob Beswick | Lee Paterson, Tommy Gallagher, Dayne Donoghue, Rob Draper, |
| 24/3/08 | National League One | Leigh Centurions | H | W | 30-12 | Morrison, Hartley (2), Hardman | Hartley 7/7 | N/A | 4,722 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Tim Hartley, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Paul Noone, Bob Beswick | Shane Grady, Tommy Gallagher, Dayne Donoghue, Rob Draper |
| 30/3/08 | National League One | Whitehaven R.L.F.C. | H | W | 32-28 | Hartley, Gaskell (4), Grady, Smith | Hartley 2/7 | N/A | 3,596 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Tim Hartley, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Lima, Paul Noone, Bob Beswick | Shane Grady, Tommy Gallagher, Dayne Donoghue, Ben Kavanagh |
| 11/4/08 | National League One | Salford City Reds | A | D | 16-16 | Gannon, Hill, Dodd | Hartley 2/4 | N/A | 6,143 | Scott Yates, Paddy Flynn, Ian Hardman, Tim Hartley, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Tommy Gallagher, Bob Beswick | Shane Grady (Not Used), Michael Ostick, Dayne Donoghue, Ben Kavanagh |
| 27/4/08 | National League One | Celtic Crusaders | H | L | 14-16 | Yates, Beswick, Paterson | Hartley 1/2, Dodd 0/1 | N/A | 4,201 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Jason Crookes, Tim Hartley, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Tommy Gallagher, Bob Beswick | Shane Grady, Rob Draper, Dayne Donoghue, Richard Fletcher |
| 6/5/08 | National League One | Dewsbury Rams | A | W | 22-29 | Fletcher (2), Gannon, Barlow, Dodd | Dodd 4/5 | Beswick | 1,434 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Jason Crookes, Lee Paterson, Gavin Dodd, Bob Beswick, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Richard Fletcher, Tommy Gallagher | Shane Grady, Sam Barlow, Rob Draper, Ben Kavanagh |
| 18/5/08 | National League One | Sheffield Eagles | H | W | 30-22 | Paterson, Hill (2), Gaskell, Gannon | Dodd 5/6 | N/A | 3,891 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Dayne Donoghue, Shane Grady, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Richard Fletcher, Bob Beswick | Adam Bowman, Sam Barlow, Rob Draper, Ben Kavanagh |
| 31/5/08 | National League One | Featherstone Rovers | A | L | 34-22 | Morrison, Yates, Hardman, Paterson, Hill | Dodd 0/3, Yates 1/2 | N/A | 1,910 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Dayne Donoghue, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Paul Noone, Bob Beswick | Steve Roper, Adel Fellous, Rob Draper, Ben Kavanagh |
| 8/6/08 | National League One | Halifax R.L.F.C. | H | L | 30-40 | Hardman (2), Dean (2), Paterson | Fletcher 5/6 | N/A | 3,971 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Chris Dean, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Adel Fellous, Richard Fletcher, Paul Noone, Bob Beswick | Steve Roper, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Ben Kavanagh |
| 19/6/08 | National League One | Salford City Reds | H | W | 20-18 | Tyrer (2), Crookes | Fletcher 2/2, Tyrer 2/2 | N/A | 8,149 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Gavin Dodd, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Richard Fletcher, Paul Noone, Lee Paterson | Steve Roper, Adel Fellous, Jason Crookes, Ben Kavanagh |
| 26/6/08 | National League One | Celtic Crusaders | A | L | 38-6 | Gannon | Tyrer 1/1 | N/A | 3,595 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Gavin Dodd, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Richard Fletcher, Paul Noone, Lee Paterson | Steve Roper, Danny Hill, Jason Crookes, Ben Kavanagh |
| 11/7/08 | National League One | Batley Bulldogs | H | W | 34-22 | Duffy, Beswick, Paterson, Tyrer, Kavanagh, Dean | Tyrer 4/5, Fletcher 1/1 | N/A | 4,079 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Paddy Flynn, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Richard Fletcher, Ben Kavanagh, Lee Paterson | Steve Roper, Adel Fellous, Gavin Dodd, Paul Noone |
| 20/7/08 | National League One | Halifax R.L.F.C. | A | D | 26-26 | Flynn, Matty Smith, Strong, Noone | Tyrer 5/5 | N/A | 2,561 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Paddy Flynn, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Adel Fellous, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Matt Strong, Paul Noone, Lee Paterson | Steve Roper, Iain Morrison, Gavin Dodd, Ben Kavanagh |
| 27/7/08 | National League One | Dewsbury Rams | H | W | 40-0 | Gaskell, Morrison, Fletcher, Tyrer, Flynn, Gannon, Dodd | Tyrer 6/7 | N/A | 4,082 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Paddy Flynn, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Matt Strong, Paul Noone, Lee Paterson | Gavin Dodd, Richard Fletcher, Gareth Morton, Michael Ostick |
| 3/8/08 | National League One | Leigh Centurions | A | L | 33-24 | Gaskell, Fletcher, Tyrer, Matty Smith | Tyrer 4/5 | N/A | 3,089 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Gavin Dodd, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Matt Strong, Paul Noone, Lee Paterson | Josh Simm, Richard Fletcher, Gareth Morton, Sam Barlow |
| 10/8/08 | National League One | Featherstone Rovers | H | W | 30-20 | Beswick, Hardman, Paterson, Matty Smith, Barlow | Tyrer 5/5 | N/A | 3,924 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Gareth Morton, Gavin Dodd, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Matt Strong, Richard Fletcher, Lee Paterson | Mark Smith, Josh Simm, Dayne Donoghue, Sam Barlow |
| 14/8/08 | National League One | Sheffield Eagles | A | W | 20-26 | Mark Smith, Gaskell, Tyrer, Dean | Tyrer 5/5 | N/A | 1,823 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Gavin Dodd, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Lee Paterson, Richard Fletcher, Bob Beswick | Tim Hartley, Sam Barlow, Gareth Morton, Michael Ostick |
| 24/8/08 | National League One | Whitehaven R.L.F.C. | A | L | 20-16 | Dodd, Gaskell, Morton | Tyrer 2/3 | N/A | 2,104 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Chris Dean, Gavin Dodd, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Lee Paterson, Richard Fletcher, Bob Beswick | Tim Hartley, Martin McLoughlin, Gareth Morton, Michael Ostick |
| 4/9/08 | National League One - Elimination play-offs | Halifax R.L.F.C. | A | L | 32-16 | Dodd (2), Tyrer | Tyrer 2/3 | N/A | 1,931 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Steve Tyrer, Tim Hartley, Gavin Dodd, John Duffy, Matty Smith, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Chris Dean, Richard Fletcher, Bob Beswick | Paul Noone, Martin McLoughlin, Gareth Morton, Adel Fellous |

## Northern Rail Cup Results

| Date | Competition | Vrs | H/A | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Att | Lineup | Subs |
| 3/2/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Group 6 | Blackpool Panthers | A | W | 4-38 | Dodd, Gannon, Hill (2), Gaskell, Draper, Hartley | Hartley 5/7 | N/A | 905 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Shane Grady, Danny Speakman, Gavin Dodd, Tim Hartley, Steve Roper, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Paul Noone, Bob Beswick | Adam Bowman, Tommy Gallagher, Rob Draper, Ben Kavanagh |
| 10/2/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Group 6 | Leigh Centurions | H | L | 8-15 | Grady | Hartley 2/3 | N/A | 4,032 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Shane Grady, Jason Crookes, Gavin Dodd, Tim Hartley, Steve Roper, Ben Kavanagh, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Dayne Donoghue, Bob Beswick | Danny Speakman, Tommy Gallagher, Rob Draper, Michael Ostick |
| 24/2/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Group 6 | Leigh Centurions | A | L | 20-10 | Gaskell, Hill | Hartley 1/2 | N/A | 3,615 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Tim Hartley, Jason Crookes, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, Steve Roper, Ben Kavanagh, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Iain Morrison, Bob Beswick | Scott Yates, Tommy Gallagher, Dayne Donoghue, Paul Noone |
| 27/2/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Group 6 | Barrow Raiders | H | W | 78-0 | Hartley, Draper (3), Crookes (2), Gaskell, Hardman, Gallagher, Hill, Gannon, Beswick, Noone | Hartley 13/13 | N/A | 3,472 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Shane Grady, Jason Crookes, Gavin Dodd, Tim Hartley, Bob Beswick, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Dayne Donoghue, Rob Draper, Paul Noone | Lee Paterson, Tommy Gallagher, Danny Hill, Ben Kavanagh |
| 2/3/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Group 6 | Blackpool Panthers | H | W | 60-12 | Paterson (2), Grady, Hill, Dodd (2), Duffy (2), Crookes, Mark Smith, Yates | Hartley 3/3, Dodd 5/8 | N/A | 3,169 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Shane Grady, Jason Crookes, Gavin Dodd, Tim Hartley, Bob Beswick, Ben Kavanagh, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Paul Noone, Lee Paterson | John Duffy, Tommy Gallagher, Ian Hardman, Michael Ostick |
| 16/3/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Group 6 | Barrow Raiders | A | L | 24-16 | Hill, Flynn (2) | Hartley 2/3 | N/A | 1,413 | Ian Hardman, Paddy Flynn, Adam Bowman, Jason Crookes, Gavin Dodd, Tim Hartley, Steve Roper, Ben Kavanagh, Bob Beswick, Danny Hill, Iain Morrison, Paul Noone | John Duffy, Tommy Gallagher, Rob Draper, Jim Gannon |
| 6/4/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Quarter Final Qualifying Round | Sheffield Eagles | H | W | 44-8 | Hardman, Dodd (3), Paterson, Hartley, Hill | Hartley 8/11 | N/A | 2,262 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Tim Hartley, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Rob Draper, Bob Beswick | Shane Grady, Tommy Gallagher, Steve Roper, Ben Kavanagh |
| 24/5/08 | 2008 Northern Rail Cup - Quarter Final | Celtic Crusaders | A | L | 50-18 | Morrison, Gaskell, Roper | Dodd 3/4 | N/A | 1,750 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Lee Paterson, Shane Grady, Gavin Dodd, Bob Beswick, John Duffy, Ben Kavanagh, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Iain Morrison, Richard Fletcher | Steve Roper, Sam Barlow, Dayne Donoghue, Rob Draper |

## Challenge Cup Results

| Date | Competition | Vrs | H/A | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Att | Lineup | Subs |
| 9/3/08 | 2008 Challenge Cup - Round 3 | Skirlaugh A.R.L.F.C. | H | W | 60-18 | Dodd (2), Duffy, Beswick, Gaskell (2), Paterson (3), Donoghue, Crookes | Dodd 8/11 | N/A | 4,510 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Shane Grady, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Ben Kavanagh, Bob Beswick, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Rob Draper, Dayne Donoghue | Steve Roper, Iain Morrison, Jason Crookes, Michael Ostick |
| 19/4/08 | 2008 Challenge Cup - Round 4 | Doncaster R.L.F.C. | A | W | 12-38 | Gaskell (2), Hardman, Gallagher, Dodd, Yates, Donoghue | Hartley 5/7 | N/A | 1,541 | Scott Yates, Dean Gaskell, Ian Hardman, Tim Hartley, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Tommy Gallagher, Bob Beswick | Steve Roper, Rob Draper, Dayne Donoghue, Ben Kavanagh |
| 11/5/08 | 2008 Challenge Cup - Round 5 | Hull F.C. | h | W | 18-32 | Beswick, Paterson, Draper | Dodd 3/3 | N/A | 4,102 | Ian Hardman, Dean Gaskell, Jason Crookes, Shane Grady, Gavin Dodd, Lee Paterson, John Duffy, Iain Morrison, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Danny Hill, Dayne Donoghue, Bob Beswick | Scott Yates, Rob Draper, Adam Bowman, Ben Kavanagh |

## Players

| Player | D.O.B. | Appearances | Tries | Goals | F Goals | Points |
| Sam Barlow | 7/3/88 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Bob Beswick | 8/12/84 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 25 |
| Adam Bowman | 12/11/87 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Crookes | 21/4/90 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Chris Dean | 17/1/88 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Gavin Dodd | 28/2/82 | 30 | 15 | 28 | 0 | 116 |
| Dayne Donoghue | 22/9/88 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Rob Draper | 30/11/87 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| John Duffy | 2/7/80 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Adel Fellous | 16/2/78 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Richard Fletcher | 17/5/81 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 32 |
| Paddy Flynn | 11/12/87 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Tommy Gallagher | 10/9/83 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Jim Gannon | 16/6/77 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Dean Gaskell | 12/4/83 | 28 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 68 |
| Shane Grady | 13/12/89 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Ian Hardman | 8/12/84 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| Tim Hartley | 2/1/86 | 16 | 6 | 55 | 0 | 134 |
| Danny Hill | 31/10/84 | 21 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 44 |
| Ben Kavanagh | 4/3/88 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Martin McLoughlin | 2/8/80 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Iain Morrison | 6/5/83 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Gareth Morton | 21/10/82 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Paul Noone | 22/4/81 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Michael Ostick | 23/1/88 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Paterson | 5/7/81 | 27 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 56 |
| Steve Roper | 10/11/86 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Josh Simm | 8/11/89 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark Smith | 18/8/81 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Matty Smith | 23/7/87 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Danny Speakman | 5/12/85 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Strong | 17/2/87 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Steve Tyrer | 16/3/89 | 10 | 7 | 36 | 0 | 100 |
| Scott Yates | 8/9/88 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 26 |