1973 Year of the Underdog – article
1973 – known as the Year of the Underdog!
Dewsbury RLFC were not fancied to win against their “big club” neighbours, Leeds RLFC in the Championship Trophy Final to be played at Odsal in May 1973. Dewsbury had strengthened their squad over recent years and were an improving side, but most commentators thought that the superstars in the Leeds side would prevail.
The 1973 Final was to be the last time a play-off system would be used to determine the British champions until 1998’s Super League season. The match was played on 19 May 1973 at Bradford’s Odsal Stadium between the previous season’s champions, Leeds and first-time finalists, Dewsbury. Dewsbury had suffered a county cup record defeat 36–9 at the hands of Leeds in the Yorkshire County Cup Final earlier in the season. Also, Leeds had finished 3rd on the ladder and Dewsbury 8th. However, Dewsbury opened up a 12–4 lead by the interval with tries by the hooker Mike Stephenson and Allan Agar and two goals and a drop-goal from the boot of centre Nigel Stephenson. Leeds captain Alan Hardisty was sent off for the first time in his career for a high tackle on John Bates.
A second try from Mike Stephenson on 44 minutes extended Dewsbury’s lead and though Leeds hit back with tries by Graham Eccles, Phil Cookson and Les Dyl, it was not to be with Nigel Stephenson converting his own try to complete a resounding 22-13 success. Leading journalist Jack Winstanley wrote at the time: “Dewsbury’s win sprung from a superb team effort that paid ample tribute to the coaching and inspiration of (coach) Tommy Smales. They bewildered a jaded Leeds outfit with a series of scissors moves and dummy passes that might have looked grossly over-elaborate had they not worked to such perfection.” The Harry Sunderland Trophy for man-of-the-match went to Mike Stephenson.
Mike Stephenson, in an interview with James Gordon would later reveal how he had been suffering from bronchitis in the lead up to the match, a fact that was kept secret at the time.
“I only trained lightly on Monday in the build up to the final, then had a light run on the Friday. Nobody knew at all. I remember lifting the trophy and when I got back down to the pitch, I just handed it to the lads as I could hardly walk.”
He went on to talk about another memory
“My other memory is giving my teeth to the physio before the game, rather than leaving them in the dressing room. I told him I’d need them for the pictures for when we’d won, but as it turned out I couldn’t get to him after full time.
“I can still see him now holding a handkerchief with my teeth and I couldn’t get to him. As a result I’ve got my mouth shut in every single photo.
“It was a brilliant day – one of the biggest upsets in rugby league history, and a little town winning the Championship for the first time. It was all down to team spirit.”
Blast from the Past: Dewsbury win 1973 Championship Final | LoveRugbyLeague
