Guardian sports editor Mike Parsons spent a morning with Joe Warham at his Leeds home, finding the 90-year-old former winger in great form ahead of a cup final between two clubs whose affections he holds close to his heart...

SURELY nobody has a greater tale to tell this week than proud Joe Warham, 77 years after his first trip to Wembley.

Only two previous finals have been contested between Warrington Wolves and Leeds Rhinos – and the former Swinton and Oldham speedster played very different roles in both of them!

The wire puller travelled by steam train from Bank Quay station to support his Warrington heroes in their eighth Challenge Cup final appearance in 1936, losing out 18-2 to Leeds at Wembley.

Twenty-five years later he was the triumphant coach of the Headingley hopefuls who won Leeds their first ever Championship, defeating his hometown club Warrington in the final at Bradford’s Odsal Stadium.

Now, at the grand age of 90, with the exciting coming together of two teams that he holds so dear to his heart, Joe is set for an experience he has previously shied away from.

“I said I’d never go to the new Wembley,” revealed a man who cherishes his 50 or so visits to the old national stadium but will be joined by nine members of his family in London on Saturday.

“The old Wembley is so nostalgic for me, so many memories, but a Warrington and Leeds final means so much.

“I’ve got an obvious affinity for both clubs, having been born in Warrington and spending all my youth supporting them.

“I came to Leeds as coach in 1958 and won the Championship with them in 1961 for the first time in the club’s history. So I’ve always felt very fondly about both clubs.”

Saturday’s occasion with its mass of blue and yellow colours in a carnival atmosphere will be in marked contrast to the 1936 showdown between the teams, or the conclusion to the 1933 competition between Warrington and Huddersfield which Joe attended as a 13-year-old pupil of Sacred Heart School.

But the town was turned primrose and blue in the build-up, more so than nowadays.

“I had gone on a school trip to watch the Wire against Huddersfield in the first ‘Royal’ Wembley of 1933, attended by the Prince of Wales,” said Joe, who claimed never to miss watching a Warrington training session in his formative years.

“Getting to the final again in 1936 was a huge event for a town whose rugby team was a major source of pride and escapism in the depression era.

“In the weeks preceding the final the shops all sported themed window displays and primrose and blue flags were everywhere.

“Come the day of the final I travelled down to Wembley on a works outing from Whymans foundry (Dallam Lane), where I was working as a moulder, aged 16.

“Many factories ran trips for workers – and gave them time off from Saturday work if needed.

“Wembley then had no roof, although the twin towers were there.

“Of course the stadium was much bigger than we were used to at Wilderspool and although it drew a record crowd (51,250), the stadium wasn’t full – I know it wasn’t because I remember playing touch and pass on the terraces when the game dragged.

“There were few seats and supporters paid on average about 3 shillings (15p) to get in.

“The crowd didn’t wear coloured jerseys but did have scarves, rosettes and rattles.

“The crowd was mainly men, no man of the match award and no TV cameras.”

The build-up was not as ‘hyped’ as today’s showpiece occasions.

“Pre-match entertainment consisted of a military band and ‘the man in white’ leading community singing – proper community singing where he conducted the crowd not the band and there was no milked-up opera singers.

“During the match the crowd would shout and applaud but there was no chanting or singing of the kind we hear today.”

Early Warrington superstars like Bill Shankland, Billy Dingsdale, Dave Cotton and Cod Miller were unable to reward Joe’s support with a win that day.

But upon returning from the war with the Royal Navy, and despite being turned down at Warrington trials after impressing on the field for Crosfields, his own rugby league career took off alongside Warrington’s Harold Palin at Swinton and then with Oldham.

While living with his wife Eileen’s mother in Hillock Lane, Woolston, rugby was accompanied with teaching roles at St Mary’s, initially, where he taught future international Laurie Gilfedder, and then the newly opened St John’s (now Cardinal Newman).

He retired from playing in 1954 and took up the coaching reins at Rochdale before his successful switch to Leeds for the 1961 Championship and another title eight years later.

Teaching continued as head of PE at Roundhay School, Leeds, and he was also chief scout for the Yorkshire giants.

Joe spent 10 years as chief executive at Headingley until 1990, when he stepped down but continued as a director and later as a life vice-president – a role he still holds today.

The former AAA’s coach has lived such a full life in rugby league, with so many happy moments and memories.

When asked if Saturday’s visit to Wembley will bring back all the memories for him, he seemed to disappear into another world for a few moments.

And then he said: “They won’t come flooding back. I just close my eyes and they’re there.”