SAINTS' fans will converge in their thousands on the McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, on Saturday, for the mouth-watering Regal Trophy Final showdown with deadly rivals Wigan, kick-off 3pm.

No tickets remain unsold at Knowsley Road for a clash which looks certain to attract a capacity 19,000 crowd at the all-seater enclosure, at which the Saints have made only one previous appearance.

On the way to the final Saints won 42-14 at Keighley and 38-26 at Hull, while Halifax were defeated 46-18 and Warrington by a record 80-0 at Knowsley Road.

Saturday's match will be televised on the BBC 'Grandstand' programme from 2.45pm, with a preview featuring Saints' skipper Bobbie Goulding and Wigan leader Shaun Edwards due to be screened at 1.15pm.

Police have suggested the following route for Saints' fans: Leave M62 at junction 25. At roundabout take third exit towards Huddersfield. Proceed for a mile to small roundabout. Head left along Leeds Road for 2 miles. Turn left at St. Andrew's Road. Turn left at first set of traffic lights into Stadium Way.

The referee is Mr. Russell Smith of Castleford.

Saints' only previous appearance in the final - when the competition was dubbed the John Player Special Trophy - was in 1988, when they defeated Leeds by 15-14 at Central Park, Wigan.

The Saints' line-up was: Veivers; Tanner, Loughlin, Elia, Quirk; Cooper (captain), Holding; Burke, Groves, Souto, Forber, Haggerty, Platt. Substitutes Ledger, Evans. Saints will play London Broncos at Knowsley Road on Wednesday, January 17, kick-off 7.30pm.

Saints' table-topping Alliance team travel to Dewsbury tonight, Thursday, kick-off 7.30pm.

The Academy side defeated Bradford Bulls 34-10 at Knowsley Road on Monday night. Tries were scored by Capewell (2), Cross (2), Murphy, Briers and Paul Haigh, while Capewell (2) and Briers kicked the goals.

The Rugby League board of directors imposed a fine of £10,000 on Saints last week for failing to field their strongest possible side at Wigan on Boxing Day. Payment of £5,000 of the fine was suspended until December 31, 1996.

Club chief executive David Howes has announced that his next 'meet-the-fans' forum will be held at Knowsley in February on a date yet to be finalised.

Forthcoming events in the Phil Veivers testimonial include: Race nights at the Anfield Arms tomorrow , Friday, and at Parr Labour Club, Tuesday, January 23. Sporting forum at St. Helens Cricket Club, Friday, January 19. Guests Vila Matautia, Chris Joynt, Scott Gibbs. Tickets £3. Bavarian Foot-stompers, Birchley St. Mary's Club, Friday, January 26, £5. Further details St. Helens 737917. Oops! Several readers, including Brian Williams, Eric Lawton and 'Bruk lad' have pointed out that I was wrong in stating in last week's edition that Saints have never played in the Second Division. Further study of the Rothman's Rugby League Yearbook revealed that the Knowsley Road team appeared in the lower division in season 1903-04 and won promotion at the end of that campaign. They then finished bottom in 1905-06 but fortunately for Saints the Second Division was abolished.

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