High of the Tigers SUPER CAS MAKING RUGBY LEAGUE SEXY
THE former mining town of Castleford hasn’t had too much to smile about in recent times.
In the 19th century Castleford was a boom town, with the opening of collieries in and around the region. These provided employment, purpose and direction.
But along came Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s and all this changed. The mining industry went to the wall, leaving a community on its knees.
More recently, major clothing, food and textile businesses have also turned their backs on this part of Yorkshire, delivering a further kick in the teeth to a population that could be forgiven for feeling like it lives in a place that time has left behind.
In fact, Castleford has just three famous people to boast about – and one of those is Viv Nicholson who became famous after her husband won the football pools in the 1960s.
Hope
They landed the equivalent of £3.5m and she declared she would ‘spend, spend, spend’. The other two are sculptor Henry Moore and crime writer Peter Robinson.
But throughout all the negativity and difficult times one thing bonded these people together, providing them with hope and focus when there appeared to be none.
Their own Super League team, the Castleford Tigers, have been a constant beacon of light in the darkness, despite struggling to be successful themselves.
Winning or losing hasn’t been the point, though. For the record, the Tigers have won the Challenge Cup four times – but last lifted the trophy in 1986 and have never been crowned league champions.
An entire generation of fans have never seen their beloved side win a damn thing but this hasn’t stopped them from going to watch them.
In the Super League era, almost 20 per cent of the town’s population have attended home matches.
The Tigers are the only professional sporting team in the town and appear to be the glue that keeps the whole place together.
But for the first time in decades something remarkable is happening in Castleford – or ‘Cas Vegas’ as those with an ironic sense of humour call the place.
So remarkable, in fact, that the Tigers might just be able to lay claim to being the most exciting sporting team to watch in the whole of Britain right now.
Under the management of Daryl Powell, this humble club has spawned a side of remarkable flair and attacking ambition.
One that charged to the top of the Super League table this season and brushed aside more notable rivals with a brand of rugby rarely seen anywhere, let alone in Castleford.
Leeds Rhinos, the most successful side of the last decade, were demolished by more than 60 points on a thrilling night in March.
Reigning champions Wigan, along with Huddersfield and St Helens, have also been taken to the cleaners.
Powell’s men have become rugby league’s equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Danger
The strange thing is there is no real explanation for it. The Tigers finished fifth last season and exited the play-offs in the early stages.
Denny Solomona, who scored a club-record 40 tries last season, left to switch codes with Sale Sharks after accepting a more lucrative contract.
But there has been no stopping the Tigers this time round and Powell is in serious danger of joining Nicholson, Moore and Robinson in going down in Castleford folklore.
Powell (right) and his men are making Super League sexy.
The accolades and attention won’t sit well with Powell, the straight-talking Yorkshireman who comes across as someone who prefers to let others bask in the limelight.
He’d rather frequent a working man’s club than a nightclub.
But Powell might have no choice but to be the centre of attention.
Sport brings people together and he is the pied piper giving his hard-working followers something to cheer about.