Widnes ‘biggest club in the Championship’ following bumper 1895 Cup final crowd

Widnes boss Allan Coleman believes the Vikings are the ‘biggest club in the Championship’, with almost 5,000 spectators flocking to the Halliwell Jones Stadium to see Monday’s 1895 Cup final.

As was the case in 2019 when Sheffield Eagles beat them at Wembley, Widnes lost out in this year’s 1895 Cup final to full-time outfit London Broncos.

Backed by wealthy Australian businessman Grant Wechsel, the Broncos have lost only one Championship game all season and claimed a second trophy in as many weeks on Monday afternoon having lifted the League Leaders’ Shield eight days prior.

But a 32-10 scoreline flattered the capital club, and perhaps more importantly, the event in Warrington was an overwhelming success with an attendance of 4,829.

‘We’ve spoken all week about being the best club in the Championship… we showed today we’re the biggest (club) in the Championship’

The vast majority of the crowd at the HJ were backing Widnes, and were loud throughout the day.

Post-match, head coach Coleman said: “We needed that as a club. We’ve spoken all week about being the best club in the Championship, we want to be.

“Unfortunately at the moment with how the Championship is run, it’s difficult if you’re not full-time, you can’t be the best club. Whoever’s full-time will be the best.

“But we’ve got to focus on us and we’re trying to build a club, from the youth upwards. (We want) to be self-sustainable with producing our own players.

“I think we showcased today what we can potentially bring.”

Widnes – who have not been in Super League since 2018 – have averaged a home gate of 2,364 at the DCBL Stadium this term, with a season-high 4,018 there to see their victory over North Wales Crusaders back in February.

Having finished fifth, Coleman’s side will now enter the Championship play-offs.

Reflecting on the 1895 Cup final as an occasion, he added: “That, for me personally, is better than it being played at Wembley.

It was a great occasion with a fantastic support. London were great vocally and we were great. I just think the more you put into this, the more buy-in you’ll get from clubs.

“If you make it a showcase final and competition, any club who gets here will come in numbers.

“We showed today we’re the biggest (club) in the Championship, that’s for sure, in my eyes.”