CHALLENGE Cup fever will grip RL fans again this month - a quarter of a century after Leigh's famous Wembley win.

But, 25 years on, the cup-winning team celebrating the silver jubilee anniversary of that still-talked-about 24-7 win over Leeds, will be a little past peak fitness.

The Wembley squad of full-back Dave Eckersley, wingers Stuart Ferguson and Joe Walsh, centre Stan Dorrington and Mick Collins, stand-off Tony Barrow and scrum-half Alex Murphy, props Jimmy Fiddler and Derek Watts, hooker Kevin Ashcroft, second rowers Paul Grimes and Geoff Clarkson, substitutes Les Chisnall and Roy Lester plus reserves Tommy Grainey, Rod Tickle and Gordon Lewis, will meet again.

Sadly, loose-forward Peter Smethurst is no longer here, but his widow, Norma, has been invited to the Hilton Park gala festival mixed dinner being staged on Monday, May 27.

The chance of a nostalgic reunion with their team-mates has brought Aussie-based Dave Eckersley and Derek Watts from the other side of the world.

"Emotions are sure to be running high," promised a Leigh RL spokesman.

Festival events at Hilton Park include: Friday, May 24, Big Band Night; Saturday, May 25, fun day; Sunday, May 26, Leigh Centurions v. Doncaster Dragons followed by an Irish Night; Monday, May 27, festival dinner.

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