For Terry Mullaney and his family, Challenge Cup Finals Day is always a poignant occasion.
For Terry and his wife Denise, it stirs memories of their son, Steven, leading Wakefield to victory over St Helens in 1986, in the schoolboys curtain-raiser which has been part of Rugby League’s Wembley tradition since 1975 – and which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The following year, Steven was killed in a traffic accident – and thanks to Bob Ashby, the Featherstone Rovers chairman who held the same position with the Rugby Football League from 1987-93, the curtain-raiser was subsequently renamed the Steven Mullaney Memorial Game.
For the best part of four decades since, Terry has relished the smiles and enjoyment of the many hundreds of youngsters who have enjoyed the rare opportunity to play on the Wembley pitch, following in Steven’s footsteps - and has usually presented the post-match medals.
But this year, he has handed that responsibility to his daughter, Lauren – Steven’s younger sister.
That’s because Terry has been handed a new role for 2025 – leading out his beloved Featherstone Rovers for their appearance in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final later in the day.
“It’s all down to Paddy Handley,” he explained, referring to the former Rovers half-back who is now the club’s Chairman, and has steered them through some significant financial challenges in the last 12 months.
“I’d got to know Paddy and his family very well when he played at the club, in the 1990s when I was on the Board.
“He was always a great lad as well as a good player, with a really nice family – and when to my surprise and delight, 12 months or so ago Paddy declared an interest in taking over, he asked me to come and help.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t have done it for anyone else – that’s how strong our bond is. And without going into details, what he’s done for the club is incredible.
“For us to be back at Wembley again, that’s incredible too – and then after our semi final win at Oldham, Paddy and Martin Vickers, our ceo, came up to me in the boardroom and said I’d be leading the team out.
“I was gobsmacked, said no I couldn’t, Paddy should – but he insisted, with the connection between Steven and Wembley. I think that just tells you everything you need to know about Paddy, the type of man he is – selfless.
“I’m just humbled to have been given such an honour – and it’s going to be a special day.”
Thinking back to his son’s special day at Wembley 39 years ago, Terry added: “Everything about it was wonderful, for all the family.
“The way Steven played that particular day, he was captain of the Wakefield team, they beat St Helens, and he scored that try and burst into tears.
“Bob Ashby and Featherstone rescued me to be honest, after what happened with the accident the following August. Our lives had been destroyed really, losing Steven. I’d been working as a driver but I couldn’t go on with it. Bob gave me a job at the club as commercial manager, running a new lottery.
“I got stuck into it and it was a great success, made over £1m which was a lot of money at the time, it transformed the fortunes of the club. And then at one Board meeting, Bob said to me there was some more news for me – they were naming the Wembley curtain-raiser after Steven.
“It’s just been wonderful for us to have him remembered for all these years, and to be linked to all the happiness that the games have provided, for the boys and their parents. It’s fabulous, a day all the lads will remember for the rest of their lives, and a big part of the Wembley occasion.”
This year it is the Year Seven boys of Hull’s Sirius Academy West and of Rainford High School near St Helens who will emerge from the Wembley tunnel.
But the Steven Mullaney Memorial Match is one of 10 finals in the RFL’s Champion Schools competitions, which have again been sponsored in 2025 by inspiresport.
The two Year 11 finals have already taken place, at Wakefield’s DIY Kitchens Stadium in April – with St Peter’s Catholic High School of Wigan beating Castleford Academy 16-12 to seal the Girls’ title, and St Benedict’s Catholic High School striking a blow for Cumbria with a 13-12 win against Warrington’s Bridgewater High.
Next Sunday (June 15), the Year 10 Girls Final will be played at AMT Headingley as part of a triple header culminating in the senior Women’s Super League fixture between Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves. Whoever wins, the girls of Archbishop Sentamu Academy (Hull) and The Deanery High School (Wigan) will make history, with the first Champion Schools Final at Headingley.
Then on Wednesday July 2, attention switches back to Wakefield’s DIY Kitchens Stadium, with the remaining six inspiresport Champion Schools Finals for 2025.
Archbishop Sentamu have qualified for all three Girls Finals. Their Year 7 team face Airedale Academy, their Year 8s play St Bede’s and St Joseph’s from Bradford, and their Year 9s take on Bedford High School from Leigh.
Archbishop Sentamu’s Year 9 Boys also face Bedford High, with Sirius Academy West taking on Castleford Academy in the Year 10 Boys final, and the Year 8 Boys of Ysgol Glantaf ensuring a Welsh presence at Finals day, as they play St Peter’s in a repeat of last year’s Steven Mullaney Memorial Match at Wembley.
This piece appears in the official match programme for the Betfred Challenge Cup Finals and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final – available to pre-order online here for £10.
Finals Day at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 7 June is a triple-header featuring the finals of the Betfred Challenge Cup (Men’s and Women’s), alongside the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final and RFL Champion Schools Year 7 Boys Final. Tickets are on sale now!
