Leeds have started a search for anyone who celebrates their 30th birthday on 7th May this year called David or Stephen to join a select group of VIPs at a special dinner.
Leeds Rhinos have started a search for anyone who celebrates their 30th birthday on 7th May this year called David or Stephen to join a select group of VIPs at a special anniversary dinner the club is hosting. This year marks the 30th anniversary since Leeds won the Challenge Cup against Widnes at Wembley in 1977 on 7th May. The club are hosting a dinner on Tuesday 15th May at Headingley Carnegie Stadium at which the entire team from the Final will be re-united. A crowd of 82,085 descended on the capital 30 years ago to witness one of the most memorable moments in the club's history. Led by David Ward, the Leeds players were able to secure their place in the history books with an incredible victory over the favourites Widnes. Steve Pitchford's barnstorming performance earned him the Lance Todd trophy as the man of the match. The idea for the dinner is the brainchild of Leeds legend Barrie McDermott, himself a winner of the Cup in 1999, and he has managed to contact every member of the successful team to ensure an emotional occasion for all Leeds fans. Commenting on the search McDermott said, ''Cup Final's are historic landmarks in a club and City's history and everyone can remember where they were, especially for the wins. The beauty of sport is that it is an emotional thing and I am sure that a dad will have called their new born after the either the captain David Ward or the man of the match Steve Pitchford that day. We would like to hear from anyone who fits the bill and include them in the celebrations, the origin of their name might even come as a surprise to some people! ''Once we have collected the names in, we will do a draw and invite a David and a Stephen to join us on the night to mark the occasion. It should be a great night. We have kept the ticket price down to the cost of a seat at a game so fans can come and see their heroes again and relive one of the greatest days in the club's history,'' added McDermott. The evening will be an informal one with a hot buffet meal, giving fans the chance to reminisce about the historic day with the stars who made it all possible and collect autographs and photos with some of the greatest players to ever play for Leeds. Tickets are £25 per person plus VAT. To book your place please contact the Commercial Sales Department on 0113 203 3222. To qualify for the draw, entrants must be called David or Stephen, or a derivative, and be born on 7th May 1977. They should email
barrie.mcdermott@leedsrugby.com by Friday 4th May.