Challenge

Phil Jackson, one of the club's all-time greats and the last surviving member of Barrow's 1955 team which went all the way to Wembley to lift the trophy, is still enjoying life in the Australian city of Wagga Wagga, having emigrated Down Under 57 years ago following his retirement from playing.

There are a few players who have come close to achieving what Jackson did during a near-on 10-year career at Craven Park and his record of 27 international caps while playing for the club – including winning the 1954 World Cup with Great Britain – is unlikely to be beaten.

Arguably the zenith of the 84-year-old's career was as a member of what remains the only Barrow side to triumph in the Challenge Cup final though, and it is with a mix of fondness and sadness that Jackson looks back on that time.

“I am very sad that I am the only surviving member of the 1955 Cup final-winning team,” said Jackson. “I don’t get back to Barrow much, but if I did I would have dearly loved to have met one of them.

“What I miss most about playing is the satisfaction of getting the benefits of all the hard times in training and knowing you’re fit enough and have the ability.

“I had a lot of knee trouble in later years – heath-wise I’m not bad, but the problem with the knee is a big problem and causes me problems getting around.”

The sport of rugby league has changed immeasurably since Jackson hung up his boots. After all, it was not until 1966 that a tackle count was brought in, and who in the 1950s would have even envisioned playing during the summer and the concept of Super League?

But while he praises the Australians for their approach to the game, the man who was regarded as 'the prince among centres' during his playing days is forthright about some aspects of modern rugby league which are not to his liking.

“We were all talented and skilful, now I don’t see much skill in the game at all,” said Jackson. “It’s 13 big guys running at each other, not showing any ball skills we used to, just showing themselves how strong they are.

“There aren’t many coaches out there any more that could show them the skills that I’m talking about. There are things happening in the game now that show the coaches don’t know what they’re doing.

“For example, the amount of times wingers receive the ball and are unmarked. If I had a winger leaving his opposite winger unmarked he wouldn’t be playing again. I see this all the time, wingers come in and leave their opposite winger unmarked.

“Also, when I played there was one or two people in the tackle, now there’s at least now there’s at least three men in nearly every tackle and there’s no need.”

The plight of his home-town club is something which saddens Jackson too and although the Raiders have been undergoing something of a revival under the stewardship of Paul Crarey, it is still a far cry from the days of competing for top honours and playing the biggest teams on a regular basis.

“When I played we got terrific support from the town of Barrow, because the majority of the 20,000 workers from the shipping yard were rugby league people,” said Jackson.

“But the shipping yard haven’t got nearly as many people working there now and I think this is a reason for the lack of interest in the game in Barrow.

“I would love to see the Barrow club get good crowds and players. Seeing them where they are now is sad.”

Jackson has taken plenty of good memories his time playing for Barrow though – and not just that 21-12 victory over Workington Town at Wembley.

Indeed, it is as much the team-mates he played alongside in a club career which saw him make 225 appearances and run in 89 tries, including several fellow Barrow Hall of Fame members.

“I have very happy memories of playing at Barrow,” said Jackson. “I began at Barrow when I was 18 and most of players were well into their 20s so they all treated me wonderfully well.

“Willie Horne helped me in my playing days and it was wonderful to play alongside him as I was a Barrow lad. They were all absolute gentlemen and I was very fond of them.

“When I played with Barrow, I played with a lot of very talented men and the results we got show that.”