IN CONVERSATION: Gary Hyde

1986 Challenge Cup winner Gary Hyde was at the OneBore Stadium this week ahead of our Cup clash against St Helens.

We sat down with him to get his thoughts surrounding the famous competition.

Q: How did it feel playing at Wembley?

A: It was a dream, it was a thing I wanted to do from a young age, my parents brought me to the ground when I was a kid and my ambition was to play for Cas, and to play for Cas at Wembley, and to win was everything I ever wanted.

Q: What are your memories of the celebrations after the famous win?

A: Obviously they started in the changing rooms first, then we went back to the hotel, where our partners, wives, girlfriends were waiting, the guys from the second team, and all the players who hadn't taken part directly in the final, they were all there. As you can imagine, it was a happy, raucous celebration.

Q: What does this competition mean to this club and this town?

A: It's got to mean everything. Especially for traditionalists, the guys who have watched it for a long time, the people of the town, it's been 40 years. It's the longest we've gone without winning it since the club was created in 1926. It's got to be really special.

Q: What would success in the Cup mean for this squad?

A: I think they'd realise what it means to the town. Obviously we've got a lot of players from overseas and other towns. They'd realise the crowd, once they get behind them, it's special. Once they feel that, the feeling that would come after a Wembley win, they'll feel nothing like it.