The 1976–77 Northern Rugby Football League season was the 82nd season of rugby league football. Sixteen English clubs competed for the Championship, with Featherstone Rovers claiming the title.
Season summary In July 1976, the Rugby League Council imposed a ban on players moving to Australian clubs on short term contracts unless a transfer fee was paid.
In April 1977, the League's executive committee recommended as of next season that points difference should be used to determine league position for teams level on points, instead of points average.
The League Champions were Featherstone Rovers for the first and, to date, only time. During the season, the Salford versus Leeds match was abandoned after 38 minutes when Chris Sanderson of Leeds suffered a fatal injury. Leeds were ahead 5-2, but the game was declared null and void and not replayed.
Rochdale Hornets, Leigh, Barrow and Oldham were demoted to the Second Division.
The Challenge Cup Winners were Leeds who beat Widnes 16-7 in the final.
2nd Division Champions were Hull FC, and they, Dewsbury, Bramley and New Hunslet were promoted to the First Division.
League Tables
First Division Championship TeamPldWDLPFPAPts1Featherstone Rovers302127568334442St. Helens3019110547345393Castleford3019110519350394Hull Kingston Rovers3018111496415375Warrington3018012532406366Salford2917111560402357Wigan3015213463416328Bradford Northern3015213488470329Leeds29142134674393010Widnes30150154033933011Wakefield Trinity30132154874802812Workington Town30131163524032713Rochdale Hornets30110193674492214Leigh3081213146341715Barrow3080223456281616Oldham30702332266614
Second Division Championship TeamPldWDLPFPAPts1Hull262213599238452Dewsbury261925429199403Bramley261907464377384New Hunslet261736411231375York261709422279346Keighley261619486235337Huddersfield2613013397329268Whitehaven2611114290346239Huyton26110153024022210Halifax26100163014292011Swinton2682162614061812Batley2671182624611513Blackpool Borough2651202334641114Doncaster2610252437042
Cups Challenge Cup
Leeds beat Widnes 16-7 in the final played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 7 May 1977 in front of a crowd of 80,871. The winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was the Leeds prop, Steve Pitchford.
This was Leeds’ tenth Cup Final win in fourteen Final appearances.
County cups
Widnes beat Workington Town (from Cumbria) 16–11 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Leeds beat Featherstone Rovers 16–12 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.
BBC2 Floodlit Trophy
BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Winners were Castleford who beat Leigh 12-4 in the final.
Player's No.6 Trophy
Players No.6 Trophy Winners were Castleford who beat Blackpool Borough 25-15.
Premiership
Rugby League Premiership Trophy Winners were St. Helens who beat Warrington 32-20.
Sources 1976-77 Rugby Football League season at wigan.rlfans.com The Challenge Cup at The Rugby Football League website
References