Eddie Cunningham

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
22-02-1951
N/A
04-02-1975
Wigan
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
09-02-1975 v Bramley
Salford
1979- Leeds
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1974-1978
144 (12)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
75
0
0
225

Biography of Eddie Cunningham



HERITAGE NO : 904
Eddie Cunningham by Dave Dooley:

Eddie Cunningham had won a Challenge Cup winner`s medal with the Saints before his little brother Kieron was even born! Eddie was signed from Wigan for a bargain fee of £5000 in February 1975. He was immediately drafted in his familiar second row position. Eddie made 13 appearances before the end of the season helping Saints to secure the First Division Championship as they finished on top of the league a clear nine points ahead of their nearest and dearest rivals, Wigan. In those days the Champions were only issued with 17 medals and so Eddie missed out on the award.

Eddie was a very strong runner for his size. He was blessed with an amazing turn of foot and an array of evasive skills. Eddie was also very adept at offloading the ball just as he was about to be tackled. These attributes persuaded coach Eric Ashton to try him out in the centres. In the 1976 Challenge Cup Final, Eddie was one of the younger saints on view. Twelve minutes into the Final Cunningham supported a beautiful break by Billy Benyon. Eddie took a neat short pass from the veteran stand off and streaked away to plant the ball down for a lead that the Saints were never to relinquish. Eddie`s work in defence also helped to keep the Widnes outfit tryless throughout the match. Hamstring trouble kept Eddie out of the Premiership Final two weeks later as Saints completed a season`s treble by defeating the `Red Devils` of Salford by 15 points to 2.

Eddie`s attacking prowess and clinical finishing resulted in him sitting prettily on top of the club`s tryscoring chart at the end of the 1976/7 season. Eddie scorched in for 25 tries in 32 matches, including hat tricks against Hull KR, Warrington and Castleford. In the 1977 Premiership Final against Warrington the match was still up for grabs when smart play by Eddie sent Roy Mathias in for Saints` third try. Eddie then scored a blistering try himself leaving the Wire defence for dead as he raced in from forty yards. This effectively sealed the match for the Saints.

In the 1977/8 season Eddie again topped the club`s tryscoring charts with an impressive 29 tries from 39 matches. This haul included a four-try performance against Swinton with hat tricks against Huddersfield and Bramley. The 1978 Challenge Cup Final saw Eddie back at Wembley and back in the second row. In an enthralling encounter Saints raced into an early ten points lead only to be pulled back by a spirited Leeds display. Edie and his comrades had to be content with runners up medals.

The 1978/9 campaign was Eddie`s last season at Knowsley Road. Eddie returned 10 tries from 33 matches in a season that brought no trophies to the Knowsley Road Boardroom. His career try haul of 75 touchdowns from 141 outings indicates a very high strike rate especially when one considers his dual role as a centre or second row.

Eddie gained one cap for Great Britain in his time with the Saints and also represented Lancashire on one occasion. In the summer of 1979 Eddie was sold to Leeds for £25 000. This equated to a net profit of £20 000 and some memorable moments from one of the famous Cunningham clan.



SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1974~75 5 0 0 13
1975~76 6 0 0 27
1976~77 25 0 0 32
1977~78 29 0 0 39
1978~79 10 0 0 33
TOTALS:75 0 0 144
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1975~76 0003
1977~781001
1978~791001
TOTALS:2005

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
8th Feb 1975 1
W
 15 Bramley CC1 A 30 5 VIEW
12th Feb 1975 2
W
 4 Bradford Northern L H 20 11 VIEW
22nd Feb 1975 3
L
 11 Wakefield Trinity CC2 A 9 13 VIEW
11th Mar 1975 4
W
 15 Wakefield Trinity L H 16 6 VIEW
14th Mar 1975 5
W
 11 Rochdale Hornets L A 4 2 VIEW
23rd Mar 1975 6
W
 12 Bradford Northern L A 26 15 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1975 7
W
 15 Wigan L A 21 2 1 VIEW
31st Mar 1975 8
W
 11 Widnes L H 25 5 1 VIEW
15th Apr 1975 9
W
 15 Dewsbury L H 36 14 VIEW
25th Apr 1975 10
W
 11 Oldham PT1 H 42 5 1 VIEW
2nd May 1975 11
W
 11 Bradford Northern PT2 (rep) H 14 5 1 VIEW
4th May 1975 12
W
 11 Wigan PTSF A 22 16 VIEW
17th May 1975 13
L
 15 Leeds PTF N 11 26 VIEW
22nd Aug 1975 14
W
 15 Featherstone Rovers L H 17 3 VIEW
31st Aug 1975 15
W
 14 Oldham LC1 A 19 17 VIEW
6th Sep 1975 16
W
 11 Huddersfield L A 22 21 VIEW
14th Sep 1975 17
W
 14 Swinton LC2 A 17 2 VIEW
16th Sep 1975 18
W
 11 Leeds L H 24 2 VIEW
23rd Sep 1975 19
L
 12 Salford LCSF H 8 21 VIEW
5th Oct 1975 20
L
 12 Featherstone Rovers L A 15 29 VIEW
8th Oct 1975 21
W
 12 Rochdale Hornets FTP A 15 7 VIEW
9th Nov 1975 22
W
 11 Batley JP2 H 47 9 2 VIEW
16th Nov 1975 23
W
 11 Castleford L H 22 9 VIEW
18th Nov 1975 24
W
 11 Hull FT2 H 36 13 VIEW
22nd Nov 1975 25
L
 11 Hull JP3 A 8 9 VIEW
26th Dec 1975 26
D
 15 Wigan L A 12 12 VIEW
28th Dec 1975 27
W
 12 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 18 4 1 VIEW
1st Jan 1976 28
W
 15 Widnes L H 12 4 VIEW
11th Jan 1976 29
W
 11 Bradford Northern L H 19 7 VIEW
17th Jan 1976 30
W
 4 Leeds L A 17 8 VIEW
20th Jan 1976 31
W
 4 Swinton L H 40 6 1 VIEW
25th Jan 1976 32
L
 4 Warrington L H 3 9 VIEW
8th Feb 1976 33
L
 11 Oldham L H 7 8 VIEW
20th Feb 1976 34
L
 11 Castleford L A 10 26 VIEW
13th Apr 1976 35
L
 14 Keighley L A 12 14 VIEW
16th Apr 1976 36
L
 14 Wigan L H 11 28 VIEW
19th Apr 1976 37
L
 11 Widnes L A 7 23 VIEW
25th Apr 1976 38
W
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 33 8 1 VIEW
8th May 1976 39
W
 3 Widnes CCF N 20 5 1 VIEW
11th May 1976 40
W
 3 Leeds PTSF(1) A 12 5 VIEW
22nd Jun 1976 --
L
 4 Queensland * Fr Tour A 15 21 VIEW
29th Jun 1976 --
L
 4 Eastern Suburbs* Fr Tour ( Unoffic. W A 2 25 VIEW
4th Jul 1976 --
L
 13 Auckland* Fr Tour A 13 20 VIEW
5th Sep 1976 41
L
 3 Rochdale Hornets L A 21 24 1 VIEW
10th Sep 1976 42
D
 3 Wakefield Trinity L H 7 7 VIEW
19th Sep 1976 43
W
 3 Barrow L A 19 2 2 VIEW
24th Sep 1976 44
W
 13 Leigh L A 20 5 VIEW
2nd Oct 1976 45
L
 12 Bradford Northern L A 7 17 VIEW
17th Oct 1976 46
W
 13 Warrington L H 23 9 3 VIEW
24th Oct 1976 47
W
 13 Hull Kingston Rovers JP1 A 12 7 VIEW
26th Oct 1976 48
W
 4 Swinton FT1 A 22 15 VIEW
29th Oct 1976 49
W
 3 Salford L A 18 15 VIEW
6th Nov 1976 50
L
 13 Castleford JP2 H 18 22 1 VIEW
14th Nov 1976 51
W
 13 Featherstone Rovers L H 22 17 2 VIEW
16th Nov 1976 52
L
 4 Huddersfield FT2 A 7 9 VIEW
28th Nov 1976 53
W
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 32 8 3 VIEW
4th Dec 1976 54
W
 13 Workington Town L A 16 12 VIEW
12th Dec 1976 55
W
 4 Leeds L H 17 6 VIEW
6th Jan 1977 56
L
 4 Widnes L A 8 13 VIEW
9th Jan 1977 57
W
 13 Oldham L H 17 7 VIEW
16th Jan 1977 58
W
 4 Barrow L H 17 10 1 VIEW
23rd Jan 1977 59
L
 4 Wakefield Trinity L A 5 21 VIEW
4th Feb 1977 60
L
 4 Castleford L A 12 16 VIEW
12th Feb 1977 61
W
 4 Warrington CC1 A 13 12 VIEW
27th Feb 1977 62
W
 4 Wigan CC2 A 9 4 VIEW
6th Mar 1977 63
W
 4 Salford L H 29 9 1 VIEW
13th Mar 1977 64
W
 4 Dewsbury CC3 A 11 8 VIEW
26th Mar 1977 65
L
 4 Leeds CCSF N 2 7 VIEW
8th Apr 1977 66
W
 4 Wigan L A 17 8 VIEW
11th Apr 1977 67
W
 4 Widnes L H 31 0 2 VIEW
15th Apr 1977 68
L
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 13 18 1 VIEW
20th Apr 1977 69
W
 4 Leigh L H 49 2 3 VIEW
10th May 1977 70
W
 4 Castleford PTSF (1) A 36 12 3 VIEW
14th May 1977 71
W
 4 Castleford PTSF (2) H 25 13 1 VIEW
28th May 1977 72
W
 4 Warrington PTF N 32 20 1 VIEW
10th Aug 1977 --
W
 6 Wigan* Fr Queens Silver Jub H 29 5 1 VIEW
21st Aug 1977 73
W
 4 Swinton LC1 H 49 3 4 VIEW
28th Aug 1977 74
D
 4 Rochdale Hornets LC2 A 4 4 VIEW
30th Aug 1977 75
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets LC2 (rep) H 16 5 VIEW
4th Sep 1977 76
L
 4 New Hunslet L A 17 22 VIEW
11th Sep 1977 77
W
 4 Castleford L H 39 17 1 VIEW
18th Sep 1977 78
W
 4 Dewsbury L A 18 0 VIEW
21st Sep 1977 79
L
 4 Workington Town LCSF A 4 5 VIEW
11th Oct 1977 80
W
 4 Dewsbury FT1 H 51 0 1 VIEW
16th Oct 1977 81
W
 4 Hull L H 52 14 VIEW
23rd Oct 1977 82
W
 4 Swinton JP1 A 28 11 VIEW
30th Oct 1977 83
W
 4 Featherstone Rovers L A 12 5 1 VIEW
6th Nov 1977 84
L
 4 Featherstone Rovers JP2 A 10 17 1 VIEW
13th Nov 1977 85
W
 4 Leeds L H 19 10 VIEW
20th Nov 1977 86
W
 11 Bramley L A 36 11 3 VIEW
22nd Nov 1977 87
W
 4 Leigh FT2 A 14 7 VIEW
27th Nov 1977 88
W
 12 Salford L H 13 12 VIEW
4th Dec 1977 89
L
 4 Workington Town L A 3 16 VIEW
13th Dec 1977 90
L
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers FTF A 11 26 1 VIEW
18th Dec 1977 91
L
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 9 21 VIEW
31st Dec 1977 92
W
 4 Widnes L H 16 3 VIEW
8th Jan 1978 93
W
 4 Dewsbury L H 23 7 VIEW
22nd Jan 1978 94
W
 12 New Hunslet L H 39 7 1 VIEW
29th Jan 1978 95
W
 4 Hull L A 18 12 2 VIEW
5th Feb 1978 96
W
 4 Warrington L H 17 6 VIEW
24th Feb 1978 97
W
 4 Huyton CC1 H 36 8 1 VIEW
1st Mar 1978 98
W
 4 Castleford L A 29 12 1 VIEW
5th Mar 1978 99
W
 12 Bramley L H 71 7 2 VIEW
12th Mar 1978 100
W
 12 Oldham CC2 A 26 11 1 VIEW
19th Mar 1978 101
W
 12 Huddersfield CC3 H 31 5 3 VIEW
21st Mar 1978 102
W
 12 Salford L A 24 11 2 VIEW
24th Mar 1978 103
L
 12 Wigan L H 17 22 1 VIEW
30th Mar 1978 104
W
 4 Bradford Northern L H 28 13 1 VIEW
2nd Apr 1978 105
W
 12 Wakefield Trinity L H 36 5 2 VIEW
8th Apr 1978 106
W
 12 Warrington CCSF N 12 8 VIEW
22nd Apr 1978 107
W
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 23 13 VIEW
30th Apr 1978 108
W
 4 Salford PT1 H 29 11 VIEW
3rd May 1978 109
W
 4 Bradford Northern PTSF(1) H 14 10 VIEW
7th May 1978 110
L
 11 Bradford Northern PTSF(2) A 12 19 VIEW
13th May 1978 111
L
 12 Leeds CCF N 12 14 VIEW
13th Aug 1978 --
W
 4 Oldham* Fr Charity H 44 20 1 VIEW
20th Aug 1978 112
D
 4 Rochdale Hornets LC1 H 14 14 1 VIEW
23rd Aug 1978 113
D
 4 Rochdale Hornets LC1 (rep) A 8 8 VIEW
25th Aug 1978 114
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets LC1 (2nd rep) N 28 9 2 VIEW
27th Aug 1978 115
L
 4 Leigh LC2 A 4 21 VIEW
10th Sep 1978 116
W
 4 Wakefield Trinity L H 20 15 VIEW
12th Sep 1978 117
W
 4 Warrington FTP H 13 9 VIEW
17th Sep 1978 118
D
 4 Barrow L A 16 16 2 VIEW
23rd Sep 1978 119
W
 4 Leeds JP1 H 16 11 1 VIEW
1st Oct 1978 120
W
 4 Castleford L H 48 14 1 VIEW
8th Oct 1978 121
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets L H 33 5 VIEW
17th Oct 1978 122
W
 4 Salford FT1 A 17 15 VIEW
2nd Dec 1978 123
L
 13 Widnes JP2 A 10 11 VIEW
10th Dec 1978 124
W
 4 Salford L A 16 13 VIEW
12th Dec 1978 125
L
 4 Widnes FTF H 7 13 VIEW
26th Dec 1978 126
W
 4 Wigan L H 18 11 VIEW
3rd Feb 1979 127
W
 4 Featherstone Rovers L H 25 16 VIEW
11th Feb 1979 128
W
 4 Doncaster CC1 H 34 9 VIEW
20th Feb 1979 129
W
 4 Workington Town L H 10 6 VIEW
23rd Feb 1979 130
D
 4 Castleford L A 13 13 1 VIEW
4th Mar 1979 131
W
 3 Rochdale Hornets CC2 A 11 10 VIEW
7th Mar 1979 132
W
 3 Warrington L A 15 8 VIEW
10th Mar 1979 133
W
 4 Castleford CC3 A 10 6 VIEW
18th Mar 1979 134
L
 4 Leeds L H 15 20 VIEW
25th Mar 1979 135
L
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 5 20 VIEW
29th Mar 1979 136
L
 4 Workington Town L A 8 10 VIEW
7th Apr 1979 137
L
 4 Wakefield Trinity CCSF N 7 9 VIEW
13th Apr 1979 138
L
 4 Wigan L A 5 7 VIEW
16th Apr 1979 139
L
 4 Widnes L H 16 18 VIEW
29th Apr 1979 140
W
 4 Bradford Northern L A 13 12 VIEW
30th Apr 1979 141
W
 4 Bradford Northern L H 31 15 VIEW
7th May 1979 142
W
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 14 5 1 VIEW
10th May 1979 143
L
 4 Widnes L A 8 15 VIEW
13th May 1979 144
W
 4 Salford L H 26 4 1 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 100 | LOSSES : 42 | DRAWS : 7

GALLERY





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