The highlights of my 2016

It’s that time of year where we all look back on the year just passed, and look ahead to next year.

For me, 2016 was the first year I’ve managed to hit three figures in live sport in a calendar year – 106 at the time of writing, with at least one more to come (possibly three).

16/01/16 – Warrington Town 4-2 Northwich Victoria – Cantilever Park
I don’t remember a great deal about the game itself, but it is significant in that it was the first time I’ve seen a four-figure league crowd at my hometown club – 1095 attended what was a top of the table clash.

17/03/16 – Wigan Warriors 12-18 Widnes Vikings – DW Stadium
I have some great memories of games at the DW Stadium, and twice this year Widnes managed to go away with a win from there. The first win, in March, stands out. This was Widnes’ sixth win from seven at the start of the season and propelled them to the top of the league. For a spell before and after that game, it really felt like something special was going to happen. The game itself, Widnes kept it fairly tight but didn’t seem able to score. They managed to get on the board early in the second half, and I remember thinking after Corey Thompson’s error led to Wigan’s third try, that maybe it wouldn’t be Widnes’ day. But lo and behold, they managed to dig in and pull off a win in such a manner that has been rare to witness as a Widnes fan.

28/05/16 – Hull City 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday – Wembley
For someone that has been the best part of a thousand live sporting events, I’d never seen my national sport at the national stadium. I had only ever been to Wembley for NFL. This one didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed hospitality, courtesy of Supporters Direct, and the Sheffield Wednesday supporters made an absolute racket, despite their defeat. I got the train down to London, watched the game, and then got the train home. A long day, but worth it. Whisper it quietly, but I also bought my first ever half-half scarf as a momento.

20/06/16 – Wales 3-0 Russia – Stadium Municipal, Toulouse
One of the three games at Euro 2016 I made it to, saw Wales absolutely take apart Russia in Toulouse. It was a really unique stadium, and quite shallow seating, and it was a good atmosphere. It was also a proud moment, being half Welsh, to listen to virtually all the crowd bellow out the Welsh national anthem.

18/11/16 – Worcester Wolves 88-89 Manchester Giants, University of Worcester Arena
Without doubt, my highlight of 2016. I joined Manchester Giants in May, and had to wait until the end of September for my first game. It was a tough start to the season, losing the first seven games, and then there was this one, game nine. The Giants competed all the way and looked to have the game in control at the end of the third quarter, until the Wolves went on a run to take control. It looked like game over, seven behind with less than 40 seconds to play, but four stunning three pointers, including one on the buzzer from Moritz Lanegger (video below), snatched an incredible win!

Here is my full list of games attended in 2016:

# Date Match Ground Sport
892 30/12/2016 Manchester Giants 74-78 Newcastle Eagles Trafford Sportsdome
891 26/12/2016 Ashton United 2-1 Warrington Town Hurst Cross
890 18/12/2016 Manchester Giants 60-84 Glasgow Rocks Trafford Sportsdome
890 18/12/2016 Manchester Giants 60-84 Glasgow Rocks Trafford Sportsdome
889 17/12/2016 Warrington Town A-A Stafford Rangers Cantilever Park
889 17/12/2016 Warrington Town A-A Stafford Rangers Cantilever Park
888 11/12/2016 Cheshire Phoenix 103-83 Manchester Giants Cheshire Oaks Arena
887 10/12/2016 Hednesford Town 1-0 Warrington Town Keys Park
886 03/12/2016 Frickley Athletic 0-3 Warrington Town Westfield Lane
885 27/11/2016 Manchester Giants 91-104 Leeds Force Trafford Sportsdome
884 26/11/2016 Warrington Town 2-1 Sutton Coldfield Town Cantilever Park
883 25/11/2016 London Lions 103-94 Manchester Giants Copper Box Arena
882 20/11/2016 Manchester Giants 82-80 Bristol Flyers Trafford Sportsdome
881 19/11/2016 Warrington Town 1-2 Barwell Cantilever Park
880 18/11/2016 Worcester Wolves 88-89 Manchester Giants University of Worcester Arena
879 15/11/2016 Ashton United 2-0 Warrington Town Hurst Cross
878 13/11/2016 Manchester Giants 91-79 Surrey Scorchers Trafford Sportsdome
877 12/11/2016 Grimsby Town 2-2 Barnet Blundell Park
876 05/11/2016 Stafford Rangers 2-2 Warrington Town Marston Road
875 30/10/2016 Manchester Giants 84-91 Worcester Wolves Trafford Sportsdome
874 29/10/2016 Warrington Town 0-2 Nantwich Town Cantilever Park
873 23/10/2016 Manchester Giants 60-83 London Lions Trafford Sportsdome
872 22/10/2016 Halesowen 1-0 Warrington Town The Grove, Halesowen
871 18/10/2016 Rushall Olympic 2-2 Warrington Town Dales Lane
870 16/10/2016 Plymouth Raiders 114-63 Manchester Giants Plymouth Pavilions
869 15/10/2016 Warrington Town 1-2 Workington Cantilever Park
868 13/10/2016 Snooker - English Open Event City Manchester
867 09/10/2016 Manchester Giants 82-97 Cheshire Phoenix Trafford Sportsdome
866 07/10/2016 Sheffield Sharks 80-67 Manchester Giants EIS Sheffield
865 04/10/2016 Blyth Spartans 0-3 Warrington Town Croft Park
864 01/10/2016 Warrington Town 2-1 Corby Town Cantilever Park
863 30/09/2016 Newcastle Eagles 102-55 Manchester Giants Northumbria Sport Central
862 27/09/2016 Warrington Town 2-3 Nantwich Town Cantilever Park
861 25/09/2016 Manchester Giants 56-90 Glasgow Rocks Trafford Sportsdome
860 20/09/2016 Mickleover Sports 1-0 Warrington Town Don Amott Arena
859 18/09/2016 Widnes Vikings 8-21 St Helens Halton Stadium
858 17/09/2016 Grantham Town 1-2 Warrington Town South Kesteven Sports Stadium
857 09/09/2016 Warrington Wolves 30-12 Widnes Vikings Halliwell Jones Stadium
856 01/09/2016 Wigan Warriors 6-8 Widnes Vikings DW Stadium
855 29/08/2016 Marine 1-1 Warrington Town Rossett Park
854 28/08/2016 Manchester City 3-1 West Ham United Etihad Stadium
853 27/08/2016 Warrington Town 5-3 Matlock Town Cantilever Park
852 21/08/2016 Widnes Vikings 40-8 Wakefield Wildcats Halton Stadium
851 20/08/2016 Warrington Town 0-1 Grantham Town Cantilever Park
850 19/08/2016 Manchester United 2-0 Southampton Old Trafford
849 16/08/2016 Spennymoor Town 4-1 Warrington Town The Brewery Field, Spennymoor
848 13/08/2016 Warrington Town 2-0 Stourbridge Cantilever Park
847 11/08/2016 Widnes Vikings 0-38 Hull FC Halton Stadium
846 06/08/2016 Warrington Town 5-1 VCD Athletic Cantilever Park
845 26/07/2016 Widnes FC 1-2 Warrington Town Halton Stadium
844 24/07/2016 Widnes Vikings 32-4 Catalan Dragons Halton Stadium
843 15/07/2016 Widnes Vikings 24-32 Salford Red Devils Halton Stadium
842 13/07/2016 Warrington Town 0-4 Carlisle United Cantilever Park
841 08/07/2016 St Helens 12-10 Widnes Vikings Totally Wicked Stadium
840 03/07/2016 Leeds Rhinos 22-23 Widnes Vikings Headingley
839 22/06/2016 Sweden 0-1 Belgium Allianz Riviera
838 21/06/2016 Poland 1-0 Ukraine Stade Velodrome
837 20/06/2016 Wales 3-0 Russia Stadium de Toulouse
836 16/06/2016 Widnes Vikings 0-7 Wigan Warriors Halton Stadium
835 10/06/2016 Warrington Wolves 12-19 Hull FC Halliwell Jones Stadium
834 09/06/2016 Castleford Tigers 28-38 Widnes Vikings The Jungle
833 03/06/2016 Hull FC 30-10 Widnes Vikings KC Stadium
832 29/05/2016 Widnes Vikings 24-20 Huddersfield Giants Halton Stadium
831 28/05/2016 Hull City 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday Wembley
830 21/05/2016 Widnes Vikings 12-18 Salford Red Devils St James Park
829 15/05/2016 Hull KR 24-10 Widnes Vikings Craven Park, Hull
828 08/05/2016 Halifax 18-28 Widnes Vikings Shay Stadium
827 30/04/2016 Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Grimsby Town Prenton Park
826 29/04/2016 Widnes Vikings 16-18 Wakefield Wildcats Halton Stadium
825 22/04/2016 Widnes Vikings 16-48 Warrington Wolves Halton Stadium
824 19/04/2016 Radcliffe Boro 1-3 Warrington Town Stainton Park
823 17/04/2016 Rochdale Hornets 6-62 Widnes Vikings Spotland Stadium
822 16/04/2016 Warrington Town 6-1 Prescot Cables Cantilever Park
821 10/04/2016 Widnes Vikings 24-34 Castleford Tigers Halton Stadium
820 09/04/2016 Glossop North End 0-1 Warrington Town Surrey Street
819 02/04/2016 Catalans Dragons 21-8 Widnes Vikings Stade Gilbert Brutus
818 28/03/2016 Widnes Vikings 12-20 St Helens Halton Stadium
817 26/03/2016 Lancaster City 2-1 Warrington Town The Giant Axe
816 25/03/2016 Warrington Wolves 28-10 Widnes Vikings Halliwell Jones Stadium
815 19/03/2016 Prescot Cables 0-3 Warrington Town Valerie Park
814 17/03/2016 Wigan Warriors 12-18 Widnes Vikings DW Stadium
813 12/03/2016 Warrington Town 2-1 Ossett Town Cantilever Park
812 10/03/2016 Widnes Vikings 46-6 Hull FC Halton Stadium
811 08/03/2016 Droylsden 0-9 Warrington Town The Butchers Arms Ground
810 05/03/2016 Northwich Victoria 3-2 Warrington Town Wincham Park
809 04/03/2016 Widnes Vikings 30-16 Hull KR Halton Stadium
808 29/02/2016 Harrogate Railway Athletic 0-7 Warrington Town Station View
807 28/02/2016 Huddersfield Giants 18-36 Widnes Vikings The John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield
806 27/02/2016 Warrington Town 3-0 Kendal Town Cantilever Park
805 23/02/2016 Chester 4-0 Warrington Town Deva Stadium
804 21/02/2016 Salford Red Devils 28-20 Widnes Vikings AJ Bell Stadium
803 17/02/2016 Manchester Storm 3-4 Sheffield Steelers Altrincham Ice Dome
802 14/02/2016 Widnes Vikings 56-12 Leeds Rhinos Halton Stadium
801 07/02/2016 Wakefield Wildcats 16-24 Widnes Vikings Belle Vue
800 06/02/2016 Manchester Storm 5-2 Dundee Stars Altrincham Ice Dome
799 05/02/2016 St Helens 30-16 Huddersfield Giants Totally Wicked Stadium
798 01/02/2016 Curzon Ashton 0-2 Alfreton Town Tameside Stadium
797 31/01/2016 Cheshire Phoenix 70-76 London Lions Cheshire Oaks Arena
795 30/01/2016 Warrington Town 1-0 Scarborough Athletic Cantilever Park
796 30/01/2016 Manchester Storm 8-5 Edinburgh Capitals Altrincham Ice Dome
794 26/01/2016 Warrington Town 1-0e Northwich Manchester Villa Cantilever Park
793 24/01/2016 St Helens 16-30 Widnes Vikings Totally Wicked Stadium
792 23/01/2016 New Mills 0-5 Warrington Town Church Lane
791 18/01/2016 Brighouse Town 0-2 Warrington Town St Giles Road
790 17/01/2016 Widnes Vikings 18-18 Halifax Halton Stadium
789 16/01/2016 Warrington Town 4-2 Northwich Victoria Cantilever Park
788 09/01/2016 Newcastle Thunder 8-34 Widnes Vikings Kingston Park
787 03/01/2016 Manchester Phoenix 4-5 Hull Pirates Deeside Ice Rink
786 02/01/2016 Clitheroe 2-5 Warrington Town Shawbridge

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