Paul’s try-scoring milestone

The final had also moved away from Wembley during World War Two, but returned in 1946, which also saw the awarding of the first Lance Todd Trophy – in memory of the great New Zealand-born player and administrator.

Billy Stott, the Wakefield Trinity skipper, was the first man to win what has become the most prestigious man-of-the-match award in rugby league after they beat Wigan 13-12.

For years the holy grail of every try scorer at Wembley was to score a hat-trick, and Bradford Bulls’ Robbie Paul finally became the first hat-trick man in the 1996 final. But his treble could not stop St Helens winning 40-32 in a breathtaking encounter.

The sponsors, Silk Cut, had put up a £10,000 individual cash prize for anyone who could achieve the feat – but Paul had to share the money with all his team-mates.

He has since revealed that before the game he had persuaded his fellow Bulls players that the money should be divided between them, thinking it was more likely that a winger would cross for three.

His hat-trick has subsequently been bettered. Leeds Rhinos’ Leroy Rivett scored four tries in the 1999 triumph over London Broncos, and Tom Briscoe crossed five times as Leeds, again, beat Hull KR 50-0 in 2015.

When the Pope moved a final replay

The first drawn Challenge Cup final at Wembley was in 1954 when Warrington and Halifax finished 4-4 at Wembley.

Just under two weeks later they met for the replay at Bradford’s Odsal Stadium when an official crowd of just over 102,000 – but estimated unofficially as more than 120,000 – saw Warrington win 8-4.

There has been only one drawn final since, Widnes and Hull ending 14-14 at Wembley in 1982 in a game which ended in confusion.

Many of the players on the field that day have since admitted they did not know whether there would be extra time when the full-time hooter went, and it was a short while before they and many in the crowd realised it was going to a replay.

That replay was originally scheduled to be played at Wembley again, but a papal visit to London meant it was instead switched to Elland Road, Leeds, and Hull won 18-9.

That will be the last replay. After a change in the rules for 2017, a drawn final now goes straight into golden-point extra time to determine a winner on the day.

First to take an early bath

The first sending-off in a Wembley final came in 1971, famously featuring Leeds’ Sid Hynes, Leigh’s Alex Murphy and referee Billy Thompson.

Hynes was alleged to have headbutted Murphy and was given his marching orders. But the legend that grew was that Murphy was feigning injury and winked at Hynes as he was being carried off on a stretcher.

Murphy has always denied that, saying he was genuinely injured. Hynes claimed he had missed with the headbutt and caused no damage. The cameras failed to capture the crucial moment.

History shows that Leigh won 24-7 and Murphy was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his role in the game, not the alleged acting on the stretcher.

Making broadcasting history

The Challenge Cup final was first broadcast by the BBC in 1927, when the corporation provided radio coverage of the Oldham v Swinton final, according to sport and rugby league historian Tony Collins in his podcast Rugby Reloaded.

The first national TV coverage of the cup final came in 1952, meaning Saturday will mark the 68th anniversary of that screening and will provide another first – the first final in which crowds will not be allowed in.

Will it be a first win at Wembley for Salford since 1938, or a 14th cup final success for Leeds? Either way, crowd or no crowd, and just like every cup final since 1896, it will begin with the potential to be another memorable chapter in the rich history of the tournament.