RUGBY league legend Alan Buckley has welcomed the news that his old club is returning home to Swinton.

Fourteen years after leaving their famous Station Road ground, the Lions are to build a training complex on Agecroft Road with a view to adding a 6,000-seat stadium.

And Buckley, a member of the glorious 1960s team which won two championships, is backing them all the way.

"It's good news for the club and good news for all the fans who have stuck with them over the last few years," said Buckley, who still occasionally watches the current team play at Sedgley Park in National League Two.

"I'm not sure they will ever be able to recreate the atmosphere at Station Road but I wish them well.

"There is a generation out there who won't remember Station Road. In my day, the pubs would empty at half past two and everyone would walk to the ground.

"I'm not sure people would walk down and up Agecroft Brew! But I suppose everyone travels by car anyway these days."

Buckley was a member of the team that went 18 games undefeated at the end of the 1963 season to win the Championship, and then repeated the feat the following season.

Captained by Albert Blan, the backline included Buckley, Ken Gowers, John Speed, Bobby Fleet, Johnny Stopford and George Parkinson and Graham Williams.

Dream

"It was a brilliant time, the type of thing you can only dream about, but it wasn't a dream; we did it," recalled Buckley.

"The coach Cliff Evans created a family situation. We were all like brothers. We socialised after games, usually in the Wishing Well on a Saturday night.

"Cliff made us practise set moves and we would take teams by surprise. We can still remember the calls when we meet up now.

"Our only regret was that we did not win the Challenge Cup. We should have done, but it did not happen for us."

Buckley was brought up in Wythenshawe, and was spotted while playing union for Broughton Park. He joined the Lions when he was 18 and has never left the Swinton area. He worked as an engineering draughtsman at Metro Vicks in Trafford Park and after hanging up his boots, ran the Cricketers pub in Swinton.

He watches the modern game with interest and wonders how his old team would fare against today's full-time professionals.

"The game has changed a lot and I suppose us old players will always say it is not as skilful as in our day.

"I think we relied a lot more on sidesteps, swerves and dummies and then we had to go in work the next day with black eyes and all kinds of injury.

"I also think the six-tackle rule has changed the game. In our day, we had more time to bring our moves into operation. They can't do that now. Today's players do a lot of weight training and are so big these days.

"I was asked to walk down a line of players and shake their hands before a game.

"Now I'm only half an inch off six foot but the scrum half was the only player shorter than me."

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