 Hull KR captain James Webster (l) celebrates with Iain Morrison |
For rugby fans in Hull, 1989 was an unforgettable year - sadly, for the wrong reasons. Hull lost the Premiership final to Widnes, and across town Hull Kingston Rovers were relegated, saying goodbye to top-flight rugby for nearly 20 years.
But 2006 could end up being just as memorable - only this time, for the right reasons.
Sunday's 29-16 National League Grand Final win over Widnes ended the Robins' top-flight exile, and brought a happy end to a record-breaking season for Rovers.
And next Saturday, Hull FC have a chance to round off a remarkable year for rugby in the city, when they take on St Helens at Old Trafford in their first Super League Grand Final.
The decade before Super League saw some of Rovers' finest hours - most notably in 1980, when they beat Hull 10-5 at Wembley to win the Challenge Cup for the first time - but as the years wore on, the gloss wore off.
Chief executive Paul Lakin has only been at the club two years, but says there is no escaping the ghosts of that glorious past.
 | It's nice that we don't have to talk about our big achievements being in the 1980s any more - now we can talk about this season Hull KR chief executive Paul Lakin |
"One of the great things here is the history and heritage - you can't work for this club without understanding that," he told BBC Sport.
"In the early 1980s Rovers were probably the biggest name in the sport. So what promotion means for me is seeing the joy and excitement of all those fans who've been frustrated for 20-odd years.
"It's nice that we don't have to talk about our big achievements being in the 1980s any more - now we can talk about this season."
Coach Justin Morgan's team ran up a club record 24 consecutive wins in league and cup in 2006.
But there is no danger of Rovers resting on their laurels in the top flight next year.
"In my opinion Super League recruitment started a year ago," said Lakin.
"You can't bring in 15 or 20 players when you're promoted because they're just not available, so you have to recruit players for a season in National League One who will hopefully show the potential to play in Super League.
"Hopefully the likes of Ben Cockayne, Jon Goddard and Scott Murrell are those types of player.
"Justin will have money to spend to bring people in, though - maybe seven or eight."
While Lakin has looked on all season from the directors' box, Charlie Mullen has witnessed the Rovers' top-flight return from the press box.
 Coach Justin Morgan has made a huge impact in his first season |
As the Hull Daily Mail's Rovers correspondent, he has followed them all campaign - and he said the players and fans both deserved promotion.
"All season the players were focused on promotion," he said.
"There were a couple of slip ups along the way, like losing the Northern Rail Cup final and Challenge Cup semi-final.
"But even after those games, they said 'that's not what we're about - it's promotion that we want', and they delivered.
"The stadium has a capacity of 8,000, and there were 7,000 Rovers fans at the Grand Final. They're fanatical - in their eyes, they've been in the shadow of Hull FC for far too long, and next season in Super League they'll be a credit to the city."
For the past decade, the teams' only meetings have been in pre-season friendlies, so being on an equal footing as their black-and-white neighbours is hugely important to Rovers fans.
The scramble for tickets for next season's derby matches is likely to be almost as physical as the games themselves - even more so if Hull FC are wearing the mantle of Grand Final winners.
And Mullen is convinced that both sets of fans have been cheering one another on to success this season.
"They might not admit it but Hull FC fans will definitely have wanted Rovers to get promoted to revive meaningful derbies," said Mullen.
"And I'm sure Rovers fans will - quietly - be cheering on Hull FC against St Helens. It'll be very tough but it'll be tremendous for the city."
Lakin agrees that local disputes will have been put aside for the sake of civic pride.
"The vast majority of Hull FC fans wanted us promoted as it's the one true rugby league derby in the world, the only one that divides a city," he said.
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"The profile of that game will be immense, it will bring the city and the sport major national publicity.
"It'll be fantastic to play them next season, but we hope they go on and win their Grand Final - there's such pride and passion in the city."
When Hull beat Leeds in the Challenge Cup final last year, few people in Humberside could have predicted such a remarkable season would follow for both the city's teams.
And as Mullen says, the way both teams have raised the stakes in the past year sets up a thrilling finale when Hull run out at Old Trafford.
"Last year Hull FC won the Cup, then this year Rovers won 24 games in a row," he said.
"So Hull sacked their coach and went on a winning run, then Rovers replied by finishing top of their league and reached their Grand Final. Last weekend Hull did the same.
"This weekend Rovers won their Grand Final, so next week it's up to Hull. It'll complete the jigsaw."
One way or another, and whichever side of Hull's rugby divide you live on, 2006 is sure to end up being a year to remember.
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