Interview: St Helens coach Daniel Anderson

Interview: St Helens captain Sean Long

By Phil Gordos BBC Sport, Manchester

Wellens and Long will be remembered for many years

Since their famous win in 1966, England's footballers have struggled under the burden of expectation. But for St Helens, 1966 has proved an inspiration rather than a handicap.

Boasting players such as Alex Murphy, Tom van Vollenhoven and Len Killeen, that was the year they achieved the double, going down in folklore as the best Saints team ever.

It may still be the greatest side the club has ever produced, but at Old Trafford on Saturday the modern greats of Sean Long, Keiron Cunningham and Jamie Lyon threw down a challenge that cannot be ignored.

By defeating Hull 26-4, they ensured they won every major domestic competition going in 2006, adding the Super League crown to the Challenge Cup and League Leaders' Shield they had already secured.

They also swept the board on the individual front.

Maybe I'm going to look back on this in years to come and say we were the greatest side Keiron Cunningham

Less than a week after being named Man of Steel and Players' Player of the Year, full-back Paul Wellens pocketed the Harry Sunderland Trophy for his performance in the Grand Final.

Those accolades will sit nicely alongside the ones won by Long (Lance Todd Trophy), Daniel Anderson (Super League Coach of the Year) and James Graham (Super League Young Player of the Year).

This is without question a formidable St Helens side.

Yet its greatness is not down to just three or four inspirational players.

It is one of the best sides the British game has ever seen because it has no weak link. In defence or attack, Saints have few equals right now.

They lost just four times all season, never by more than four points, and shrugged off the loss of skipper Paul Sculthorpe as a minor inconvenience.

Coach Anderson is laying the foundations of a new dynasty

"It's the best team I've ever been involved with," said scrum-half Long after Saturday's triumph.

"We had two internationals who didn't even make the 17 in Nick Fozzard and Vinnie Anderson. That just shows you what strength in depth we've got.

"I'd hate the gaffer's job because it's a tough decision leaving someone out."

As a supporter of St Helens before swapping the terraces for the pitch, Cunningham knows just what the feats of the 1966 double-winning team meant to the fans.

But, given time, he believes the 2006 side may come to occupy top spot in fans' affections.

"Maybe I'm going to look back on this in years to come and say we were the greatest side," he said.

"It was our goal before the season started to do what we've done, but we didn't want to shout about it.

"There was a lot of pressure on us before this game but we handled it well."

Saints players have got used to celebrating this season

However this side is judged, you get the feeling it is only just getting started.

Anderson has been coach for less than two years and is still building his legacy, while there are a number of world-class youngsters already coming through, the likes of Graham and James Roby.

Perhaps the last word should go to Wellens, who is still only 26 and likely to be the cornerstone of the team for years to come.

"It will be business as usual for me," he said.

"I'm not going to start doing any mad things just because of what I've achieved this year. I'm going to keep working hard and keep trying to better myself."