WIDNES Vikings have teamed up with Halton Borough Council as part of the Borough of Culture 2021 initiative ‘Celebrate Halton’.

And in this initiative they will be honouring some of the greatest players to pull on the club’s famous black and white jersey.

Over the coming weeks, they will be asking fans to name their all-time Widnes 17 along with a Head Coach, which will culminate in the Executive Boxes at the DCBL Stadium being renamed and redecorated to honour the 18 chosen by the club's supporters.

The purpose of this initiative is to honour the pioneers and trailblazers who helped put Widnes and Halton on the map with their efforts for the club, recognising home grown talent alongside those who came to the town and left a lasting mark.

Votes for the all-time 17 will be sent via email to the club's database as well as a link being displayed on the club website, with a different position being voted for at the start of each week.

Votes will be taken from Monday-Sunday each week, with a full reveal taking place at the end of the 11 weeks of voting.

Given the proud tradition and history of the club, the list of players who deserve to be recognised is endless, however we’re giving supporters the opportunity to pick 17 players and a Head Coach who stood out from the rest.

From becoming the first official World Club Challenge winners to being the last club side to defeat a touring Australian national team, Widnes have produced some of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

This initiative also coincides with the 125th anniversary of Rugby League, and as a founder member of the sport our club has more than played its part in producing some of the best players and most memorable moments since the birth of Rugby League.

All of Widnes' iconic moments in the club’s history have all gone a long way to enhancing the borough of Halton and helping put our town and the borough on the map.

This is your chance to honour some of those players who have pulled on the colours of your team, and gone on to earn some of the highest accolades possible, as well as those who have had a positive impact on our club and community.

Keep your eyes peeled on our social media accounts and website for the launch of our first vote on tomorrow, as we look to honour some of the greatest players in our history.

Celebrate Halton information

The aim of Celebrate Halton is to increase participation in quality cultural activity across Halton, helping more people experience the arts and to benefit from the role that culture can play in transforming lives – improving health and wellbeing, reducing social isolation, increasing community cohesion, inspiring creativity, supporting learning and making Halton a great place to live and work.

This will be achieved by celebrating the borough’s past, present and future through a programme of activity, ranging from small community-led activities to large-scale events.

Cllr Eddie Jones is Halton Borough Council’s portfolio holder for the Visitor Economy, Heritage and Events, and Lead Member for Borough of Culture. He says: “I’m really pleased that the Vikings are joining us to ‘Celebrate Halton’, as we look forward to our Borough of Culture year.

“The club is an important part of our borough’s long heritage, and to honour our Rugby League greats on the site where so many wonderful memories have been made is a fitting way to mark their contribution to our history, while also inspiring others to be our future place makers.

“Celebrate Halton is about encouraging more people to become involved in cultural and community activity in the place where they live, and this initiative gives fans the opportunity to create a lasting tribute to their Widnes heroes. I am sure it will generate a lot of interesting debate over the coming weeks.”