business in Blackpool. The pinnacle of Warrington's achievements was reached in 1953–4. Consistent league form secured the Lancashire League, and saw a second-placed finish in the championship and qualified for the top four play-off. St. Helens came to Wilderspool and were well beaten 11–5. They despatched Leeds in the Challenge Cup to get to their second final of the season, they were to play Halifax in both games. The intense Wembley final ended in a draw, two goals a piece. The replay was held at Odsal, Bradford and a record 102,569 paid to see Warrington defeat Halifax 8–4. Thousands more got in for free and estimates of the total crowd were in the region of 120–130,000. The week after the two teams met again in the championship final at Maine Road. Warrington secured another victory by four goals to Halifax's two goals and a try. The club had done the league and cup double as well as the Lancashire Cup. Wire secured the league championship for the second successive season in 1954-5 They beat Halifax in the semi-final on the way to the final against Oldham at Maine Road. For the second consecutive season Warrington took the honours, the final score was 7–3. Warrington won the Lancashire League as well to make it ten pieces of silverware in eight years. That championship success was the last to date for Wire. The 1955–56 season saw a tournament titled the ITV Floodlit Competition. Eight clubs participated in a series of games played at football grounds in the London area, with Warrington eventually running out 43–18 victors over Leigh at Loftus Road. Warrington made it to the 1956 championship final held at Maine Road but lost to Workington Town. Wire's run of success came to a sudden stop in 1956–7. It was a transformation period for Warrington with many big name players top names ending their Wire careers. Ces Mountford used a total of 40 players during the campaign, the highest since World War Two and a figure that was not beaten until 1976–7. Unsurprisingly, Wire finished only tenth in the league. Attendances were down on previous seasons and on 19 January 1957, Warrington launched a lottery, which played an important part in the club's finances in future seasons. In the 1959–60 season, they won the Lancashire Cup for the first time in 22 years, playing all their games away from home. St.