Phil Clarke gifts cake to Martin Offiah after costing him £10k at Wembley

Drew Darbyshire 05 May 2020 11:16 AM

Phil Clarke has treated Martin Offiah to a special Wembley cake after costing his former Wigan team-mate £10,000 in the 1994 Challenge Cup final.

Offiah scored two tries in Wigan’s 26-16 win over Leeds in the Challenge Cup final at the old Wembley in 1994.

And the winger’s day could have been made even better as he would’ve received a £10,000 bonus from his boots sponsor if he had got a third.

But Clarke threw a pass to Offiah late on which was intercepted by Francis Cummins, who raced up the other end to score a consolation try for Leeds.

Clarke told Offiah on Sky Sports’ Golden Point Podcast: “The reason I send this cake is because I only learned a few years ago that you had a £10,000 bonus from your boots sponsor to score a hat-trick.

“You had scored two tries and I threw the worst pass ever seen at Wembley in the second half which saw Francis Cummins from the opposition intercept and go to the other end of the field and score. So for the £10,000 you never picked up from your boots sponsors Martin, here’s a cake!”

Offiah replied: “I’d be £10,000 richer if you could pass!

“But they say don’t worry about the things you haven’t got in life so I feel blessed.

“Nobody with a statue at Wembley can really complain so maybe if you did give me the pass then I would’ve got £10,000 but I wouldn’t have got the statue and I know which I’d rather have.”

Offiah scored a length of the field effort in that game – a try that will forever be remembered as one of the great Challenge Cup moments.

Reflecting on that iconic try, Offiah said: “It was just one of them days when you feel right.

“A lot of sportsmen talk about ‘being in the zone’ where everything comes together and it’s more than you, that’s why a lot of sportsmen pray to god when they do great things because you know it’s more than your talent. It’s everything coming together at that time.”

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