\n Among them is Mike Loftus, a former grade one referee and Culcheth High School teacher who emigrated to Australia.\n<\/p>\n
\n His view is typical of other Wire fans overseas and from all four corners of the UK.\n<\/p>\n
\n If this is it \u2013 the year Warrington are crowned champions for the first time since 1955 \u2013 then it is an occasion they crave to be a part of.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cSomething is telling me I have to be there on Saturday. So, I\u2019m jumping on a plane on Thursday and praying that 71 years of heartache will finally be ended,\u201d said Mike, 73, who lives on the Sunshine Coast, about 90 minutes north of Brisbane.\n<\/p>\n
\n It will be a brief stopover with his daughter, who lives near Hebden Bridge.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI\u2019m going back on Tuesday. I have a busy schedule as I\u2019m the president of U3A Queensland,\u201d said Mike, former chief executive and now life member of Australian Universities Rugby League.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI\u2019m not certain I will even get to Warrington but that might change if there is a victory parade on Sunday.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Lifelong Wire supporter Mike was just short of his second birthday when his hometown team last won the title.\n<\/p>\n
\n His wait to see a Wire captain lift the holy grail has been as long as anybody\u2019s.\n<\/p>\n
\n Hopefully The Wire\u2019s Grand Final opponents Wakefield Trinity will not turn his big hopes into tears – again.\n<\/p>\n
\n For it was 10 years ago, when The Wire were drawn against Wakefield in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, that he made an admission about an occasion that had haunted him since 1963.\n<\/p>\n
\n Wakefield met Warrington in that 1962\/63 season in what was the first semi-final Mike attended.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said at the time on Facebook: \u201cRevenge is a dish best eaten cold.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThis revenge is 53 years in the making. They made me cry in 1963 with their 5-2 win and my first ever semi final.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Mike Loftus on holiday in Canada earlier this year (Image: Contributed)\n<\/p>\n
\n The Wire did get their revenge in 2016, defeating Wakefield 56-12 in the Challenge Cup semi-final at Leigh Sports Village before going on to lose to a Marc Sneyd-inspired Hull FC in the final at Wembley.\n<\/p>\n
\n But a meeting to determine league champions is an entirely different level of stakes.\n<\/p>\n
\n And it shows in the lengths many fans are going to in order to be at Old Trafford.\n<\/p>\n
\n Mike is not the only fan heading back from Down Under with hopes of witnessing history.\n<\/p>\n
\n Paul Keppel from Great Sankey has lived in Bondi in Sydney for just over two years but hit the booking pages as soon as the full-time hooter went in Friday\u2019s semi-final victory over Leeds Rhinos.\n<\/p>\n