WARRINGTON Wolves’ legend Paul Cullen was on hand to help officially unveil a giant mural featuring an iconic image of the last Warrington Wolves’ match at Wilderspool on the side of the historic King’s Head pub.
The project by Warrington Arts Council working alongside Anthony also features former player and assistant coach Paul Darbyshire who tragically died from motor neurone disease aged just 41.
The image chosen by Anthony, famous for the Pink Eye mural at Crosfield’s roundabout, was that of Paul Cullen saluting fans after the final match of the season at Wilderspool when he saved Warrington from relegation in 2003. Not only was it the last league game the Warrington Wolves’ first team would play at the Wilderspool Stadium before it was demolished but it was especially crucial that Warrington weren’t relegated at that particular time as they needed to have the Super League status to ensure that their occupation of the new Halliwell Jones Stadium was sustainable.
The Kings Head, a pub that is well known for attracting rugby fans and has done so for many, many years exists right between the old location of the Wilderspool stadium and the new Halliwell Jones.
Anthony, who is Paul Cullen’s brother-in-law says the family connection was not the influence behind the choice of image – but the importance of the game in the club’s history.
He has added a butterfly to the mural in the hope it will become the first of many murals on buildings around the town.
Paul Taylor from Warrington Arts Council, who helped fund the project says a couple of sites have already been earmarked with hopefully “many more to come!”
While the King’s Head pub mural required planning consent due to the building being Grade II Listed, most projects will not require planning permission – just a suitable eye-catching location – and plenty of paint!
An “overwhelmed” Paul Cullen’s thoughts on the mural can be seen in the video below.
@warringtonworldwide The official unveiling of a mural featuring #warringtonwolves #legend Paul Cullen by local #artist and #painter Anthony Turk on the side of the historic King’s Head pub in #warrington @Warrington Wolves #rugby #rugbyleague #art ♬ original sound – warringtonworldwide
