One of the main talking points both before and after the announcement of the results on Saturday was the fickle nature of the draw.

Shortest straw

With Grimethorpe picking out the shorted of short straws from the velvet bag, there was a real audible buzz in the crowd outside the main doors of the hall before the contest had even started too.

No winner

No band has ever won the National at either Crystal Palace or the Royal Albert Hall off the number 1 draw, and the faces of many Grimethorpe supporters wore the look of people who knew deep down that their chances of celebrating a historic Grimey hat trick were just about over before they had even played a note.

It was cruel. Nobody wants to be drawn first, but with Grimethorpe going for the hat trick, nobody wished it upon them – not even Black Dyke!Band representative

Cruel

One band representative who was at the draw told 4BR: "It was cruel. Nobody wants to be drawn first, but with Grimethorpe going for the hat trick, nobody wished it upon them – not even Black Dyke!"

As 4BR showed in the pre contest article ‘The Luck of the Draw’, Kelly’s Eye has only produced 8 top six places for the band kicking off the Nationals since 1968 – and not one victory in 108 years.

Repeating history

Meanwhile, Black Dyke, who had the misfortune of seeing their British Open chances fade into obscurity from number 1 at Symphony Hall, there was a touch of history repeating itself as they drew number 11.

The last time the band won here in 2004 they were also drawn 11, although Nicholas Childs told 4BR that he was a touch apprehensive that a draw with number 1 in it would once again prove to be unlucky. "I did have a bit of a second thought, but someone did tell me we had won off number 11 a few years ago, so that put my mind at rest."

Record numbers

For the record this year, the top numbers were 11, 6, 14, 20, 5 and 16.

That means that number 11 has produced 3 winners and a total of 19 top six places since 1968, making it the most successful draw number in the last 40 years.

The bottom six meanwhile was 8, 19, 4, 12, 7 and 3. Draw number 7 is now the least successful draw at the contest in the last 22 years – coming in the bottom six 12 times.