333 The Dentist Diary

Sheer and unadulterated entertainment!! That game had everything that is guaranteed to bring the crowds streaming back to the KC. I thoroughly enjoyed it, we have acres of work still to do, but somehow this year, after Leeds, it’s been different, it’s exciting to watch and for me, that’s quite a novelty.

What an enlightening evening it was for those who were privileged to attend Langtree Park on Friday, for what was a heartening performance by the boys.

In Week One we had the Ellis disaster, in Week Two it was the postponed game and in Week Three the debacle of ‘Picturegate’, but our off the field woes have not stopped a steady and measured weekly improvement. This week we were within a whisker of dumping Saints on their backsides and coming away with both points. Of course the cynics will say that we’ve seen it all before and I guess as someone who loves ‘em so much and thus occasionally falls into cynical mode through sheer frustration, I still reserve my judgement. However someone said as we walked out of the ground, “I could start to get excited about that” and it was a feeling that I guess surrounded most who were there and who walked away with broad smiles their our faces, bemoaning a point lost rather than one gained. There won’t be many teams that come back twice from a 10 point deficit at Saints this year.

What a memorable end to a game it had been. As the Saints fans, clasping a very fortuitous point, streamed towards the exits and “There’s only one Johnny Whiteley” resonated and reverberated around the impressive, but fast emptying Stadium, the ‘Faithful’ to a person stayed behind to exact every ounce of joy from the moment. As we applauded our heroes and ‘Captain’ Danny Houghton stood right up to the perimeter fence and applauded us back, you felt that although the dream was still a long, long way from reality, at least on Friday night at Langtree Park, the journey had begun.

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I make no apologies this week for labouring a bit on that game and the feel good factor it radiated, while shying away a tad from Pictures, petulant Egyptians and legions of disenchanted fans. As many of you have told me a time or two we just have to try to be positive and this week, even taking into consideration the effort of some to discredit us, there is plenty to be positive about!!!

Despite smiling to myself and wondered if Adam Pearson ever got to the Stadium after passing a sign that said ‘St Helens welcomes careful drivers’, on Friday I was still pretty down about those pictures. We set off early for Saints, really early, calling first at Leeds to see Rosenberg Jnr. who is just on the last lap of completing her final dissertation at University and then at the Trafford Centre, so that Mrs R could indulge in a bit of retail therapy. Personally I enjoy the solitude that driving brings, we all get over these things in our own ways don’t we, and on Friday I just wanted to get away from pictures, arguments, finger pointing and the Allams!

However, throughout the journey I was haunted by the revelations in that morning’s Hull Daily Mail about our Club, the Council and both parties relationship with the Stadium Management Company. The season that had started with such hope had already seen us playing poorly at Headingley and desperately disappointed for Gareth Ellis, bemused and frustrated at the postponed game last week but elated after a fine performance against the Bulls, before the last few days had spiralled into dispute and controversy and all that, after just two games. I really hope we win the Grand Final this year, because already the story of the 2013 season is shaping up to make a bloody good book!!!

It seemed to me sat there in the car that there were far too many unanswered questions and all I really wanted to do was enjoy some rugby! It’s never dull at Hull is it and I just hoped, against hope that we would put up a good show in Lancashire, although the possibility of coming home with anything seemed a tough ask to me. I never dreamed that by 10-00 that night “One Shannon McDonnell” would be ringing around the multi story Car Park and that the general consensus from my fellow old timers would be that there was actually something about the performance at Saints and the way we are playing, that we could all get excited about.

The game was an enthralling and exciting affair. We needed to make sure we started brightly, so it was great to begin with that same tempo that was too much for the Bulls 5 days earlier. It was certainly no surprise to anyone when a quick play the ball

on the left saw play flash across the line and an astute Holdsworth cut out pass put winger Crooks careering in. Our new winger certainly knows where the try line is and for the second week running he opened the scoring. Holdsworth received a very late crash tackle for his efforts which saw him thumped to the ground and winded. It was an incident that prompted my friend Ian to say, “That bit of niggle off the ball is something we still lack you know”, but Daniel’s deceptively resilient and he got up and converted the try from the touch line.

Then Saints hit back hard when in our only wobbly patch in the whole game they surged back with three unanswered tries. In this period we were our own worst enemies. Yeamo will be kicking himself for an uncharacteristic miss on Turner but it is interesting to note that two of their tries came from spilled spiralling kicks that Jason Crookes and Shannon McDonnell couldn’t handle. The former turned violently readjusting to try and make the catch and twisted his knee. Those spinning ‘skiers’ would obviously be a tactic they would try again and again... and it was. The other try came when we conceded two soft penalties which marched the Saints down to our line and we have to cut that out as well!

Before the game I had worried about the two ‘Crookes’ ability to hold Manu out wide so Jason’s injury was a worry. However for the rest of the match to say that Rich Whiting had the big man in his pocket would not be an under-statement. It was strange to see ‘Big Willie’ somehow not looking so big anymore as he constantly turning inside instead of seeking the open spaces out wide that we all know he revels in and he only once

released the ball from the tackle. We all smiled on Thursday didn’t we when Peter Gentle said we had a plan to shut him up? But as has been the case so often over the last year or so, it was Gentle who had the last laugh at the end.

Ten points down and on the rack, an ‘Agaresque’ team playing at Langtree Park would have folded. This time however we stuck together and with Danny Houghton and Lynchy ‘rattling’ the boys behind the posts after the tries, we battled on, got the momentum back and a wonderful piece of timing and anticipation that looked matter of fact, (but in reality probably came after hours of drudge on the training field) saw McDonnell latch onto a deft Holdsworth grubber to score. Trailing by 4 points at half time and despite that typically hot patch by Saints, we were pretty content with the way we had stayed patient, probably because penalties and dropped ball apart, a much improved long kicking game constantly made the home team start their sets deep in their own 20.

As the home team started the second half strongly we fell ten points behind again, but again we battled back, got out of our own half and more often than not ended our sets with a good kick and an excellent chase. Despite being behind we were patiently playing our best football of the season and it was Holdsworth again who put the angled grubber in for Briscoe to wait and wait before he grabbed a rising bouncing ball over the line to score a fine try that Daniel converted from the touch-line. It was now a pulsating encounter with Hull camped in the Saints half and the home team seemingly incapable of breaking our tightening hold on the game.

We drew level when fast hands from Westerman found Whiting seemingly strolling in from a move that again probably took hours to perfect on the training pitch. A missed conversion and a 50 meter drop goal attempt that brushed the wrong side of the upright robbed us of a victory that even the home fans afterwards admitted we deserved. However the biggest injustice came with a disallowed Briscoe try for a forward pass that never was for it was a strange incident where Thaler appeared to be completely lost and confused and took the safe option.

So, whether it was a point lost or a point gained, for me it was much more than that, because I walked away elated and I thinking as I said that perhaps here after a torrid week was something to get excited about. Our movement of the ball was a joy to watch as we probed first right and then left and both half backs again orchestrated some fine play. At times we over elaborated and on a couple of occasions moved the ball too fast and dropped it, but that happened a lot less than it did against the Bulls. However, it was the way that having drawn level we never let the Saints get anywhere near their drop goal range and that only one team looked capable of grabbing a win in the dying minutes.

The Saints have stuttered somewhat in their first two games but showed enough for you to know that they are coming good and at set pieces using a W formation of first and second phase players they twice stretched us out wide to score. We certainly still have a lot to do and we played into their hands at times by

dropping kicks and conceding stupid penalties and much as the crowd bemoaned the decision making of Mr Thaler, we have to get or discipline sorted. However over all we certainly look to be moving in the right direction. A few less forced passes and rushes of blood with ball in hand on the 4th and 5th tackle would have undoubtedly seen us home. In fact in the end Saints were desperately holding on, looked out on their feet and couldn’t wait for the hooter.

Langtree Park, from our end, it’s an impressive place if you haven’t been yet!

Performance wise, coming back twice as we did and showing such enterprise at times in attack, few can be criticised. Yeamo again was quiet for me and missed that critical tackle on Turner while Ben Galea had his best game for us so far and

although still looking laboured at times in attack his long spells on the field and his tackling was a real plus this week. Ben Crooks did a lot better and showed on three occasions some amazing handing after receiving some difficult passes, while at half back Holdsworth ran everything and is a ‘Proper’ half back. He was great, while Richard Horne backed up his show against the Bulls with another fine display. Some pouring over the videos in the Saints camp ensured he wasn’t afforded the room that the Bulls gave him, but his creativity and tackling made up for that.

‘Sniffer’ Briscoe was his usual predatory self taking every half chance of a break well and worrying the home side every time he had the ball. Westerman had a much better game and young Green again worked his socks off. In addition it was great to see the interchanging of Heramaia and Houghton working better and better as their two styles complement each other. Aaron certainly gives that desired lift and variation that we have always needed after around 25 minute while ‘Mint’ runs everything from acting half from the off. Both played really well for me. In the front row O’Meley continues to revel in his swan song season and Lynchy ground out yard after yard as we drove out of our own half. Pitts again showed that he is improving all the time and as I said last week he runs some good lines and is a perfect foil for Johnson.

So to the standout performances and top of the pile was an unlikely hero in that same Paul Johnson. Whether it was because as an ex Saint he had a point to prove I don’t know, but he was immense and looks to be a fabulous signing. He is just so direct, deciding whether it’s the gap or the tackler he is

going for and running headlong into it and I guess if I had to describe what impressed me it was his directness.

Another stand out performance came from Rich Whiting who came on and did what Rich Whiting does wherever he plays, he harried the opposition, shut Willie Manu up, tackled his heart out and that wonderfully timed run for his try had the rafters of Langtree Park ringing to the chants of “There’s only one Richard Whiting” He’d simply never be out of my starting 17. Finally in this week’s ‘star chamber’ is the man who was nearest to Johnson in the man of the match stakes for me and that is Shannon McDonnell. What a signing he is turning out to be as he scored again, played superbly in a defensive roll and returned the ball well on every occasion. The big thing though for me with Shannon, is that he is just so bloody exciting! He has the crowd on their toes just about every time he has the ball and he had a fabulous game.

So we should have won and had we been a bit more accurate with that drop goal and the final conversion we would have done, but then we would all have taken a point as we walked passed ‘the biggest Tesco’s in all Christendom’ on our way to the match wouldn’t we?

In the header of Diary 328 I said, “My next prediction is to watch out for perhaps a more controversial extension for Richard Horne!!!” However after the time elapsed since the highest of possible sources said to me, “It’s just good to get Yeamo and Honey sorted” I was starting to wonder whether I was hearing things and needed my ears syringing. So it was

with some relief that I read on the Hull site on Tuesday that Rich had put pen to paper for a one year extension. For me it’s an interesting one because like many others I thought that Horney was struggling at half back, seemed to dislike a leadership role and was injury prone. Otherwise he was fine (ha). I saw him training on the running machines at Total Fitness while the rest of the squad were in Tenerife and did at the time also comment in here that doing interval running, he was very fast and impressive; he looked in fine shape. While another player told me on Thursday that it is the first time for 4 years that he hasn’t gone into the first game of the season carrying niggling injuries. So what do I make of it?

Well I have read all that has been said and watched the games that Horney has played thus far and although there is certainly no way he originally fitted into my idea of the dream half back partnership (which ended in the nightmare of Chase and Prince late last year) as cover and as a player that can play 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9, he is certainly versatile and when not nailed on as a starting half back he can do a job there too. His injury record is not good though, so a permanent starting role anywhere is unlikely for long, but he’s certainly going well and for me on a one year deal it’s worth a go. Let’s face it we can’t find a quality starting seven anywhere in the world, well we can, but we can’t seem to sign em!

There is, as Peter Gentle said last week no room for sentiment in sport, but when Rich plays as he did against Bradford and Saints and says, “I’m pleased the club have offered me another year, I still know I’ve got plenty of footy in me and I can’t see myself playing anywhere other than Hull. It’s my club and my

town and I’ll keep giving it all I can until the day I know it’s time to hang up the boots”, that’ll do for me. The real test will come, when Horney starts to carry a few knocks, but for now, for me, strength in depth is the only thing that is going to get teams anywhere in what is becoming a harder and more brutal game every year, so I’ll take Horneys deal as a reward for a good servant!!

Well the news that we got on Gareth Ellis was just as I told you it was when Adam told the disabled supporters group a week last Monday. Its 10-12 weeks for a broken foot that doesn’t need operating on and is not the same injury as it was before when he was in Australia. Some will say they have known all along but after seeing one specialist on the Wednesday after his injury he was told he might well need an operation with an 18 week recovery prognosis. It’s a blow but it will be like having a new player back with us half way through the season. It’s certainly a big set-back for Gareth and could not have happened at a more significant point in his career, but that’s Rugby League Gareth, well its Rugby League at Hull FC. So 6 weeks in a boot and about 5/6 to build his strength up. We’ll just have to get on with it and I don’t know about you but when you sit back and consider that he will be back in mid season and we expect Wattsy and Tickle back quite soon, we have when everyone’s fit, a hell of a squad.

So another week of ‘Whiteleygate’ and I guess for those of you who live outside the region its worth briefly outlining the sorry tale of the removal of our pictures and our heritage from the walls of the KC, which soon escalated into so much more. Of course it was back a week last Friday the drama began; a

situation that I outlined in here last week. This week the protests escalated and by Tuesday the issue was being discussed in the Guildhall after hundreds of E mails from fans had descended on the good Councillors. By Tuesday tea time there was hope, as rumours leaked out of the Guildhall through various channels that a deal had been struck for the Club to pay £500 to have all their pictures re-instated.

I had been busy all day on Monday and Tuesday doing my bit ringing round the influential and encouraging others to do the same in an effort to try and get ‘Johnny back on the Wall’. Then on Tuesday evening a reporter rang me from the Hull Daily Mail and confirmed that was exactly the case, it was £500 for the lot and I wasn’t imagining it, because he rang the Secretary of the Ex Players, telling him exactly the same. We all awaited an announcement and the chance to get back to supporting the FC on the field again, with Johnny’s integrity and fame intact again, on the walls of his suite. Next an article announcing “FC can display Club Memorabilia at KC ‘for £500 a season’” appeared in the Wednesday morning Mail. That was the headline on their Web site too and although it had shifted from displaying our pictures all the time, to just match days, the article talked of ‘Turning the Stadium black and white on match days’.

Then within an hour the website piece had been removed and returned with the headline, “Hull FC can display Johnny Whiteley pictures at KC Stadium 'for less than £500 a season'. Bit of a change there we all thought, had the Mail just got it wrong? Well they might have if it was only them that were talking about it, but in my mind the original story had been ‘on

the blocks’ but something seemed to have happened at the last moment to dash our hopes, just as they had been raised. The Club were also indicating that they couldn’t comment on it all because of confidentiality clauses in their contract with the Stadium Management Company which it was rumoured if broken, could see us ejected.

Poor old Johnny Whiteley, the mild mannered gentleman who finds himself in the middle of the storm, a man who can best be described as the closest thing Hull has to a Saint. He doesn’t deserve all this and was visibly upset and shaking when interviewed on Look North last Wednesday. What an abominable situation it is when something ends up affecting a great bloke (who has done so much for his City) like that. On Thursday the gloves came off and the Allam’s talked openly about our Club and even about going ‘after’ the Council. By this point in the week the fans were starting to become marginalised but valiantly continued to ring, text, and E mail MP’s, Councillors, the media and anyone who wanted to listen.

The supporters have throughout, magnificently backed Johnny and our heritage and in the end just wanted the Stadium to have some indication that we actually played there and for it to feel like home again. I guess in the end, in a nut shell, we just wanted the status quo returned, you know the sorts of things like not having to attend Fans forums and see the panel sat in front of a picture of Dean Windass. There is little doubt that an individual, FC Voices or the ex Players would have stepped in straight away and paid the £500 to have Johnny’s picture back on match days, but it was now a matter of principle, people felt aggrieved and it showed. In 120 hours on RL fans one thread

about this situation clocked an amazing 75,000 hits. The Faithful were outraged. Amidst warnings that Friday was going to see big revelations by the SMC and with journalists camped outside their KC offices, the Club continued to keep stum. For what appears to be the most open administration we have had for years it was all mighty strange, but if that stuff about confidentiality was right, then you could see why.

Friday dawned with another two pages in the Mail laying out our tenancy agreement without, it appears any restraint caused by confidentiality agreements on the side of the SMC and the lid blew off. The thing is of course the Stadium Management Company should be neutral, it should have been from the off, but it isn’t and there is precious little that can be done about it. Of course the Council would be better running the place, but with those losses and their current financial dilemmas that aint gonna happen any time soon, is it? I’m not one for running to man the barricades at the drop of a hat, but I am confident I would again and again over the integrity of a bloke like Johnny Whiteley.

In the end for me it‘s a disgrace the way that Johnny has been pulled into this wrangle. The Whiteley Suite should be filled with his pictures. I am sure that Luke Campbell hasn’t been charged for the display of his picture and neither has Michael Stripe or John Bon Jovi for theirs, so why should Johnny’s presence warrant a charge!! I Think personally that both teams and both sets of fans deserve to have their photographs hung up on the walls as a backdrop to the history of the Stadium and the Clubs that play there and that should be done free of charge as a matter of course. For me, in a City where we should be excited

about the prospects of our football team gaining promotion and in our own Clubs resurgence from the dark days, we are now embroiled in a dispute seemingly so petty and yet so emotive, that it has over taken everything.

There should be no price placed on celebrating the selfless actions and exploits of the heroes of both Hull FC and Hull City and on that score, at least for me, its hard to fathom it all.

Over the weekend I succeeded where much more accomplished scribes had failed and grabbed a word with Adam Pearson. I asked him what was happening but I learned little about things that we didn’t already know, as he re-affirmed what we all suspected, in that he had been strongly advised that because of confidentiality clauses, which if breached could jeopardise the position of the Club, he just couldn't risk commenting on the matter. He was however at pains to stress that he wanted everyone to be assured that he now remains more than ever totally and utterly committed to ensuring Hull FC become a huge force in Super League and said before we parted that, “We will be doing our talking on the pitch".

As for Johnny well I hope he is returned to his rightful place soon and I know that plenty of us would pay the money tomorrow, but that’s not really the issue is it?

So on to lighter matters and there was certainly a lot of talk last week about our new partnership with Bishop Burton College who are now playing host to games by our under 16 and under

19 teams and providing what is described as a hub for the club's academy sides. It boasts a stunning Olympic-standard sports complex including a floodlit 4G astro-turf pitch, full size grass pitches, sports hall, fitness suite and physiotherapy centre. As well as providing a venue for the games Bishop Burton will now become the full-time home to the club's academy squad, as well as also hosting the scholarship age group and sponsoring three of the club's first team squad players.

The most exciting bit though is the provision of a development programme for upcoming players where the youngsters will study at the college in the morning and train in the afternoon. A few hundred turned up for the first game a massive win by a very young FC over a Bulls outfit and of course from us fans there were grumbles; the sun was in some folks eyes and others grumbled that the pies were £4. However how refreshing it was to see the very next morning, a reply from the college staff themselves on the message boards. They said, “We are hoping to erect some covered seating and we hope to have this up in time for the Warrington game on the 23rd Feb”.

“We are also looking at other spectator improvements in time. Regarding the pies - yes they were £4 but also award winning, locally produced pies from Malton! We will pass this onto colleagues, though” Then they went on to say, “We are really committed to making Hulls u19s and u16s feel at 'home' here at Bishop Burton and support the development of the clubs young players. On match days that includes the supporters of the club who so fantastically cheered on Andy and his squad on Saturday” Well you can’t say fairer than that can you and I’ll be

off to the next game against Warrington to report back, as for the pies well £4 is still a bit steep, so I’ll just take £8 with me!

This week in Codgers Corner I’m including last week’s delayed story and want to take you back to the nineties and the reign of Royce Simmons as our Coach. He was a real perfectionist and knew what he wanted even if the Directors sometimes couldn’t afford it. I remember when I watched as he and a few supporters ran past the City Hall on the sunny evening of Tuesday 6th July 1993 as our coach ran the 4th of his 5 marathons to raise the cash to bring the last piece of the ‘jigsaw’ to the Club. Nothing much changes and that piece was, yep you guessed it, a scrum half. His effort in those runs was certainly over and above the call of duty, however Royce completed his 5 runs and at a reception at the Banks Harbour Pub that Thursday he announced (once he had got his breathe back), that the player we were to bring in to direct the team was Des Hasler. Des only stayed a short while but he certainly made his mark and will be remembered by all who saw him play.

It was a tough period for the FC. Brian Smith had left and coming off the back of a season when after winning the Premiership, we had sold our best players, finished 3rd from the bottom of the table and sacked our coach, Noel ‘Crusher’ Cleal. But in came Royce Simmons and although at the club the rot continued, as Greg Mackey left for Warrington and Lee Jackson for Sheffield, the pace and silky skills of Hasler were a joy to behold, he was a great half back full of flair and go forward with a good kicking game and the heart of a lion.

The game I best remember Des Hasler playing in is not the infamous occasion on Sunday 12th December 1993 when he and most of us in the Threepenny Stand almost got hypothermia, but a match against Widnes at the Boulevard, this time on Hull Fair Sunday! Although tipped as leading contenders for the Premiership again, Widnes had not had a great start to their season, having won just two games up to October. However with the return of Bobby Goulding, John Devereux and Adrian Hadley from injury they were certainly hot favourites to beat us, as they usually did, even at the Boulevard. The Hull team lacked mercurial hooker Mike Dixon as youngster Jez Cassidy took over the number 9 shirt, whilst Paul Eastwood returned after injury to form a left side partnership with another new recruit from Australia, Jeff Doyle.

I watched the game with my pals, from the seats at the Gordon Street end of the Best Stand. We had hardly had time to settle in before Widnes got the first points of the afternoon. Steve McNamara was ‘shimmied’ by Emosi Koloto’s on his way to the line before Steve’s desperate late tackle almost took the Widnes stars head off. Spruce kicked the easiest of goals from under the sticks and we were 2-0 down after just 4 minutes. It took Hasler just three minutes to respond. He careered over the line in the corner following a curving run through the Widnes defence which saw him pass five players without one tackler laying a hand on him. It was a fantastic score that I can still see in my mind’s eye to this day. Four minutes later we were back again pressing the visitor’s line, with Doyle and Richard Gay brilliantly combining to send winger Paul Eastwood in at the other corner, but again Paul failed with the conversion. Widnes had a massive, but very mobile pack back then and with Howe, Ireland, Faimalo and Koloto in great form they started to turn

the screw, as they ploughed up the middle of the field making yards with every drive.

When Mark Jones was penalised for a stupid push on Ireland, they got a penalty goal back and then a fantastic piece of football by Goulding, where he chipped over the defence, drew Gay and sent Ruane in, saw the opposition level, before taking the lead with the resultant Spruce conversion. We stuck at it though and just failed on two occasions to get the lead back. Firstly Paul Stirling’s pass to his overlapping centre James Grant saw the Australian ‘score’ only for the touch judge to call the play back because Stirling had stepped in touch. Then Hasler went on a mazy 35 yard run, which saw him just brought to ground at the foot of the posts, in a three man tackle. It was developing into a great game of rugby, but we went in at half time trailing by 10-8, although we all agreed that in fairness the enterprise of Des Hasler and the running of our outside backs meant that it was Hull who deserved to be leading.

The second half saw Widnes quickly increase their lead after Daniel Divet was sent to the sin bin for persistently being off side at the play the ball. Paul Stirling missed Goulding’s kick down the wing and quick hands saw Myers score near the posts for Spruce to amazingly miss the conversion. To all us fans the game seemed to be running away from the FC, although we still only trailed by 6 points, Widnes were well on top. Then the great Des Hasler again took a hand. In a flash, he scooped up a loose ball ran ten yards and passed onto Richard Gay. He drew two players and released Grant who ran 50 yards along the touchline to score in the corner as first one and then another Widnes defender haring back gave up the chase.

However the usually reliable Eastwood missed again, but we were within two points of the ‘Chemics’ who were visibly shaken by our come back. Then Rob Danby, playing at 6 that day, side stepped out of a tackle by Goulding and set off on a 50 yard sprint which saw him feed Eastwood who crashed through a two man tackle to score in the corner. We were all out of our seats dancing for joy, until referee Steel saw the touch judge indicating that Eastwood hadn’t grounded the ball properly and he immediately refused the score.

There then came as memorable a 3-minute period of a game as I can remember. After 68 minutes Stewart Spruce who was having a great game for the visitors, stupidly stamped on Jon Sharp’s leg as he got up to play the ball and was sin binned for ten minutes. Eastwood levelled the scores from the ensuing penalty before Faimolo duplicated Spruces error by pushing Danby over at the play the ball, he left for the sin bin too and 2 more points from the boot of Eastwood saw us back in front. By now and against 11 men, we had our tails up, and after great play by Rob Nolan, Hasler somehow squeezed through three tacklers, to pass to Divet and the rangy Frenchman took four tacklers over the line with him for the winning try. Despite their two sin binned players returning there was little time left for Widnes to stage a rear guard action and so as the hooter went we all celebrated a great win; only our second in 7 games. Above all though, for me it was 80 minutes of fantastic play by a great little Australian half back, Des Hasler. All our coaches effort in the marathon’s that he had run were certainly worth-while that day and totally vindicated, as they were on so many others. Hasler’s stay was a short one but for me personally, his craft and mastery around the scrum and at first man will remain forever a great memory. He was a great player and boy could the English game do with that sort of flair now! Happy Days eh?

Oh and while I remember, well done to my pal Lee Jenkinson and all the lads at Cottingham Tigers who on Saturday were crowned Champions of their League, having won all 14 games so far this season!!

Well, this week in a fit of technological dexterity I managed to download a picture of Johnny Whiteley onto the front of my phone, it’s there to remind me, and at least no-one can take that away!!! Who knows what this week will bring on that score, however if you can get to the KC on Saturday I would get down there because this side is worth a look. There’s a lot of spirit about, but unlike the times when that has raised its head in the past, on this occasion there is a deal of style and exciting play around too, if you don’t believe me then ask anyone who went to Saints.

There is still much to do and we still ain’t clinical enough in our finishing, but compared with two weeks ago the difference on Friday was not just impressive, it was pretty incredible. As long as we can get in Warrington’s faces early on, I think we could well be in with a chance. Sorry about labouring a bit about the game last Friday, but I really, really enjoyed it and thanks for all your E mails again this week, and for supporting the ‘Bring Back Johnny’ campaign. Never mind the wrangling between the Club and the SMC; this is without doubt for me the very best of good causes! Have a good week and if anyone at Tesco’s Cafe asks you, “What would you like putting on your burger?” just reply....£5 each way!!!

See you all at the KC!

LET’S DO IT FOR JOHNNY!!!

Faithfully Yours

Wilf.