283 The Dentists Diary
Derby’s are important, even contrived ‘Friendly ones’ and it’s
always good to win, and so I guess I would class this last one
as disappointing if not predictable. Rovers looked like a team
that had played two games already we looked like one that
hadn’t played any. I won’t be passing too much judgement until
after the Warrington game because that’s not fair on the
Coaching team and anyway this week there was for me a far
more important occurrence for every loyal and committed FC
fan.
“I hope that all of you, if you meet anyone who used to come to
Hull FC, will do everything you can to encourage them to come
back and give us one last chance”
That’s how Adam Pearson issued the rallying cry to the ‘FC
Faithful’ at last week’s excellent fans forum event at the KC. It
was one of several telling issues that came to the fore at the
event and whatever else came out I think that it is safe to say
that he doesn’t like Leeds much at all, does he?
In fact as far as our new owner is concerned our fiends from
down the M62 are in danger of taking over the mantle of ‘public
enemy number one’ from the Dobbins across the City. The first
event of its kind in Super League history to be streamed live on
the internet attracted viewers in 14 different counties who
looking in to watch as Peter Gentle announce Andy Lynch as
our Captain and Adam Pearson commented that ‘Wolf in
Sheep’s Clothing’ Mr Hudgell was simply trying to get some
“Extra mileage” out of the Gleeson issue by demanding an
enquiry. His assertion was certainly borne out by that final
statement that the League made on Friday to draw a final line
under the whole affair.
For me there was a deal of honesty, openness and interesting
stuff about and I’ll be having a look from this fans point of view
at some of the issues raised and the background to them later
in his Diary.
In this week’s Diary there’s the Derby, a report from the game
at York, I’ll look in detail at the forum, Adam Pearson, Peter
Gentle our new Captain and the quiet and measured Mr Moa.
Then there’s why callers at Johnny Whiteley’s house could be
in fact visiting the Doctors, Rovers at the KC on Good Friday,
the condition of the KC pitch, me eating humble pie and
admitting I got it wrong, Why our owner won’t be using Stobart
haulage any time soon and Adams dislike of Leeds, and in
Codgers Corner just for Mr Pearson a trip back to the days
when we always beat em!
.....................................................................................................
“Peter Gentle says he has seen enough positive signs from his
Hull FC side to be confident of a good season at the KC
Stadium”, says the official Hull FC web site, sounds like the sort
of stuff we are all used to after a Derby defeat doesn’t it? I ain’t
going to be wringing my hands or panicking just yet because I
have to say that what we saw on Sunday was for me very
predictable indeed. I could hardly believe my ears when I heard
some folks round me running the players and the coaching staff
down after just twenty minutes of our first rather scratchy run
out. It’s better to be rubbish now than flatter to deceive and fold
when the real stuff starts. Yes, I like to win Derby games and
the banjo pickers certainly gave us what for, when they got into
the lead, but we would have done the same wouldn’t we?
However if Mr Pearson is to learn anything from this the first
game of the ‘Loadsamoney Challenge Series’ then it has to be
that we must ensure next season that it is the last preseason
game both Clubs play. That at least gives us the fans a level
playing field on which to watch the game and assess our hero’s
progress. For me the most apparent thing to come out of that
game, (after a first, excitement fuelled, ten minutes), was that
Rovers looked like a team that had already got two good hit ups
against ‘Proper’ opposition under their belts. We should also
note that whether we like it or not Dobson is an enigma that we
have to learn to sort out, he needs shutting up early on.
Yesterday with his already battle hardened forwards on the
front foot for longer and with more effectiveness than we were,
he got the platform he needed. You can’t really judge how good
our half backs and three quarters are when they are playing
behind a pack that is going backwards at times and subject to a
plethora of changes designed to give everyone ‘a turn’.
Don’t get me wrong some of the stuff we saw was woeful but
we have to sit tight and be glad of the fact that we have got 80
of hard rugby in and have no injuries. There was some good
stuff; our first try, Lynch’s form, Martin’s angled run for his try
and some great lines from Danny Tickle, but there was too
much lack of forward motion in the pack and the big lads were
driven back by a well drill Dobbins six. I ain’t gonna comment
much more because that will come in two weeks time when we
have played Warrington. Then I believe, we will have some
idea about our prospects and know what we can expect. Next
week’s game against Bradford is very significant. We need to
see fewer players used more steel and a platform from the
forwards and a better defensive effort down the middle at the
very least. At least yesterday we were more expansive and
even exciting at times, but by this time next week we have to be
were Rovers are now and that is ready to go! There’s a lot of
work to do I think!
Performance wise a few players deserve a mention. I think at
times Seymour looked light years ahead of some of his
runners, who seemed to be lacking in any sort of idea as to
what they were supposed to do. O’Meley, Moa and Lynch
certainly showed some muscle at times but not often enough
and for me McKinnon looked a class act as did O’Carroll.
Having said that I didn’t think Tony Martin was bad and Danny
Houghton was his usual explosive battleship self. Reece Lynne
won’t make a full back on that showing, Horney disappointed
but I thought Sharp looked a lot more assured on the wing with
Martin inside him. Otherwise? Well as I say, for now we can
only wait and see!!!!
With 14,000 there it will have certainly made £50,000 or
£60,000 for both Clubs, money neither Club would have ever
seen had they played anyone else, so I guess it was worthwhile
from that point of view, but otherwise, as I say it should be
scheduled as both Clubs last game. Playing at York the night
before wasn’t probably the brightest idea either, particularly
when you intend to use 5 or 6 of the players from that game in
a full blown local Derby barely 20 hours later. I hope you all
noted the abysmal condition of the pitch too before all those
round ball protagonist’s start telling us we ruined it and caused
them to miss out on promotion. On another tack I thought that
the use of Clarkey as match day announcer was a good move,
and I hope that continues because at least for once I could hear
every word and he didn’t over hype it and that plus the new
match day stuff with the game on the screen etc was good. In
fact all we need now is a team that can win a few games really.
The trip to York on Saturday was certainly a blustery one and it
must have been a bit bleak sat up in the Best Stand. In the old
‘Tin Shed Stand’ at least the wind was behind us and most of
the time there was a good atmosphere in there. It does me
good sometimes to just see how the other half live because
down there in the Divisions below Super League, it is certainly
a different world. The PA was so loud that at times it was hard
to hear yourself think, but it was great to be watching York
whose results I always follow. We were watching a team that
has two players who were sponsored by Fish Shops and there
were some “Tribute to the Boulevard” toilets to encounter too!!
They even have a specially recorded song which was so naff I
couldn’t stop singing “Go... Go... Go... York City Knights” all the
way back to the Drum and Monkey.
The York side was one that was close to their Championship
starting line up with several old boys from the KC in their ranks.
Chris Thorman, Jordan Tansey and their Man of the Match
Paul King all played well and when I saw their team compared
with our line up, I thought that we might get a drubbing. Kingy in
fact was great to watch, particularly in the first 20 minutes when
he picked out some ‘old pals’ to drive at! With his ability to
charge down the middle one minute and operating wider out
passing a bit, as the ‘undercover’ hooker he always thought he
was, in the next, he was their stand out player, and will do them
a good job.
After just a few minutes a 20 meters re-start was passed by
Ellis straight to Lineham and he outstripped the defence and
ran 80 yards for a spectacular touch-down and we were off.
Then an Ellis kick was fumbled by the York Full Back over the
line and Briscoe touched it down and the rest of the game was
a see saw affair but our youngsters never gave up and whilst
Ellis was on the field he conducted operations, organised the
line and made all the calls. The kicking game was simply a
revelations with a lot of high kicks spiralling down in the wind
and some beautifully place sixth tackle efforts slotted behind
the York Full Back.
Crooks looked really menacing in the centre and can shift
speeds without appearing to run any faster so smoothly does
he motor down field, Nicklas was dominant and one stand out
player for me was young Full Back Jamie Shaul. He belied his
limited experience at senior level and ran the York defence
ragged particularly when bring the ball back from deep
positions (Gary Kemble style) and on that showing he looks a
real prospect. The other stand out player in a fine display was
Jamie Cunningham who came on as a substitute and had a
cracker of a game once on the field. Briscoe and Lineham on
the wings looked good and seemed to benefit from the new
structures and the ability of Nicklas and particularly Ellis to get
the ball to them earlier. I thought our defence was a bit shaky
against the York forwards coming down the middle in the first
half, but we seemed to remedy that in the second and York
only got close after we started to tire in the last 10 minutes.
So all in all a great night of ‘stress free’ rugby and an unlikely
win against a strong York side with some good and expansive
rugby to watch. There was some good banter on the Stands too
and hopefully York will have got a bit of dosh out of the game to
help their cause. In my opinion if we are to have ‘a special
relationship’ with a ‘feeder team’ in the Championship, then
there would be no better one to have one with than York.
As a footnote I noticed that the foyer of the Stadium had been
filled with FC stuff for the game yesterday and l was told two of
our staff from the Club had done it on Friday to try and redress
the balance a bit. They had even emptied City’s trophy cabinet
(that wouldn’t take long) and put FC stuff in there.
The Fans Forum in the Kingston Suite on Wednesday was
packed with well over 400 fans with hundreds more around the
world watching on their PC’s in the comfort of their own homes.
Diary reader Brian Chapman was straight onto me afterwards
from Spain to say just how much he had enjoyed it, and there
were also viewers watching in Norway, America, Germany,
Canada, The USA, Tenerife and Switzerland. I was particularly
pleased that those people who couldn’t get to the event, could
still see as well as hear how honest and open our new owner
is. They say a picture can “Speak a thousand words” and if you
watched Adam Pearson, either in the Forum or on line you
would see a bloke oozing integrity and honesty. He never
ducked a question said all the right things about Hudge,
Rovers, Leeds, Kath and the SMC and gave us all great hope
for the future with his message that he is here for the long haul.
Firstly, it was so interesting and refreshing to experience a
debate that was not all Slimming tablets and cover ups but
when that was raised Adam was outright, outspoken and
honest. He said that should Gleeson try and sue the Club, over
what had happened, he would be forwarding the writ “Back up
the M62” (in the direction no doubt of our previous
administration) He also said that should anyone at the Club be
found taking anything suspect in the future they will be sacked,
simple as. He obviously doesn’t take any C*ap and as one
impressed Rovers fan I know who was watching said
afterwards, “At least you know that your Club will be run
‘straight’ in future and when there is news, good or bad, the
fans will be the first to know”. That’s how I read the overall
message too, but there was so much more going on as well.
Andy Lynch, mine and most other peoples tip for Coach, was
duly announced two weeks earlier than previously expected to
a massive round of applause from the fans, and when he was
named the previous lunchtime to the team at Chants Ave, he
was given a standing ovation by the whole squad. He certainly
said all the right things but did it in the right way to inspire a
feeling of renewed confidence in us all. Let’s face it we should
be able to judge these things shouldn’t we? We’ve heard our fill
of ‘Pre Season BullSh*t’ over the years haven’t we? The value
of Lynch as Captain will be only judged by the way he handles
himself and his ‘Wards’ when the going gets tough both on the
field and in the pub!!! Best man for the job for me though, but
not a position I would envy either.
Sam Moa was honest and when asked if he would stay at the
Club longer than the end of his one year contract he was very
straight and pretty humble about the way that he was missing
his wife and family who are over in Australia and how much he
liked it at Hull. I don’t think really he has made his mind up yet
but as he said his first priority is to have his best campaign ever
at the KC this season.
For those fans who were not there for the ‘First 400’ event back
in November it was a first chance to see our new Coach in
person too. Peter Gentle just talks so much sense and he and
Sam Moa admitted that like a lot of other members of staff they
were already getting nervous about starting out on the playing
front this weekend. Again unlike Pearson who we will simply
judge by his loyalty to and stewardship of, our great Club,
Gentle will in the end be judged by one thing and one thing
only; results! We will understand, and be patient (well some of
us will try to be) but in the end we have to win games. Still
Gentle certainly talks a good game but we’ve had a few of
those before haven’t we. However unlike Sharp, Kear and Agar
he is, for me, a man at peace with himself. He comes across as
being a genuine guy who trusts his judgement and his
experience, and who knows exactly what we expects to happen
out there on the field this year. Let’s hope he is still as relaxed
at the end of the campaign.
He is certainly doing the things he promised when he arrived
and it is obvious that no one has a place in the starting 13 by
right. All places have to be earned and that was well animated
by the fact that he said Sam Moa would start at prop at the
weekend with Lynch, whilst O’Meley would be ‘benched’
because the former two had shown up best in pre season.
There was also an interesting discussion about the recent
revelations in the media that the Premier League are proposing
to ban any member Clubs sharing grounds with rugby clubs
and the problems this could cause if City went up again.
Pearson said quite clearly that although we have 15 years to
run on our lease at the KC and he would like that to be longer,
the current agreement was sound and validated by both the
Premier League and the FA and was ‘water tight’. He said there
was nothing to worry about with that whatsoever and at that
point you could almost hear the Dobbins supporters and some
City fans switching off their computers in disappointment as
their ‘bonfires’ were extinguished with that one short ‘urinary’
statement!
It was also stated that we have so far not made any approach
to Tom Briscoe about extending his contract, because as
Gentle said, he was showing no signs of being anything but
totally committed to the FC cause at present. Adam of course is
emerging as an owner that puts the players first as far as the
administration is concerned but showed his hand a bit too when
he said, “Look, if Tom wants to try his hand in Australia good
luck to him but rest assured he won’t be doing it for at least two
years and if he does then decide to go, then we will have made
the necessary moves to replace him, don’t worry about that!”
Finally on the forum I don’t think that James Clarke was
prepared for Adam to blurt out who the Clubs charity this year
would be, but there is certainly no doubt that everyone there on
Wednesday felt that raising money for a rehabilitation facility at
Catterick for the Help the Heroes Fund was a fine charity to
adopt. It’s a great cause and one that I am sure all fans will
subscribe to in the coming months.
There was, I expect, still one or two of those people at the back
of the room who want us to fail and seem to get off on the times
that we fail a lot more than they are inspired by the occasions
we do well. They will no doubt have been leaning on the wall
and muttering into their pints about having “heard it all before”
but I have to say that in my honest opinion I don’t think in this
instance we have. The last time we had a sole owner it was
David Lloyd and I well remember his posturing and squirming
when he first came to talk to the Clubs shareholders back in
1998. He wouldn’t answer any questions and even said at one
point that “I own the Club and I’ll make the decisions”. Pearson
was so different to that.
OK I know that Adam needs us lot, and yes, as a successful
sporting entrepreneur, he is going to court our support and
financial backing, but at times, at forums etc. he is just too open
to be subversive, too genuine to be ‘twisty’. Look at how in a
couple of sentences he shot to pieces the arguments that some
fans want to believe that he is ‘getting into bed’ with the Hudge.
It was not so much what he said but his jocular body language
and posture whilst he was saying it that told the real story. He’s
got his measure, as Pearson said, he’s been in Sports
Management for too long not to be able to ‘recognise the signs’
of a ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’ He’s 100% FC at present and
providing we respond and vote with our feet there is no reason
to believe that it will not be that way for a long time. I know
some of you reading this who did not witness what went on last
Wednesday will say “Wilf’s lost it, he’s gone over the top all
over again”, but after the event, talking to a few seasoned
campaigners who have, like me, seen it all before, I have to say
no one was anything but impressed and elated, it was a great
night, we have to give him that ‘One last Chance’
One thing I think that comes out of all this and is there for all to
see is that he will give Gentle and the team time, but he won’t
suffer fools or underachievers and in the end if things don’t
happen, he will change it and as long suffering fans of our great
club we can’t ask more than that.
I see that Stobart is the new sponsor of Super League beating
Betfair to the prize of a 3 year contract to have the naming
rights to our Competition. According to insiders we were joined
by Rovers, Leeds, Castleford and Wakefield in voting for the
betting company but outvoted by Clubs who felt that a ‘no
money’ publicity oriented deal with Stobart’s was preferred to
an upfront cash one which ‘Glorified’ betting. Apparently
according to one source Adam Pearson led the charge for the
Bet Fair case and got a bit upset at one point about the role of
the Widnes Chairman who has close business links to Stobart,
he was no doubt a bit surprised when Leeds and Wakey
jumped on board of his side of the argument too.
Each Club will have six lorry’s carrying imagery of one of their
players scoring a try whilst another 300 lorry’s will just carry
Super League imagery. Just hours after the deal was done
someone bought 20,000 Stobart shares on the stock exchange
no doubt believing that it was a good bet to back a company
who had the ability to engineer a deal that saw them get
thousands of mentions and hundreds of hours of television
exposure and all for nothing! There will of course be a price to
re branding the lorry’s and it will be great fun ‘spotting’ them as
we travel away to games, but the RL seem to have spurned
millions of pounds worth of ‘real’ sponsorship here, which the
game might just need in the next few years.
How interesting it was to read the other day that besides the
obvious kickers we have in the side, like Horne, Seymour, Ellis
etc the rest of the back Division had also been practising their
kicking whilst in Tenerife. Gentle feels that although centres
and wingers would not usually be called on to kick, there will be
times when they are caught in possession at the end of sets.
He wants them to have the confidence to execute a good kick
at that point of play rather than desperately hoofing it or
scrambling to find someone who can kick as we have seen in
the past. Yesterday it looked like it still needed some work but
there is certainly no stone being left unturned when it comes to
preparations this season and the new regime must be
commended for that.
So Rovers are keen to take over the KC for their game against
us on Good Friday are they? Well I guess it’s a double edged
sword really because I thought that we would have to go
through a really tough Easter programme not only in the space
of 4 days but also playing both games away from Home
because of Hull City’s commitments on Easter Monday. At least
if this comes to pass we will see a home game at the KC but
knowing Hudge he will be adamant that he shifts us lot to the
North End and the top tier of the West Stand despite the fact
that his fans won’t fill the East, West lower and South Stands
anyway. I expect if it happens, that hundreds of FC fans will get
tickets for those areas anyway which could well be very
interesting on the day.
If I have to give up my seat I will have to go into the North
Stand simply because there is in my opinion safety in numbers
and at least you’ll have a good idea who you’ll be sat next to or
at least what persuasion they are. It’s interesting that the
Rovers plan to relocate the Golf Stand to the South end of
Caravan Park collapsed when the Stand did the same thing
when they tried to move it, although I don’t suppose a reduced
capacity of 8,500 will bother the gate men there that much do
you? Work should start on their new stand in February but of
course everything is dependent on the European Regional
Development Fund releasing the cash and the City Council still
having the other £8m when they do! Interesting times at
Caravan Park though!
You know as a gnarled and seasoned campaigner I am always
morbidly interested when Neil Hudgell says anything, when it’s
about Rovers I am usually cynical, if it’s about Hull I am usually
suspicious but his comments in the Mail last Tuesday left me a
bit perplexed really. He was of course ‘Sticking his oar in’ on
the Slimming Gate situation at the KC and wanting, nay
demanding , an independent enquiry into who knew what and
what the Rugby League covered up, if anything. That’s
something that Adam Pearson feels, “Will do little good” and I
think I have to agree.
The Mail stated, “But with new Hull FC owner Adam Pearson
demanding major improvements from his Club, Hudgell says
his side must also raise their game, "They (Hull FC) have
definitely under-performed the last few years and I know Adam
won't tolerate that. We will have to up our game to stay with
them, but I am confident we will do that." Interesting indeed and
difficult to tell whether it is mind games or genuine comment,
although his ‘close friendship’ with Adam Pearson was certainly
blown out of the water somewhat last Wednesday night. Of that
relationship Hudgell went on to say that he speaks, "to Adam
two or three times a week on all sorts of things. As we have
publicly said before, we need that rivalry to be as keen as ever
on the field at senior level, but beyond that we need to work
together as one, and present a powerful lobbying voice across
the sport as a whole." Not quite how Adam put it Neil!!!
So Adam Pearson doesn’t like Leeds eh? Well neither do I
actually, but that’s no great surprise is it? At least I won’t be
having him searching me out at a Club dinner, as a certain
Female member of our previous Board did several years ago,
to tell me that it’s not really sporting to use the expression ‘We
all Hate Leeds’ in a chant. Quite frankly when I look back, I
sometimes think that at our Club you couldn’t make it up!
Anyway in tribute to Adams comment of “It would be nice to
sometimes beat Leeds.....and Leeds and Leeds and Leeds!!!” I
want this week in Codgers Corner to take you back to a time
when we beat them regularly and their home gates were less
than 8,500 even when 3000 Hull fans made the trek to
Headingley from the Boulevard. Something that, to a simple
soul like me, begs the question to all those thousands of
morons taunting us and banging drums in their current South
Stand of “Where were you when you were crap”.
On Sunday 9th October 1983 we all travelled over to the home
of Yorkshire Cricket on the coach from the Mermaid pub on
Boothferry Estate, for a game that was to be the warm up for
our defence of the Yorkshire Cup in the final at the same
ground the following week. We had drawn one and won 6 of
our first 7 games before we suffered a heartbreaking defeat at
Craven Cottage London against Fulham and a big reversal at
home to Rovers the week previously. That left us with just one
game to get back in the groove before the final and that was a
difficult looking tie at Leeds.
The home club had won 3 of their last 4 games and they were
undefeated at home and so a few beers in the ‘Three Horse
Shoes’ in Otley Road was needed for us all, for ‘medicinal
purposes’ to calm our nerves and to provide a bit of ‘Dutch
courage’. I watched the game from the South Stand as we took
over half of it and the game kicked off on a sunny day which
belied the fact that it was in fact Hull Fair week back in Hull.
Gary Kemble had a leg injury and so James Leuluai had a rare
trip out in the number 1 shirt, whilst young Garry Schofield
made his first start for the senior team at number 4.
It took us just three minutes to get on the score board as a
great break by Wileman saw Proctor in support to pass onto
Crooks. From nowhere Schofield motored into the line and
drew Leeds Full Back Healey before feeding Dane O’Hara who
scorched into the corner just below us. Crooks missed with the
conversion but it was only 4 minutes before we were on the
scoreboard again. We looked to be bogged down in our own 25
yard area and running out of tackles when Tony Dean, in the
team for the first time that season, got out of dummy half and
broke the tackle of Mitchell before losing the ball. Garry Moorby
pounced on it and threw out a ‘scoring pass’ to Mitchell who
was lurking on the whitewash of the touchline. As we all felt a
score was to imminent, from nowhere up popped Garry
Schofield and as he was to do so many times in his career at
Hull he stretched above his head intercepted the pass and
without changing pace, the youngster glided away from the
Leeds defence. With Hesslewood and Creasser tailing in his
wake we cheered every stride as he ran 70 yards for a brilliant
interception try which Crooks converted.
Two penalties conceded by a Leeds defence that was
becoming decidedly rattled were dispatched by Crooks and
after just 16 minutes we were leading 14-0. The home Club
rallied and Creasser landed a penalty when Crane tripped
Dickenson, but with just a minute to go to half time and after
Edmonds, Proctor and Skerrett had smashed the Leeds front
row on a downfield drive, we scored again. This time Topliss
fed Fred Ah Kuoi and despite the New Zealander appearing to
be held by three Leeds forwards he brilliantly released the ball
to Schofield. Garry simply took the ball dummied towards his
winger Dane O’Hara and shot off for another touchdown this
time from just 40 yards out, Crooks converted and at half time
the score was a very unlikely 20-2. Adam Pearson would have
loved it!
Leeds had obviously got a roasting in the changing rooms and
came out fired up as they camped in our twenty five for the first
seven minutes. A penalty to touch from Crooks relieved the
pressure before from the ensuing scrum Dean made twenty
yards with a mazy run. Topliss then passed onto Skerrett who
striding forward executed a brilliant and surprising reverse pass
straight back into the path of ‘Toppo’ who shot through the
Leeds defence to score just to the left of the posts. Crooks
converted again and as the scoreboard moved onto 26-2 we
were starting to dominate the game much to the annoyance of
the home fans.
Schofield was belying his tender years and ripping the home
defence to bit, whilst Proctor, Wileman and Edmonds scrapped
the initiative away from a big Leeds pack and Topliss, Dean
and Crane marshalled the Hull team brilliantly. As we piled on
the pressure Schofield followed Topliss down the field as he
broke away from a Kevin Dick tackle and although Hull’s
Captain could have scored himself he passed the ball onto the
debutant who completed a hat trick, in his first full game for the
Black and Whites and at just 17 years of age. Then just when
we should have gone on to score 50 or 60 points we started to
make a few mistakes as we over elaborated and I remember
too that referee Whitfield who had been pretty anonymous thus
far suddenly started awarding penalties and became a bit
‘whistle happy’. This disturbed our rhythm which allowed Leeds
to score two scrappy tries from Martin and Mitchell.
Back we came though and a flowing move this time started by
Dean and Leuluai saw Patrick Solal get another 4 points in the
corner and a Crooks conversion and a Divorty penalty finished
off the Hull scoring to leave the final score Hull 40 Leeds 12. It
had been a fine performance and just what we needed to
ensure that we retained the Yorkshire Cup the following week.
Our pack has been a revelations and our half backs supreme.
But on the day the real hero was 17 year old BARLA tourist
Garry Schofield who simply mesmerised the Leeds defence.
Whatever we have thought of him since, the one thing you
remembered about Garry back then, was that he didn’t run, or
‘motor’ or gallop, he simply glided away from would be tacklers
with amazing ease. Great memories!
How wonderful it was to hear that Rugby League legend the
one and only Johnny Whiteley is to receive an honorary
doctorate from the University of Hull. The University announced
last Friday that the former FC star will receive the degree at a
ceremony next week and how richly he deserves the honour!
Well done Johnny or Doctor John as he will be known in the
Diary from now on!
So that’s another week gone by but I have to say that at the
forum last Wednesday I met so many pals as well as readers of
the Diary and the book that it would be wrong to single any out.
Still thanks everyone for your kind words feedback and
suggestions. It was also good to shake a few hands of fans like
Karl who had the last administration ‘banged to rights’ months
ago and who I, being blinded by my love of the Club, refused to
believe. I had to eat a deal of humble pie there, but I had to
admit that I had got it wrong and that they had got it spot on.
Thanks for all your support and I hope you enjoyed the
weekend games as at least we are back having a bit of live
rugby to watch. I hope that you can make it to ‘Radders’
Testimonial next weekend and rest assured if you can’t I’ll give
you a run down on what happened in here next week. We
certainly need to see a big improvement in a lot of areas don’t
we? Still just two weeks to go to the season starting and a nice
easy run out against Warrington!!!!!.
Thanks as always for reading the Diary
Keep the Faith!
Faithfully Yours
Wilf