That was Paul Gibbins, AKA Bluebeard! He's a top club man - Fev thru n thru - and a thoroughly nice bloke! I'm asked to post a thank you for your comments!
Pleased to do so!

Good to see FAXFOREVER had a good time there. I have followed rovers for a good few years now and I have seen nothing but amiable banter between fev and fax fans. I am bored of this topic, however I have joined the RLFANS forum just to put this reply, as I am sick of my club being abused and demonised.

I went to the final last year and saw NOTHING apart from the scuffles that broke out between fev fans and stewards when the fax fans filled the pitch. These were 'rovers fans' I had never seen before, and probably jumped on the bandwagon for the final. Maybe some were fans from the other clubs who were playing, as they didnt all have shirts on. To try and keep a good club image, I helped the stewards control the situation, and even though I was wearing rovers colours, still got lamped with a couple of half hearted punches by a couple of kids who couldnt handle their drink. This is the worst I have ever seen, but really was not that bad. I have hand on heart never seen a fight between fans a our ground or any other...maybe I am not mixing with the right people!

Some of our fans are embarrassing, sometimes they even use swear words

but so do all other clubs.

I have heard nothing about who attacked Dave singer, but I have been listening for any information that might be useful; all I know is that someone from pontefract was arrested and not convicted.

For Fax fans to stay away from a heartlands team for this one incident, however abhorrent, harms not just my club, but the whole sport. The attendance was shocking, and actually probably worked against Fax, as at one point when you were only 2 points behind fax could have maybe done with a push from a vocal hardcore away following. I just hope that it is mostly down to your teams performances, and some of your fans wanting to find a reason not to travel that so few came.

I will always remember when rover were promoted back into this league. We were stood with two fax fans who went to leeds uni there; they were supporting rovers, in their fax shirts. When we won, they celebrated with us like it was their team, and when I asked them why they said:

'we're both yorkshire teams mate, and we all have to stick together'

This rugby league brotherly mentality has stayed with me ever since...and long may it continue.

Reply to the excellent and balanced post by Birchy.

Yes my first time as a Halifax fan on the forum and it is time to move on from Featherstone.

The Fev club recognises there are issues and are genuinely trying to resolve them . No doubt they are looking at the gate receipts and know that they have to rebuild trust.

Halifax have had their "stay away" protest but its time now to plan to go to the NRC semi finals and back our team. You never know we might be able to shout forward and get the ref to stop Finn floating yet another long forward pass !! We might also stop some of our own players wingeing to the ref as well!!

A much better defensive structure for 90%of the game . Time for all the players to listen to Brian Noble. Mouths shut to officials , do not give away stupid penalties,play for each other and give it your best shot.

Now that sounds like a wining gameplan.

That's basically what has been said by me and others on here, I will be there at the semi shouting them on.

I went to the game, I was sat in the "family stand" and had to endure a woman in front of me that could not sit down and mentioned matches more than once. I did think that one of the things that the players lacked was the crowd. I do think that it would have made a difference.

I have also got to say that their are lots of true supporters at fev and they also need the help of away supporters to drive the Idiots away from their club.

To all you fev supporters can you please get your club to get a better burger van that sells proper hot dogs and burgers and not just pie and peas.

Well said mate, yer its time to give Fev another try and get to the NRC semi as the lads need our support, what if we do the unthinkable and actually win!
Would you want to miss that???

That said if we do win and there are any problems then we would have to have a self imposed ban on our fans ever going there again. Donate the money to Fax instead.

Theres one as you enter the ground with a bar also, next time you come look to your left once you get through the turnstiles

think you are referring to the pie hut when mentioning above