Not the fact that Matt actually WANTS to stay at Fax and is showing his commitment to the club by showing he is willing to take a pay cut?

I agree and must be enjoying his job.

Everyone enjoys being champions

Of course mate and need to keep it up, and do the same next year.

Anyway be interesting how teams do next year and we cant do worst than 5th.

Since when ?

As most posters will recognise, I've been a staunch supporter of Matt & the assistant coach's/football manager/physio's etc etc over the last two seasons and won't ever deny it. I haven't backed them through blind faith, but because I know a couple of the guys in the group quite well, I know some of the crap they've had to put up with & see the success on the field as an absolute triumph against adversity this year. We won the title with bandages and sticky tape and desire towards the end of this season, but Hally & Holly returning gave the squad a tremendous boost as I see it.
Well doe Matt Calland for sticking with it, the detractors can say what they like, your'e a champion coach and taking the pay cut sends out a massive message, good on yer mate.
We won the title without the reinforcements of youth or reserves, that must be something of a first in this day & age and tosay our pack was being affectionately termed as dad's army.
I've loved every single minute of this last couple of seasons, better than Wembley '87 as I drunkenly tried to convince Bally & Hally in liquid after the GF, believe me guys, this was better than Wembley '87 in my opinion, we've so up against it.

There's nothing calland can do to win some people over. More fool them - you can lead your miserable, sceptical lives. This is another sign what the job, the team and people at the club mean to him. Anyone party to his reaction at winning the title, especially on Monday night, will see he really cares. If he said $*#% you to the fans, I wouldn't blame him. The people that matter, players, staff and me all have faith in him.

Thanks Matt, for giving me something I've not seen in 21 years a fax fan.

Hats off well done Matt.

I think the biggest factor which I have not considered until recently is how much the players have improved as individuals over the last few years due to Matt's Coaching.

Can anyone say that, when he was at Batley or Doncaster, they thought Shad would play Super League?
Same with Patterson, he came to us as a player Rochdale didn't put up a fight to keep and now he is one of the best outside backs in this league.
We saw Miles come on leaps and bounds before his injury.
Worrincy is now certain to play SL at some point.

Because it's confidential. Look the word up if you don't understand it.

In that case stop making clever hints or suggestions about it. It doesn't make you special.

That shows some serious commitment to the club.

Well done Matt...

Calland is from Widnes, its clear even though he's hooked himself in boring Yorkshire that his skills were donned in Widni


Never forget your roots Matt.

Up the Vikings!

if it means helping my club then yes,,

Well done Matt you have showed loyalty something that is very rare in sport these days it turns out that me been such a critic of him was a complete waste of time so glad he made me eat my words I believe next season we will build a team that will challenge for honours again. Thank you Matt and a big well done



As for you widnes fans your attitude shows exactly why the current system sucks next season the season is pointless to you and as such devalues our great competition. You didn't deserve a franchise last time so I don't know why you thought you was and you don't deserve 1 now. We are the champions you was crap

Well i suppose its the nearest Widnes got to winning a trophy Viking! Good old Matt.

MC is top man, a prized asset for FAX no doubt...

So why publicise the fact he has taken a paycut?

Would Haighy Ltd. tell all his competitors his prize employee has taken a pay cut?!

the cynic in me tells me there's more to this than good loyal Matt, truely hope not.

I really should stop reading & posting on this fans forum, it might be time for me to retire from here as a champion now. I might sit in smug corner with Tony Fax & the others who kept the faith.

Matt knows I was 1 of his biggest critics and we have even talked about it and I have apologised to him he told me how the fans being against him really hurt but made him more determined he then put his arm round me and patted me on the back. We really did win it with our backs against the wall well done matt

Because this is HXRLFC. Not much they do makes sense. I mean the Courier print an article with quotes from Michael Steele saying that the new salary cap changes will not effect us because we dont run any where near the salary cap limit. Next thing you know we were actually running at a special dispensation, now im sure he does a good job at the club but sometimes he really needs to make his mind up because people do remember these things.
All i know for certain is that whoever set the budget for last season took one almighty gamble with the clubs future and luckily for them Matt Calland and the players managed to somehow pull it off and basically save the club. They deserve the upmost credit from the supporters of the club.
But yes why do we need to know he has taken a paycut? For me it just dosnt look good, yes its great that he is willing to do it but its probably take a pay cut or we cant afford to keep you. Hes probably on an incentive based contact as well wherby winning the Championship should have seen him get a wage rise not a wage cut, like ive said before whoever sorted the budget for last year and signed coaches and players to these deals knowing they were unrealistic has a lot to answer for.

I took this to mean that he was providing an example to the players and negotiations ongoing with them.

Dont think they expected to lose Link Telecom, lose just about all the friendly's, to the weather, get knocked out of the Northern Rail cup at the 1st round and get booted out of the Challenge cup add to that we are now losing our major sponsor in Halifax home insurance and it does not take a genius to work out that we need to cut the wage bill and Michael Steel said that they was not budgeting for making the Grand final and wining it so they are using the same players budget they would have used had we failed to make the Grand final, Add to all this the stupid amount of money we as supposed to be paying Stanley Gene then its not shocking that the club are making cut backs but remember he wont be on the wage bill next season so thats a big saving already. What will be happening with the Prize money and the money made on merchandise (cos the made lots) I have no idea they must be saving it to secure the future of the club.

One of the big reasons I think Matt as taken a pay cut is to free money for the playing squad.

good on him

now we can afford a defence coach with the money saved!