Best of luck for the future, Blacky. You've played a sight more great games for us than poor ones.

I had hoped Karl might try to get Ben back to the running style that made him such a matchwinner in his early days with Fax! Will Always have happy memories of his time with us and wish him all the luck at Batley.
Will be strange having him play against us,just hope he dosnt come back to haunt us because however much i want to back our new coach there is no comparison in a top form Ben Black and Handforth!!

Theres no doubt that on his day, Ben Black is electric, its a while since we have seen one of those days though and i think it speaks volumes that even Damien Ball didnt see the only recognised scrum half at the club as an automatic starter. Its probably a good move for both players. Handforth wants the chance to win something so it was a natural choice and produces the goods consistantly week in week out. On the other hand i do hope Black can produce some of the magic he has for us because its worth the admittance price alone.

I think harrison has done the right thing here, i think ben has become a bit stale in the last couple of seasons and a change will do him good. You could never have black and thackeray as the half backs it would of been a show and go feast

. They are practically the same player.Handforth will steer the team around the pitch and thackeray will expose the gaps. We need penky and aizue now please, i would be gutted if penky went.

All the best ben. Fax legend.

Ben WAS a great player who had pace and the X factor and played very much off the cuff but didnt organize the forwards at all. He also wasnt a great defender and was a bit inconsistant. However despite the negatives he was on his day the best Halfback in this League by a long way. He also will leave Fax knowing that most fans will miss him and wish him all the best.
Sadly for us and Ben the pace has gone and he has suffered injuries and lack of form etc which has sadly seen him be a shadow of the player he was. So I do feel whilst its always sad to see a Fax great leave, its the right thing for him and us. Handforth is if I remember rightly more of a organizer and somebody who has a good creative game. Thackery has the pace that we have missed this year in the halves and is more the Ben Black type of player. All the best Ben and the memories will not be forgotten. Hopefully you can recapture the form that you have shown in the past and become a legend at Batley like you are at Fax

All the best Ben, never forget that DG you're a true fax legend.

i'll be the first to clap you when you run out for Batley at the Shay.

The right move for us and maybe for him.
Thanks for some great memories Ben especially that drop goal in the GF but where did that enthusiasm go though mate?

However he's performed recently, etc Blacky's been an excellent servant for Fax, it will be strange seeing him play against us, but I'm sure he'll get the same reception at the Shay as other crowd favourites such as Gibbo and Shad. All the best Ben.

Hey Tone, remember when you used to slag him off and ran a campaign on here to ship him back to Australia? Admittedly it was a few year ago but boy were you wrong, you weren't right



I've had a trawl back through those posts - hillarious! I'll not embarrass you by putting them up again as you seem to have seen the light over the legendary Benny Black.

So long Benny.

Littledik, saying Ben was an "excellent servant" and personally thinking "he wasn't quite up to it" are entirely rwo different things. Just like I used to think Steve Smith "wasn't a great full back" but he was an excellent servant and played his heart out for the club. I think it has been mentioned before but if you look at the MoM awards this season Ben doesn't figure too well which is more than disappointing for a player who plays in such a pivotal position.

In the circumstances I didn't want to criticise Ben because he has given his all for the club, whether one thinks he has performed well or not. You're becoming somewhat of a troll, littledik, and it's a shame you should try and bring down a thread which is supposed to be wishing Blacky all the best.

Am I right? I'm not wrong!

Oh the irony

Just to add my thanks to Ben for all you have brought to our club. One of our greatest players of recent times and a pleasure to watch.

You did what you returned to do, win us a final and I thank you for giving us that. I really hope it works out at batley and as mentioned by another post you'll always be welcomed by us like gibbo, shad and a couple more.

I only wish I could have got to the front of the stand on Sunday in time to shake your hand and say thanks.

I know It's a strange question and probably something I've missed but will Ben turn out as a guest for James' testimonial? I'm aware he's gone but will have been a big part in setting it up. It would hopefully bring a good few more in to watch and say thanks to him at the same time.

It was a shame to finish on Sunday with not a load of fans still there to see him approah us knowing he was going.

I hope Ben does play in James Hayleys Testimonial, would be a fitting way to bow out of his fax career

I for one think Black did a good job for us over his two stints hear, i worked with him for a short period of time when i played in the Matt King event as he came along to cas his eye over our team

Thanks for the memories ben

Tonyfax, I know immediately you will say derogative things about my name, my

and my


But why when anyone has an opinion, littlerich, do you have to be so offensive.
?

For those people who are quick to judge or comment without knowing all the facts. Ben HAD a shoulder and foot injury a couple of weeks prior to the grandfinal 2010 and had an injection in order to play. The club WAS supposed to have Ben submitted to surgery once the Grandfinal was over for the 2011 season. BUT they did not attent to this until once the season had started. This mean't that Ben was going to miss a few weeks. As for his other injury being his knee it took him 4 weeks from receiving the injury before the club did anything about it ie. scans and operation. As a result of this Ben missed quite a few games. This is a short story of Bens injury and no doubt other players would have been in the same boat carrying injuries. So DON"T BE QUICK TO JUDGE PLAYERS WITHOUT KNOWING THE FULL FACTS.

How many games did you see from Australia?


Chill out, most people wish him well and thank him for the good memories. Time for both parties to move on now.

Cheers for that Ben but unfortunatley without knowing the full facts us fans can only judge what happens on the field. You can now expect to feel littlerich`s full rath now for slagging the club off as well. All the best at Batley.

Roar.

No one at Fax will ever doubt the ability of Ben and he will be remembered fondly, BUT he has, by his standards had a poor season this year.
We here have known about the injuries and have felt for him, but, if Karl thinks it's time to move on, it's time to move on.
Ben has said so himself.

The mouse that roared

Im sure Ben will get a better reception from the Fax fans next season than the infantile booing that Rob and Sam receive from the Beagles fans every time we play them

I agree.
Although there is a slight difference, Sam and Rob wanted to leave, Ben?