Quote ="tigerman49"Some people either haven't been supporters very long or have very short memories. I know recent times have been poor for signings but a lot of that is because money is needed elsewhere. I would not call the following people players who haven't made it or been past their best; Dennis Hartley, Bruce Burton, Frano Botica, Gary Belcher, Ian French, Bob Lidner, Lee Crooks, Tawera Nikau, Richie Blackmore, Adrian Vowles, Danny Nutley, these are just the players that spring to mind. If you think these players were past their best then maybe you should go and watch Fev. I suggest you wait until the new stadium is built and then see what players we try to sign before making crass comments.'"
So saying that Dennis Hartley once played for us means that we can sit back and relax about our present way of bringing in players? I'm not ignorant to the qualities of those players you list, most of which are not even relevant to our present board or squad. I would like to throw those names right back at you anyway and ask which of those came to us in their prime and not looking to resurrect a career, which of those came in on a big fee and which of those were brought in on the hope they'd become something decent one day on a cheaper wage. I'm not asking which of those played out of their skin for us and proved a massive success, just which of those big names actually came as a big name without some kind of baggage etc. I loved Danny Nutley, first bit of real quality we'd had for quite some time. Can you remember what happened to his career at Cas? Would you consider that a success or a failure? I don't wish to try and pull apart any of the players you mention, because many are my heroes but more through guts and determination on their part than that of our club.
Anyway, I'm more talking about recent years such as the last decade, which is the reason many fans are on the last straw. Continually bringing in poor quality players or players not quite as good as the wage they are on suggests. Umpteen number of on and off the field cock ups. The initial relegation was tough but we all stayed on the roller-coaster, the second one too. But in-between we see signs of improvement followed by little to no quality signings to further advance that improvement with instead poor quality players brought in which then makes us take more steps backward to undo all the hard work done before. If you think any of the evidence on show right now suggests we are a SL quality side with a SL quality club I cannot possibly agree with you.
I look forward to our new stadium being built and I look forward to the super signings to follow. I've been looking forward to all this for the last 10 years or more, and none of it still has happened. Many people look at Warrington as a blue print and suggest we could be the same once the stadium comes in. Unfortunately I cannot get passed the feeling that our board will hope this happens as opposed to working on making it happen, that's stadium, fan base increase and super stars lining up to play for us. Are you confident that our club will make it happen or sit back and hope it happens, based on the last ten years?
While I applaud our club for trying to keep and build around our youth (a good policy for a smaller club such as ours) and I applaud them on keeping hold of our very own man of steal, I also have to question their decision to not back these up with a couple of quality signings to bring on those players. Instead of bringing in a couple of players of the likes of Peacock, Ellis, Westwood we again go for the players like Millington in the hope he can shake his long term injury off and regain some decent form where he might turn out to be a Crooks, Nikau or Vowles. By the way, I am realistic and never expected Peacock, Ellis or Westwood and am in no way trying to pull to bits Millington who has had a decent start, I am simply trying to show how we always work as a club.
Finally, on the comment about watching Fev. Well from all things I hear their fans are pretty happy at the current state of their club and all signs look rosie for their future. Whether or not they ever make it to SL is another matter. I will however pass on your suggestion, I'll be down the lane again like I always am.
