I was in the pavilion on Thursday night as I am most weeks thanks to a friend having a sponsorship deal with York City Knights, therefor lots of freebies for Leeds games. I was at the bar when Gary Schofield walked up next to me and said 'alright pal' and started chatting about the game and what score did I think it would be blah, blah, blah. Now I've heard a lot of bad things said about the bloke since he jacked in, namely that he's a very bitter man and holds a grudge against the club etc, etc, but I thought he was great company and his knowledge and passion for Leeds came across as still very strong. I for one thoroughly enjoyed a good natter with him and again after the game with a boyhood hero of mine. Top night.

Ambassador for a firm who sponsors Leeds and does their networking. Great bloke imho

The fella speaks honestly and openly about the game unlike the majority of ex players currently involved with the media. I have no problem at all with him.

He tells it as it is, never saw him as being bitter about the club. He goes to most games, remember him hugging Brian mc in the royal box at cc final.

I agree. Whether you think he is speaking rubbish or not i do believe he is saying what he truly thinks so you have to give the him respect for that if nothing else.

I will always hold they man in high regard anyway due to him being one of my heroes on the playing field throughout my youth watching Leeds.Still the best Half back i have seen pull on Blue and Amber

No GB or England half back has ever matched his performance on the 1990 tour of NZ.

He told us some great stories about been on tour with GB. We were on about Brough's NFL pass leading up to their try and I said I hadn't seen one like that since Schoey's to Offiah in the second Test at Melbourne in 92'. He turned round and said ' f***k off kid, that wasn't forward, that was the night I invented the momentum rule'!! Will deffinately be sharing a beer with him again soon.

like it.

He's clearly mellowed with time in that case, because there was a period after he got binned off by Huddersfield where he had absolutely nothing positive to say about anything in the game and Leeds in particular.

Yep. He appeared, at least, to be very bitter and to blame anyone but himself. He also appeared to want to say controversial things.

But in the last few years he does appear to have mellowed and be a bit more thoughtful with his comments and much, much less of a gobby, bitter ex-player. He's very much worth listening to now.

The thing with Schofield is he says what he truely thinks and to be perfectly honest agree with most things, and in truth he's right more often than not. We touched on Sinfield debate and he said that he never disrespected him and he's a great club captain, but not a great of the game as he hasn't, like many others, done it at international level. I think he's bang on.

Schoefield was very bitter when players were receiving loyalty payments to keep them here and not go to the other league in Oz, but he was nearing the end then

Schoey was my childhood hero. He always had time for us kids, he did our presentation evenings and was great. Agree for a bit there he had some ups and downs and he can come across as an ar$e a fair bit, but the more I listen to him on radio yorkshire the more I like him again.

Always a Leeds legend and well chuffed he has become more humble as he has got older. Still an opinionated blunt Yorkshireman! But so am I and I love him for it.

I can appreciate Schoey having a feeling of jealousy towards this generation of Leeds players and the collection of medals they have.Himself being such a great of the game only having the Yorkshire Cup on his resume at club level must grate a bit, but this generation never had a team on the level of Wigan during his time mopping up all the trophies.I'm sure he would have at least a couple of championships and Challenge cup winners medals to his name if that wasn't the case.

He does seemed to have mellowed a bit in recent times

Except he has though.

All true. But the same argument probably applies to the Kangaroo and Kiwi sides that Sinfield's faced. Their organisation and fitness is simply streets ahead of those that Garry played so well against.

He was one of my childhood idols, like many on here. I had the pleasure of chatting briefly to him in the corporates 3 or 4 years ago. He was funny and genuine.

What struck me at the time was how different the person I spoke to was to the one who produced all the media soundbites at that time. I suspect that the simple truth was that he felt the need to say something controversial when somebody shoved a microphone under his nose.

Can't think that he's done so much of that in recent years (or at least I've not read/heard it if he has). Long may that continue. He's one of the best players I've ever seen for Leeds, in terms of sheer ability.

Couldn't agree more.
It always seemed to me so unjust that Shaun Edwards ended up with a hatful of medals whereas Garry ended up with virtually none.
Garry is another south Leeds lad of course.

Because of all this Garry never got the acclaim and respect when his career ended and he never liked it when another great player like Hanley was getting on reality shows like dancing on ice.I think Garry is getting there now and he does seem devoted to the game still

I played every game with my socks rolled down, just like he did. I did it because he did it. Mind you, when my own teamate stood on the back of my calf and ripped a 5 inch gash with his studs that the plastic surgeon could fit his whole hand in I sort of wish that I'd taped up my socks for that game.

Spoke to him for a while in the Skyrack before the Widnes game, He was telling me about the grief he'd been getting from Salford fans (it was the day after they got mauled by Saints) on Twitter. I asked him if most of the things he says and puts online is to get a reaction. He replied with a Smile 'sometimes, depends on the subject'.
He was my hero along with big Roy Powell when I was growing up and it made my day just have a quick chat with him!

Schofield is one of the few England/GB players to actually to be able to say he has done it at that level. As another poster alluded to he was excellent on the kiwi tour in 90' and was a major part of the team in the 90' ashes side that came within 30 seconds of winning the series, instrumental in the 33-10 hammering of Australia in the 2nd test of the 92' tour and part of the side that came within a whisker of winning the World cup in the final of that year.In that period he also won the Golden boot, not bad in an era that boasted so many greats like Meninga,Daley,Lewis,Mcghan,Hanley etc.. he would have won plenty of silverware had Wigan not been around with that awesome team. Still, doesn't stop him being a true great of the game imo.

Let's not forget Schoey was the top try scorer in the Winfield cup at Balmain and a revelation in the comp, regarded as one of the greats down here. When people ask me as an ex-pat why I follow West Tigers I just say because Schoey and Hanley played for them and the Aussies gush! The Aussies bash our game but when we produce genuine greats they are on it 100%, both the those blokes are held in the highest regard and rightly so.

People tend to forget just how good an attacking centre Schofield was in his early years too. Watch footage of him aged 18/19 scoring tries on the 84 tour to Australia as an example of the kind of play he was capable of - this after just one season as a pro (it also showcases the brilliance of Des Drummond as well, another all-time favourite player).

I still think that in his later years he showboated too much, but at his peak he was up there with the best in the world in two positions.

I consider myself lucky enough to see Schoey in his prime wearing the Blue 'n' Amber despite being the "nearly Team" or "Pretenders" for so long he was a joy to watch.
Nowadays a lot of his views etc are more constructive & spot on but go back to 03 through to 08/09 and read some of his "columns" or listen to interviews and IMHO at that time he came across as very bitter towards the likes of Sinfield ,Mags and Burrow etc indeed he made a habit of writing them and the Team off.
Still a RL Legend no matter what any "fan" says imo and a much better player than Gregory & Edwards combined imo.