[urlhttp://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/reds-snap-up-gaskill-howarth-goes-other-way[/url

As a Salford fan this is outstanding news. Howarth is awful, good luck with that one!!!

Good move for the lad. Hopefully he is appreciated more there than he ever was here.

Another bad recruitment move by Big Mac.

Awful is a bit strong, I've seen some decent glimpses from him. Surprised though, Roby might be out for longer than we thought?

Far bigger issue is Gaskell leaving for me, doesn't look like he has much of a future here if we are willing to let him go when we are very short in the halves. Strange one as he looked like he could be a star when he first broke through.

Horses for courses I guess - Brown feels we need more cover at hooker than in the halves.

Genuinely hope Gaskell tears it up at Salford, thoroughly underwhelmed by Howarth joining us.

Believe me it's not. If you've signed him as cover for Roby then you will be hugely disappointed. He is the slowest hooker to ever grace Super League, never ever scoots (one of Robys strengths), distribution is terrible, his defence is poor and he's a mard who likes a whinge. Honestly when I say awful I meant awful.

Good luck to him though.

Doesn't sound like a good signing, but I will trust Brown's judgment. More angry at the way they have treated Gaskell. We prefer to go with a forward and a FB as our halves?! Mystifying.

Howarth is not exactly a great signing, I'd rather we gave chances to younger players we already have. A real shame about Gaskell

Sounds like he will need it. If he plays, he plays and we will judge him then. Until then I'm far more interested in the Gaskell situation. Hope he does well and comes back.

Personally, I think it is good thinking by Brown of getting in cover for hooker. Ashe didn't look great there and it's probably a little too soon for Speakman.

Gaskell wasn't going to get picked for whatever reason, so we may as well use him to get in someone who can fill in whilst Roby is out.

I have never really noticed Howarth before, maybe there is a reason for that, but I'm willing to give him a chance. Being in a better team may help him and he may turn into a decent short term solution.

We should have demanded Sneyd

I can understand Gaskell to Salford, but Howarth to Saints?! If only it was Broughton or Sneyd we'd brought in.

I text my Salford supporting mate with the news and he replied 'Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! I ing hate Howarth! He's e! Even by Salford's standards he's e! We've done you like a kipper there!

'

Adding that to the comments from Ave It! in here, and I think we have a good idea of Howarth's quality.

I'm disappointed and underwhelmed to say the least.

He isn't a bad rugby player, he just isn't a hooker by any stretch of the imagination.

Another terrible bit of business from Saints.

And what did gaskell have to do to get a game - I'm very dissapointed for the lad.

Time will tell I suppose.

No he's just another average backrow, worse than 2 we've given you over the last couple of years

I know we're short at hooker with Roby and Lance out, but we've got Speakman, who's obviously not far from the first team, Flanagan who can fill in, and I'm sure Wilkin/Lomax/Wellens/Gaskell could give it a go. Unless Roby's injury is a lot worse than first feared, I think it's a desperate and unambitious piece of business.

That was never going to happen. He's been our stand-out player this year so far.

Howarth is just a 'fill-in' player. He will never produce anything outstanding, he'll just go through the basics, and often not particularly well. He'll have to rely on a minor miracle to get his game anywhere near where Saints will be operating.

Our recruitment policy continues to dumbfound and displease in equal measures.

He 'obviously' isn't given this signing, you'd think!

Brown hasn't been frightened to throw in youngsters, so you could infer that his reluctance to do so at hooker means he doesn't think Speakman is ready?

Doesn't look like it now. You would have thought so considering he played last week and is in the squad again this week.

You shouldnt sit on the fence like this Ave it! Great deal for the City Reds though.

Text from GT, Salford fan of this parish:



I'm struggling to get to grips with this one. I thought Speakman looked decent enough on Friday but I suppose with Gaskell not featuring whatever the circumstances it's like gaining a player who may only act as cover. He doesn't sound like adequate cover though.

sounds abit like the lunt and moore situation for us last season... then look what happened!