But you do remeber Mick Potter doing so?

His tactics worked fine against Leeds at any other time in the season, including play offs. And he could beat other teams at GFs and CC finals.

We didn't beat Leeds at the GF under Potter either. We didn't beat Wigan there under Potter either. And with Potter there was no Challenge Cup to lessen the blow either. There was under Anderson.

Some people are truly desperate in trying to justify Potter's existence. It's rather funny! Tends to be the same few people, with one or two appearing out of nowhere with their 'Potter Spotter' bleeping away.

The most vocal was KC. Puletua was just laughing when KC was describing how potter worked. When asked about the best coach he worked under KC said Anderson.

I think just proves what alot of people suspected about the dressingroom under potter

The funny thing is both KC and Ade didn't have a bad word to say about any other coaches they worked under..

Is anyone else surprised to hear KC flagging off another coach? Although it is funny and no doubt true it does seem a bit unprofessional to get involved on this sort of thing

He's not slagging him off. He's making a humourous tale out of goings on at the club in the context of a forum for Ade's testimonial.

Potter's a former coach; nothing to do with the club anymore. I'd suggest that means everything's up for discussion.

And as said, they were having a laugh in the context of Ade's do. Have you been to any forums? They're great.

I don't think there's many in that camp. I'm of the opinion that Potter did a decent job, nothing less, nothing more. He was nowhere near the level of Anderson and neither is Simmons on current evidence.

Nicely and concisely put sir.

Just a point in question DA was not the Messiah he was more of a late John the baptist. Strong popular and effective. Milward was the Messiah he brough a new way of doing things. Spoke his mind regardless of the consequences. Split opinions. And was Saints most successful coach ever and if the sacking had waited until the off season would have probably got the double done in his last year.

Well, 9 times out of 10 Simmons has got a positive reaction from his team in the second half. In Potter's day, 9 times out of 10 we'd be holding on for grim death in the second half. So at least Simmons doesn't send the players to sleep at halftime.

I wish I could make it to forums, but its a bit of a trek! Last one I went to was in the theatre royal in about 1977, can't rememebr whos testimonial it was, maybe Kel Cosletts. Was a very funny night, even if I was a little young to appreciate some of the more adult jokes, although I do remeber one about Fanny Craddocks doughnuts, which probably dates it a bit!

It was indeed hilarious. A great night all round with some funny stories.

I think Potter was the best we could hope for at the time we got him. He gave alot of those players who are full squad players there first airing. With DA he had no need to play youth. Potter gave Lomax. Wheeler. Foster. Smith. Eastmond. Dixon. Ashurst. Emmitt exposure to the top flight even frodsham got a game. For me he was good for youth development and consistent. He was a steadying hand. Not exciting and not a winner. But look at who else we could have got and rather than steadying a side on the down we could have had a drop like wigan or bradford. Royce has used kids in more quantiesd because of injuries but without Potter those kids would have been coming in green this year. Not to mention some impressed so much that other clubs offered enticing enough packages to draw them away from saints.

I didn't know whether you were a Saint from Somerset (but up here) or a Saint IN Somerset or in fact nothing whatsoever to do with Somerset, so I thought I'd ask anyway.

Fanny Craddock's doughnuts don't get an airing anymore but the forums are still a lot of fun.

I think this is a myth. He gave them all their debuts because they were promoted from the Academy the year he joined the Saints. He also gave Jamie Ellis his debut. He also gave Gaskell his debut. But he only stuck with Foster, Dixon, Ashurst and Emmitt with Lomax playing bit parts whenever he was fit. He had a full third of a season to integrate at least one of our young halfbacks into the role, playing with Jon Wilkin if he had to play a second rower in the halves. But he didn't do that. He played Ellis for two matches and Gaskell for one and a half. Simmons has played all the above regularly, showing faith in Gaskell and Lomax when he could have replaced at least one of them with either Eastmond (post suspension) or Wilkin (or both). But he hasn't. He has also given debuts to Makinson (who is now impressing us on the wing), Ashe, Hale and a forward whose name I can't remember.

And both coaches had to go with the youth due to injuries, with the exception of the left wing/centre combo because we didn't replace Talau.

Loved Basil.
Still do.
Lucky Cas.

Why do I fell embarassed?

As a fan I like him, but I do know he was not all the players cup of tea and had his favourites. I think even KC has said as much before now that Basil was not great with (all) the young players.

So yes he was the best but yes he was flawed.

I beg to differ.

To be fair I was not really trying to convince yourself. I may as well try to make black white rather than try to convince you that potter was not as bad as you think.

We haven't had a good coach since Millward left.

Discuss.

I left "home" 30 years ago but always have and always will be a Saints fan, even though I rarely get to games now. This forum is a lifeline to us exiles, and it's great to still have some contact with the natives

Well, in our games against Warrington and Wigoon it looks like he's sent the players to sleep just before kick off.

What? At the DW? At the CC semi? At Cardiff? In fact, against Warrington last time out too when we came back at them?

You're clutching at straws.

Absolutely not but my argument involved Daniel Anderson and whether his tactics cost us against Leeds in Grand Finals. I don't believe they did. I DO recall Potter stubbornly leaving Eastmond in the centre position during the 2009 GF when we desperately needed a spark in the middle of the field and any coach worth his alt would ahve given Eastmond a run in the halves.

We've had a coach with twice the ability of Millward so i'd suggest there is nothing to discuss.

Weren't we 16-0 down at Cardiff and didn't Warrington jump out to similar leads in our match at Widnes and at their place? We might have come back but we didn't win. Just think how good a miraculous team talk would have been if we had started well. After all it made all the difference in the CC semi...