Well it seems to be working okay so far



[size=50(Slight problem in that it might actually happen)[/size

If it was at the DW then i'd agree but i just cant see you lot losing this one, we would NEVER let you live it down

I'm too long in the tooth to be red-faced by a Wigan win. When you've seen a fully pro Vermin outfit steamroller Saints in a midweek fixture (with half our team putting on the red vee an hour after leaving work) and then have to face a wall of pro-Vermin school-/work-mates the next day, you develop a certain kind of immunity.

Ultimately, the true test is who finishes higher in the league. Whilst it's never easy to lose a derby game, you can't run up the flag on the strength of two or three hotly-contested matches a season.

Oh, and Saints to win.

Of course.

The performance on Sunday has given me confidence. We were better than a very good Huddersfield side, at their own place, and we played attractive and effective rugby. Its going to be a cracker, but I'm confident we can see them off. For the first time since 2004, I think Wigan may enter as favourites - and deservedly so, but I've just got a feeling that things could go our way.

As long as Phil Bentham doesn't get the opportunity to push any buttons, anyway

I was thinking Wigan would win until Saints did that to Hudds got to fancy Saints now going to be real close though.

we need it to sop fckin raining!!!!

that will actually suit us more than the pies, so let it rain!

When people were predicting the score for the Wire game I refrained from doing so, and look what happened. I shall be doing the same for the game against the pies.

Ah that old chestnut. When are you going to get over it? This was brought up by a fan in an online q&a with Phil Clarke. His response was that most of the team where pro (as were Leeds & Widnes) but didn't turn fully proffesional until around the 94/95 season. I feel so sorry for you lot I'm sure Shane Cooper must of struggled to get by in his paid for 4 bed house in Moss Bank and whatever daytime job he did.

Think this will be a cracker and have Saints to win this in a tight one. Especially considering your performances against us and Hudds. Really
looking forward to having a few pints and watching this one.

Shouldn't you be going the HJ to watch Wire v Salford?

I'll see your Phil Clarke and raise you Ian Lucas' comments that in the three years before Wigan turned fully pro they had up to three quarters of the established first team pros tied up on fully pro contracts.

So Wigan have gone from being fully pro to three quarters fully pro in just over fourteen hours.
That's poor trolling even by your low standards.

I mentioned no approximate time period - Smalls did.

But just for the record - I'm sat next to ex-PEater Mark Welsby right now. His words (no paraphrasing):

[i"Wigan were fully pro years before anyone else were. Some of the Leeds lads were on fully pro contracts, but not as many as Wigan".[/i

So which mid week game was this then "a fully pro Vermin outfit steamroller Saints in a midweek fixture (with half our team putting on the red vee an hour after leaving work)"

I suppose Ellery Hanley,Alan Tait,Richie Eyres,Jim Fallon etc etc went to Leeds because they couldn't resist a bit of part time labouring then?(same goes for Widnes and Saints to an extent)

I've no idea. I can barely remember the kids' birthdays.

Just trying to get Mark to kindly appear on video so we can put this fully pro argument to bed once and for all.

Well that's something we agree on.

If Jim Fallon was on fully pro terms Leeds deserved every bit of failure that came to them.

Who actually cares which team went pro first? To me it's a sign of progression, not a reason why one team was better than the rest.

If it didn't offer any advantages no one would go fully pro. And if it offers an advantage it is, by definition, a reason.

Never the less a union convert back then and rated when he first came would of been on a good wage

Don't say that. St Helens fans need a reason/excuse why their team is only the second most successful in the land.

What always makes me smile about these jealous Saints rants is that you would think that Robinson, Lindsay, Rathbone and Hilton were in the Abramovich money class.

They actually put £30K pounds each into the club.

Robinson, Lindsay, Rathbone and Hilton weren't rich. Everyone knew this barring the banks that agreed to stump up for Wigan's players.

BOY didn't they get a shock!