Backo was a great signing on paper , on the pitch for us he was Garbage !

Ha, I knew someone would slate him. Agree he didn't have the impact we had hoped. He will always stay with me for that try he scored where he seemed to drag half the team over the line.

Only telling the truth , he came with a great reputation , he scored a try in each of the three test matches against G.B IN Australia . I think the try you were on about was in the Yorkshire cup semi ? maybe against Hull ?

Peter Jackson


THREE THAT SIGNED WHO WENT WELL WITHOUT THE HYPE

Mark McGAW
Terry Webb
Mark Laurie

I'd say it was, because he & Paul Caddick same the club from near certain oblivion.

Remember John Gallagher, making the headlines in most national news papers and the national news headlines, regardless of how it turned out, in terms of impact it shook the Rugby world, think it gave the Southern Hemisphere and NZ RU a real chill down the spine as they where not used to their sham amateur players being poached and where not too bothered when league was raiding and weakening South Wales and some extent England and Australia.

Ellis was a big signing, in terms of the up and coming hot property, as you say, leeds and bradford, and Warrington were linked to him, we'd obviously spent a huge amount on gleeson a few months earlier, so were getting thrown into contention.

i was in norway for xmas and got more than a few disapointed texts from friends when it was announced he'd signed for leeds.

Amazing player, easy to admire from the away terrace.

I would include Fleary, Farrell and Powell in there, as players that made a difference though not considered big signings.

terry newton r.i.p

In my time the top 10 that made me instantly think "Wow!" are Grothe, Schofield, Gallagher, Hanley, Harris, Senior, Clyde, Mullins, Peacock, Buderus. Shame that Clyde was always injured, briefly showed what he could do in that fantastic Challenge Cup quarter final win at Hull and I don't think he lacked for effort (unlike Mullins).
Others such as Innes, Lauitiiti and Webb were exciting but I couldn't pretend that I knew all about them BEFORE they signed for us.
If we were talking about any club then Wakey signing Wally Lewis still beggers belief.

Think you'd also have to have Crooks in therewith Schoey.

Tony Smith.

I think we'll have to agree to differ on that one!

His dummy spit and sending off at HQ is still one of the funniest moments in sporting history. Welcome to the crappy, sight impaired, anatomically ignorant (the "chest" does not stretch to the top of the forehead), totally partial, nobly kneed, unfit, take no lip from players, random rule enforcing world of British referees

I only heard Lee Crookes speak once. We were outside Wembley after a GB international (I think) and he was in the crowd. Five words did he utter - "Head for that Burger van". I'm not saying they define his playing career, but they must be very, very close.

Crooks never wanted to leave Hull and certainly didn't want to sign for Leeds but was pretty much forced into it. He famously wore a Hull FC tie whilst representing Leeds in a press conference. To be fair he gave it plenty on the field for the most part, and was player of the season one year (1988-89?).

Agreed and that's why i considered him a wow signing. On top of which Leeds had already forked out or Schoey, so we ended up paying over £300k to HFC. At thwe time that was WOW.

Crooks joined before Schoey didnt he?

Yep ,
Crooks signed in June 87 and i don't think Schoey signed until October 87

I think if Crooks spoke 5 words then BAR would have been one of them

wasn't he employed as club artist in the manner wigan's wives ran the club shop

???

Backo was certainly a big name at the time and would certainly go down as pretty ground-breaking as a signing at the time, considering his reputation.

As for on the field though, he definitely failed to live upto the hype- I remember, as a Wire fan, visiting Headingley that season.. We were having a poor season and were expecting another defeat. We did have Steve Roach and Les Davidson in our pack, both, like Backo, big name Aussie signings.

Roach had been particularly disappointing for us, but I recall on that day that both of our guys totally bullied Backo and we got a deserved win.

As for other signings of yours from an outsiders point of view - Gallagher is the obvious stand out. He was the poster boy All Black at the time.. From a personal point of view, was quite envious when you got Tait from Widnes. Always loved his running game.

club painter as wages top up

Not quite as there was no salary cap then unlike the alleged time of the wife at the Wigan club shop