I was never Brian Noble's greatest fan but I would not wish the madhouse that is Crusaders on anyone.If they win a game he will have done one hell of a good job.

I just hope that he gets a fantastic (and IMO well deserved) reception from the Wigan fans at our first home game.

Agreed

saved us from the brink i will always be thankful to Nobby

He will just as he did at the Knowsley Road playoff.

The vast majority of Wigan fans have a lot of respect for Noble - for what he achieved and how he went about his business.

That was epic.

What he has done for our club is fantastic, who cares if he couldn't take us all the way back to the top? That is the job for the new regime. Without Noble we would of been relegated more than likely!

Agreed.

He could have spat the dummy last season and started a public battle with Lenagan in the knowledge he was leaving but he just got his head down and got on with the job.

He may not have been everybodies cup of tea but I for one would have more then settled for him taking us from the bottom of the league to finishing 3rd three years on the trot and losing 4 semi finals back in the middle of 2006. It may have been frustrating these past few seasons just missing out on final appearences but it's been a damn site less stressfull and embarrassing then getting tonked every week.

He did alot for this club.

Everyone's entitled to his own opinion.

Wish him well, he's a pretty good egg. For me he'd taken Wigan as far as he could and we needed a change.

One thing I will NEVER understand about him though was at the fans forum, he asked for mint sauce on his pie....????????

That a sacking if i ever heard one

True but the man deserves to be shown some respect by us, not only for what he achieved on the pitch, but off it too in the groundwork he put in. The benefits of which we'll probably not see for a few years.

He may not of delivered as in 'success' but looking back to 2006, as someone else has said, 3 3rd place SL finishes and 4 semi-final appearences I would of snatched someones hand off for that back then.

Here's to 3 years of success and progression under Michael Maguire

Tell u what he's got a massive job on his hands hasn't he!

If he doesn't pull some signings out of the hat soon it's looking like a massive Wigan win on the first day of the season.

Have they got enough players for a team yet?

Its reported in this weeks edition of League Weekly that the Crusaders are sending representatives to Australia before Christmas with the objective of signing some players including Willie Mason who has turned down a lucrative offer to play rugby in Japan and in France.

If they do get Mason then it would certanly add some spice to the Wigan game.

How long will the recruitment drive take?

The season starts in what 6-8 weeks? Time is ticking for them to sign and mold a team by the Wigan game isn't it!

Perfect 1st game for Wigan really. Get the Noble issue out of the way early, it should start the season with a big win meaning we go into the Wire game with confidence.

Don't wanna go OTT but if we are looking at challenging next season then we've gotta may teams in this situation pay. No slacking off or going easy we've gotta go out there and blow them away.

They play Leeds the week before they play Wigan.

You could just be setting yourself up for a big fall there.You forgot last season already

What's the point in remembering it when so much has changed since it ended?

The only reason you remember it is because you were fortunate enough to meet a Brian Noble-uninspired Wigan in the semi.

Me. The three years that followed that epic half a season in 2006 were complete dross.

After 2006 I thought we would really kick on in 2007. Very disappointed it didn't happen but put it down to a one off and gave him the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately it was followed by two more years of the same dross.



It was his job after he saved us from relegation and he failed which is why he isn't here any longer. Thankfully.

Dave

The prospect of Noble as coach and their recruitment problems is mouth watering for our first game. Mouth watering.

Respect for what he done for the club in 06, OK he did not build on that to the level we would have wanted/ expected but never the less he will het a warm welcome from me.

And a realisation that in the 3 seasons that followed we were 11, then 14, then 12 points off the pace in the league and saw the likes of Wakey finish above us.

I too would give him a warm welcome. Out of common courtesy and notwithstanding the garbage I had to endure for too much of his tenure.

I'm afraid it's difficult to deny the basic truth of this.

By all means, let's say a big 'hello' to him. But please, let's not start to rewrite the facts of history.

Yes there is no point being discourteous but that is all there ought to be behind any warm welcome IMO. I can't just write those three years off as if they never happened and I not sure why anyone else could either.

Dave

Some of us have the ability to view the past through rose-tinted spectacles remarkably soon after the era in question is over.

I don't have a problem with that in itself, but it would be a real shame - and I'm not saying anyone currently posting will adopt this view, but others may - if Maguire's regime gets off to a slow start and comparisons with Noble's regime immediately start being made. Even before Maguire got in the saddle, we had ridiculous statements to the effect that, should he not win silverware in the first season it will prove that he is a lesser coach than Nobby. Heaven knows what some will say if we actually lose a few matches.

Maguire should be given at least three years, IMO, to put his plan to fruition, but for some the shadow of Nobby still looms large - and I can't for the life of me think why.

I respect your opinion, but you are a typical example of our fans being used to the best in the late 80s and early 90s and expecting similar things now. It was never going to happen with the team we had!

I don't think many other coaches would of done much better with the team.

If you think it was complete dross, thats your opinion but we have been involved in some of the best games over the last few years, each year in the play-offs has been great and we have had many good memories, the only problem was consistancy!

The Crusaders are still 6/5 to finish bottom of super league.Looks a good bet if i ever saw!