They can afford the fine now they aren't getting Rangi. Or Amor. Or Paea, Taylor, Elima, Bateman and a few others they threw money at but got turned down. Johnson is a decent player but that is all, certainly not one that is is going to take Hull up another level. Losing Moa and replacing him with Johnson isn't exactly like for like, Johnson couldn't even get in the Wakey team for large parts of the season, we played Southern at prop instead. Not seeing a great amount of improvement in Hull next year up to press, Ellis is a very good signing but they've lost Manu which is a blow, Arundal is unproven and his shoulder injury is an issue, Galea had retired and Crookes is no better than Sharp & Lineham imho. Holdsworth is good on his day but those days have always been very hit and miss, both at Salford and the Bulldogs before them. And, bar Ellis (whose team didn't make the finals in the nrl), all signings are from teams that finished lower than them in the table. Think Mr Pearson has found things not as easy as he thought it would be.

Where's the link to confirm it was an illegal approach?

No he didn't.

I see someone has a nice new pair of blinkers

anyone have an actual link to the story? I cant find it anywhere.

Not wanting to get into an arguement over illegal approaches or not but I have to pick you up on fish. We know what good fish taste like in West Yorkshire. Thats why virtually all Fish & Chip shops in West Yorkshire, certainly Wakefield, fry Haddock and not Cod so please don't insult us.

Indeed I will be having a nice piece of Haddock for my tea, with a few chips of course and some mushy peas.

Having not got access to the express, in what way do they think the approach is illegal?

Don't really know much about these things so no idea what is illegal and what isn't!

If it is an illegal approach I hope we do them for whatever we can. Sick of clubs like Hudds and Hull poaching our players, we'll never truley be competitive if this carries on.

Can't find a link on Express website, but main headline on back page is "JOHNSON DEAL ANGERS CATS", and basically goes on to say that we had offered Johnson a new deal, but that Hull approached him before 1st September, and then signed him without informing us. Elston claims "it was about 4 weeks before September".

Cheers! Doesn't sound right, does anyone reckon something will come of it.

Didn't we get fined £5000 for an illegal approach for Jason Robinson when our "saviour" John Pearman put in the briefest of appearances ???

Gentle seems to be able to turn average players into good players

Is that a "typo"...???, you put Gentle when I think you meant to put Agar !!!!!

I recall quite clearly all the Hull fans we were stood with at BV saying just that.............................................not!!


My momma used to say Forest, Fickle is as fickle does!!!!

That's good, because he's going to have to.



Never mind - I'm sure Mr Pearson will get his head round this RL lark eventually.

Everyone seems to be making illegal approaches.

If its not going to be suitably enforced by a proper punishment why dont they scrap the idea and just allow a free for all as currently happens

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/sport ... -1-4945765

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/sport ... -1-4945765

Johnson obviously wants away, so cheers & good luck at Hull.

Yes it seems that Hull are turning into a team that pays for a team rather than bringing one through the ranks. Although i am happy we have kept a better player in Amor if this is an illegal approach for Johnson then throw the book at FC for it for me.

Hardly surprising that Johnson is on his way. No doubt he was tapped up during the spell when he couldn't get a game. He's put in some good performances during his stint with us but was probably more value during 2011. A sign of how much stronger the pack has been during 2012.
Thanks and best of luck in the future.

Thats why Gentle has givem debuts to more academy players this season than your new coach did in total for the preceeding 2 or 3 seasons. (the same coacht that when he had a bad run at the start of the year had numerous wakey fans questioning his appointment, and generally expressing a desire to get shot. But I guess that doesnt count as fickle

)

Funny how Hull kicked up a right stink when Leeds signed one of the younger Briscoe brothers from the FC Academy set up last year. Pearson was fuming and indicated that "People lost their job" because of it. Hull were badly burnt. If these new allegations are true then Pearson may need to look internally at ethics in his set up prior to throwing stones at Leeds et al.

Like many have already said, Johnson really stood out in 2011. 2012 was a quieter year for him, less appearances and didn't stand out any where near as much. He was very workmanlike and committed. I wish him well but think it is a hole in the squad we will be able to adjust to.

Only way they'll learn is by sticking them with a 12 month transfer embargo on them and then if they do it again after that keep slapping another 6 months on it.

Id like to replace him with someone better than Kirke Johnson is no loss think he could have been decent in the 2nd row but we have plenty of them.

Do you really all think that only Hull do this?

Every club in SL will do this through agents.