Just been watching a video of the Brian Smith years at Hull(and trying to copy it to dvd)We seemed to play some good rugby then, but then we had a scrum half.Brian certainly seemed to bring the best out of the players we had,Brian Blacker,Brad Webb,Rob Nolan etc.etc.The atmosphere certainly seemed a lot better at the Boulevard but unfortunately we had to move on and i don't think i would like to go there now.Noticed how all the supporters were well wrapped up,looks freezing that winter rugby.

got that dvd its very good

Mine's on a video,trying to convert it.Smith could make an ordinary player good,our recent coach as made good players ordinary.

I always felt That Smith got players to do the basics right and then built from there . He had a knack of getting players to play above their weight .

Built an awesome pack as well , Harrison,Jackson,Dannatt, Marlow Walker/Busby/Sharp .

Smithy was also great with the media , mind I'm sure we were baying for his blood shortly into his tenure

As a Bradford fan, i can't praise Brian Smith enough. As was said, he gets players doing the basics, and builds confidence. In his relatively short tenure at Bradford, he mastered the art of taking players going nowhere at other clubs (his raiding of Leeds for Lowes, Scales etc. was a masterstroke) and moulding them into a useful outfit. The legacy he left was to serve Bradford well, with the next 2 coaches (Elliott and Noble) carrying on the good work.

Brian Smith = coaching genius.

Converted mine, and a massive collection of others from 1981/2 onwards. Well worth preserving.
Without doubt a number one coach but he always seemed to want to move on.

I first saw smithy when he brought the James Cook High school over from Aus in about 1984?? They played Humberside u18s at the Boulevard.

You could see his techniques were years ahead, players were being given oxygen and both of his props were huge units . At the time I remember him saying that Rugby league players should be treated and trained like athletes.

However, was amazed when he took over at Hull and told Marquis Charles not to run when he caught the ball from a kick off

Smithy said it was something they decided to try

And has managed to win precisely nowt

and almost bankrupt both FC and Bradford in the process.

Your going to have to expand on that one?

It's no coincidence that Smith leaving FC was followed by a fire sale of players, we'd signed people on contracts we could ill afford, Smith was the start of the financial decline of the club that led to that @rsehole Lloyd.

What about Bradford? I thought his reign there started one of the most lucrative and successful periods in their history.

You did spot the decline when he left, and the players leaving?

No, not really, they went from strength to strength until someone decided it would be a good idea to bring Harris back from kick and clap.

Yes, I'm mean in the ten years after he left they only won the Super League four times, the World Club Challenge three times and the Challenge Cup twice.

Im talking finances, look at them now.

He was only at Bradford for one season. It seems a little unfair to pin any blame on him for any problems they may have now - over a decade later.

Exactly.

Fair enough, but I know the issues he left at Hull. He is a good coach though, but not as good as some seem to think.

he might not have won anything but he's better than what we currently have.

btw why blame the coach for financial troubles, surely this lies with the board, granted he might demand spending on players, but they appoint him and set out the strategy in the first place

Agreed on the first point.

Our board were weak, but Smith had a "way" about him (from what I have been told)

Bradfords money problem have nothing to do with Smith

Absolutely, it's like saying Hull's last 2 seasons are all Arthur Bunting's fault!

Smith created the buzz on the pitch at Bradford, the board led the way off it with the creation of Bullmania. Happy times

You will have to duck, There are so many Waudby / Kirkwood / Stanley apologists on here



That being said, it was that board signed it all off. A weak board doesn't make it Smiths fault.

Oh don't worry mate, I'm getting the PM's already.