Forgot about those 2, Joel came back for free, and they made half a million on Sam!

They did well out of those deals for sure, although, since Sam left they haven't won anything, so will have a lost a bit of money there.

Jeff Lima
Darrell Goulding
Brett Finch
Blake Green

Scott Taylor, left Wigan to come to us.

Mossop (although has since returned)
Hock (signed for the NRL before backtracking, then made an idiot of himself again).
Green (Melbourne)
Goulding (Rovers)
Joe Burgess (NRL next year)
Thornley (went to RU before returning)
Taylor

Add to your list already of: Joel & Sam, Richards, Leuluai, Hoffman.

I imagine all of those, at the time of their moves, Wigan would've wanted to keep. Prescott I think retired.

Can also add Hansen, Tuson, and most of all... Lauaki.

Did Shaun Long leave Wigan and go to Saints - just asking

No, via Widnes, Wigan have a policy of never signing anyone from Saints, Higham went via Bratfut

Over-simplified IMO, when was the last time you arranged a holiday round a trip to Aldi or chanted and danced on the concourse at Meadowhall? Behaviour of sporting fans in many cases is emotional rather than strictly rational because of the sentiment and feeling of connection - call it tribalism, sense of belonging, whatever.

We're a club, not a 3rd party service provider. We live together, we win together, we lose together, ultimately we're miles better together. Those with looser attachment cling less keenly maybe. They bail out in choppy or dull waters and consequently the whole is weaker. Clearly it's their choice, but the consequences are probably less for them and greater for those hanging on for whom it's a central not peripheral strand of their life. This is a poor analogy, sure, but just saying there's perhaps a consequence of not actively supporting the club which is having to jettison valuable assets to keep going.

Perfectly summed up.

Good player, good luck to him but not the end of the world. We've seen, and lost, better.
I look forward to seeing the progression of Naughton and Lancaster.
I don't buy the point that we've had to sell because of supporters staying away. Far more successful clubs than us have not matched our support. We've backed the club to the hilt year after year.
If money is tight, it's down to the mismanagement down the years.

Which ones, without a benefactor? I don't dispute mistakes have been made BTW, and should have been fessed up more humbly.

So he's decided he's leaving 7 months after signing a 3 year deal?

Do you realise the ridiculousness of what you're saying? Fans of sports teams are not rational customers.

And I'm sorry, but if you need a bottle of milk, but aren't happy with Tesco's you don't put your quid in your pocket because you refuse to buy from Asda! Deary me.

It's a good point, and I see what you mean.
Just think that the club couldn't have asked the supporters for any more support than they've given. We had years of underachievement before AP took over.
The previous regime, and the bad advice received by AP at the beginning of his tenure has contributed massively to any shortfalls.

Agreed. If we want a chance of success though it's fans and sponsors that need to galvanize behind what we're trying to achieve as clearly AP's not got money to burn. Our fanbase is a major asset for sure, but won't drive the club forward as bystanders.

So it's your case that the club must be run as a business and cut its cloth accordingly and can count on the supporters to irrationally and blindly keep faith with it whatever happens?

For my part I'm not going to blame those supporters who have had enough and nor should the club when the club's financial predicament is largely of its own poor decision making.

And the club seems to rely on the irrational loyalty of its supporters.

And if that loyalty is lost it will be in big trouble.

Absolutely. There is a reason why supporters are deserting the club and its largely the fault of the club, not the supporters.

Irrational loyalty is unwavering, hence the term 'irrational'.

.... so you are agreeing that "The previous regime, and the bad advice received by AP at the beginning of his tenure has contributed massively to any shortfalls".
So why advocate "deserting the club" now?

Sad to see him go but it's far from the end of the world . Hope the international outside back were after is a so it gives Lancaster and Naughton a run on the wing .

So do I. See no point in recruiting a winger.

Overstating it a bit.

It's my case that supporting a club isn't a purely rational transaction. If we supported only success we'd all be Leeds Rhinos fans.

Supporting a club is a turbulent pastime. If everyone ditched it when the going got tough, there'd be no club to return to when the sun came out. AP's made mistakes and as I've repeated should be more humble in admitting them. But our greatest chance of success, (and avoiding a firesale) IMO is to back what the club are trying to do. I believe the more supporters we can get back, and the greater the revenue we can generate, the better our chance of challenging. Just my opinion.

My daughter will be upset as he's he favourite player. No doubt she'll get over it.

If true he wants to leave - and I have no reason to believe otherwise, recent interviews notwithstanding - then my opinion of him is frankly unfit for family consumption. I have zero sympathy for players who quit on us while contracted unless there are exceptional circumstances. If either Lancaster or Naughton are fit I'd drop him and let him spend the rest of the season at Donny.

Yes, I am a vindictive old b'stard.