18 replies to this topic

[marklaspalmas]

I was re-reading Ron Bailey's book "100 Greats of Featherstone Rovers" this morning and I was surprised to find that Steve Molloy did not rate a mention. I know it's in the nature of these books for readers to be surprised by omissions and the list itself becomes a talking point, but it got me thinking about Molloy and his contribution.

He was at Fev for years, three successful seasons in the top flight and the first summer season of 1996.

He was a very good forward. He was our last ever GB international.

He made the GB touring team in 1996 despite playing second division rugby.

Did the manner of his leaving leave a bad taste for Rovers fans? IIRC he was one of the first RL players that took advantage of the news freedom of contract laws when he went to Sheffield.

OR

Is he fondly remembered as a top quality player from the time when Fev stars were among the best players in the whole league?






(Sorry about the random nature of this post, Im as bored and frsutrated as everyone else about not having any games to talk about.)

[jamescolin]

I was re-reading Ron Bailey's book "100 Greats of Featherstone Rovers" this morning and I was surprised to find that Steve Molloy did not rate a mention. I know it's in the nature of these books for readers to be surprised by omissions and the list itself becomes a talking point, but it got me thinking about Molloy and his contribution.

He was at Fev for years, three successful seasons in the top flight and the first summer season of 1996.

He was a very good forward. He was our last ever GB international.

He made the GB touring team in 1996 despite playing second division rugby.

Did the manner of his leaving leave a bad taste for Rovers fans? IIRC he was one of the first RL players that took advantage of the news freedom of contract laws when he went to Sheffield.

OR

Is he fondly remembered as a top quality player from the time when Fev stars were among the best players in the whole league?
I remember him as a good player but over the years we have had as good if not better. Not having read Ron's book I don't know who he classes above him. Very good players who never seem to get a mention were Mick Clamp, Norman Longley, Waterworth, and Kent. Perhaps some of these are listed. Most of these are forwrds and if we are looking at them mainly how about Lambert, Maiden and Palmer and Anderson. All good players. Anderson particularly as a front rower when scrums were still contested.






(Sorry about the random nature of this post, Im as bored and frsutrated as everyone else about not having any games to talk about.)

[The Baby Faced Assassin.]

I always rated him, size power and pace for such a big man He also had an awesome ability to slip out a short pass to the supporting player which is something I always believe a top prop should be able to do . He also had a good defensive record too. When you see his acheivements like that I would think his record ought to justify a place, he would certainly walk into a top 100 of the "modern" era
PS-We really do need a match to talk about don't we, bl**dy weather .

[Maureen T-k]

Although Steve Molloy played some good games for us in my opinion he wasnt consistent enough at times and blew hot and cold, Leo casey was also like this aswell.

[Birchy]

I wish I had been around during our glory days... I feel sometimes I have really missed out!

[marklaspalmas]

I remember him as a good player but over the years we have had as good if not better. Not having read Ron's book I don't know who he classes above him. Very good players who never seem to get a mention were Mick Clamp, Norman Longley, Waterworth, and Kent. Perhaps some of these are listed. Most of these are forwrds and if we are looking at them mainly how about Lambert, Maiden and Palmer and Anderson. All good players. Anderson particularly as a front rower when scrums were still contested.

Mick Clamp, Gary Waterworth, Cliff Lambert are in the book of those you mentioned.

So is Albany Longley but not Norman.

[Sportbilly]

theres always debate over a greatest 100 or whatever, its just a rounded up number at the end of the day, when you look how many players have donned the great shirt is 100 really enough?.....I could pick 100 players who i have watch since the late 60s....i cant really say if steve was better than someone before that.....but he would be in my 100 since i've watched them...I agree with the assasin re-his pace for his size and the off loads......our lass says he had the best legs

[jamescolin]

Mick Clamp, Gary Waterworth, Cliff Lambert are in the book of those you mentioned.

So is Albany Longley but not Norman.

Albany was a three quarter. I remember him playing for us just as we had signed Guest from Cas. Had guile he was also fast. If I remember rightly he had a scrap yard behind the Railway hotel. Norman was a second row forward with pace to burn and played some good games for Fev. While we are at it Ron Bailey of Louie Hale fishshop fame doesn't feature much anywhere. he was another second rower with lots of pace. Louie Hale? All the old timers will remember her fish shop top of Newport Street. Ron's house was on Wilson Street. I think it is the paper shop now. Behind it they had a yard that housed a machine for scratting tatties. I think he was Louie Hales nephew. They were of course related to the Greenhalghes. And while we are at it who remembers Joe Hoyle of butchering fame. He didn't run he galloped. I have seen every challenge cup final we have played in and still rank 1952 highly. Just a homespun team that beat the great Wigan at PO Road. They had Nordgren, Lawrence, Ashcroft, etc a team full of internationals. I can still see Mitchell in my mind's eye cutting inside from the left wing to leave their defence standing. And Eric Batten's shoulder charge had to be seen to be believed. I could go on but remember we have had great days and when the earth has done a few turns more we can come again.

[jamescolin]

Albany was a three quarter. I remember him playing for us just as we had signed Guest from Cas. Had guile he was also fast. If I remember rightly he had a scrap yard behind the Railway hotel. Norman was a second row forward with pace to burn and played some good games for Fev. While we are at it Ron Bailey of Louie Hale fishshop fame doesn't feature much anywhere. he was another second rower with lots of pace. Louie Hale? All the old timers will remember her fish shop top of Newport Street. Ron's house was on Wilson Street. I think it is the paper shop now. Behind it they had a yard that housed a machine for scratting tatties. I think he was Louie Hales nephew. They were of course related to the Greenhalghes. And while we are at it who remembers Joe Hoyle of butchering fame. He didn't run he galloped. I have seen every challenge cup final we have played in and still rank 1952 highly. Just a homespun team that beat the great Wigan at PO Road. They had Nordgren, Lawrence, Ashcroft, etc a team full of internationals. I can still see Mitchell in my mind's eye cutting inside from the left wing to leave their defence standing. And Eric Batten's shoulder charge had to be seen to be believed. I could go on but remember we have had great days and when the earth has done a few turns more we can come again.

That should have been Ron Bradley of course. Senior moment. Players and authors mixed up.

[burkyrover]

Steve Molloy was a great player for us, the teams he played in were some of the best ive seen in a Fev shirt. He would be in my top ten props for Fev, since ive watched them( mid 70s ).

[Steve Slater]

Steve Molloy suffered in popularity in a similar way to Richard Newlove, Neil Lowe and Tommy Haughey, all of whom were fantastic for us the first time round but were not so good on their return, although some might dispute that in the case of Tommy Haughey. Maxime Greseque, on the other hand, is remembered with affection although he only played a handful of games, and didn't stay long enough to go off the boil.
Steve Molloy's case was slightly different: He had a fantastic first season and looked international class in our cup run to the semi's, but when we kept hold of him after our exclusion from Super League he just seemed content to turn up and take the money, which was a considerably vast amount. In hindsight he should have been sold in the summer of '95 when everybody had loads of cash. Maybe we wouldn't have been so far into debt in '98 and beyond if we hadn't been paying his exorbitant wages in a league he clearly didn't want to play in?
It might have taught us a lesson though - when everyone around us is paying stupid wages it's maybe better to keep our house in order and wait for the baillifs to move in on our rivals.

[Mick H]

Steve Molloy suffered in popularity in a similar way to Richard Newlove, Neil Lowe and Tommy Haughey, all of whom were fantastic for us the first time round but were not so good on their return, although some might dispute that in the case of Tommy Haughey. Maxime Greseque, on the other hand, is remembered with affection although he only played a handful of games, and didn't stay long enough to go off the boil.
Steve Molloy's case was slightly different: He had a fantastic first season and looked international class in our cup run to the semi's, but when we kept hold of him after our exclusion from Super League he just seemed content to turn up and take the money, which was a considerably vast amount. In hindsight he should have been sold in the summer of '95 when everybody had loads of cash. Maybe we wouldn't have been so far into debt in '98 and beyond if we hadn't been paying his exorbitant wages in a league he clearly didn't want to play in?
It might have taught us a lesson though - when everyone around us is paying stupid wages it's maybe better to keep our house in order and wait for the baillifs to move in on our rivals.

Good post Steve! I remember the days well, on ability he'd be in my top 10 Fev props, but he was only a good player when he wanted to be, which didn't warrant the money he was paid at the time. He never gave that extra yard for me, he just seemd to do enough and go through the motions on too many occasions. But on those big game days and when he chose to put the effort in he was as good as anything around and he took some stopping when he hit the line!

[The Baby Faced Assassin.]

I remember he scored a corker of a try in his "want away season" in a pre-season friendly at C*s. He was getting some right stick from the ginners to the effect that "nobody wants you" blah blah blah. He took the ball at first receiver and battered his way through their entire pack and crashed over at the side of the posts with the full back on his back . I was stood with a ginner mate of mine and he looked at me open mouthed and said "bloody hell we ought to sign him!". Oh how we laughed

[marklaspalmas]

Steve Molloy suffered in popularity in a similar way to Richard Newlove, Neil Lowe and Tommy Haughey, all of whom were fantastic for us the first time round but were not so good on their return, although some might dispute that in the case of Tommy Haughey. Maxime Greseque, on the other hand, is remembered with affection although he only played a handful of games, and didn't stay long enough to go off the boil.
Steve Molloy's case was slightly different: He had a fantastic first season and looked international class in our cup run to the semi's, but when we kept hold of him after our exclusion from Super League he just seemed content to turn up and take the money, which was a considerably vast amount. In hindsight he should have been sold in the summer of '95 when everybody had loads of cash. Maybe we wouldn't have been so far into debt in '98 and beyond if we hadn't been paying his exorbitant wages in a league he clearly didn't want to play in?
It might have taught us a lesson though - when everyone around us is paying stupid wages it's maybe better to keep our house in order and wait for the baillifs to move in on our rivals.

Interesting Steve. That may well explain a certain ambivalence about his legacy. Ta.

[marklaspalmas]

Albany was a three quarter. I remember him playing for us just as we had signed Guest from Cas. Had guile he was also fast. If I remember rightly he had a scrap yard behind the Railway hotel. Norman was a second row forward with pace to burn and played some good games for Fev. While we are at it Ron Bailey of Louie Hale fishshop fame doesn't feature much anywhere. he was another second rower with lots of pace. Louie Hale? All the old timers will remember her fish shop top of Newport Street. Ron's house was on Wilson Street. I think it is the paper shop now. Behind it they had a yard that housed a machine for scratting tatties. I think he was Louie Hales nephew. They were of course related to the Greenhalghes. And while we are at it who remembers Joe Hoyle of butchering fame. He didn't run he galloped. I have seen every challenge cup final we have played in and still rank 1952 highly. Just a homespun team that beat the great Wigan at PO Road. They had Nordgren, Lawrence, Ashcroft, etc a team full of internationals. I can still see Mitchell in my mind's eye cutting inside from the left wing to leave their defence standing. And Eric Batten's shoulder charge had to be seen to be believed. I could go on but remember we have had great days and when the earth has done a few turns more we can come again.

Great stuff

[stuart56]

I saw the best and the worst of Steve at The Boulevard during the last season before SL. I remember him standing in the tackle for what seemed an age holding the ball aloft waiting in vain for a supporting player. In the same game he crossed under the sticks only to drop the ball as he tried to place it one handed. A very expensive dropped ball as it cost us points at the end of the season.

Despite all this a player I enjoyed watching and a top class prop.

[Steve Smith]

And watching him out-box Sonny Nickle in a game against Saints puts him in the top 100 for me. I don't think Nickle landed a fist on him and helanded almost every one... Great days...

[Chris Hirst]

I thought Steve Molloy did well for us and couldn't really understand why he got so much stick.

It appeared to me that he was very loyal after we were controversially 'relegated' but I have no knowledge about salaries.

[Trojan]

In the 1995 semi Hanley spent the entire game running in front of the ball carrier and talking to the ref. In the last ten Molloy had finally had enough of this behaviour and hit Hanley. He was put on report. But if the ref won't sort out a problem what can the players do? I thought we had good value from Steve. But then I think we had good value from most of our "ex Leeds" crew at that time. Ikram, Steve, Carl Gibson, was Maloney playing for us then?

Edited by Trojan, 12 January 2010 - 06:29 PM.