13 replies to this topic

[duffymoon]

Has left the club according to his facebook page.Good luck to him,been a good servant over the years but not had the best of luck with injuries.

[wayne_r]

Has left the club according to his facebook page.Good luck to him,been a good servant over the years but not had the best of luck with injuries.

I was just wondering at lunch time today what was happening with Bruce - I for one am sorry to see him leave - I was hoping he would flourish under our new coach. For me he had and still does have bags of potential and is one of my favourite players - did he say why, was it injury or lack of playing time this season ? Either was I am sorry to see him leave.........

[starshiptrooper]

Its sad really bruce was a decent player,but injuries had nothing to do with it.Mccormack had in my opinion a rather blinkered view of bruce as a player and didnt rate him one bit,and would only play him as a last resort.in effect bruce was flogging a dead horse,with regards to playing for swinton.I wish him all the best he gave a lot to the club and played even when injured.

[PhillH]

Very sad to hear of Bruce Johnson leaving the Lions. Often stood out when the team in general was struggling towards the lower reaches of the league and has shown a lot of commitment to the cause. Particularly good with ball in hand, he was quite elusive for a big guy and even around the ruck had a habit of evading the first man. Was the backbone of the side for a while. I remember Barry Eaton, when coaching Keighley, singling him out as the Swinton player he most feared.

Steve McCormack has produced the best winning run the club has seen for many a year, so nobody can really argue he has found a winning combination. These things happen. However I do wish the club could show a bit more class when it parts company with players, particularly those that have given relatively long and excellent service like Bruce Johnson.

[Furryenzo]

Its a shame really, as has been said I still think he had lots of potential, I think bruce's trouble was his size and injuries, he was quite slim for a prop and although he had a bit of pace and a strong palm-off our pack is small enough this year. He had brilliant tackling technique for a prop as well. Hope he doesnt come back to haunt us. Could see him ending up at Oldham or Rochdale.

Good look for the future Bruce!

[Tess]

I agree. He certainly stood out in many games he ayes in. He showed alot of class. I echo what others have said . Shame to see him go. . Thank you for all your hard work Bruce and all the best fir the future. X

[marshy1]

Very sad to hear of Bruce Johnson leaving the Lions. Often stood out when the team in general was struggling towards the lower reaches of the league and has shown a lot of commitment to the cause. Particularly good with ball in hand, he was quite elusive for a big guy and even around the ruck had a habit of evading the first man. Was the backbone of the side for a while. I remember Barry Eaton, when coaching Keighley, singling him out as the Swinton player he most feared.

Steve McCormack has produced the best winning run the club has seen for many a year, so nobody can really argue he has found a winning combination. These things happen. However I do wish the club could show a bit more class when it parts company with players, particularly those that have given relatively long and excellent service like Bruce Johnson.

And exactly what should the club do Phil. I for one am sad to see Bruce leave as he was truely a great player for the lions.

Seems you never miss a trick when it comes to taking a pop at how the club is run. But hey they will never satisfy all the supporters.

[PhillH]

And exactly what should the club do Phil. I for one am sad to see Bruce leave as he was truely a great player for the lions.

Seems you never miss a trick when it comes to taking a pop at how the club is run. But hey they will never satisfy all the supporters.

No surprise to see you defend the club Alan, twas ever thus.

To answer your question on what the club could do: In my view the club shouldn't need to be prompted by comments from supporters on here to give a statement - inform the supporters that the player has left (which gives the fans an opportunity to express their own thanks to the player) and wherever possible the circumstances of the departure, thank the player for his contribution to the Lions, and wish him well for the future. This should also happen for off-the-field staff.

The club has previously given the impression that it had to be badgered into saying something when Wayne English left after 10 years of carrying the team almost single handed at times, similar story with Phil Wood, now with Bruce Johnson.......This can give the impression of a lack of respect. In many cases there is no word at all - as an example Dave Hull played plenty of times in the first team and the first anyone knew for sure that he had left the Lions was when he appeared on the team sheet of Thatto Heath. Yes player turnover tends to be very high year-on-year nowadays, particularly outside Super League, but to express a bit of respect costs nothing except a bit of effort, shows people's input to the cause of the Lions in whatever way is properly valued and that the club acts with dignity.

Of course you are perfectly at liberty to take a different view and conclude I'm just too much of a sentimentalist!

[wayne_r]

And exactly what should the club do Phil. I for one am sad to see Bruce leave as he was truely a great player for the lions.

Seems you never miss a trick when it comes to taking a pop at how the club is run. But hey they will never satisfy all the supporters.

I have never been satisfied the way players exit the club - a statement from the club, particularly for long serving players would in my opinion not expecting too much, as imployees we would all be pretty unhappy if we left a coompany after many years service and the employers said nothing.........Now I imagine, privately the club has thanked Bruce for his significant contributions while at the club - so in a customer facing organisation, as a rugby league club should see itself, then the club should make such sentiments public - at the very least it is good PR.

[Furryenzo]

Not to stir things up with my big wooden spoon but the club put an article on the website last night. However I do agree with the previous points. In the clubs defense if it wasnt for facebook (the controller of the world) we would have found out on the website first. But yeh I think the whole wayne english/phil wood situation could have been handled a lot better.

[wayne_r]

Not to stir things up with my big wooden spoon but the club put an article on the website last night. However I do agree with the previous points. In the clubs defense if it wasnt for facebook (the controller of the world) we would have found out on the website first. But yeh I think the whole wayne english/phil wood situation could have been handled a lot better.

I have no complaints if the club have made a statement and yes you are right about Facebook...............

[PhillH]

Not to stir things up with my big wooden spoon but the club put an article on the website last night. However I do agree with the previous points. In the clubs defense if it wasnt for facebook (the controller of the world) we would have found out on the website first. But yeh I think the whole wayne english/phil wood situation could have been handled a lot better.

Yes, well done to the club on that - definitely better late than never.

[mark richardson]

Bruce Johnson,thankyou for your efforts for Swinton,I alway thought you were a top bloke and a good player,especially playing with a burst bicep last year,which must have made your eyes water at the very least.

[starshiptrooper]

Well well things do get around fast bruce has already been contacted by two coaches just goes to show how blinkered mccormack is with regards to bruce.he got rid of bruce at widnes and the writing was on the wall as soon as he set foot at swinton.seems not all coaches have the same opinion of his ability.