FORMER Wigan Warriors, Wakefield Trinity, Castleford Tigers and Huddersfield Giants prop Danny Sculthorpe made almost 250 appearances during his 15-year career.
Most of those – 83 – came in the shirt of Rochdale Hornets before a big move to Wigan came about in 2001.
Sculthorpe spent five seasons with the Warriors – though he did spend 2006 on loan at Castleford – before moving permanently to Wakefield ahead of the 2007 season.
Three seasons later and – after a loan spell with Huddersfield – Sculthorpe was signed by Bradford Bulls but failed to play a game before hanging up his boots at the end of 2011 after a year with Widnes Vikings.
During those 15 years, the 44-year-old played under some wonderful head coaches – and now he has named the two that stick in his mind.
“I would say it was joint between Nathan Brown at Huddersfield – his man management was unbelievable, he was tough when he needed to be but he was a great bloke and a great laugh,” Sculthorpe told League Express.
“And then the other was Terry Matterson at Castleford. He was another bloke who let me play my game how I do best.”
Though Sculthorpe enjoyed his time at The Jungle, the same couldn’t be said of his three years at Wakefield, with the ex-prop explaining the problem with then head coach John Kear.
“When I went to Wakefield, John Kear signed me for the player I was but he stopped me from being that player.
“I was an off-the-cuff player at Cas, I would kick and pass and do anything and Kear signed me because of how well I was playing at Cas, but he wouldn’t let me do anything! I hated my time at Wakefield.”
People always wondered why Danny and his brother Paul never played at the same club together, but the former has revealed that such an opportunity almost came about in 2004.
“When I completed my first three-year deal at Wigan, I had the choice of signing another three years at Wigan or signing for St Helens to be with my brother.
“Maurice Lindsay (former Wigan chairman) was brilliant with me and said that if I played well over the first three years then he would double my contract and he did just that.
“Saints offered me the same deal but I chose to stay at Wigan because of the loyalty Maurice had shown me.”
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