del capo

There are approx 300 clubs in the Community game. You need to differentiate between cubs and teams for a proper headcount. Most of the bricks and mortar clubs turn out at least ten teams each

Correct.My apologies. Still put the guy in the ' legend ' class....

You clearly have a bee in your bonnet Please share your problem with the rest of us Barla currently in fairly good hands with Sue as far as I am concerned

A colourful and charismatic figure at all levels of our game Once appeared before the NCL Management to answer allegations that as Head Coach at Greetland All Rounders he had shipped in a shedfull of Aussies in contravention of then signing rules, Dead straight faced but with ever the slightest touch of a grin he said 'They're all Yorkshire men. Some of them just have a bit of a different accent ' RIP Maurice and thank you for the memories.

As a one off can anybody beat Ben Flowers first minute behaviour that , in spite of a tremendous Wigan effort thereafter lost them the Grand Final against the old enemy ? Only Adrian Morley against the Aussies springs to mind .........

I remember a game where Hardisty made an 80 yard totally unstoppable break to score with Ashurst in full but flagging pursuit. Every speccie knew what was going to happen and it did. As soon as Hardisty put the ball down big Bill kicked him into the stands. Never even bothered to look at the referees reaction - simply walked to the changing rooms.....

And two of the daftest and toughest ( but you would want them in your corner) have to be Tim Street and Ian Gormley , who once famously took on the Salford terraces when he literally jumped into them....

A longer run than you think if Kelvin Skerritt was in the same team..

You missed out lifting up the broken beer bottle glass and empty syringes before kick off Bearman

Yes that Arena. I believe the Lenegans still own The former Pemberton High School now called Central Park next door to Wigan St Cuthberts clubhouse. as well as the now effectively un -used stadium at Edge Hall Road (Can't get planning permission for housing as there are access issues). Wigan Hall in the town centre out of which the Clarke's run their sports empire is also in that portfolio but most activity is now concentrated right next door to the DW Stadium. I have not accused you of seeking to remove the amateur game. I have not on this thread ever suggested a draft system . I am open minded about elitism. In fact when I was more hands on at club level than now I was often accused of running the most elitist club of them all. And as for that 40 million , I would have retained and extended the development officers structure and invested heavily in the Southern Conference to bring it up to NCL standards. That's what I am on about when I speak of a pyramid . Look after your base and widen it as much as you possibly can. The bigger the sea you fish in the better the quantity AND quality of catch...

You really don't get this do you As for Wigan they have finally bought the Arena next to the stadium and have centred all their efforts there. All sports work on a pyramid system. The Scholarship and Academy would vanish overnight but for the Community game producing players for them ,. You mention Morgan Smithies who was in fact a superstar with Siddal before even getting anywhere near Academy intake. Alex Walmesley came as an open age product via the NCL. The greater the width of the base of the pyramid the better the game will thrive. Could I have better used that £40 million spent on the Academies ? Certainly. We could easily have tripled the players at the bottom and the rewards would have been there, Don.'t know where you're coming from on a draft system debate - never been in that one

Scroll up and you should find what I asked you.. Wigan and Leeds are probably the best of the Academies. They both still use amateur facilities. Their coaches are no different simply because they now get paid. I agree their in house stuff is great ( Wigan with the Clarke Brothers are world leaders ) but in the larger picture does that benefit the game as a whole ? £40 million well spent over the last 20 years? As for your 25 years jibe let me give you Charnley Tomkins and Gildart currently on the field who all proudly wore their St Pats colours ..... before I even start to think about the rest.... A

Then let me try to unlock your bafflement Super league have spent in excess of £40 million on the Academy project. Simply to replicate for free what they already had on their doorsteps. And the result -- back to my as yet unanswered questions Hela. And bye the way the Wigan team at their very best were made up 2/3 of of non Academy locals in the 80.s and 90's- clearly the result of ###### facilities and coaching at local club level. Even today half the current Wigan squad are Wiganers Scholarship and Academy. It's just a bad business model. Invest below and the grapes will be ready to harvest...

You have not answered my questions. Show me a super league super star from the Academy system who has not learned his skills beforehand in the Community game. And at the same time justify spending £ 2 million each year when the Community game did it for free. You mention Wigan and their 'churn out ' of players. Jackie Roden Matty Peet and Mick Cassidy are the backbone of their youth efforts . All from St Pats.. The skill is to assess the lad and not let him down afterwords. And whatever skills/ knowledge that exist within the pro game should be percolated down. Far cheaper and more effective to save us Yes some players always needed to leave early for pastures new. Shaun Edwards and Phil Clarke at St Pats spring to mind but others like the two Gregory's and Joe Lydon played it through to the point of open age - you convinced 18 month in the Academy system would have made them any better ? And it's not just St Pat's. We have 300 community clubs producing players without which the game will be gone......

Rather making my point that we will not get back any time soon. Time for bed . Goodnight and sweet dreams....

The testing process costs are beyond Super League club means . Check out Premier soccer for their bills As for elbows , Adrian Morley was pretty good . less so Stuart Fielden...........

This is a fanciful thread. We will not see crowds this year. We will not have any games even behind closed doors as we cannot afford them. IF we ever came to the point of some form of play off then it will be the scenery that counts. The NCL has iconic backdrops but my vote would go to the Honourable Artillery Co in London. Sky would love it....

The first move by Michael Maguire and Ian Lenegan when he bought Wigan was to visit St Pats, check on their player production systems and sign up their best coaches. Lots of amateur clubs had the same visits - please don't insult their efforts. their facilities or their coaching levels. The current GB coach Shaun Wane for instance was kept in the game and nurtured by coach Jackie Melling at the Pats. At nil cost to the game. Now we have a whole industry based around Scholarships and Academies. At great cost. It was never needed. Please point me out a superstar from the 'New age' to match anything the amateur clubs have not had a hand in..... But in the meantime please be happy to swill 2 million + down the drain each year

But what a legend that Aubert. Took his nickname for his smoking habits even on the field and once famously took an up and under whilst playing against Wigan in a snowstorm one handed whilst not dropping his Gaulloise.....

I believe it was green

His blazer badge says he's French.

Yesterday the RFL issued a key message to all RFL Council members together with a document headed ' The Rugby League Dividend Report ' . A report prepared by experts in their fields and running to 25 pages. Conclusions - the annual economic impact of RL community clubs ( that's the game as a whole ) is estimated at more than £141 million . the annual social impact on players and volunteers is estimated at £185 million Every £1 spent by Rugby League community clubs ( and again that's every club in the game ) in sport generates a social return of £4.08. Maybe that's why the Government has put up a £16 million loan before looking at any other sports . Congrats where congrats are due....

If you play on a cows patch with no facilities , maybe. Most clubs are a bit better than that now. Standing orders for gas , electricity ,insurance, pitch maintenance , telephone rentals and internet facilities T V subscriptions before staff wages rates building update and cleaning. Millom RFC for instance recently reported to the NCL they needed more than £900 per month just to remain closed........ a lot of clubs in a similar position

Did a trip to sort out an RL community tour in the 70's. Didn't come off but.... Ended up on Limoux market square when on one corner was Louis Bonnery's sports shop. On the other corner was his bar and Blanquette was in barrels on draft....... Forget silly glasses measures..... and the great man serving behind the bar himself. One of the best session in my life.....

I believe Farrell's last rugby league game was for his hometown club Wigan St Pats in the Barla under 16's National Cup Final. He travelled north just for that game. They won.....