Exiled Wiganer Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 As it looks as if Keiron may have played his last game for Saints, and be denied a fitting farewell, and I hope this is premature, but what a great player he has been for his club and, on occasion, his country. His self deprecating modesty off the field was combined with a rugby brain and level of determination that made him the best hooker in the world and certainly the finest number 9 I have ever seen. One of the most extraordinary things about him was that for over a decade people knew what he was going to do near the line, but no one could stop him. Somehow Saints teams without Cunningham at 9 won't seem the same. Perhaps they should even retire the shirt. People rarely get to choose the manner of their ending, but it would be cruel indeed for him to have played his last game at KR without being chaired off the field by his team mates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zorquif Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 retiring shirts is a crock of shi... poo. let the americans keep it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giwildgo Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 As it looks as if Keiron may have played his last game for Saints, and be denied a fitting farewell, and I hope this is premature, but what a great player he has been for his club and, on occasion, his country. His self deprecating modesty off the field was combined with a rugby brain and level of determination that made him the best hooker in the world and certainly the finest number 9 I have ever seen. One of the most extraordinary things about him was that for over a decade people knew what he was going to do near the line, but no one could stop him. Somehow Saints teams without Cunningham at 9 won't seem the same. Perhaps they should even retire the shirt. People rarely get to choose the manner of their ending, but it would be cruel indeed for him to have played his last game at KR without being chaired off the field by his team mates. I was hoping for a cruel ending...but on the field, not through injury. I'd have settled for him being chaired from the field, after Saints having been bounced out of the playoffs after two consecutive defeats - bittersweet must be the way. Joking apart - hopefully he will get a chance to say goodbye to the Saints fans in a more fitting way than leaving the field injured in Wrexham. His career deserves better. oderint dum metuant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendyas Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 retiring shirts is a crock of shi... poo. let the americans keep it. Yes, because they don't have a clue when it comes to remembering their sporting greats! Retire the shirt... it might be big enough to put on the new statue. Great great servant to the game and Saints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WearyRhino Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 You always thought that clubs would learn to deal with KCs push over tries from dummy half near the line. But they never did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zorquif Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 he's been a great servant, blah blah blah, but now he has gone, and another will come to take his place. and why deny some kid the chance to play in the number 9 shirt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giwildgo Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 No break confirmed by Saints. oderint dum metuant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bewareshadows Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Retiring the shirt is a nice sentiment, but I think it's not a great idea. Because then it becomes fashionable to do so and others less deserving also get the same treatment. Then some big signing in the next 10 years will come in and then for hypes sake the shirt will be re-introduced. I think Tommy Martyn refused the number 6 shirt out of respect only for that shirt to be taken by the arrival of trindle, who lasted about 2 games before Hanley got sacked and TRindle was rightly shipped back to where he came from. It's all about da bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintsbird Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Great news no break. Hopefully he can play in the playoffs & be given the send off he deserves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giwildgo Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 (edited) Great news no break. Hopefully he can play in the playoffs & be given the send off he deserves. Yeah I agree, he's become a right dirty begger in his latter years Edited August 22, 2010 by giwildgo oderint dum metuant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padge Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Is this the great servant to the game who was willing to fek off for the union shilling until he got caught out not being Welsh. Lets not over egg the pudding, the guy has been great, but like all pro sportsmen when better money was on offer he was off. Visit my photography site www.padge.smugmug.com Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007 Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king" This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintfrank Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Is this the great servant to the game who was willing to fek off for the union shilling until he got caught out not being Welsh. Lets not over egg the pudding, the guy has been great, but like all pro sportsmen when better money was on offer he was off. think a pie player did the same Saints Fan from 47 through good and bad times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steef Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Is this the great servant to the game who was willing to fek off for the union shilling until he got caught out not being Welsh. Lets not over egg the pudding, the guy has been great, but like all pro sportsmen when better money was on offer he was off. I consider myself a good servant to my company, but often look at other job oppertunities. Would you consider Andy Farrell a great servant of the game? I would and Cunningham certainly has been and thankfully can continue to be for the rest of this season. "surely they've got to try somthing different now, maybe the little chip over the top?2 http://www.flickr.com/photos/stufod/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stuarts-photography/156268557729980 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Saint Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 KC is an absolute legend. It's a shame his rep career never matched his success with Saints as he was arguably the best dummy half in the world at his peak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FearTheVee Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Is this the great servant to the game who was willing to fek off for the union shilling until he got caught out not being Welsh. Lets not over egg the pudding, the guy has been great, but like all pro sportsmen when better money was on offer he was off. Yet Radlinski, Farrell and Robinson WERE all great servants I assume. Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Rich Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Is this the great servant to the game who was willing to fek off for the union shilling until he got caught out not being Welsh. No, it's the player who seriously considered a higher pay offer but decided he loved playing for his home town club and nothing could replace that - much like Radlinski. The "not Welsh" thing was a smokescreen by the WRU as they found it unacceptable that they'd been turned down and invented a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guess who Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Is this the great servant to the game who was willing to fek off for the union shilling until he got caught out not being Welsh. Lets not over egg the pudding, the guy has been great, but like all pro sportsmen when better money was on offer he was off. Spoken like a true Wigan fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Boy Saint Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 I think Tommy Martyn refused the number 6 shirt out of respect only for that shirt to be taken by the arrival of trindle, who lasted about 2 games before Hanley got sacked and TRindle was rightly shipped back to where he came from. Tommy refused the number six shirt out of superstition as every time he wore the number six (for Ireland for example) he injured himself. He felt it was unlucky, plus Karle Hammond had made the position his own for a while in Tommys absence Yet Radlinski, Farrell and Robinson WERE all great servants I assume. Go figure. Nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padge Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Yet Radlinski, Farrell and Robinson WERE all great servants I assume. Go figure. Radlinski turned them down, I haven't expressed an opinion on the other two you mention, Cunningham was off until he couldn't prove his heritage (fairly normal for St.Helens not knowing who your father/grandfather is). Visit my photography site www.padge.smugmug.com Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007 Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king" This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckn Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Please try to keep it civil! "When in deadly danger, when beset by doubt; run in little circles, wave your arms and shout" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good Omen Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Please try to keep it civil! He is the best no. 9 the summer era has know. A true modern great and I hpoe that he makes the play-offs at least Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Rich Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Radlinski turned them down, I haven't expressed an opinion on the other two you mention, Cunningham was off until he couldn't prove his heritage (fairly normal for St.Helens not knowing who your father/grandfather is). Sigh... Cunningham never had to prove his Welsh qualifications for rugby as his full brother did about 20 years earlier. I'm pretty sure I remember Stevo showing the relevant birth certificate on Boots n All after the WRU lied about his Welsh qualifications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Billinge Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Sigh... Cunningham never had to prove his Welsh qualifications for rugby as his full brother did about 20 years earlier. I'm pretty sure I remember Stevo showing the relevant birth certificate on Boots n All after the WRU lied about his Welsh qualifications. It appeared the WRU offered a king's ransom over a period of nine months without asking for any birth certificate. Only after Cunningham finally turned down the offer, did the Welsh bleat on about a birth certificate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Vastly overrated IMO always seemed to be "injured" when it came to playing the Aussies. Try telling any aussie the Cunningham was the best hooker in the world and you'll get laughed out of the bar. "Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice, socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality" - Mikhail Bakunin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrywebbisgod Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Pretty one dimensional if you ask me,would he have lasted so long at a lower club? Thank you for your valuable contribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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