Garry Schofield reveals brain-damage diagnosis in final League Express column

[Richard de la Riviere]

https://t.co/R70QuRAf4F

[Worzel]

I'm very sorry to hear this, poor man.

I'm not sure I can remember a single thing Garry said after he retired that I agreed with to be honest, or how he went about expressing those views, but firstly who cares - opinions are like ####holes, we've all got them- and far more importantly nothing that he ever said could ever take away from what an absolutely fantastic, generational talent he was. Just phenomenal. We don't get players like Schofield very often, and then when we do we don't celebrate them anywhere near enough.

Hope he gets the care that he needs to mitigate the worst of what's to come, hopefully there'll be lots of life in the old dog yet.   

[The Blues Ox]

Sad times but it is a reality that will face quite a number of ex-players. What rattles me is the thick knob heads that think ex-players are suing the game as some sort of get rich scheme, Gary writes about the reality that is facing him going forward. We(is there any we in the game anymore?) should be making sure that players are looked after when they have given their bodies to "our" game.

[Gooleboy]

All the best to Schoey for the future. A great Rugby League player.

[Wigan Riversider]

Sad to hear about your health issues Garry. You were a player who excited me as a spectator. Every good wish moving forward.

[Expatknight]

59 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Sad times but it is a reality that will face quite a number of ex-players. What rattles me is the thick knob heads that think ex-players are suing the game as some sort of get rich scheme, Gary writes about the reality that is facing him going forward. We(is there any we in the game anymore?) should be making sure that players are looked after when they have given their bodies to "our" game.

And you get the situation at Sheffield whe certain people are trying to defend the actions of Mark Aston because he is a good bloke and no harm was done to Marsh, I hope they can live with themselves. If it was up to me he wouldn't be let near a rugby league team ever again. 

[fieldofclothofgold]

That is such sad news about Garry Schoefield .great player and you see how proud and patriotic he was when he captained his country . Thankyou for everything in you great career Garry 

[Adelaide Tiger]

Whilst I reading the article it took me back to around March/April 1983 when I played opposite Garry when Redhill U19’s played the all conquering Hunslet Parkside U’19’s at their ground.  A couple of memories from that game involving Garry are still fresh in my mind.

Unlike Garry, I am in good health, but then again I didn’t play around 500 games at the highest level against the toughest players on the planet.

So all the best Garry for the future.

[Sports Prophet]

“One reason I’m not too sad to be finishing this column is the sport just doesn’t excite me any more. The on-field product isn’t anywhere near as entertaining as it should be. And off the field everything is so sanitised that if you’re not permanently “on message” and 100% “positive” about everything, then there’s no room for you. Balanced critical analysis has been driven out of English Rugby League by a governing body and clubs simply for the selfish reason that they don’t appreciate scrutiny.

That said, it’s been great fun stirring things up when needed. But if Rugby League ever wonders why it isn’t a bit more popular, then maybe it needs to consider whether having 95% of its journalists and ex-players on the telly acting as little more than cheerleaders is possibly a tad boring.

You can’t sell a sport based solely on what happens on the field. You also need characters, debates, stories, opinions, laughs and even a few controversies, but for reasons I’ll never understand, Rugby League stamps those things out.”

Well said Garry, wishing you all the best in the future and I hope we get to see you every now and then at the grounds sometime in the future, excited by the sport once more.

[RigbyLuger]

Wonder who Schoey thinks the 5% who aren't cheerleaders are, because they can't all be the staff of League Express!

[Lionheart_merged]

So sad to hear this.  Wishing Gary all the best.  A great player for his clubs and country.  He always showed great pride in representing his country.  I will miss his weekly column which I look forward to every week when I receive my League Express.  He was always forthright with his no nonsense views.  I didn’t agree with everything he put in his column but he raised lots of issues that others were afraid to. 

[Richard de la Riviere]

47 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

Wonder who Schoey thinks the 5% who aren't cheerleaders are, because they can't all be the staff of League Express!

Perhaps he’s just not very good at maths! 

[RigbyLuger]

12 minutes ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

Perhaps he’s just not very good at maths! 

100% on vision and awareness though! 

[sam4731]

Rugby league legend Schofield reveals brain damage - https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/articles/c748jnvk9ngo

The 59-year-old, who made more than 250 appearances for Leeds as well as playing for Hull FC and Huddersfield Giants, made the details public in his final column for the Total Rugby League newspaper.

[graveyard johnny]

lets hope when we win them next year - then they let Schoey present the eng/gb capt with the ashes 

[Dave T]

5 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

 

“One reason I’m not too sad to be finishing this column is the sport just doesn’t excite me any more. The on-field product isn’t anywhere near as entertaining as it should be. And off the field everything is so sanitised that if you’re not permanently “on message” and 100% “positive” about everything, then there’s no room for you. Balanced critical analysis has been driven out of English Rugby League by a governing body and clubs simply for the selfish reason that they don’t appreciate scrutiny.

That said, it’s been great fun stirring things up when needed. But if Rugby League ever wonders why it isn’t a bit more popular, then maybe it needs to consider whether having 95% of its journalists and ex-players on the telly acting as little more than cheerleaders is possibly a tad boring.

You can’t sell a sport based solely on what happens on the field. You also need characters, debates, stories, opinions, laughs and even a few controversies, but for reasons I’ll never understand, Rugby League stamps those things out.”

Well said Garry, wishing you all the best in the future and I hope we get to see you every now and then at the grounds sometime in the future, excited by the sport once more.

All the best to Garry with his health and the future, I hope he has many happy years with his family.

But it wouldn't be a Garry Schofield article without plenty to disagree with!

If he (and you) honestly believe that the sport is full of cheerleading journos and past players then he hasn't been reading about or watching the same sport as me.

[Loiner]

Sad news for probably one of the greatest to play the game in my lifetime.

[Fevrover]

6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

All the best to Garry with his health and the future, I hope he has many happy years with his family.

But it wouldn't be a Garry Schofield article without plenty to disagree with!

If he (and you) honestly believe that the sport is full of cheerleading journos and past players then he hasn't been reading about or watching the same sport as me.

All about opinions lol.

[sentoffagain2]

Just now, Loiner said:

Sad news for probably one of the greatest to play the game in my lifetime.

  He could play many different positions and be top class in them all.Winger ,Full Back ,Centre,Stand Off and Loose Forward later in his career if needed.Those who saw him play are fortunate.Wish him the best of luck in his future years.

[Dave T]

4 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  He could play many different positions and be top class in them all.Winger ,Full Back ,Centre,Stand Off and Loose Forward later in his career if needed.Those who saw him play are fortunate.Wish him the best of luck in his future years.

Did he play much in those other positions? I think i only ever saw him as a centre and stand off.

[StandOffHalf]

An incredible, passionate fella. He was a sensational player and as a journo he didn't go along with the ''official line''.

We as a sport need voices like his.

Hope things don't get too awful for him, but it sounds pretty bad.

[Wigan Riversider]

58 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Did he play much in those other positions? I think i only ever saw him as a centre and stand off.

Filled in at scrum half in first test(?) in Oz on 1984 tour and scored a sensational try. His try in second test was GB try of decade(?)

[Gooleboy]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Did he play much in those other positions? I think i only ever saw him as a centre and stand off.

He played at loose forward for Bramley.

[Worzel]

 

 

 

 

[Dullish Mood]

2 hours ago, graveyard johnny said:

lets hope when we win them next year - then they let Schoey present the eng/gb capt with the ashes 

When we win them?