Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:15 am  

My son was looking at old rugby league tables on wiki today and as he was asking me questions I started having a quick look too.

As my username suggests I was born in 76, so although I grew up following fev and rugby, as a young un I never really took any notice of the tables other than what fev did.

Clicking through the tables I was very surprised at the amount of times Fax were relegated and promoted during this time.

Must have been a really mad time to follow fax. I'm sure I counted 6 Relegations and 6 promotions + 2 div 1 championships within a 18 year period after the reintroduction of 2 divisions.

Funny how for some reason I always had memories of Fax always being a top team until recent years, yet overall possibly spent more seasons out of the top division than us during my lifetime.

Not having a dig, just genuinely surprised

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 5:30 am  

1984 was the turning point. We broke the string on our yoyo and invited 13 Australians over to change our bouncy path. The style of rugby changed overnight, as did our fortunes.

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 7:43 am  

littlerich wrote:

1984 was the turning point. We broke the string on our yoyo and invited 13 Australians over to change our bouncy path. The style of rugby changed overnight, as did our fortunes.

The timekeeper around that time was a really good signing too, for both Fev & Fax!

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:43 am  

littlerich wrote:

1984 was the turning point. We broke the string on our yoyo and invited 13 Australians over to change our bouncy path. The style of rugby changed overnight, as did our fortunes.

A great post, if we don't move with the times we will be left behind. Hopefully in a few seasons we can be the club d/r players out.

[Bullseye]

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:33 am  

That team from 85-87 was quite something.

Always wondered how you attracted such good Aussies. Was it Anderson and Eadie? Who persuaded them to come over?

Once Anderson stopped playing the decent Aussies seemed to dry up a bit for you.

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:07 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

That team from 85-87 was quite something.

Always wondered how you attracted such good Aussies. Was it Anderson and Eadie? Who persuaded them to come over?

Once Anderson stopped playing the decent Aussies seemed to dry up a bit for you.

Mr Brook enticed them over, first Chris Anderson and then the others followed, I understand what clinched it was the offer of unlimited Websters and free entrance to any night club the evening before match day.
It is well documented that the players stayed up very late the night before the final in 87.

Did you know we once had a South Sea Islander who had it written into his contract that he could have a shot of whisky at half time.

[Bullseye]

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:53 pm  

As a Northern fan I always envied Fax's ability to get quality Aussies in the mid 80s. We just didn't have the contacts or the cash or the know how. You got Eadie, Anderson, Rix, Neller, Langmack, Bella etc and we got er Gary Mercer.

Wasn't there a story in "When Push Comes to Shove" about a minibus full of Aussie Fax players who were taking one of their number to the airport. They stopped in a bunch of pubs on the way and got legless. This attracted the traffic police who pulled over the minibus and the driver (a Fax player) legged it, jumped off a bridge and broke both ankles.

Maybe someone on here knows the player.

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:10 pm  

I believe the player was Keith Neller

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:25 pm  

bentleyman wrote:

I believe the player was Keith Neller

No it was Bob Arnorld.
Didn't the police also find Hudson (i think that was his name) passed out under the seats of the van the morning after.
Or is that just folklore.

Re: Halifax 70s,80's : Fri Oct 24, 2014 2:33 pm  

bentleyman wrote:

I believe the player was Keith Neller

Some great tales from those days. One I recall is Colin Whitfield saying he wasn't going drinking after training as he was teetotal. Chris Andersons response was you come anyway and drink orange juice.