WIld Goose wrote:
I also attended Saint John Fisher school and I am not too comfortable with accrediting too much to McLeod. The feeder schools into Fisher gave the school a virtual monopoly - Saint Patricks, Saint Marys, Saint Johns, Sacred Heart and some from Saint Williams too. All coming from what was then a really competitive Junior Schools competition. There is actually a case regarding John Fisher as to how many players didn't make it because of too much rugby rather than the opposite. Without going into detail, McLeod was not a particularly popular teacher and certainly in my view not someone to put on a pedestal regarding the production of great rugby league players. I attended during the 70s. We didn't lose in the Wigan and District Schools in all the 5 years I was there and fared well in the Lancashire Shield losing to a team from Leigh. Of all that group of players, Ged Byrne was the only one to make in the professional game. The players from the school who have in more recent times made the grade (post Edwards) have also benefited from the local club scene in Wigan which to me is the real gold mine for rugby players in Wigan.
You would have been the year above me at J Fisher if you are the same age as Ged Byrne, the year I was in had more luck in winning the National Comp. Only Mike Gregory went on to make it as pro but we did have Fran Clough who played RU for England. I think we were all encouraged to participate in sports and McLeod was for me a popular teacher. I think it all depends on your own experiences. It is a positive for the town that a school can have so many top players going through its doors. I do think that the draw of the school as a RL hot bed has led to youngsters being pushed there by parents.
St Pats has the same draw with kids being ferried in by parents as they believe they need to be there to get noticed.
