: Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:13 pm  

JLM23 wrote:

Moran played Full back against us in the 75-0 game and had an absolute nightmare. I have never seen a guy look so fed up walking back to the kick off from behind the posts after some of the stick he was getting from a group of Saints Lads.

Moran was NOT fullback v Saints that day.

It was another Millward first.
It was Sean Gleeson, a player who had never played in that position before in his entire career.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:46 pm  

A player who definately couldn't handle playing for a 'big' club was Jimmy Birts, signed by Maurice Bamford, we were told he was " Quick, brave, great defender and excellent goal kicker ", none of these qualities did he show in his time at Wigan, if you think Moran was bad, talk to people that saw Birts play !!!!!!!

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:58 pm  

I always thought that Moran was a little unlucky. He was signed to be a try scoring half back. Wigan still had Farrell and it was expected that Moran would "run off" Farrell. However, Farrell went to Rugby Union and Wigan then expected Moran to be a playmaker, something he clearly wasn't and the situation went downhill.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:00 pm  

twosevenzero wrote:

A player who definately couldn't handle playing for a 'big' club was Jimmy Birts, signed by Maurice Bamford, we were told he was " Quick, brave, great defender and excellent goal kicker ", none of these qualities did he show in his time at Wigan, if you think Moran was bad, talk to people that saw Birts play !!!!!!!

I think it's written in a book somewhere that the signing of Birts was one of the things that led Lindsay, Robinson and co to decide that Maurice Bamford wasn't the man to take Wigan forward.

My only real memory of Birts is that he looked incredibly frail compared to all the other players. For a professional rugby player, he really was stick-thin.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:47 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

I think it's written in a book somewhere that the signing of Birts was one of the things that led Lindsay, Robinson and co to decide that Maurice Bamford wasn't the man to take Wigan forward.

My only real memory of Birts is that he looked incredibly frail compared to all the other players. For a professional rugby player, he really was stick-thin.

It's in ' The Best Years Of Our Lives' by Paul Wilson.............................. On the day Bamford left Jack Robinson asked him " If you had your time at Wigan again would you do it all exactly the same" " Yes " replied Bamford, " What, even Jimmy Birts ! " said Robinson, " Especially Jimmy Birts " he replied, I knew then we had made the right decision ( to sack Bamford ) thought Robinson.

p.s. A great book if anyone out there hasn't read it.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:56 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Moran was NOT fullback v Saints that day.

It was another Millward first.
It was Sean Gleeson, a player who had never played in that position before in his entire career.

and gleeson didnt do TOO badly in that game

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:56 pm  

David Hodgson against Saints when they kicked for a 40/20 in the dying seconds(I think), it was going out on the full and he tried to keep it in and made a mess of it. Tommy Martyn took advantage and scored.

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:54 pm  

twosevenzero wrote:

It's in ' The Best Years Of Our Lives' by Paul Wilson.............................. On the day Bamford left Jack Robinson asked him " If you had your time at Wigan again would you do it all exactly the same" " Yes " replied Bamford, " What, even Jimmy Birts ! " said Robinson, " Especially Jimmy Birts " he replied, I knew then we had made the right decision ( to sack Bamford ) thought Robinson.

p.s. A great book if anyone out there hasn't read it.

Wonder if Leneghan will ever have the same conversation with noble re: mathers?

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:12 pm  

andyed-wiganrl wrote:

Wonder if Leneghan will ever have the same conversation with noble re: mathers?

I Doubt it

: Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:37 pm  

twosevenzero wrote:

It's in ' The Best Years Of Our Lives' by Paul Wilson.............................. On the day Bamford left Jack Robinson asked him " If you had your time at Wigan again would you do it all exactly the same" " Yes " replied Bamford, " What, even Jimmy Birts ! " said Robinson, " Especially Jimmy Birts " he replied, I knew then we had made the right decision ( to sack Bamford ) thought Robinson.

p.s. A great book if anyone out there hasn't read it.

Cracking read

At least Jimmy could say he has pulled on the cherry & white. Very dark days those.