Re: Fulham v trinity : Wed Feb 17, 2021 8:12 am
Talking of Steve Tinker, when I was a teenager it always amazed me just how many quite well known ex players there were dotted around Wakefield, especially in the seventies.When I first came to Wakefield it seemed every other man over the age of 30 had played for Trinity. Although football in 1976 had not yet become millionaires row it was unlikely that you’d find a former England centre forward running a newsagents on Dewsbury road.
At first this didn’t impress me at all and made the game seem small time compared to football. Although I’d always played and watched RL football was my passion and where the glamour was.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that I really embraced RL. And one of the big attractions was how accessible it all was. Quite famous players past and present running pubs, bookies and shops, totally engrained in the communities they represented. Hell I’m sounding like Redcat now!
All the same that seems lost now. May just be society in general but I don’t come across many ex players working locally in mundane jobs these days. I suppose some of that’s down to the clubs tragic dependency on overseas players up until recently but all the same I do wonder where ex players end up these days. Maybe it’s longer careers or better education.
All the same I can’t see Tom Johnstone working in a garage in Wrenthoroe in ten years time. Really is a lost era of the local team with local lads. Don’t know if it’s sad as such but it does represent a very different era.