|
|
Salford Rugby League |
|
Salford City Reds RLFC I started watching Rugby League back in 1990. I'd been meaning to go to a game for many years but just never got around to it. It was a Sunday morning and i had nothing to do, when i noticed in the paper this fixture: Rugby League. Lancashire Cup, Rochdale Hornets v Salford at Spotland 12:30 I thought I'll go to that. So not knowing what to expect off i went. I think i paid £4 to get in and took up a position behind the sticks (Goals). Salford won 50 odd to not so many and i enjoyed it. Salford drew St Helens at home in the next round and i made the decision to go for my first ever visit to "The Willows". It was an entertaining game which Salford won, the atmosphere in The Shed was intoxicating and i was getting hooked on Rugby League! Leigh were defeated in the semi-final and Widnes awaited in the final. This was to be played at the then spiritual home of Rugby League, Central Park, Wigan! Widnes won the game but i was hooked and players like Tex Evans, Steve Kerry, Mark Lee & Steve Gibson became hero's to me. Great days I remember are the victory's against the top sides, the Second Division premiership win at Old Trafford. And above all the great entertainment that Rugby League provides. I've travelled the world watching Great Britain against Australia and New Zealand. (GB Link) I've been to many NRL matches, one of which i met my wife. May 12th 2000, Melbourne Storm v West Tigers. (Melbourne Storm Link ) Super League I have to say i'm not a fan of Super League and not a fan of "Summer Rugby" since when has standing at Leigh on a Friday night in 2 inches of SNOW in February equate to "SUMMER!" Also I love the term Rugby League, the term Super League is rubbish. So yes I during this Super League era I have become disillusioned with the game. Don't get me wrong the product on the pitch for 80 minutes is fantastic. It's the rest that is rubbish. Why Super League is RUBBISH In all the years its been going the final league table as been decided by a different set of rules on numerous occasions. sometimes no relegation, then the team finishing next bottom relegated. Top teams getting away with breaking rules, ie: Wigan and salary cap! and Saints & Bulls. The video ref only at 2 games a week, so those games played under different rules to the rest. A stupid lopsided fixture list where you play one team 4 times another 3 and the rest 2. So if Salford play St Helens 4 times and Castleford play Wakefield 4 times, its un-fair all round. Discipline is also rubbish. If say Shaun Long gets sent off for a high tackle (highly unlikely) and Saints play Leeds next game. Result.. "No case to answer or sending off sufficient." Any player from say Wakefield, Cas or Huddersfield, one or two match ban plus fine! And finally "SUMMER RUGBY" what a joke. Launched with the ideal that family's will sit in t-shirts on hot sunny Sunday afternoons.... oh yeah? so what do we get, St Helens, Wigan & Leeds play all home games on a Friday night kick off 8pm starting in February, and playing against a live TV game. Rubbish. And to cap it all they do away with GREAT BRITAIN just as we where getting the match of the Aussies and Kiwis. I feel sorry for two of my friends who are Scottish and have also followed GB for years.. they now feel not wanted! Why I Love Rugby League "Its the greatest game of all" I've been a Football supporter (Burnley FC link) for 38 years now and I love supporting my team, and England but that's it. I'm fed up of players who earn £110,000 a week trying to cheat every week by diving, rolling around when hardly touched (try Rugby League you softies) and trying to get fellow players sent off.. its crap! Rugby League is 80 minutes of hard honest effort by true sportsmen, and for 80 minutes you get entertained!!! I watch Salford when ever I can, but also i'll even go to Leeds for a game or Wigan. I LOVE IT... we just need to get it right at the top. Salford Links
|