Joined: Sep 04 2005 Posts: 1113 Location: In the land of wishful thinking once more. Patiently waiting for our time to finally arrive.
hatty wrote:Not sure where this financial advantage comes from? It was a case of speculate to accumulate, everyone could have done what we did, but we were the only club with the bottle to do it.
Don't think that's quite the whole picture here. In the late 80s the Wigan board (Lindsey and a couple of business partners I believe) made a hefty injection of cash into the club, at a level well beyond most other club's reach at the time.
The end result of this investment was that by the early 90s Wigan were operating a full-time squad within what was then still ostensibly a part-time sport. I believe Leeds were moving towards a similar model as the winter era came to a close, but virtually every other club in the game at that time simply didn't have access to that level of funding, even if the wish to do so was there. Certainly was the case with Hull Fc who hit financial difficulties as the decade wore on.
I don't deny that it was forward thinking by the Wigan board, and it did produce a superb team arguably the best club side the British game has seen, but it was unquestionably operating in an uneven playing field, hence my point above about your achievements when set against, say, Penrith's four successive NRL titles in a salary capped competition.
The equivalent today would be expecting championship football sides to compete with Manchester City. I admired the Wigan side 1990-95 and respected the raising of standards and new professionalism they brought to British rugby league, but the caveat remains that it happened against diminished opposition. They weren't tested often enough because the rest of us were incapable of putting together a team to compete.
I've been on the internet and have already got a sense of the fans' passion for the club. They are very fanatical - Peter Gentle 12th September 2011.
Money doesn't talk it swears, Obscenity who really cares, Propaganda all is phony.
I'm the son and heir of a shyness which is criminally vulgar.
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.
A man who lives in hell can still aspire to heaven.
Joined: Feb 14 2003 Posts: 3742 Location: wigan...where else!!
BP1 wrote:Don't think that's quite the whole picture here. In the late 80s the Wigan board (Lindsey and a couple of business partners I believe) made a hefty injection of cash into the club, at a level well beyond most other club's reach at the time.
The end result of this investment was that by the early 90s Wigan were operating a full-time squad within what was then still ostensibly a part-time sport. I believe Leeds were moving towards a similar model as the winter era came to a close, but virtually every other club in the game at that time simply didn't have access to that level of funding, even if the wish to do so was there. Certainly was the case with Hull Fc who hit financial difficulties as the decade wore on.
I don't deny that it was forward thinking by the Wigan board, and it did produce a superb team arguably the best club side the British game has seen, but it was unquestionably operating in an uneven playing field, hence my point above about your achievements when set against, say, Penrith's four successive NRL titles in a salary capped competition.
The equivalent today would be expecting championship football sides to compete with Manchester City. I admired the Wigan side 1990-95 and respected the raising of standards and new professionalism they brought to British rugby league, but the caveat remains that it happened against diminished opposition. They weren't tested often enough because the rest of us were incapable of putting together a team to compete.
That's fair comment and eloquently put I may add
1998,2010,2013,2016,2018 & 2023.....I was there ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reports have come through that Police have stopped and arrested 50 Hull KR fans on the M62 with flares as they were on their way to the Grand Final v Wigan at Old Trafford today. It turned out they were the same flares they were wearing the last time they won a trophy in 1985
Joined: Sep 04 2005 Posts: 1113 Location: In the land of wishful thinking once more. Patiently waiting for our time to finally arrive.
Think this evening may revolve around which is the bigger factor; Wigan's experience in seemingly to always pull out the right performance on the biggest occasions or rovers hunger and desire to end their (long) trophy drought?
Reckon Wigan will just have that little bit extra class and know-how to get the job done tonight, probably by a score, around 18-12, but it could easily fall the other way.
My nagging doubt is that sooner or later someone has to bust open the Wigan/Saints/Leeds cartel and lift the trophy. Let's hope it's not tonight
C'mon Wigan, you have half the City of Hull roaring you on to victory tonight!!
I've been on the internet and have already got a sense of the fans' passion for the club. They are very fanatical - Peter Gentle 12th September 2011.
Money doesn't talk it swears, Obscenity who really cares, Propaganda all is phony.
I'm the son and heir of a shyness which is criminally vulgar.
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.
A man who lives in hell can still aspire to heaven.
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