Wigan and Saints don't own the junior clubs in their areas, maybe we need more/better talent scouts?

Winslade Offload said :- Welcome to the board btw, you seem to have a very good good knowledge of the club. Mind you, you don't need that on here really as we all talk a load of rubbish most of the time.

Thanks for the welcome been watching the Wire since 57/58 and amongst other things seeing the real Charlie Winslade making his debut for the club. I have watched this board from afar for many years but feel strongly about local lads playing for the club. There has never been enough which hopefully will change. Oh, and don't worry, I can speak a load of rubbish as well!

I don't think we've done too bad scouting the Wigan amateur clubs over the years - you'll always start off on the back foot trying to attract them away from their hometown club though.

I think the club has improved immensely since the Wilderspool days. I remember the Cullen comment of loading from above and below, hence the signings at the time of the likes of Bridge, Grix, Westwood etc.

When I was a kid playing in the town there was only one club that had a regular team at our age group, and that was Woolston. Now Latchford, Crosfields, Burtonwood and even Culcheth have teams throughout (be nice to see one in the Birchwood area....).

On Evans, he's obviously a victim of his recent injury, and due to the number of payers we have in that position. I think he will pick up a contract with a bottom 4 SL club and kick on. I hope he does.

I hope he goes well elsewhere, for me he was injured way too often to be an effective backup and way too often to ever show us what he could do. I hope he can sort his injury problems out and make a career from the game. Its a shame but there is no point wasting your cap space on having cover for your first team that's never available.

And how many Wigan kids get binned off?
It's fortunate for many clubs that they do!
Ben will find his level elsewhere.....
....just like Matty Russell, not good enough as a Wigan winger but good enough for us.