And there will be people saying the same as and when an iffy patch comes this season but that’s life. In fairness to Rads, he knew that’s the nature of his job and he didn’t have a problem with it.



On a separate note, I’m probably more pleased for Rads than anyone regards the success of this past 2 years. He was getting some pelters before that but it’s a fine line when it comes to decisions. The way in which he carries himself and the class he shows is incredible and we’re so lucky he’s in charge. Above anyone, the day he decides to leave this club will worry me greatly.

At the end of the game one of the first things I said was that I hoped IL was there and involved, he deserved to be

Got told that he was there and a little story about him queuing up at a Bar to get something rather than using the "Do you know who I am" type attitude.

Everyone commented how Humble he came across



As for Rads

I know what he does behind the scenes

In early 2022 I somehow ended up in a 10/15 min conversation with IL and his sister and they both praised Rads on his work behind the scenes and how he'd grown and matured

BOTH of them also commented how much the 2 x covid years had taken out of Rads and how he needed supporting now after all the support he had given others and the club over that period



Another little story

The oach crash after the Catalans match last year, him and Dave Foti from Catalans sport were there ASAP

I had lots of friends on that coach and they said Rads was brilliant with them

What is little know is that they day after he went to their resort/hotels to visit them all etc and as well as gifts etc he spoke to a couple who had been in hospital overnight and the discharged the following morning.

They'd paid €xxx Euro to get back, and Rads said were not having that and gave them that money to cover their journey

(I appreciate that insurance etc would have done it at some point I guess) but that speaks volumes for the man.

A week later I saw him in the fans village, checking things and making sure everyone was alright and we (3 of us whos mates had been in that coach) purposefully went over and Thanked him for what he'd done, 10 seconds was all it took

It does grate on me a bit when some people moan over anything instead of enjoying the occasion its like they need something go wrong so they can tell everyone "I told you".Allways remember a guy said Sam Tomkins was crap and he could play and back heel the goals over better,Oh how I laughed in his face and called him out 'if you are that good how come you are not on the pitch'.

The fans who moan "jobs for the boy's" etc get a life support your team,it's fantastic being a Wigan Supporter,the best in all the Land.

To be honest, we shouldn't even give some of these people the time of day.



One guy allegedly stopped watching the club (and certainly left this forum) the week IL took charge simply because, in his own words, he didn't like the look of him.



Others bitterly condemned IL for his 'treatment' of Brian Noble, even though it was common knowledge at the time that Nobby was looking for other jobs. Others had a pop at IL for the Michael Maguire appointment either because MM was an untried entity or because he wasn't named soon enough, or because Nobby got sacked before we had anyone else sewn up (imagine, they actually believe that!).



Another chap was rock-solid in his conviction that IL was only at Wigan to drain the accounts (of what?, you might well ask). Another continually tried to draw parity between IL's comments about Latics, which were all quite pleasant and positive, with the then Latics' owners' threats to turn all the red seats blue.



Looking back on it, it's all so ludicrous that I genuinely don't know why I (for one) even used to engage with them.

The Wigan organisation is class from top to bottom and has been since IL took over. We are very lucky to have people who care so much about the club and community in charge. Coupled with the obvious success (not to mention scintillating play) we're currently experiencing on the field, we should savour this era. It's a joy to be a Wigan fan at the moment.

Superleague appears to be as strong as ever off the field, led by ourselves and Saints the likes of Hull KR, Leeds, Leigh, Catalans etc look to be heading in the right way to grow the game by making the on field spectacle worth watching and enticing new interest

While the game's authorities do their best to sabotage it.

So much for the Australians 'never wanting to play the game again' due to the refereeing - Peter Vlandys in an interview called the Wigan Penrith game one of the best games youll ever see and talks about taking the game to 'state of origin' level. Also says the game needs a strong SL and they'll look at ways to support how they can. Good on him.

The sport needs a strong international platform, the more regular World Cups/5 Nations/Test Series tours the better it will be. Early 90s to Late 00's we had a great structure but we've let it slip.

[urlhttps://www.seriousaboutrl.com/world-club-challenge-records-monster-viewing-figures-on-bbc-88532/[/url

Thise figures are domestic viewing figures, it would be interesting to have the global viewing figures as I suspect it would have been shown around the globe as part of the international TV deal as well

You only Watch When it's Wigan !!!