Hi I'm new to the forum. Been a FC supporter for 63 years. Saw my first match when I was 11 years old. Don't ask me which match it was, all I know is I have been hooked on this wonderful game of rugby league ever since. So I've been through the ups and downs of FC.

I used to enjoy reading the forum until a couple of years ago when I found lively discussion deteriorate into slagging players, coaches and every man and his dog.

I endorse what the last 3 posters have said.

Come on let this year be more positive and give the players and a hard working coaching staff your backing. Who knows we may have the beginnings of a team that we have been wishing for. Give them a chance to show us before judging them. I for one think Radders is doing a good job considering he's only been doing it for a year.

Talking of new young coaches, I had the pleasure of talking to James Lowe on New Years Eve and wishing him and his team all the best for the coming season. Real nice guy, great player for his club and country.



So come on lads lets get back to the fun times of the forum and make it a better read.



All the best to you all for the coming year and season.



Come on yee ull!!!!

Just for the sake of balance. Stuart Howarth was very useful in the Wigan Academy team. He won the MoM in the under 20s GF against Saints in 2010 and moved immediately to Wakey for 2011. He played at Loose Forward for Wigan Academy having played Stand Off in the younger age groups. He was unlikely to get a regular chance in the first team as they were particularly strong in the back row and the Wakey move gave him first team opportunities at a very young age for a forward.



I don't know the circumstances of his move to Salford, but he played the majority of 2011 at Wakey at 13. I must admit I was surprised to see him turn out at hooker as he does seem ill suited to the role. It seems unfair to criticise him for poor performances at hooker when it is plain that he is being played out of position. Having said that (from memory) Nathan Brown saw fit to include him there for Saints in 2013 when Roby was injured , so what do I know?



I hope he gets a chance for you at 13 if Westerman is injured. Stuart is still a young man at 24 and maybe he could fulfil the potential he showed at Wigan as a youngster.

Spot on last two posts. Well said

Spot on mate, well said! Let's get behind the lads!

I did say he was the exception.



All the Salford fans that have contributed to this thread have said the same thing, and in my case it's not in malice against the player or his new Club. If he gets game time he may be a great bargain or maybe the opposite. If all he is is a third-rate back-up it's not sending out a great message to Academy players who are trying to break through.



One of your fellow fans retorted about Tommy Lee in a thinly disguised dig previously. The irony being that he came to us with the same expectations that Howarth has come to you. I was not a fan of Lee at all, but he proved to be a decent signing last season. Enough to make me eat my words. Hopefully Howarth might do the same for you.

At least our academy players have a chance of breaking through,have you seen the players come through and put in the 1st team squad with a very good chance of playing.We blooded players last season...Abdui,Logan,Lancaster,Cunningham,Hadley,Harry Tyson-Wilson.

Sorry I missed off my view on the signing of Stuart Howarth.

When I saw him first play for Saints I didn't think he was a hooker but like any other player brought into a team without preseason training he struggled a bit to fit in, but you couldn't fault his effort and commitment . I thought the longer he played for them the better he got. Surprised he's played at looseforward. Doesn't have the build. Don't think he's a bad short term signing as cover and it's been made clear that's what he is.

He should be welcomed like any other new player to Hull and given a chance. Who knows he may surprise us and turn out to be a very shrewd signing. You have to give credit to Lee for being proactive instead of being reactive.

Remember all the online Wayne Bennetts on here being negative about Jordan Thompson this time last year. All I know is give the kid a chance before criticising.

That's great. I'm pleased for you.



Must be a mistake on Iestyn's part that he's included Theo Fages, Jason Walton, Jordan Walne, Adam Walne, Niall Evalds, Jon Ford, and Matty Gee in the 2015 squad. Seeing as fc baldy seems to think Salford academy players don't have a chance of breaking through...

To be fair, given the competition rules, he didn't have much choice did he?

The ones I qouted have broken through and played 1st team.Will the ones you have said breakthrough......isn't Fages a h/b?....what message did it send out to him when you offerd Dobson massive money to join your band of mercenaries.

Theo Fages, Jason Walton, Jordan Walne, Adam Walne, Niall Evalds all had big parts to play last season. Well done to Hull for blooding 6 youngsters, 1 more than little old Salford and here was me thinking Hull was a hotbed of rugby league?





























[size=50Lets see how many bites I can get[/size

Well done.........the days of paying out daft money for average players has gone and academy players is the way to go

think mercenaries suits you lot just fine , thanks all the same

We won't include Cunningham's return because he's not a signing.

Why are our signings any less mercenary than Salfords?

Don't quite get the Salford hate.

They've signed a fair number of players, some on presumably big money. So what?

Takes time to get a youth production line going as we well know, as long as Koukash's money gets them there in a few years.

Warrington were the same when Moran took over if I recall. They're not a in a bad situation now.

There's an interview with Feka on FC live thingy - he's played "off him" at both Salford and Wigan so perhaps he is able to pass a ball after all. Seems to me that if he's played at SL level and he's our third choice we're in a pretty strong position now at 9. Roll on the Huddersfield game so that we can start slagging someone else off who's actually pulled on an FC shirt.

It amazes me that posters on here never learn. How many of you had to eat your words last

season. Give Howarth a chance, if he has come through the Wigan Academy and played for Saints

he must have something about him.

OK then



Mrs Barista in Rovers scouting shocker

Good a place as any.... Mr Koukash, in the Sporting Life.....

He's sh*t, hence salford getting rid and now he's 3rd choice at a club who will not finish in the top 8