Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:32 am  

Bird's heart was in it but to be honest he wasn't a very good player. Knew his way over the line but was shambolic in defence at times.

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:45 pm  

Some good players there. Didn't Cantillon score about 40 one year? I had to laugh when I seen Relfs name, I just remember Appo laughing at at him in the last minute at the Stobart. Finnegan and Carter were good ones as well. No room for Kevin penny?

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 2:42 pm  

spruce
devlin
hughes
moule
royle

scarts
lawford

Stone
millard
Relf
hay
farrel
Jules

smith
toc
o'neill
viane

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:03 pm  

Mark wrote:

Some good players there. Didn't Cantillon score about 40 one year? I had to laugh when I seen Relfs name, I just remember Appo laughing at at him in the last minute at the Stobart. Finnegan and Carter were good ones as well. No room for Kevin penny?

What? A winger just about managing to beat a prop forward in a foot race. No offence but that says more about Appos mickey-poor attitude to a fellow professional than anything about Robert Relf, who, for your information, made an outstanding contribution to Widnes while he was here.

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:53 pm  

Cantillon scored 48 in 2001 - a record for tries in a season by a forward.

What was weird the other year when we played Rochdale and Cantillon was playing for them. Fairly certain he scored a try and they won. Despite that we'd just lost a game we were never expected to lose in a million years, there were few Widnes fans cheering and shouting ooo ahh Cantillon. Think it goes to show how highly he is still thought of around here.

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:55 pm  

A.N.Other Viking wrote:

1.Spruce (better for us but Peachey was a better player)

2.Blanch (class)
3.Hughes (was at times superb in SL others done it in NL)
4.JD ( solid, I will put Moule ahead of him in 2 weeks though)
5.Munro (solid with a bit of pace)

6.Scarts (when he left was never replaced big reason of our downfall)
7.Eaton (only cos theres nobody better worst position for us)

8.Relf (good solid)
9.Millard (got us moving round the PTB)
10.O'Connor (top metres in a relagated side says it all)

11.McCurrie (for jibbing dire to come back to us then scoring that try against them)
12.Cass (workhorse)

13.Frame (solid)

subs:
14.Jules (was excellent for us at times)
15.Cants ( off the bench in SL he still looked good)
16.Stone (never really replaced him but only 1 season)
17.Julian (never let us down)

A pretty good side when firing so I'd go with that.

As you say, scrum half has always been our issue and Eaton, though never spectacular always gave his best. I also think special mention should got to Martin Crompton who was great for us in our promotion campaign. He partnered Agar brilliantly - another who is unlucky to miss out.

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:56 pm  

Mark wrote:

Some good players there. Didn't Cantillon score about 40 one year? I had to laugh when I seen Relfs name, I just remember Appo laughing at at him in the last minute at the Stobart. Finnegan and Carter were good ones as well. No room for Kevin penny?

He was a top player in his first two seasons as a Widnes player was Relf.

Think Cantillon scored 47 (?) in the old NFP in the promotion season. Either way it was a world record for a forward and it probably will stand for the rest of our lifetimes!

Finnigan went in my selection on raw ability. In the shambolic season of 05, he cared as little as the rest of Endacott's flops. Never really took to Carter myself.


What's everyone's thoughts on Andy Hay? He was made to be a massive scapegoat in his time at Widnes but he had the respect of his team-mates and coaches, being made captain at one stage.

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Sat Jan 02, 2010 5:50 pm  

Niceto see Beswick popping up.

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Tue Jan 05, 2010 8:37 pm  

richardviking wrote:

Never really took to Carter myself.

I thought we were better with the ball when Weston played with Eaton - Cas away and Leeds home spring to mind from that season. I liked Carter, he had the right attitude and was hard as nails but the backs played better off Weston IMO.

Re: Widnes team of the decade? : Tue Jan 05, 2010 8:49 pm  

My Team would look something like this.

1. Spruce
2. Blanch
3. Moule
4. TKL
5. Demetriou
6. Carter
7. Moran
8. Relf
9. Smith
10.O'Connor
11.Wilkes
12.Stone
13.Frame

14 Grix
15 Farrell
16 Tandy
17 McDermott

The Vicar