: Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:42 am
What you are basically saying is if any player has played for a different club and had the audacity to beat us playing for that club, we have every right to abuse him?
If I'm right in the above assumption, then the only players who are beyond reproach are the ones who have played for the club since they were 16 and never left to play against us (and believe me, some of the best homegrown players have come for plenty of unwarranted stick in the past).
Well IMO, on both counts you are very wrong.
By your reckoning we should be booing Wildbore, Mills, Hartley, Doran, Gaskell, Varkulis, TKL, Thackeray, Duffy, Webster, Gannon, Smith, Fletcher, Morrison and Bannister as I am sure most if not all of these have played in teams that have beaten Widnes in the past
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If a player comes to Widnes and plays for us, as long as he is doing his best (regardless of ability) then it is our duty to encourage and cheer for any player who pulls the shirt on his back.
The exception, as MOZ has pointed out is part of the 2005 squad.
I take your point about professionalism but we have to treat players as that. If every homegrown player played for their home town team then the likes of Leeds would have 1st team squads of around 250
They have a right to earn a crust from the game wherever they choose and are wanted.
Long gone are the days of 12 locals and a South African.