I'm going to The Band On The Wall in Manchester on Saturday to see a band called " The Excitements ". If you've seen early film of The Ike and Tina Turner roadshow, they're in that style.

I've just watched the England v Wales game. Not a bad match. Of course you never really beat Wales, You just score more points than them. One or two players out there would make great League players, the two full backs for a start.

You need to stop living out of the chip pan matey.

Mm, interesting one. When the Hornets sold their old ground ( The Athletic Grounds ) to "Morrisons " in about 1990 they were in a position to do just that. It was at the time people were paying daft prices for land and we got mega bucks for the site. It was a large site with a dog track around the pitch and in a prime position. That paid off all their debts and bought a half share in Rochdale AFC's ground at Spotland. We'd spent a little bit of dosh on the team to get promoted to what is now Super League and had over a million in the bank. Half of that was put in a trust with a legally binding provision not to be touched, just the interest was to be used. That was a massive amount of dosh in a part time game in 1990, The coach at the time ( a sort of Stan Ternent type ) didn't want to blow the dosh right away so the board sacked him and brought in a coach who would. What followed was a terrible season where we only won one league game, got relegated, and blew most of the dosh in an attempt to stay up on players who either not good enough or past it or just in it for the money. Ring any bells ? From that time it was downhill slowly and steadily all the way until a few years ago. We managed to blow the Sky money during that time as well. The club finally hit the buffers a couple of years ago and went into administration. The fans re-formed the club into a co-op and have turned things around. Last season we got promoted from the bottom tier to the next level up but it's going to be tough. If Venkies had been given Jack's dosh they would have keaned up just like the well meaning people at Hornets did. Money doesn't always bring automatic success.

And that has got exactly what to do with Rugby League ?Maybe I get it now, is it a cryptic question regarding the salary cap ? As far as the salary cap goes it's certainly levelled up the Super League playing field. It's a bit less of a one or two horse race now. In the old days when Wigan first went full time professional and all the other clubs were still part time it got ridiculous, nobody could really compete and even some of the Wigan fans I know were getting bored. It wasn't a question of wether they were going to win or not it was by how many. The only trouble is it enables Aussie Clubs and Union to pinch our better players. Being a Hornets fan it's not really an issue for me. We get by on a budget about equal to Best's monthly wage ! Would it work in football ? It's a great idea but obviously and something needs to be done but it would have to be Worldwide and strictly enforced by the football authorities so it won't happen.

Man Utd fans use exactly that argument all the time. Al brought up the point that in the Rugby League world Wigan are viewed in the same way as Utd are. From a sporting point of view I wouldn't agree. Wigan bring more than their share of players through. Having said that before the salary cap they weren't averse to getting the cheque book out when they felt like it. They took, Henderson Gill, Martin Hall, Neil Cowie and Danny Sculthorpe from Hornets for instance. Where I'd say Al is right is the view the rest of the Rugby League has of Wigan fans. You are seen as having the same sort of attitudes most people dislike in Utd fans. Wether you like it or not, that is the general perception. As my mum used to say " If the cap fits, wear it ".

I've never had a go at Wigan as a Rugby League club. The fans have a certain reputation amongst other Rugby League fans. as have Man Utd fans in the other code. That's it, that's all I said.

No not really. Ask any other Rugby League fan that supports a team other than Wigan. They have got a similar reputation to Man Utd fans. The have that similar arrogance that lets them think they have a divine right to win things every season. Like a said, the " Wigan Walk " is famous throughout Rugby League. Not all Wigan fans are like that, but quite a lot are. I've got a few really good mates who follow Wigan and they try to keep a level head but now and again it sneaks out. They're the sort of guys who'll be booking their hotel for the London RL Cup Final six months in advance. The minute they get knocked out they cancel the booking. You're right about the togetherness in Rugby League, it's like one big family really but as in most families we don't always see eye to eye. I don't have much to say about Super League because I never watch it. It's the worst thing that ever happened the game of Rugby League. Ultimately it'll kill the game as we know it, it's too late to change things back again.

Yeah be careful Al, it's the mighty Wigan you're dissing. What sort of reply is that ? You stuck for words ?

The link between Man Utd fans and Wigan fans is they both think they have the divine right to Lord it over the rest of the competition. When it doesn't go their way it's offski. They didn't name it the " Wigan Walk " for no reason.

You're not wrong Al.

The scrums are a farce in Union. Nobody knows what's going on half the time, especially the referee. They just give penalties at random. I remember watching a top union game on TV, either a final or a semi-final. There was only seconds to go and the team with the put in at the scrum were set up for a match winning drop goal right in front of the sticks. The referee went round the blind side to see what was going on. As he did so a player from the defending team reached across out of the scrum and batted the ball out of the attacking scrum halves hands into his own forwards feet. The ball came out the back of the scrum and the stand off banged the usual big kick downfield. Game over. The attacking team went bananas but the referee and touch judge missed it all !

You didn't have long to wait for mistakes, the game was full of them.

How anyone would pay good money to watch that tripe is beyond me. There's a big common outside my front window and if thar game was being played there I would have drawn the blinds after about 20 minutes. As long as that's the level of completion League has nothing to fear. It was on in the pub so I watched it. From an excitement point of view it was OK. Two bad teams together, mud wrestling. The try count tells you all you need to know. But from a rugby skills point of view it was dire. I'd really, really love England to batter Wales but for that to happen we'll have to improve at least 100 %.

I know it's not rugby league but I watched the England v Ireland game yesterday. Watching England is like having teeth pulled. Their decision making is awful. They spent the last ten minutes of the game kicking any possession they had straight back to the Irish. I hope I'm wrong but I'm afraid Wales are 20 points better at the moment. Why Burgess would want to play Union I'll never know. There's more to life than a big bank account.

Moores has a lot of fans at top level in cricket.

Condolences to all his friends and family. A unique poster. Fifty odd is no age at all.

Showing your age there Koi, they've not played at Fartown for many a year now.

Great batsman but Pietersen has been trouble every where he's played,

Correct, building for failure at present.

Maybe they were expecting you to leave earlier ? As for " Hollands Pies ", is it true there are no cats in Baxenden ?

Petersen's @#/? off every team he's ever played for. There's one common denominator in this equation - Kevin Petersen.

We someone from outside in as a head coach. Forget Ashley Giles.

Words fail me. Never mind sacking Flower they should have made him walk the plank. This was the most humiliating performance in the history of English cricket. When we lost 5-0 last time a least we were playing a really good team.