No!

I think you'll find it was

Are you on about Jason Robinson?

If you are then my apology, I thought you were on about Luke Robinson, who was also signed by Eric Howley.

Les - point is, Leeds had a good look at Robinson but decided that as a halfback he wasn't as good as Stephens. It's one of those oft-cited examples of Leeds' 'failure' to spot talent. IIRC they also chose not to sign Derryck Fox and Kevin Ward as juniors. Plus Schofield, Hanley, blah blah. Never mind we got Dave Creasser.

I'm fairly sure the way Robinson put it in his book Leeds hadn't made a choice - they wanted Robinson to play halfback as a trialist in an alliance game so they could assess him better.

The game clashed with an important Parkside game and Robinson felt the latter more important. Eric Hawley then seized the opportnity and approached Auntie Mo who took a punt on him immediately.

Not too dissimilar to how Eric Cantona came to Leeds not Sheff Wednesday - one club wanted a trial game the other was willing to sign without and took advantage of the delay.

I haven't read the book but that's how I recall the missing out on Robinson going down. IIRC David Ward was the Leeds coach who insisted on the 'A' team trial first but I could be mistaken on that.


So near and yet so far

I had heard that Jason Robinson was somewhat lacking in the brains department and kept forgetting the moves discussed in training when playing half back.
Hence why Leeds decided not to take him on board and he was snapped up by Wigan who played him on the wing until he would eventually move to the halves.
The rest is history as they say.

Yeaman and Atkins are off the same conveyor belt of average centres with a bit of size but very limited ability.

Shenton is far better than them both IMO. Even Gary Wheeler at Saints, playing out of position, has shown more ability to beat a man in the centres than I can remember seeing recently from Atkins or Yeaman.

Those two bore me to tears.

Don't be so snobbish.

Senior isn't as gifted as Gidley or Godden etc but his size, speed and power creates space in a different way.

Shenton will never sign for Leeds until he changes agent.

You can't begin to compare Senior to Atkins or Yeaman, he's a zillion times better than both and was at the same age too.

I reckon the same two. Atkins and Yeaman have severley limited games. Neither of them have the class that Shenton posseses.

I'm not. I am saying they share similar attributes.

Senior has never posessed the footwork or sleight of hand of, say Gidley or Godden but Senior has used what he has - speed, strength and size - to create space for his wingers.

I am saying that is what the likes of Atkins and Yeaman have at their disposal.

Agreed, my point is Atkins and Yeaman treat wingers as an afterthought, Senior doesn't.

Ash Gibson is able to treat wingers well but lacks that size which causes defences to cheat up on him, creating more space for said winger.