You have to wonder what the marketing team made of his comments:

Lilley is quoted as saying “It’s never going to be an expansive, really good game on here, it’s one for the middles”. And admitting the players prefer to play away from Odsal.

Basically if you want to see a decent game, your best chance is when they visit an away ground. What sad state affairs this club finds itself in.

I think fairbank should be banned no problem with that at all , hallas should receive a ban also , if player welfare is paramount and the game is to be fair then that should be the outcome, if it isn’t it is setting the precedent of as long as it’s not seen I can break the rules , not an attitude I want to be seen in any sport .

It was like watching a game from the 80s. Traditional opening minutes of softening up. Punches thrown. We even provided some rotund forwards to add to the effect.

Maybe that’s why fairbank was sporting his sting from dune hairdo , crossley doing his best attempt at the batistuta nod after Beckham sending off in 98 .

The fact that a player called Fairbank was sent off added even more to the air of nostalgia.

Haha. Bongser recalls Karl Konkreet, but for a second thought of George Fairbairn. When playing for HKR at home in the early eighties, the latter absolutely chinned a young second choice Leigh half (think his name was David Dunn). The lad was flat out - no action taken. The game was on the box and the Beeb summariser said "In fairness, the lad was asking for that."

My, my (or in third person: His, his), how the game has changed!