With the loan deal being until the end of the season, and if as Saints4eva2013 says, Gaskell is OOC at the end of the season, why then would "the Doc" have to put pay to make it a permanent move?

I think it's a decent short term deal for both Saints and Salford to be honest.

I have high hopes for Gaskell, and hopefully this opportunity to develop his game at Salford will improve him as a player - certainly better for him than sitting at home on a game day.

Howarth will do a job for us, and he is certainly better than the options we would have had. He's not a world beater, but at least he is a natural #9, and has experience in the position.

A natural 9? No he's not, he's a loose forward/second rower. PV tried making him into a hooker for some unknowen reason and it's not worked. You'll see that when he plays, he's not comfortable there at all.

This is (on paper at least) the best swap we have done since Mick Worral went to Headingley and we got Phil Ford PLUS CASH in return

If I'm not mistaken Howarth is also our of contract at the end of the season.

Well, let's say I doubt it was the lusty scent of Howarth that persuaded Saints to loan Gaskell to Salford (rumour has it there is a lot of interest in the lad, and whoever signs him on loan certainly has a head start).

He is far more experienced in the position than the likes of Speakman and Ashe. As you say, he played the majority of his schoolboy rugby at #13, so his versatility will be highly beneficial given our current injury situation in those key positions.

We have only signed him on a short term deal, so it's not the end if the world if it doesn't work out.

Are you short of players in any other positions? We could always take Jonny Lomax off your hands.

Unless I'm missing something this is unbelievable business.
Howarth can't make our team ,has been given plenty of chances and although a trier he's not up to it.
Gaskell is a class act,but not seen him recently so I guess he may have gone backwards.
It was suggested that he's coming on a promise to play Stand Off.
That's ok by me.
Reality check. We are bottom of the league. We need a spark. This lad can provide it.

Why the fook would Saints want Howarth? Sorry but I'm struggling to recall him having a decent game in a Salford shirt and they surely must have one or two youngsters that could do a better job for them. Is this an ill-timed April Fools?

While Nathan Brown is off his meds, maybe we can persuade him to send us Puletua in exchange for Boyle!

Also, does this signing now mean the new coach is definitely in position? As I thought we weren't announcing any new singings until that was the case?

I don't reckon the new coach has his feet under the table yet. More likley this is a player we've been tracking for a while and the opportunity has now risen to get him. It's only on a loan until the end of the season, no fee being paid, not tying him up on a long deal, etc.

The young stand-off we've now aquired even kicks goals. Doesn't take a (Rugby) Genius to see this is a great deal for Salford...

No,not really.
Any coach would welcome Howarths exit.
We need to keep squad numbers constant so it's a no brainer really. There is no downside.
Having said all that,even if there are 2 coaches still in contention,it would have been good practice to bounce it off them both.

I agree with both of you, it's a great deal and one that anyone would jump at, but after the comments earler today about Noble signing and the comments made from Koukash about not signing anyone until the new man is in charge in got me thinking that maybe whoever is taking the hot seat is now in place.

According to the new updated player profiles page on the website we now have two number 23's. Owen & McGoldrick, I'm sure Owen should be 24.



Yes based on this it makes you wonder if Alan Hunte is being given the job on a permanent basis.