Many thanks to all you Fartowners, my new number 2 team

Smith is still a couple of trophys short of Alex Murphy's era.

Good thread this, so some very humbling posts.

Wasn't so interested in RL in the 70's (more soccer - Everton), but it's not just Coach / Captain that's key.

I think Brian Johnson was a good coach but never had the resources that Tony Smith has - from money to training facilities to backroom infrastructure, but the game was generally different then.

Lord Tony inherited a good side who were short on confidence. He came in and changed a lot of little things - even how to hold the ball (and this to 'test' level players!) and where to stand when kicking off !

That didn't go down too well with some (Rauhihi included) but this had an almost immediate impact.

The key relationship is Moran and Smith for me.
They get on. End of.
Long may that be so - and we'll keep having success.

The transformation towards where we are today IMO started during the Peter Deakin years. He led the vision for the club and got the fans and business backing involved, up steps Simon Moran and plans were in place. Success like we current experience hasn't happened overnight and even though behind the scenes we were winning various awards it wan't until TS arrived and changed the so called 'culture' of the players that we saw the start of on field success.

As far as is TS the best coach we have had, that is a difficult one. IMO and during the time since I have supported the Wire since our successful period in the mid 70s I would say yes. The game is different now compared to the 7 or 8 years Murphy was coach and he had the Ossie Davis money. Murph was both a special players and coach. There were a lot more trophies available in the 70s and the Wire won a number of the knock out competitons but we fell short with the Championship/Division 1 winners and only won the one coverted Challenge Cup, which was the biggie in those days. Then there was the succesful era of the 50s when Ces Mountford was in charge. The older geneation can give their opinions on that time.

I enjoyed the Brian Johnson era even though we again fell short with the big titles but the style of rugby was enjoyable and we had some exciting players in out team. It was a sad end to his time at the Wire unfortunately.

Anyway players come and go and hopefully TS/SM and the senior players in the team have left a legacy for the future of the club and long may this continue.

Good luck to the team in the final, lets bring that trophy to the hj.

Tony Smith came in, he hasn't gotten too close to the team like Paul Cullen was their mate, Tony Smith ain't.

Tony Smith is responsible for player retention and recruitment thanks to Simon Moran.
Paul Cullen was the coach of who Simon Moran wanted, not who Paul Cullen himself wanted.