You are going to get that in forums though. Transfer gossip, rumours of absence, who's doing what? Who's best friends off the field. Who's been spotted drunk in town etc etc.

We're a small sport in comparison to some, but we have many fans. As such, there is limited amount of fact to talk about, unless you want to constantly talk about previous facts? That would become a bit tedious after a while.

I like rumours of transfers, mainly because I will then begin to cast my eye over that player, gives me something else to watch in a neutral game (although I watch any rugby league game, I really enjoy the sport).

I know the defamation of character style is a bit off at times, but to be honest, the media are full of it as well. All these 'sources close to' and 'guess who was'. Shame really, I avoid tabloids completly. One recent one was that missing architect who was killed. The landlord was arrested, the papers were full of stories calling him a wierdo etc etc, he gets released without charge. Never once do the apologise.

I must admit though, if someone has a story about a rugby league player, I will listen to it. Its my passion (rugby, not gossip)

I know of a teacher who was recently given 6 months off work because she was going through a divorce. And guess who's paying her wages? Yes, me and you, so she can lie back and wollow in her own mire.

never forget the time I was an apprentice in Trafford Park. A bloke came into work 1 monday morning looking knackered. When asked why he looked so tired, he replied that he had been in the hospital all night with his mother who was dying and eventually died in the night. When asked what the bloody hell he was doing coming into work ( by the foreman), he replied, " I did'nt know whatelse to do, you've just got to get on with it."

they don't make em like they used to.

I know a guy who ran someone over in a bus and killed them, it wasn't his fault but he went off sick with 'stress'.

Poor him eh, he should of just got on with it ?

The PC brigade on here are embarrassing. Gleeson is a mug who's brought all this on himself, don't give him pity, as he never felt sorry for you when he took your money in his wage packet and blown it up the wall getting blitzed.

Still, I've worked with plenty of people that have had time off work due to 'stress', and, in most cases, they bring it on themselves through their own actions. It wouldn't surprise me if this is the same as Gleeson.

Martin Aspinwalls in prison right now.......so i think you can asume some tales from Wiganers are true.

Surprised it took till the end of page 5 for the PC brigade to be mentioned. How do you know he brought it on himself? I love the judgmental crap on here.

By brought, I meant the aggro he's getting at the moment. People don't have sympathy for Gleeson because of his antics through his career. Gleeson doesn't deserve sympathy. If this was an impeccable pro who has tried his utmost to keep a clean record through his career, I'd wish him well and accept that he's having a hard time of it. But he's not, so if somebody doesn't want to wish him well, they shouldn't be challenged by somebody documenting experiences of stress.

Imagine if this time last year if Terry Newton had said he was suffering from stress and depression what would the response have been?

"He's a cheat/thug he's brought it on himself, I've no sympathy for him, he should man up, too many people are soft these days"

He knew he wouldn't have got any sympathy off anyone so he kept quiet about it and killed himself.

Then afterwards, people were saying why isn't there more support for rugby league players, the game should have done something to support him, before it got to that stage.

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Don't know what support he is getting or the cause of this stress, but hope RFL have at least offered to see if they can help.

Are you trying to say that, if people gave Terry sympathy, he wouldn't have topped himself? Considering we know little of Terry's mental state and/or reasons why he took his own life, I'm unsure whether public sympathy would have helped him at all. As for the 'league should have done more', that's an entirely different debate, as Newton was a player banned for taking an illegal substance, whereas Gleeson is just taking time off. If this time off prevents Gleeson from committing suicide, then that would be brilliant, but people shouldn't be expected to give sympathy. Gleeson's lived a much-scrutinized career, if people want to judge him from that, they are more than entitled to.

What really angers me with some of the unsympathetic replies on this thread is the perception that stress is just like a bout of flu.Well maybe for a few the word stress means a few weeks off work but from my own personal experience stress usually leads 2 depression not to mention other mental issues so whatever wrongs Martin Gleeson has done he's a human being and not Jack The Ripper.

I think we'll end the thread on that note