Paul f'ing Ford better than Hodgson!!!!!!!!!!

I obviously missed the re-writing of history in which Paul Ford became anything more than a half decent back-up.

I seem to remember Cardiss starting pretty well for us, he came in a couple of months before the end of the 2003 season and helped give us some impetus in our charge for 6th spot. Then 2004 came round and he wasn't the same, I think he had long standing injury problems after that and was never properly fit.

Grose in his first season at fullback was right up there with Hodgson, the difference between him and Hodgson was Grose had one outstanding season and two rank average ones and Hodgson had two outstanding seasons and one good season. In fairness to Grose though he had had two very good seasons at centre before that.

I agree with you there Sally - that's 3 times this year.
Wierd !

The club cut Cardiss's contract short by a year - same with John Wilshire who played well for Salford.

Re Grose - I came across an Ausie wensite that were 'dissing' Grose as the worst player ever !
Unbeliveable and total cr@p

Back up centre who then played a few games at FB and played the first 20 minutes of the 1986 Premiership Final. after that he was virtually never heard of again. Certainly nowhere near the top 10 fullbacks I've seen at Wire.

Quite right. We've missed his defence and he has great hands too. Not as slick as Brett in attack though. Both great guys too.

Mathers arrival was probably the best regular fb we had had in 2 decades.

Id still have him now. We wouldn't have won the cc in 2009 without him.

I forgot Mathers. I would put him in between Lyon and Cardiss on my list.

Mathers was pretty good but he was error prone.

Forgot Rob Myler! Had all the potential in the world, took a bad knock to the head and was never the same again.

if i had to pick a top 3 it would be
1st hodgson
2nd johnno
3rd hesford
as for players like dave lyon paul ford they were good full backs and very reliable...any one go maine road on a freezing monday night against barrow..sure paul ford played in the halves..could be wrong ,memorys a bit vague

All the fullbacks mentioned have different attributes, so i suppose it depends what you're looking for. Personally, my priority in a fullback is to be a superb last line of defence. So it's johnson all day for me(to young to have seen whitehead or hesford play).

If I remember rightly it was a very late hit by an opposition forward, and you're right - he never was the same. A real shame, but I don't think he played all that many games for us at f/b.
I think he played more on the wing (could be wrong there).

Yes, most of his first team career was as a winger (Outside Jiffy for a spell in 93/94)... Was playing full back in the reserves, but was never seen as likely to oust Lee Penny, who was quite highly rated at that time.

Derek Finnegan was the best defensive full back I've seen at the Wire, steve hesford best under a high ball and Derek Whitehead a superb attacker with the best side step I've ever seen

Totally back up re. Derek Whitehead. He was brilliant at bringing the ball out after a kick. His side-step was magnificent. We signed him after he ran through the whole of our team playing for Oldham. Sometimes he wouldn't side-step ... and this seemed to work as well.

I once heard Colin Clarke say of Whitehead that you knew he was going to step you but still made you look a mug by sending you the wrong way