Just for old times sake, can I say Lee Briers was the best full back we ever had.....

Are you Steve Anderson in disguise????

Over the years we've been blessed with some great full backs.
Difficult to compare those from different eras because the role of the full back has changed considerably I feel - especially in the last decade.
I cant really decide on the order from Sallys list because I change my mind too much but I will throw in those that have impressed me over the years (only saw the 1st 2 a couple of times).

Whitehead, Hesford, Johnson, Lyon, Lee Penny, Gross, Mathers, Hodgson, Ratchford.

And I also really don't understand those that didn't rate Lee Penny - but each to their own. No problem.

Personally, I did rate Penny, it's just he never quite kicked on and failed to fulfil his early potential.

His early years in the side promised so much for him, it just never happened, though it probably never helped him that the club was going through such a turbulent time at the point where he should have been peaking.

Problem with Penny was that despite having a lot of raw skills, great pace, footwork, excellent tackler.....he was absolutely thick as mince (from a rugby perspective too) . I once witnsessed him and Warren Stevens playing a fruit machine in Snookers, they were pretty close to wrestling the thing to the ground. The combined IQ probably struggled to reach double figures.

Rugby, or even sporting, intelligence is an odd thing.

I had a friend who went to school with Shaun Edwards. Said he was absolutely thick. Could barely string a sentence together and was intellectually at zero.

On a rugby pitch though, he was as sharp as it comes and now, after his playing days are done, he is widely acknowledged as a world level rugby coach and that is in a code he has had to educate himself in, rather than it being something he grew up with.

Do agree though that some players are as thick on a pitch as off it.

This is where this forum excels. I know it could be considered “thread drift” but still... the vision of Penny and Stevens wrestling a fruit machine (and losing) has absolutely made my day. Thank you.

Ps did Penny’s side step get him past the fruit machine? (Awaits people to make the obvious remark).

Tommy Conroy was a good fullback.

might also explain that gesture he'd do, run past a player who was tackled waiting for an offload that never came.

That thing he'd do with his hands gesturing.


that transfers to a punter expectant of a downpour of ten pence pieces landing on the floor

Nothing sinister meant here, but is Lee Penny still a bachelor?

I'm just wondering if he's ever made a pass at a woman.
He certainty never made one to a team mate.

Personally, I always thought Penny was a great full back.

Lee Penny was made a bit of a scapegoat by Cullen.
I felt Penny was poorly treated and poorly rewarded by the club in his testimonial season and yet Danny Farrah was carried around the ground like some legendary alll time great.