https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... h-14227460 As expected from a Welsh paper, it's quite heavy on the other code, but there's some good stuff in the middle of the article. In fact, it's quite a complete article.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... h-14227460 As expected from a Welsh paper, it's quite heavy on the other code, but there's some good stuff in the middle of the article. In fact, it's quite a complete article.

Classy player. Enjoyed watching the Welsh contingent at Wire with Bateman, Kevin Ellis, Roland Phillips and 2 magical years of Jonathan Davies.

I concur, Kwik

Bateman was quality. Saw him stick Tuigamala on his aris, a couple of times.
Liked Rowland, too
Was never overly keen on Ellis. He was good at dominating poor halves, but was always second best to Edwards, Gregory, Fox and Aston.

Johnny the Sheep Davies........manlove
I'd pay good money to watch him make toast.

Genius

good article! Great player too....best defensive centre I've seen in a Wire shirt. He was a class act.

It's so frustrating to discover he didn't really want to play Rugby and was still good at it whereas I tried so hard and was awful at it.

You are Matty Russell, and I claim my £5

Bazinga!

Ladies and Gentleman we have a winner...

And he was still turning out at 48 years old, albeit at much lower, 'village' level RU.

I remember watching Allan make his debut in the A team and from the off it was clear he was top class and would make it to the top in RL, and so he did. All these muscle-bound brick outhouse threequarters who can barely move let alone pass would so well to.watch Allan - brains over brawn every time.

Lovely fella too. Spent many a happy hour in Time Square chatting to him and Kevin. Mark Jones turned up once. Huge fella, useless at RL though.

There was a rumour that Rowland Phillips was the signing we wanted and Allan came as part of the deal to sway Phillips. Not sure if there's any truth in that but goodness me Allan lit up Wilderspool.

One of my favourite players. If anything a little too selfless... on a number of occasions he could have scored brilliant solo tries but looked for support. I guess that could’ve been his RU background, not wanting to be isolated.

He was on our coach trip to Cardiff I think it was. Of course I had to ask him the question...yes he is a Wire.

I asked Jiffy the same question too one time....Clare Balding quipped up immediately "is he a Wire?...we can't shut him up about Warrington"
Jiffy just gave a big smile.

So Warrington offered Bateman a contract worth £14,000 a year in 1995, that would have been worth about £25,000 now.

Cronulla offered him the equivalent of £70,000 a year in Britsh pounds, which is more like £130,000 now. Then Warrington told him they'd match it.

Sounds like the club was taking the mickey out of him. What a shambolic way to treat a great Wire.

I think someone did the maths and realised at the time it would have cost £100K to sign a centre near his capabilities.

Davies could still play now and be our best player! Effortless talent. Man love