Tony Rea was rumoured to have had only £900k to spend in his last season of 2006.

We started the season plagued by injury and our thin squad took heavy beatings by the likes of Bradford, St Helens and Leeds but this was compounded by unacceptable home losses to Castleford and Wakefield.

I'd suggest that in 2006 Rea had only half a squad of experienced and quality players including McLinden, Leuluai, Hopkins, Purdham, Danny Williams, Dorn, Randall, Temata, Mbu, Tookey and Sykes. This was supplemented by good first year professionals like Tony Clubb, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Mike Worrincy.

Others like Wells, Gafa, Heckenberg. Sheriffe and Tyrone Smith were not of a top eight standard.

But they were relatively strong compared to some of the unknowns, fringe players and lower league standard players such as Pat Weisner, Filimone Lolohea, Tim Hartley, Paul Noone and Neil Budworth plus Nick Bradley-Qalilawa who he had to draw on that season.

I think Tony was doing acceptably with what he had to spend and his previous track record of relative success suggested that we would be ok going forward. But Lenagan just fired him. That seemed hasty to me. I'm glad Tony is back.

Cheers
Rammo

Good positive step forward, well done Tony and all.

What did he say out of interest?

He was so pppppped off that he congratulated all the Broncos players on their performance ( see other thread ).

Rob - TS said (laughing) that he'd heard quite enough of the fans chanting Tony Reas' Barmy Army!

Really surprised that Tony has accepted the challenge of taking us forward.
I spoke to him after the Salford game & he was adamant that his interests in Australia would prevent him from taking the Managers job.
So glad that David Hughes & the players have persuaded him to take the job & us onto better times.
I'm actually looking forward to next season now, wherever we're playing. (Hope sense prevails & we stay in London)
"Welcome home Tony"

Well said, Bronco Billy.

Gets me thinking I should go to all the away games next season!

Well I hold my hands up for my part in that then- sorry Tony!

No chance of me attempting to try that again Dan. (Even with the team playing as they are now, all next season)
Been there, tried it, failed !!!!
Total respect to the small band of supporters who manage to do this.

being a northerner and never been to gillingham is it that bad

Really pleased to see Tony Rea as coach.

Probably wishful thinking on my part, but given his history wth the club, I would imagine he was given inside information on where we are playing next year and that this was a factor in him accepting the role

YES

Not to someone from East Hull it wouldn't be

Seriously, it's nowhere near as bad as some are making out....................
BUT it ain't LONDON! Oh and btw, we're meant to be watching rugby, not doing a Kirsty and Phil critique of the local environs.

Welcome Back Full Time Tony