Quote: He told me a couple of weeks ago but I admire him. He's a good man and what a lot of people don't know is that behind the scenes he does a lot for the team. How honest he is in team meetings - he's an outstanding individual and I wanted to give him another contract but his mind was set. "Shaun was also asked about the departure of Pat Richards at the end of the season which the Club announced earlier in the day,'" Quote: He told me a couple of weeks ago but I admire him. He's a good man and what a lot of people don't know is that behind the scenes he does a lot for the team. How honest he is in team meetings - he's an outstanding individual and I wanted to give him another contract but his mind was set. ""He told me a couple of weeks ago but I admire him. He's a good man and what a lot of people don't know is that behind the scenes he does a lot for the team. How honest he is in team meetings - he's an outstanding individual and I wanted to give him another contract but his mind was set. "He has his kids to look after and I wasn't going to push him that hard. "He said to me a few weeks ago that his kids are getting to ages where they are trying to get them in cerain schools in Australia. "I've had kids and I know what it's like. He loves it here but I understand why he's going."'" www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... 166&type=1 The 'Super League' will feel a little less 'Super' next season. All the best Pat and thanks for the memories!

Quote: He told me a couple of weeks ago but I admire him. He's a good man and what a lot of people don't know is that behind the scenes he does a lot for the team. How honest he is in team meetings - he's an outstanding individual and I wanted to give him another contract but his mind was set. "Shaun was also asked about the departure of Pat Richards at the end of the season which the Club announced earlier in the day,'" Quote: He told me a couple of weeks ago but I admire him. He's a good man and what a lot of people don't know is that behind the scenes he does a lot for the team. How honest he is in team meetings - he's an outstanding individual and I wanted to give him another contract but his mind was set. ""He told me a couple of weeks ago but I admire him. He's a good man and what a lot of people don't know is that behind the scenes he does a lot for the team. How honest he is in team meetings - he's an outstanding individual and I wanted to give him another contract but his mind was set. "He has his kids to look after and I wasn't going to push him that hard. "He said to me a few weeks ago that his kids are getting to ages where they are trying to get them in cerain schools in Australia. "I've had kids and I know what it's like. He loves it here but I understand why he's going."'" www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... 166&type=1 The 'Super League' will feel a little less 'Super' next season. All the best Pat and thanks for the memories!

I have to admit to feeling more than a little upset when I heard the news at the game last night.

Mossop?
Hock?
Even Sam.

I don't mind those losses, as I think we're all geared up to lose Sam, Hock hasn't played and we have cover for Moose.

But Pat ?????

My daughter has never known a Wigan without Pat Richards.

The guy is a hero to many - Even my wife loves him, and she's only ever been to a handful of RL matches.

No qualms about him leaving at the end of his contract. Kudos for not walking out (like so many before), and I have absolutely no doubt that he will continue to play to the best of his ability until the very last game (again, unlike so many before).

But my gods, we're going to miss him.

His kicking (both the goals and the cross-fields), the strength, the leap and the finishing, not to mention the leadership.

Really sorry to see you go Pat, but IMO, we owe you plenty - You have given so much to this team over the 8 years that you owe Wigan absolutely nothing.

Finally, I don't watch NRL, due to it not being on Virgin any longer, but I hope you can finish with a bang (and preferably one more GF ring from each hemisphere).

Echo those sentiments. Massive shoes to fill.

One player won't be enough to replace him. A winger with his finishing and defensive capabilities is needed, and then a kicker as well.

Maybe Matty Smith can do his kicking homework as Pat did, and step into that role.

A great professional, a top bloke, and arguably the best overseas player ever at Wigan. He owes us nothing and wish him the best back in Oz.

Ian, get the chequebook out, lets go for Manu Tuilagi.

I will never, ever forget the moment that drop goal went over at Bradford in '07.

It's been a pleasure watching Pat, but I understand he has his family to look after.. and fair play to him - he's done all he can at Wigan - I'm just glad I'm old enough to remember all of it.

I am gutted though.

I'm gutted. Seems such a nice bloke, had a bad first season but since then has been fantastic and has won everything he could possibly win apart from WCC and Golden Boot. He will be missed massively, but you can't blame him for going home at all. I thought he might have retired with Wigan but again can't knock him for going back to his former club back home to finish his career.

I think Matty Smith has shown some ability with the boot.

A lot of the time kicking is all about prep and repetition. The best kickers in the world are the guys you see staying late after a match practising over and over again.

Matty Smith is a good kicker. Get him into kicking practice at the end of the season and we'll be fine. He kicked a corker from the touchline at Leeds a few months ago.

Thanks for everything Pat I just hope you can finish at Wigan with a Grand Final win and the Challenge Cup if we are being greedy, I think last night the reception you got says everything, now bring us some silverware this season.
Richards is Superman. !!!!!

no doubt Pat has been a great servant to Wigan and will be remembered along side all the past greats. If I recall rightly after his first season some people were saying get rid as he was rubbish! How wrong were they? Pat is up there with the best of them, and rightly so. But Wigan , as a team, will move on just like they did when Botica left.
Thanks Pat for a fantastic 8 years, enjoy your life back in Oz.

Could Pat go down as the safest pair of hands in Wigan's history? I don't think I've ever seen him drop a ball (Apart from when going for the line under pressure etc...) every time someone would put up a high bomb or kick to the corner, if Pat was under it I would never worry, it's like when a German steps up to take a penalty, there is no doubt whatsoever. I don't think we will see his like ever again and I honestly believe he should be mentioned in the same breath as Ellery Hanley and Billy Boston. Truly one of Wigan's greatest ever players.

I remember him dropping a simple pass with the line begging v Saints at home, might have been 2010. We went on to lose by less than 6. Yes though very safe hands and one of the best wingers in SL history. Radlinski would be my pick for safest hands. I hear Hampo wasn't bad either but he's a bit before my time

In a play-off semi at Headingley, when Nobby was boss, we struggled all the game but were still in with a chance. Tim Smith suddenly shot out one of those wonder passes that he used to find every couple of games. It must have been 50 yards in length and straight as an arrow. It found Pat in open space on the left. If there was one person you'd want in that situation it was Paddy - and he fumbled it.

He'd have walked in, no problem. A real head-in-hands moment. But we can hardly whinge about that, with all the other good stuff he did.

Anybody remember the knock on from the draw away at Cas [Either last year or the year before] he was clear away, ball in hand, 30m out and he just dropped it cold, nobody around him.

Hampson would be the one person that you would want under a high bomb.

Radlinski would be the one person that you would want to make the cover tackle.


Overall I think Pat has been a good player for us, but to elevate him to "legend" status is wide off the mark.