TEAPOT

I'll add my bit as its nice to remember the good old days, and as one of the Griffin hate mob Im as much to blame as anyone.

Griffin when he arrived on trial was the surprise package of the season, he was obviously here to impress to get a deal in the big show and he proved he had the ability to do just that. He was eager for the ball, made hard yards and his impressive form if I remember rightly lead to a call up to the International squad, it might have been the train on squad or something but all the same people were taking note about this youngster bursting on the scene from down south. Wakefield had to pay good money to keep him and Griffin got the deal he wanted till 2006. However once the ink dried on the contract the performances began to spiral downwards. The youngster who was eager for the ball became one who wasnt interested anymore. His hard yards became soft inches, he wasnt alone in this, I'll agree with that, there were others who just wernt pulling their weight.

The defining moment in his career and for all this to escalate to where it has was Huddersfield away in 2006. Its a long time ago so Im trying to remember but Im sure we went 20-0 up at half time and were cruising and then second half was a shambles and we lost the game 26-20. After the game about 20 fans decided to protest and waited for the team outside the changing rooms. Some players hung their heads and ignored the chants and walked to the bus, some faced up to the 20 and apologised but one took exception. One decided he wasnt happy and got rather angry and offered to fight a fan. Griffin was quickly surrounded by staff and players and was moved onto the coach. That reaction was what sparked the flame, from then on Griffin was the scapegoat because of his actions. I think Tony Smith got the sack after that game and to be fair to him, he came over and was understanding of the fans fury but enough was enough.

After that Griffin got the abuse, every game home or away that 20 would hammer him, the 20 became 50, the 50 became god knows how many once all the youngsters grabbed onto the fan club. Griffin was booed every touch, I know, I was doing the booing !! We wanted him out, and would do anything we could to get him out. He reacted every time, with hand gestures etc... Soon after, he went to the Wakefield Express who printed that Griffin was getting picked on by the fans and he didnt know what he had done wrong. At the time, id just started writing the WTF Fanzine which I did alone but with the help of a few others (who will remain nameless) to tart it up and get it on the streets. Issue 1 went down well, but it was expected to go down well to get on the right side of many, I told everyone who knew me that Issue 2 would ruffle a few feathers and boy did I do that. I basically had a go at Griffin (for his actions at Huddersfield and games afterwards) and Solomona (for jumping ship when he was our hero). Everything I wrote was the truth, no lies but I went after Griffin in a big way. At Hull away I faced 6 Australian women outside the bar, who abused the living hell out of me, including one woman (Ben Jeffries wife) who went ballistic and her departing words were "See you in court, d******d". Id not even had a go at BJ, but the Aussies stuck together and they definitely made their mark on me. They were mad because of what Id wrote about Solomona and the picture I used of him with his young child. At the time I was new and naive and the child protection laws wernt that clear. With what I know now, I shouldnt have used it, I was wrong but at the time the picture suited the moment, if Id have blurred the child out, maybe the Aussies wouldnt have gone mad. Rumours were circulating that I was in bother, or people were trying to track me down. I was invited to a meeting with Steve Ferres and went along expecting to face the female Aussies. This time though it was mainly about Griffin. His wife had put a formal complaint about my piece in the fanzine about degrading her husband. Because I wasnt linked to the club they could do nothing (which is what I wanted) except ban me from selling it in the ground. I was told Griffin would go to court if I didnt apologise and cease publication. There was nothing in that magazine that I couldnt back up, I was happy to go to court as Id done no wrong in my eyes except slag someone off in the same way the football fanzines do on a monthly basis. The issue was cost, Id expect some hefty court fees and it really wasnt worth the hassle. I wanted to go head to head vs Griffin and his wife but I bottled it. I already knew I was a few hundred quid out of pocket by cancelling the fanzine even though the printer (a Wakey fan on here) did it at cost price. Could I really go back knowing this could escalate out of control ? Even though in my head I knew I was right, I had to apologise and thats what I did. The court action never came about but the hatred towards Griffin was still there.

There are various other incidents which Griffin was involved in which I wont bore everyone. I told everyone I knew about the meeting, so they were aware of the situation. Maybe my sad tale lead to their hatred towards Griffin escalating even more. Me, well after that meeting something got taken away from me. A lifelong fan, as supportive as anyone, not anymore. The games became a bore (mainly because they were boring anyway), for me it became an expensive trip to see my mates for a pint and a chat. Id drink in Cats bar and watch maybe ten minutes of the game. The away game trips dwindled from every game to once a month to never. The season ticket renewal letter arrived, I threw it in the bin. A reminder arrived, I threw that in the bin too. The e-mail reminders arrived, they went in the virtual bin. The trip to the club shop to buy the £150 season ticket, the home and away shirts for £100, the polo shirts and various other bits and pieces remained on the shelves. Id just lost all appetite for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. I wont go big headed, but I was a popular fan, every game Id stop and chat to many fans I knew including opposition fans who Id met over the years. But that popular fan became a nobody in a short time span, and the reason for this, the complaint from Griffin. Even living within walking distance of Headingley, I just couldnt be bothered to go to the playoff game last season, instead optin for the telly.

Ive seen him many times recently, he doesnt know who I am, maybe one day I'll sit down and have a chat. How he reacts I'll never know. He may kick the you know what out of me, if thats the case so be it, but I'll threaten the court action then and we will be level. But deep down, I dont want to speak to him. Im not scared, I'll stand by my words to anyone but when he hears the full story, the truth and the ending that the once die hard fan now just doesnt care about Wakefield, he will know he has won.

As for this incident, Ive heard things and the people involved were involved at Huddersfield so I'll back them up with what they said to him. Some people just wont forget things and thats totally their decision. But in terms of free speech and say what you want to people as much as Id love to say what you want, from first hand experience.... Just be carefull !!