Very good post.

Last season we weren't too far off 5th, with a better coach and better team, we have a chance to challenge the top 4 next year, but a couple of years of challenging Wigan and Warrington.

Good post

I agree. Lets break the rules of the cap & face a big fine maybe even a points deduction

Can't say i was happy when i first heard, but after reading his interview on the club website and with what Andy Hay has to say about him im feeling more positive about this signing now.
Im looking forward to seeing him play and proving the doubter's wrong.
Welcome to Hull FC Martin.

Like signing Lynch.

Money's only good

If you can fit a player under the cap
They want to leave
The club want to sell.

Not much quality available this year.

Leeds signing Moore 3 year deal
Wigan signing Lauaki 3 year deal.

At least ours are only 1 year.

Nice one! I feel better now.
Looking at it from that point of view we have improved our squad

I think with Pearson coming in shouting about he intends to spend money etc has brainwashed a few people. At the end of the day there is a quota and a salary cap to compete with.

In all fairness I am looking forward to seeing what Aspinwall can offer us. I just think it was a wee bit dissappointing initially.

Initially surprised by the signing as I said on page 2 but I'm fairly confident he will be a far better and more effective player than Lauaki and an initial one year deal suits well.

The biggest problem we have had at the club still remains.

Forget about the rights and wrongs of various signings, the big issue as I see it is the communication from the club and the management of expectations.

The statements of strategic intent that AP made when he took over about repositioning the club as a genuine contender and investing in top quality talent were designed to lift the club and its supporters, and set out a grand vision for the future.

As we all know, we were all genuinely enthused and looked forward to the delivery of signings and success as set out in his statements.

The problem is however that the signings that have been made do not live up to what was promised, and so we all feel cheated. Just like when you buy a branded peice of clothing or consumer goods you expect a certain level of performance that you associate with the brand, and if it doesn't live up to the brands promise then you feel robbed, and lose trust in that particular brand.

This is where I have always disagreed with the opinion that Rule was such a great marketer. He built a brand that didn't deliver on what it promised, and for that he lost a great deal of respect and trust from the fans.

AP should have come out and set out his vision for the future, but at the same time outlined a timetable and explained that consolidation was necessary and getting to the top 4, then top 2 would take time, and require a rebuilding process.

If he'd done this there wouldn't be half the negativity on here that there is today.

The risk is that he's raised expectations too far too soon, and his honeymoon period could be over before the seasons even started.

Is this the royal "we" ?
Speak for yourself - I'm very enthused about the new season and everything that has happened/is happening in and around the club. Just because a message board rumours thread suggests Sika Manu is signed and sealed doesn't mean to say that "we" all believed it.

Not a firework signing but I'd rather have Aspinwall then someone like that Ephrame Lauaki who you got rid of. He's a solid grafter, every team needs 1 or 2 to do a job defensively.

Just looking at the majority of the posters on this thread. If you're happy with this signing then good for you, but the majority of the posters on this thread do not consider Martin Aspinwall to be the kind of signing AP's statements had led them to believe we'd be making.

the majority of players who sign for us often refer to our passionate support of everything black and white and as one of the reasons that made them sign,i hope neither martin or aspinwall read these threads as their opinions might change-for gods sake give them a chance to pull a shirt on before we rubbish them as many did with westerman