Yeah, but to be fair, £20 and half a pack of bensons just doesn't buy you what it used to

IIRC, McManus owns enough shares in the club to do what he likes. The guy is one smart cookie. For years he worked in Hong Kong buying and selling shares and gave up an extremely well paid job to take over St. Helens. The club has benefitted tremendously from his experience of the financial markets, methods and systems - especially in clearing what were pretty frightening debts. He's openly admitted that Saints is a labour of love rather than a means to secure a good living. I think you have to be a supporter for such a decision to make sense.

He also knows how the mind of the fan works. When Millward was sacked, for the first and only time the supporters turned against the board. Millward was clever in his ability to manipulate the media and the fans. He was very successful in portraying himself as the supporters' choice - an honest and highly decorated coach wounded by the cynical men upstairs. But McManus pulled a masterstroke in stepping onto the supporters' coach to talk with great and, at times, shocking honesty throughout the journey. It turned perceptions around in an eyeblink and mortally wounded Millward's reputation.

If you talk to McManus it's truly refreshing to listen to someone in charge of a club who is not afraid to discuss what other chief execs and chairmen simply refuse to go into.

Without doubt he is the club's greatest asset and the day he leaves will be a grim one indeed.

It does help,when a club hire Mick Potter ,who coached NSW under 18's,
therefore Saints have employed a guy,who has had proven experience
at bringing youngsters through at the top level - ie the elite of NSW.

We entrust a coach to offer tutelage to our youth whose only experience,was coaching an amateur team in Featherstone, and the mighty York City Knights

Who would you employ to bring the youth through,Potter or Agar??

Nice to know your owner is so in touch with the rank and file.Good post,makes interesting reading

last time rule spoke to the fans they all ended up falling over dizzy from his spin

Was that when he went on the Stew's funbus and was the game at the KC against us?

That's the one. If it didn't put him off the Stone Roses for life I don't know what will.

I remember Stew and some of the others talking about it. It also reminds me about Shane Richardson, just after the McAlpine incident he came and stood with the fans at the Warrington away game and was very honest and open about things at the club. Instances like this are very much the exception though.

They are but there is absolutely no reason why they should be

Richo was seen to be "honest at Gateshead too" for what its worth!
Hetherington allowed him to be hung out to dry....especially the tear scene on local tv.

at least rule actually comes out and talks,whether it's on his radio programme or via the website.the same cannot be said of hetherington and the rest of the directors,who just seem to ignore everyone,and use rule to cover for them.i really feel sorry for the guy!!! any neutral person would percieve kath & co as ignorant

I think James Rule does a good job letting us know what he can. Much of the bile that has been aimed at him this season has emanated from the Crocker, Lauaki visa fiascos which were nothing to do with FC. If he tells us someone is injured and then they find the scan proves it to be wrong some folk would be saying "it was just spin". Rule cannot second-guess what's in the minds of every supporter simultaneously - I'm pretty sure, whilst we think FC is important, that it's spokesperson is not omnipotent.

Also, when I have made an attempt to speak with KH she has always made the time, been very open and appeared to be very passionate about Hull FC. I suggest people try to talk with her rather than assume that all that is said about her is true and then form your own opinion. I'm sure one or two of you will have had a different experience but, if so, perhaps it's because she's a human being (cue the cheap shots) who has good and bad days like the rest of us. Btw she is not the club's designated spokesperson which is why Rule is the one doing all the talking.

I've had a reply from every single email I have sent to him, in the last one he assured me we were actively searching for a good half back (along with every other club!). Lo and behold within 2 days we had signed Longy. Some of the bad luck our club has endured is beyond belief and at times you have to give the benefit of the doubt.

rule's a decent media man, it's the rest of the job he seems to have problems with

I think its right what unknownlegend said and we cut the board a bit of slack, they have gone out and put there money where the mouths are and bought in three very good players with a mixture of youth and experience and there is also two more good signings on the way, I don't see clubs like Wigan who are trying to sign everyone and cannot get anyone getting as much stick as our board. They went for Fitzgibbon and Long and we got them both so its says something about the club. Agar will be judged on next season and believe me if we are where we are now next year, him and Jon Sharp will be out.