The sarnies where maybe where the catalyst, but the simple fact is John was never paid the going rate for being the head coach. I have no idea if that is in the book or not or if some of our senior players will be named as assisting his departure.

He will remain as one of only three coaches to win the CC and perhaps the one with the least capable team.

Who was coaching the side though, him or Kearney?

If you miss your breakfast in the Forces you are put on a charge

This rumour seemed quite strong a while back. It's credibility has taken a bit of a kicking with Kearney's subsequent coaching career though, IMO.

They pay for their own food now and they still have to sign a book to say they had breakfast and other meals 'That what the young lads were telling us at Leconfield in the Canteen the other week.

Are you taking about people on basic training?

They've got to be suitably nourished to perform the mornings tasks, the easiest way to police it is to make sure they have breakfast. In 6 years I only had breakfast a handful of times and never bothered at leconfield.

What was the plate of sandwiches story?

After the Challenge Cup win in Cardiff, Kear told the squad to enjoy themselves on the night and they (plus the coaching staff) consequently partied into the night. Some players didn't make it down for breakfast the next morning but the team bus was due to leave early to be back in Hull for the reception.

Kear decided to phone a motel somewhere just off the M1 and order a buffet, he'd checked with Hetherington but she'd said no and that the squad should've been up on time. Kear went ahead anyway and David Plummer reimbursed him for the cost on expenses.

Kear said that him and Hetherington also fell out over Sid Domic - she didn't rate him and didn't want Hull to sign him.

On Richard Agar, Kear said he led a "charmed life" at Hull and points out the 11th and 12th finishes in 2008 and 2009.

John Kear was/is one of the most technically competent coaches the game has seen. When Bomber signed him as assistant, I told him Kear was his best ever signing. When he arrived at The Boulevard, he handed each player a dossier on how they played the game, detailing things likeAs long as your lads are outside the 10m, as soon as he touches the ball. They did this all night and hammered the Leeds full-back all evening, often regaining possession in the first tackle.

2) "At the 5th tackle, if we stand to play the ball, play it forward and they pick the ball up, what will you do?" - Penalise them for handling the ball in the ruck (at this time the ball could be played in any direction). Fortunately for me, Cas never tried that one. I reckon only Kear & me would've known thwe rule covering the awarding of the penalty.

What those questions showed me was here was a thinking coach. A man who had studied the Laws of the Game, not just to see what they did cover but als to utilise what they didn't cover to his team's advantage.

I've always admired the bloke, his only failings being getting too close to certain players and not realising that his real strength lay in assisting rather than being a head coach.

His views on Agar are spot on too. I'm surprised that the ginner dwarf has lasted so long as his assistant. Agar seemingly managed to engineer the departure of a couple of head coaches and numerous assistants while remaining teflon-coated when it came to accepting blame for anything