Mick was one of the best natural talents ive seen,could hold his own in any team and was probably half fit at best.Could make something from nothing and nothing from something,if you know him you will understand. A rugby league genius IMO.

To be honest players from that era weren't exactly God fearing teetotal fitness fanatics

I do wish people would stop lumping Craney in with the rest of the pi[iss[/iheads that were knocking around at the time. Anyone who knew Mick could tell you he'd get ratted on a sniff of a barmaid's apron.

Mick was just happy being Mick. Probably the most naturally gifted player I have ever seen and I knew him from age 13 at David Lister. People keep banging on about his dedication, fitness etc. But if he'd applied himself more he probably wouldn't have been anything like the same player.

There are many anecdotes about Craney but one of my favourites is when he turned up for pre-season training at Hesslewood Orphanage. The most gobsmacked person there was Arthur Bunting and when Mick came ambling across the car park, with a boot in each pocket, Bunting asked him what he was doing there. Mick said he thought it was time he saw what all this pre-season lark was about and maybe it was time he got a bit fitter. Bunt just told him to go back home and not be late for the first pre-season friendly

I never met the great man, and I barely remember seeing him play. Sounds like a great character.

My dad knows Craney quite well. He once said that Bunting was so fed up of his team getting d on a Saturday night, he'd ring them up and make sure they were home. He rang Craney's house, someone picked up and said he was Mick. Bunting asked, "Whats the password?" Man: "Erm...."
"Tell Mick I'm going to fine him".

Unusual but we've agreed,what a player he was,one of my favourites.Rovers were playing cas away on a wet horrible night,rovers losing 6-4 and nothing happening either way 5mins to go mick sells a dummy and ran 40 odd yards under the sticks,and was still bent over with his hands on his knees after the conversion was successfully added. Oh for a fag.

Another laugh with Mick was after the 1983 CC Final defeat to Fev.

I was working for the club at the time and to be honest, the way things went on the night, you'd thought we'd won the cup. There must've been around 20 players, wives and hangers-on (like me & my missus), sat in the corner of the ballroom. Mick called a waiter across and asked him to take everyone's drink order. The waiter turned to him and said: "I remember you from last year AND the year before and you never paid for a drink at any time. Mick must've convinced him that he'd turned a new leaf because the waiter went to the bar and came back with two trays full of drinks. He proceeded to serve everyone and finally set Mick's drink in front of him and asked what (room) he should "put it down to".

Mick just picked up his glass, took a sip, winked and said "f**king experience"

It didn't end there though.

Long after midnight, I was stood with my missus at the bar and ordered a nightcap. The barman set the drinks in front of us and as I offered to pay, I was told "it's OK, they're on Mr Waudby". I thought this strange because Roy Waudby had gone to bed about an hour before. I said "is Mr Waudby still here?" and got the response, "young Mr Waudby is".

There was Mick at the other end of the bar, merrily signing for anyone's drinks with Roger Waudby's room number

You should go for Toka and Tonga Likiliki if you like alliteration in names.
They are both bigger and just as useless as Fuifui

Sorry but my imagination cannot get further than anyone called Tonga Likiliki must be working the streets in Bangkok

Great player Craney .

but there might be happy ending to this one

Simply the best and most naturally gifted player I've had the pleasure to watch. Despite talk of his lack of fitness it never showed on the pitch. He used his instinct to be where he needed to be whether that was defending in the corner or popping up out of nowhere to take a pass. As others have said any sort of disciplined training regime would probably have stifled his talent rather than improved it. Great character , great footballer and great entertainer.

Signed for Wire along with Wheeler is the latest "rumour."

Happy birthday for yesterday, 35 years old.

Bollox!

Mick's in his 60s