Dont you just love Wigan folk.

Wasn't late was it? If I remember correctly a Widnes player kicked through and Heremaia dove on the ball, at that point it was still play on. There's nothing in the rules to say you can't tackle someone who decides to just lie on the ground. IMO Smithy went for the big hit to dislodge the ball as it was virtually on the Leigh line. Obviously it did end up being an arkward tackle because of ther position Heremaia was in on the ground but IMO there was no malice in it - the attack on Smith was premeditated.

This is Mark Smith right? Another one of Smith's was against Watson - cue every Widnesian to come out and say he never touched him!

I agree, it was thuggish what happened to Smith at Hilton Park but those players got there punishments - heavy ones at that and rightly so - but Smith is always the one niggling and the cheap shot merchant who gets away with it.

He hit him with the shoulder just after the ball had left his foot. Just because his arm recoiled up doesn't mean it was high. A penalty but nothing more.

For christs sake.

This was a great thread. I mention under the negatives ONE Leigh incident and their whinging, boring fans come on and ruin the thread. Much of our most colourful recent history involves the two of us, we're rivals.

Get a ing grip and get over it. This thread is about memories. You might just be involved.

This thread had so much potential.

He was understudy to Terry Newton! Plus you want a player who will get stuck into opposistion... legally yes of course!

He never.

Not you matey, just the 'biters' ah well sod it.

Some highs not yet mentioned.Thrashing Wakefield on Good Friday 2002 for our first home SL win,beating a very good Rochdale team in the play off's of 2001,that great come back at home to Oldham Easter 2001 from 22-0 down,Richard Agar master class,destroying Hull Easter Monday 2004 at the Hallton Stadium just 3 days after our first win of the season at Wire.

What about Gateshead the season just gone? getting mullered at home and then the fightback began.

Beating Wigan at home in 2004 was fantastic,just a few weeks after they thrashed us down here. Matt Whitaker was superb that night in a real nail biter.Wigan launced a late fight back to close the gap to 2 points and when Tim Holmes had the ball stolen by Luke Robinson in a one on one tackle just 20 yards from our own line in injury time I nearly had a coronary but we held out.

Great thread this, boy we've had some highs and some lows.

Highs

1) Beating Leigh in 2001, my 18 birthday and I was so nervous. Didn't want my birthday ruined by Widnes losing especially as I had a party that night! Went in 12-4 down and lucky to be that far behind only to blow them away.

2) NRC 2009, after the heartbreak of previous years to know that we can now apply from a good place to get back where we belong was so rewarding. Just a great day too.

3) Beating Hull 46-10 in Super League, one of the few occasions where we really looked like a class act. Could have picked a few examples but this one just typifies it.

And the bad....

1) Losing to Cas in the Grand Final, depressed fans massively outnumbered and totally outplayed. Feeling that we might not have a club after it too, actually wondered what life without Widnes RLFC would be like.

2) Missing out on the Franchise decisions, once again my birthday this time it did ruin it. I knew we would miss out but for some reason I believed the rumours from the day before that Wakey were to be kicked out. As they read the names one by one it dawned on me and so much of what I had argued about for so long was coming true before my eyes. I was a lot angrier than I expected to be.

3) Losing 70-4 to Hull. On holiday in Cornwall, walked down to the town in the pouring rain to get the game on in a pub where the locals were hardly happy to see it on. Saw us lose a long held biggest defeat record, one I hoped we'd never beat.