So as not to take the Vella Thread off topic who in your opinion has been our most important signing in the last (lets say) 5 years and reason why?

Instead of listing players and my reasons i will list my most important and let you guys do the rest.

For me Michael Smith was the most important signing for us as it cemented everything we wanted to become as a team, he was still a very high profile player who could easily done a job in SL at the time, he was also amazing in the shirt, could offload to hell and holds my favourite RL moment of all time when he tried that convertion.
Sadly his heart was not in it when we made SL (People may remember his try from the bench against Quins at CP) but i would have loved to have seen a fully fit fully wanting SL Miffy.

Justin Morgan by a country mile

James Webster. No need to elaborate.

I'm with you on that.

No there really is!!!
What exactly did Webbo do?
Now i was there from the minute he signed to the minute he was let go and i can think of several far more infuential players (in my opinion) than Webbo, just cause your captain dont mean your great!!

Webbo for me, and here's why:

1. From the moment he arrived we looked organised, and players around him who had huffed & puffed in 2004 suddenly looked far better.

2. When Hudge dispensed with HH, he willingly stepped in to the player/coach role like a duck to water. Such was his success, he only lost 1 game (Oldham away) and WE WON SILVERWEAR. Before this thread gets hijacked, I know it was only the "Thomas Tank Engine" cup, but it was a significant small stepping stone to where the club is now.

3. Under Morgan he was our leader on the pitch throughout 2006. He was a cut above anybody else in NL1, hence his Player of the Year award. To further emphasise his influence, do you remember how rudderless we were in Blackpool 2006?

4. In our Debut SL season, he was good enough for a bottom 6 SL side, and guided us to safety, scoring a couple of the best tries that year (Leeds at home to put us top in March, and a killer try at the KC in the infamous 42-6).

In addition to being our best player 2005-2007, he was also a thoroughly nice bloke and an ambassador for our club. He's welcome in our house any time. LEGEND.

^ Sums it up pretty well. Which players do you think have been far more influential than Webbo, chukabutt?

Paul Mansson, just cos he's my fave ever Rovers player

I think the guys who played for us in the National League and who are now playing for us in the top of super league have to be considered influential as they have been a solid set of guys who have stuck with the club for a number of years now.

Whetu Taewa, was assistant coach in 2003 (so still not within the last five years, but allow me poetic licence!) purely because I was his sock sponsor (how e is that!?!) for one of the years prior to that.

As a Hull fan, I would say Webster was the lynch pin of your side that allowed you to progress.

James Webster was a superb little player and brought us everything we wanted. Sadly he wasn't part of the plans to get us to the next level but we'll never forget what he did for us

The pass that put Weisner through the gap in the NL1 GF was the moment I realised we were heading to the promised land

Does it have to be a player?
still think he's the best signing in the last 5 years

Drop goal to win the Good Friday Derby?