CRAIG HALL

The debate about Rovers' youth policy is something that goes round in circles.

Rover's were subject to a CVA until 2004 which prevented them from operating as effectively as a business, with the main concern making sure the bills were paid let alone funding a "youth policy". Meanwhile the "Gateshull Thunder Sharks" (no malice intended) were poaching youngsters like Scott Wheeldon and Danny Washbrook with their £1.25m hand-out from the RFL. They had the city to themselves - how could they fail?

FC fans preach about bringing through "local lads" like they are the only club to have ever done it whilst Rovers have produced more GB players than FC by a long, long way - even having FIVE GB CAPTAINS in the team at one point.

I'm please to see the progress of Rovers academy and reserve teams since our arrival into SL and hope that some players make the grade to play 1st team one day but only as long as they are good enough to progress this club to the top-spot.

Bringing players through is second to a successful club IMO because I've felt sentimental about players in the past until I saw my team get tonked too many times at places like Batley and it was at that point I realised I don't owe any of the players anything and they don't owe me anything - I mean, would they give a toss about my career same as I would for theirs?

When all is said and done, I want success for Hull Kingston Rovers at all costs (within reason) because that's where I believe this club should be having spent my formative years in the early eighties and my memories of Rovers winning everything there was to be won during their sustained period of dominance that even the great Peter Sterling couldn't prevent...