[Mild Rover]

Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:58 pm  

A thread for potentially interesting miscellanea that doesn't justify a thread of its own.

Just been reading about semi-pro US outfit, the Boston 13s. Former Robin, Dave Peterson is in their squad. As is Peter Lupton who played for Hull back in the day.

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:33 pm  

Mild Rover wrote:

A thread for potentially interesting miscellanea that doesn't justify a thread of its own.

Just been reading about semi-pro US outfit, the Boston 13s. Former Robin, Dave Peterson is in their squad. As is Peter Lupton who played for Hull back in the day.

I see and it looks like the game is slowly but slowly taking of all round the world

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:41 pm  

Didn't we have a couple of guys from gridiron at one time, don't think they made much impression though. There must be loads of hulking great brutes that don't quite make it into gridiron, wonder if its worth trying to recruit some? Presumably the answer is no, otherwise someone must be doing it already. Probably an expensive risk. Didn't Roger go over to the USA one year to look at their training techniques?

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:44 pm  

The two grid iron players were Tim Anchors and Pat Kelly. They played in the A Team mainly. I think Anchors played in one first team game against Widnes.

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:06 pm  

MrsHallsSausageRolls wrote:

The two grid iron players were Tim Anchors and Pat Kelly. They played in the A Team mainly. I think Anchors played in one first team game against Widnes.

That is some time ago don't remember them 2 at all

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:14 pm  

Anchors was a second rower. He was the better player. I can't remember where Kelly played to be honest, must be something about that name that makes you forget it

[Mild Rover]

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:15 pm  

Tim Anchors and Pat Kelly both played a single first team game in April 1980, with Kelly starting on the bench. Roger Pugh's history has him down as a backrower too.

[Mild Rover]

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:26 pm  

http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/the ... d-1-138660 A story told by Maurice Bamford about Tim Anchors: "I had a couple of lads at Huddersfield who were both fearsome characters. There was a big American called Tim Anchors, who came from Kansas City and was a defensive line-backer in Gridiron. "Tim was like a cross between the Incredible Hulk, Big Daddy and the Loch Ness monster. "Anyway, he shared a house with another of our lads, Jimmy Johnson. Between them they bore the facial scars of many a rugby battle – broken noses, scar tissue, and cauliflower ears, and were definitely not a pretty sight. "As they prepared to go out one Friday night, they heard a knock on the front door. "It was the gasman looking for his money, as the collectors were always trying to catch them in. "Jimmy and Timmy were at the bottom of the cellar steps, with the gasman going 'Hello, anybody home?' Suddenly, he opened the door to the cellar and the beam of light from his torch shone on to these big, stooping, scar-faced, Herman Munster-type forwards crouched in the blackness. "A scream of fear erupted from the gasman, who fled for his life away from the two giant ghouls standing there in the inky blackness. "Apparently they had to revive the gasman with smelling salts in the grocer's shop. It's a story that Tim Anchors still tells in Kansas City.

http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/the ... d-1-138660 A story told by Maurice Bamford about Tim Anchors: "I had a couple of lads at Huddersfield who were both fearsome characters. There was a big American called Tim Anchors, who came from Kansas City and was a defensive line-backer in Gridiron. "Tim was like a cross between the Incredible Hulk, Big Daddy and the Loch Ness monster. "Anyway, he shared a house with another of our lads, Jimmy Johnson. Between them they bore the facial scars of many a rugby battle – broken noses, scar tissue, and cauliflower ears, and were definitely not a pretty sight. "As they prepared to go out one Friday night, they heard a knock on the front door. "It was the gasman looking for his money, as the collectors were always trying to catch them in. "Jimmy and Timmy were at the bottom of the cellar steps, with the gasman going 'Hello, anybody home?' Suddenly, he opened the door to the cellar and the beam of light from his torch shone on to these big, stooping, scar-faced, Herman Munster-type forwards crouched in the blackness. "A scream of fear erupted from the gasman, who fled for his life away from the two giant ghouls standing there in the inky blackness. "Apparently they had to revive the gasman with smelling salts in the grocer's shop. It's a story that Tim Anchors still tells in Kansas City.

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:30 pm  

Rugby Union isn't as big in the states or Canada as it is in other countries that have both codes playing, ie- Italy. I think with good investment and extra media cover, we could see RL in North America really kick off. The Yanks like fast paced, all action sports so RL has a massive advantage over Union. I for one would love it to really kick off their, and hope Toronto make the grade, with hopefully 5-6 true Canadians playing regularly.

Re: Random Rovers-related references : Wed Sep 13, 2017 3:40 am  

Having followed the Championship road map in 2017 I would prefer to see the RFL encourage 'overseas' investment in existing clubs rather than embark on further expansion (I was going to say folly).

For too long the lower tiers have been neglected with this made even more stark when a director of Dewsbury remarked, 'Today's gate will contribute toward next season'. This cash injection from Rovers away support has been the lifeblood for too many Championship clubs.