If we'd lost Hicks, King, Anderson x 2 through injury (which equates to Roberts, Phelps, Bailey and Hansen), then we'd have seen Williams, Blythe, McCarthy and Mitchell brought in. No purchases there.

so buying players is illegal or detremental to a team? grow up and read my previous post, your as bad as he is, go away!

Yes we can compare it

Chris Riley (2 Challenge Cups)
Ben Harrison (2 Challenge Cups)
Paul Wood (1 Challenge Cup)
Mike Cooper (1 Challenge Cup)
Tyrone McCarthy (1 Challenge Cup)

I'm struggling to get a decent trophy tally from the Wigan lads, O'Loughlin didn't play in the 2002 Challenge Cup final so I don't think any of them have got any trophies.

Although to be fair, I do like seeing a mix of top stars and local youth. Most of the top teams now have that.

Including Wigan.

In fairness to Wigan, they could probably beat us on the trophy count of academy produced players currently playing, if they counted guys like Sean Long and Jon Clarke who have gone on to play for top teams.

which will be players for the future im sure. we have used a hell of lot of home grown talent on a regular basis this year and to be honest im astounded how well they have performed. the point of my post is that as we currently stand we cannot be criticised for not bringing youth through. we have arguable the best youth set up in the league and we are utilising it. the quality young lads is the reason we have finished top. they have stepped up to the mark when required. we have had some real injury problems this year particularly in the pack but due to the level these kids have performed it hasnt been as well documented as for example the leeds injury crisis in the forwards. at times this year we have been running on 2 props but the kids stepped up and delivered. wire arent known for bring players through to a high standard on a regulat basis but with the likes of harrison maybe that trend is changing. some of the players we have let go have deserved to go through attitude etc but we are getting the ratio right with home grown talent british and overseas imports. how we can be criticised is beyond me.

We bought every good player from other teams and played them in our 'A' team? You couldn't make this up



Well, it seems some people have.

I don't think Wigan should be criticised for their current youth set up. Just as I don't think we should be criticised for this supposed lack of a youth set up. Both are ignorant views.

i never said it was illegal, it can be argued its detremental to your youth set up when the majority of your team is purchased rather than developed. so when youve picked your dummy up actually look at the issue, oh and grow up you child !!

Your right, I don't know a huge amount of Wigans history. Being in my early 20's and only moving to Wigan about 10 years ago, ive only followed Wigan since then. You'll very rarely see me going about proclaiming this and that about Wigans history, as I wasn't around then and as such don't know much.

Someone asked why do Wigan fans not like us and I said why, I didn't try to do it in a trolling way or not. I said why I wasn't a big fan of Warrington.

Responses that like, of where I didn't particularly insult your team, I just gave reasons of why I respect the way Leeds and Saints have built a squad better, don't help matters.

You've name me 1 player in there who I should be jealous of, but he wouldn't get into Wigan back row (imo). If you were to play him at prop then he probably would get in our team, as he's a good young player, but he's not the fantastic superstar you make him out to be.

I also know this season isn't over, and I expected you to win last night, and still think you are the team to worry about in the competition.

So to end it, i'd just like to wonder where I manipulated history? I don't remember stating Wigan didn't buy everyone in the past, but whats that got to do with now? We've got a large squad with a very large number of academy produced players who all make regular appearances in the first team.

i defy you to tell me wigan did not build a team of players in the 80's that was not purchased from other teams! hanley gill robinson gregory for a start came from other clubs,wigan did not put all their players into the first team and seeing a majority came from other clubs must have played in the A team, perhaps not as poopy as you try to make out, now jog on your saturday pie supper's going cold

If thats referring to me (and not saying it is btw, just want to quantify my comments) I stated in a few years I was sure you'd reap the benefits of work on your academy, as its obvious you are starting to bring young players through, and thats why I'm sure you will stay at the top for a couple more years as you have the youngsters coming through who will hopefully (for your sake) be able to replace the spine of your team which is undeniably quite old.

And to the people who are critising us for playing Roberts and Phelps in the reserves, surely that indicated that home grown players (such as Darrell Goulding) are now being selected in the team ahead of them. Would they rather they played for the first team just as they aussies and kept the english lads relegated in the reserves? Can't win!

Oh so it's wigan by birth you used to compile your list of "all wigan lads"? In which case remove from your "all wigan lads" list,please.............
Hampson-burtonwood.
Betts-salford.
Robinson-leeds.

Yep,"all wigan lads."

Ahh, my favourite poster. The person who continually calls all Wire fans 'scum.' One of the comments you've just posted on your own Board about Wire has even been criticised by one of your fellow Wigan supporters. It's interesting to note that, apart from bondi Warrior, whose comments are always reasonable, most of the Wigan fans who have posted comments about last night (which we all agree was a poor Wire performance) are stupid, ignorant, one eyed, biased idiots like you.

Slim is arguing the fact that Wigan built a team around buying other clubs best players you have then used that other quote to dismiss his argument.....



are you seriously asking us to Believe Wigan Didnt not purchase Andy Gregory from Warrington or Joe Lydon from Widnes.....

can you read this from the independant i couldnt see the bit where he comes through the Wigan System

[urlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/sport/profile-the-scrumhalf-and-a-half-andy-gregory-1404213.html[/url

"Gregory professes no curiosity about how he would have fared in union. He played a couple of games for Wigan RU Colts but made an early decision in favour of league, although his two brothers have played union, one of them for Orrell. Born in Ince-in-Makerfield near Wigan, a birthplace he shares with the golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Gregory had a trial at the age of 17 for Salford, for whom his father had played at full- back. He was man-of-the-match but it was Widnes who signed him and he made the first of his Wembley appearances for them in 1981, the year he made his international debut.

In 1985, he joined Warrington, where they still talk about a game he played at Leeds in which Warrington scored nine tries. Gregory scored one and made the other eight. Wigan paid a large transfer fee for him in 1987 and he responded by immediately winning the Player of the Year award.

It proves nothing. I spend time on the Wire board because there are some decent posters and some good threads. Most importantly im a rugby league fan, not an insular club fan, so I go on many different boards.

so 4 of our starting 13 are academy....you have 2.

I guess it all comes back to quality v quantity.

We have two, they've played a huge part in us winning back to back Challenge Cups. You guys have four as you say, but as yet are still waiting to replicate past glories and climb the steps in either of the main competitions.

Perhaps the club should look at your youth structures, concentrate on producing better kids, kids that can take you guys to the next level.

For me, if we don't win it this year, I hope you guys do. Thing is with me, I'll always root for the underdog.

3 of out them 4 are england internationals and the other a samoan international, we finished top of the leqague and the 18's and 20's are in the playoffs......what more can we do?

Warrington were skint in the 1990s and at one point even killed of the youth teams to save money. Hence the ten year gap in which we had very few first teamers come through the academy etc. The rot stopped a few years ago and we now have lots of talent coming through, not all of whom will make it with Wire but even those who don't will end up playing for other clubs. Apart from the above, any fan who does not respect a club like Warrington merely reveals blind prejudice.

Warrington there a nice little club

.....With their own nice little ground, which they don't have to beg to use off their big footballing brother....

and thats the deal in a nut shell Wires And wigan have both improved immensley from a couple of Season ago where neither side Looked like troubling the top positions, yet both now have excellent youth set up's, both have youth team players playing first grade both have some very good imports and both clubs have players bought or brought in from other clubs, and both have had a succesful season which still isnt over....

So why can no one Respect Warrington for Back to back challenge cup wins, yet we all must bow down to Wigan who to be fair have won jack $hit at the minute.