Please re-read the last 2 sentences of my text at the bottom of page 9.
I've always questioned Gregory's commitment to our club, and his desire to join Wigan.
He tried to get there, before he joined us, and then he eventually got his wish, when he was with us.

Duckie, since when have you been this forum's resident post critic/announcer of topics that are coming to an end?

The days before Super League were more maverick times contractually with players part time or at best fitting work around their playing requirements. Wigan haven't always been the beneficiaries of this and in the late 70's early 80's lost the likes of Wright, Cunningham, OLoughlin, Fairbairn to what were then more successful clubs and failed to pick up the junior talent such as Greg and Lydon. You guys views may be somewhat skewed as players who have featured for both Wigan and Wire are rare, top players rarer still. For me Gregory, excluding short term Aussies, was in the top 3 most talented players I have ever seen play for Wigan.

What started as an Andy Gregory slagging off contest (and we did), has actually turned into a very interesting thread with some great comments. Lefty, you make some great points and I agree with just about all of them. I've only read the last 3 pages this morning, and there are some great arguments. There's mention of cerain prominent members of the pack ageing, but if you move forward from 1987 to 1990, most of these players had been replaced. Look at the 1990 Cup Final pack, actually not a bad front row, with one very controversial non-selection left with us on the terraces.
To go back to Andy Gregory, yes, great player, but someone with no loyalty whatsoever. Still say Parry Gordon was a better player (but anyone who's read my posts on Parry would expect me to say that).

Simple. It could be argued AG was a first class player and a second rate human being.

and there we have it, Ladies and Gentlemen. This thread is summed up perfectly in these few words.

In the 80s the period when Gregory was at Wigan I working with a young lad who had just broken into the Hunslet A team.One morning he arrived at work saying what a great bloke Andy Gregory is.The previous night he was playing away against Wigan A and it as a cold and rainy night.After te game they were sat in the dressing room after bath still trying to get warm and Andy Greg was at Central park maybe getting injury therapy .Any way Greg noticed them as he was walking passed and he came in and sat with these young lads and asked them how things were going and just chatted generally and shook hands with them all My young workmate really appreciated that gesture from Andy Gregory.If I was a wire fan tough I probably would be saying same things as you people

That's a good story Lion.
The topic opened with forwards from Warrington fans who remember his spell while here.

There doesn't seem to see anyone who has heart stories like that.

I did briefly speak with him once as I walked passed him doing road works on fennel street. He was smiling and courteous. Which implies he's a nice guy.

I don't think for one minute there is no humanity there....Only that he has no conscious about using a team to get what he wants.

Some of you guys are pathetic, second rate human being....



Here's his side of the story from his book Pint Size:

Why would you react like that?

Not like you to resort to insults and name calling?
I was lucky enough to be watching The Wire at the time in question and heard/saw enough to form a personal opinion on AG. Certainly more evidence than you needed to opine that I am pathetic.

There is even a quote ...in fact it was going so well that I shelved all thoughts of going to Wigan...

Without misquoting, this sentence alone admits his thoughts of going to Wigan were prior to his arrival at Warrington and during his time at Warrington (which indicates Warrington was intended as his portal).
The use of shelving as opposed to disposal is also a significant word.

Those Quotes reinforce the view the majority of us 'oldies' have.

Like I first started out saying before we got sidetracked by John woods and the side of 87.
"Andy Gregory was a world class player..not the best Ive seen in primrose and blue, and by all accounts a bit of a cock."

handing in your notice on a beer mat is exactly the cockwittery I would expect. But what is also interesting to read is that he says put Mark Roberts in for four tries.....? and Not Mark Roberts and Me tore Leeds to Shreds that day!!!

If you ever saw Mark Roberts play he had an eye for a half gap, the pace to hit it and the balls to NEVER ever deviate from his run, If he got the pass he rarely dropped it, sometimes (lots) he got high tackled because it was the only way to stop him, but he always caused problems. I cant name you a player that comes close to being similar to Mark Roberts in the 20 odd years since.

For Andy Gregory to make it sound like it was all his work and as simple as Gleeson putting in faafilli for a two yard walk over is possibly why people don't particularly like him despite never having met the guy.


BTW I agree the Second rate human being was a bit strong.

Sally seems prone to these apparent rushes of blood to the head at times. I have just thought they were attempted wind-ups and ignored them.
I am surprised however that he/she and other posters seem to take everything that these professional guys say as one hundred percent kosher and the epitome of veracity.
Adrian Morley cited his wish to go to Salford was in order to to finish his career at his hometown club. I don't suppose it had anything to do with Koukash offering him a better deal. I don't have a problem with him moving for a better deal because he went about it in an honourable manner. As I said before, Gregory was always chasing the cash and he did not much care how he went about it and that was the difference with him.
I have read Gregory's biography as well and when I read the bit that Sally quoted I had to laugh with incredulity. Bishop was not in the same league as a half back and the only way Gregory would be dropped would be for disciplinary reasons of which there were many because, as he says, he was going out of his way to be awkward. He also admits that he was talking to Wigan. No doubt upping the ante.
If he wanted to play for Wigan he could have signed for them at 17 but, at that time, Wigan were broke so he signed for Widnes, no doubt for a better fee. Then Wigan got a new board and they started pawning the company silver and splashing the cash whereupon Gregory becomes unsettled and wants out. Was it because of his longing to play for his hometown club or was it the carrot of more money?
Widnes refuse to sell him to Wigan so we buy him and, no doubt, met his wage demands.
Within eighteen months he is causing trouble in the ranks in order to force Warrington's hand and transfer list him. He cranked up this conduct until he got his wish.. Was this conduct down to his pining to play for his hometown club or was it the fact that Wigan were cherry picking everyone's best players by paying more money. Gregory did not play for anyone for weeks. Did he go all that time without wages? Saints offered the asking price bur Gregory refused to sign for them and sat it out whilst Wigan went to arbitration to try and reduce the fee. That is the thing that irks me and, I suspect, many others. The underhanded way that Gregory and Wigan acted.
It is a free country and Sally is entitled to defend Mr. Gregory but I think, with the majority of Wire and Widnes fans his/her remarks will fall on deaf ears.
It is ironic that Gregory got upset when Wigan later treated him with the same disdain as he had treated his previous clubs.
It is even more ironic that Gregory was coach at Salford when they knocked Wigan out of the cup which began the process of the crumbling of the Wigan hegemony, the financing of which seemed to be based on winning everything.
It is said that a Wigan player once said to Gregory "They say the boss is going to give Andy Goodway a cortisone injection" to which he replied, "If he's getting a new car I want one"
Not very funny you might think but it does sum up his avaricious approach to life.
A truly great player. IMO at his peak better that Shaun Edwards. From all accounts a very personable and charming man to talk to but, at some crucial times, blinded by avarice.

Says it all..

What a load of Sh3te ,have you ever met Andy ?The bloke is a very decent Man , I know him very well , he is currently having a well deserved Testimonial Year , at the moment , and I KNOW for a fact he has pledged a good percentage of the Money about to be raised to 3 Charities , he now trains very hard every day , and hasn't had a drink for a couple of months now , I also know he enjoyed his time at Wire , and could be there on Thursday night .

Supporting Wigan

this

Or Wires, depending on who pays him the most, and on condition he can change allegiance as often as suits during the game.

Generally club guest ex-players of Warrington's past, wear their club issued primrose-n-blue tie.
I'd like him to wear his on Thursday.
That may go some in showing his pride in being a Wire.

Funny thing is I've seen him a few time when Wire play Wigan...never seen him when we've played anyone else though

Quote ="Wires71"Simple. It could be argued AG was a first class player and a second rate human being.'" www.thebestof.co.uk/local/salfor ... og.twitter

Quote ="Wires71"Simple. It could be argued AG was a first class player and a second rate human being.'" www.thebestof.co.uk/local/salfor ... og.twitter

There is more joy in heaven on a sinner doing penance etc. I am pleased to hear that he is doing charitable, selfless work and I hope he carries on kin this vein.
It does not take away from the fact, however, that he was out of order in the way he treated both Widnes and Warrington.
If he held up his hand to this, instead of the claptrap he has come up with to date, I am sure the majority of fans would bury the hatchet.

I've known loads of people who do stuff for charity, it doesn't always follow that they are good people. I'm not sure why when he last had a drink has anything to do with it either.



I'd rather he didn't


I hope the OP has some nice quotes off here for his book

I think you are mistaken there Yed, he is often at our games and quite often enjoys a pre match pint in the Rodney. Obviously now he's on Charlies Charity bandwagon he will be jogging up and down Winwick Road for his pre match ritual from now on.

He was at the Hull game so unless he was lost....