Mike Gregory Autobiography

[cpwigan]

I bought a copy at the weekend. Unfortunately I missed the signing session and Smiths did not have any spare signed copies. The book is a very good read. The proofreaders made one bad mistake listing Koloto as an early 80's Widnes star alongside the likes of Kevin Tamati.

I like the credit Mike gives to stalwarts of the Wigan Junior Game. Indeed, the generosity and gratitude of MG shines through throughout the book. Mike Binder will smile at the difference in set up at John Fisher back then.

The Wigan section is so interesting. MG sheds a new light on Stuart Raper (at least to me) and confirms the problematic meddling of ML in transfers etc. The failure to back young players iss a common theme. MG rates Lockers and Hock very highly. He also paints David Waite in a far more positive light than many do/did.

[mike binder]

cpwigan posted:
I bought a copy at the weekend. Unfortunately I missed the signing session and Smiths did not have any spare signed copies. The book is a very good read. The proofreaders made one bad mistake listing Koloto as an early 80's Widnes star alongside the likes of Kevin Tamati.

I like the credit Mike gives to stalwarts of the Wigan Junior Game. Indeed, the generosity and gratitude of MG shines through throughout the book. Mike Binder will smile at the difference in set up at John Fisher back then.

The Wigan section is so interesting. MG sheds a new light on Stuart Raper (at least to me) and confirms the problematic meddling of ML in transfers etc. The failure to back young players iss a common theme. MG rates Lockers and Hock very highly. He also paints David Waite in a far more positive light than many do/did.

not bought it yet think its on my christmas list

[warrior till i die]

very funny in the book when two warrington players, in milwawkie have a game of two on two with two americans. One runs at dessie drummond and mike recalls that he sure regreted it when he got flattened/

[Woodentop07]

got my copy at the weekend,looking forward to reading it!!should be interesting to see how badly he was treated by mo n whelan regarding his illness.

[ancientnloyal]

I was in Smiths when mike turned up, was a good moment, Radders, o'connor and lydon there aswell.

great turnout.

i didnt buy the book, i saved my money for a herb burger sold on the street next to Greenhalghs

[DaveO]

ancientnloyal posted:
...for a herb burger ....

:craz: :eusa4: :shoc: :eusa13:

[ancientnloyal]

DaveO posted:

ancientnloyal posted:
...for a herb burger ....

:craz: :eusa4: :shoc: :eusa13:

They are ace! £2.30 though but they are worth it. if you're in wigan on saturday, just down the road from smiths there'll be a huge wok with them all on on the street

[cpwigan]

The club (rather ML and DW) do not emerge very well from what Mike has wrote. I had always believed the club paid for Mike to go to America. It turns out the club never paid mike anything beyond his salary. His illness is complicated and beyond the realms of many standard medical practioners yet DW was making huge medical assumptions on MGs behalf.

Sad really

[DaveO]

cpwigan posted:
The club (rather ML and DW) do not emerge very well from what Mike has wrote. I had always believed the club paid for Mike to go to America. It turns out the club never paid mike anything beyond his salary.

Why do you think the club should have paid for his trip to the USA? My employer would not pay for my medical treatment if I was that ill. They would pay what they had to legally in terms of sick pay and the company pay an employee insurance policy that covers long term illness (but only up to a point) and death in service but that is it.

They would certainly not fund trips to specialists abroad.

There is no way the club could take on board Mike's medical expenses just in the same way my company would not take on mine or your employer could not take on yours if you were ill.

Perhaps you could argue DW was bing tight with his cash in not helping Mike out but then he isn't a relative is he?

Sorry if this sounds harsh but people are letting the emotional side of this get the better of common sense. As far as I recall Mike contracted the illness while working for the RFL (the book may say otherwise, I don't know) and if he did why aren't the RFL in the frame?

What happened to Mike is very sad but why people expect his employer to foot his medical bills I don't really understand.

I thought his beef with the club was he thought he could continue in some capacity and they insisted otherwise, not that he expected them to pay for his trip to the USA.

His illness is complicated and beyond the realms of many standard medical practioners yet DW was making huge medical assumptions on MGs behalf.

Sad really

It is sad but what assumptions was DW making? If it was that Mike could not continue as coach clearly that was correct.

What I think the club could have done is organise a benefit match at the JJB rather than the one at St. Pats organised by others. In that regard thay have been very poor but in terms of medical treatment and the legal side of it I can't see how they could be expected to do more as they are not a charity and must balance the books.

Dave

[cpwigan]

You need to read the book Dave. Quite frankly when you do you will be disgusted by the antics of Whelan and Lindsay.

Re; America. The club via Lindsay gave his word to Mike that they would look after his expenses etc. They never did. The clubs contracts are seemingly a joke, or were.

The best example is when the club sent Mike to a specialist of their choosing and when the report favoured Mike rather than the club, Maurice wrote back to the specialist telling him he did not have any concept of what was required to coach Wigan Rugby League Club.

Seriously read the book. It corrects so so many half truths, lies that were put forward during the last few years. A lot of your assumptions Dave are wrong and corrected by the book. Personally, I feel ashamed by the behaviour of Whelan and Lindsay.