Official West Hartlepool RFC

I heard its "Hard Being a Cowboy in Rochdale"

Nothing anywhere else about this including the Rochdale website. Is it just a rumour?

Oh yee of little faith! Of course its true.

It better be; I've plagiarised it and put it on the Driff website! My integrity is at stake.

Does Cyril Smith still play prop for them ?

Just remember where you heard it first. Interesting league next year.

No he plays for Horden 3rds...sorry HBL:oD:oD:oD

Are you sure thats Cyril Smith



Looks amazingly like Old Boys prop Nicky Hughes in his best bib and tucker.

:-!:-!:-!:-!

Just seen DP's post re Rochdale. We as you know played Winnington Park in the play-off. They finioshed second one place above Rochdale. They were a big physical side with quite a few good players> I would compare them with Durham City. However, even though the score was quite close at 22 - 16 the result was never in doubt and I dont think that they would threaten many of the top half of N2 east.
In fact the referee (Andy Taylorson) from Manchester said before the game that the general feeling was that N2E was a fair bit stronger than N2W.
I think West will have a great chance of threatening the top in N2E next season.
Even though you keep making barbed comments about Beverley we wish you the best of luck next year and hope to meet you again soon.
DP can you please give me your contact number again cos I cant be bothered to trawl backwards through the message board to find it and I wish to talk about next yeers web site (but only if you are nice to us!!!!!

As a Winnington Park player, I have to disagree with 'Scoop' the only difference in the play-off was a mistake made by our full back, which gifted Beverley a try. Had that mistake not been made the result would have been different. Anyhow we lost so that doesn't matter.

With regards to Rochdale, the teams in N2E have nothing to worry about. They have a couple of pacey backs but there forwards are weak, I predict that they will finish in the bottom half of the table. Plus they do not travel well, which makes me wonder why they have switched, unless of course they have bought a new team!

Scoop. Phone is 01429 837700 or dave@da-group.co.uk

As a Rochdale member I can assure you that we did not volunteer to come into North2E. If anyone cares to do the maths we have some 48 miles less than Carlisle to travel (thanks to Alwick going out and Sheffield Tigers and Crossleyans coming into the league). Travel was the reason that Penrith were moved across last season (we were next in line) and they did OK.

As for the Winnington Park player saying we don't travel well we did beat Winnington Park on their own ground (and Vale of Lune who ended up a better team than Winnington P who only have a forward game). As for buying a team we have no intention of paying players. We are looking forward to playing at West, as not so long ago we were playing some nine levels below you.

Les,

Welcome to the incestuous jungle that is North Two East!

And get the hell out of it as quick as possible