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Thread: Mike Mcclennan

  1. #26
    Learning All The Songs bewareshadows's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by STIDDY View Post
    R.I.P. Mike, really nice fella when he was at Saints, Shane Cooper will be the most upset as Mike was a father figure to him.

    For fans who don't remember him he was a very technical coach with trick + innovative plays which at the beginning with the players caused a bit of confusion but Cooper and Martyn seemed to be on his wavelength.

    He was responsible for the trick play of the very tall John Harrison heading the ball over the try line for our forwards usually George Mann to pounce for a score, the RFL outlawed it later as it was too unorthodox for them. I had forgotten that he engineered the 41-6 win a(Coors Shirt) against the goons with a very, very deep attacking one of my best games of all time against them because the goons were a star studded team at the time.
    I was at that game as a lad, it was truly brilliant, better than most cup final atmospheres.

    RIP

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    Quote Originally Posted by bewareshadows View Post
    I was at that game as a lad, it was truly brilliant, better than most cup final atmospheres.

    RIP
    Sean Edwards got loads of flak from the Saints Fans and it seemed to effect him because he couldn't get anything right as the jeering from our fans were superb.

    It was one of those games that Mike McClennan set up with a deep attacking line, remember a couple of scrums near our centre spot and our wingers were way back on their 25 yard line and hitting the goons at full speed.

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    In The West Stand Ralph Fridge's Avatar
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    Awful news. R.I.P. Mike.

    First trophy win for me as a Saints fan the premiership trophy in 1993. Prevented a Wigan clean sweep if I remember rightly?

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    Very sad news, RIP.

    I started watching Saints in 1992, so he was the coach at the time. Lovely bloke and always seemed to get one or two over on Wigan during their dominant spell.
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  5. #30
    Got A Season Ticket Laner's Avatar
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    Christmas 1991 (I think) we lived in Oxford and had some friends who were a Kiwi couple, actually from Niue to be precise. We came home for the Christmas period and invited the couple to stay with us at my parents house for Christmas and New Year. In between Christmas and New Year one lunchtime we walked up to Knowsley Road to show our friends the ground as they were big RL fans. We went into the old restaurant and asked if we could have a look at the pitch through the windows. Sat at a table in the restaurant was Mike eating a sandwich and he came over and was thrilled to meet our friends as were they. He invited us to the club that night as he said there was a big party and insisted we came. We went up there that night intending just to show our faces, have a drink and leave. The big party was actually just the players and their partners but when Mike saw us walk in he came over and treated us like long lost family. We sat with him all night whilst the Saints players around us got absolutely trollied. An honest, genuine man who was a great coach for Saints.

    Rest in Peace Mike

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    Quote Originally Posted by STIDDY View Post
    R.I.P. Mike, really nice fella when he was at Saints, Shane Cooper will be the most upset as Mike was a father figure to him.

    For fans who don't remember him he was a very technical coach with trick + innovative plays which at the beginning with the players caused a bit of confusion but Cooper and Martyn seemed to be on his wavelength.

    He was responsible for the trick play of the very tall John Harrison heading the ball over the try line for our forwards usually George Mann to pounce for a score, the RFL outlawed it later as it was too unorthodox for them. I had forgotten that he engineered the 41-6 win a(Coors Shirt) against the goons with a very, very deep attacking one of my best games of all time against them because the goons were a star studded team at the time.
    That season we only lost out to the piescum on points difference for the league title. McClennan brought in Jarod McCracken, and what a player he was! He also turned Dwyer from a decent SR/LF into a quality hooker. That was the year we lost some soft games (like a midweek game at a poor Leigh, who ended up being relegated) and we drew 8-8 with the piescum at Central Dump, with Wardy breaking his leg to end his career.

    By the time the next season came round, we'd lost Ward, Connolly, and Mike Mc didn't last till Xmas

    Very sad news that he's died. Condolences to his family. It's such a c**t of a disease.
    Last edited by Webbo Again; 22nd October 2019 at 16:55.

  7. #32
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    Statement on line, a body found believed to be that of Mike. How very sad, thoughts with his family

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    So sad. He coached the best Saints side I've seen that didn't win a CC or Championship and we were only Paul Loughlin not having his kicking boots on from winning that. We'll always have that boxing day and the headed try. RIP owd lad.

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    I knew Mike very well.
    He visited our house on a weekly basis through his
    Position as Coach.
    We played some great Rugby during his time.
    He was passionate, articulate and way ahead
    Of his time.
    A true Saint to the end!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Blobbynator View Post
    Very sad news, RIP.

    I started watching Saints in 1992, so he was the coach at the time. Lovely bloke and always seemed to get one or two over on Wigan during their dominant spell.
    Exactly the same for me. What a shame. RIP, Mike.

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    Sad to hear this. RIP Mike, a shot in the arm for Saints at the time and very innovative. I'll never forget the Harrison 'header' - so good they banned it! God bless his family x

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    R I P Mike and condolences to family , I remember the season Saints and Wigan drew at the top of the League he said "we should be having a grand final now".

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    It is easy to forget what effect certain coaches had and my word the effect from Mike was enormous. He was a Holbrook of his era a mans man who would happily chat with anyone. I liked him.

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    Rest in peace Mike, had some great times with you in charge, beating the Goons in those mad days, and as today, we had a great Pack.
    Sadly missed at a time your beloved Saints did us all proud.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    Same here, for me things started to change with that Lancs cup win against the mighty Rochdale, it wasn't a major success but it felt as though something was happening in what was quite an exciting time for me, I still remember being at that game. Then turning Wigan over on that memorable boxing day 41-6 and I think we may have beaten Widnes too on NYD.

    RIP Mike - You will always be one of us.
    AD I think the Widnes game was cancelled and Mike said we would have done them if it was NYD. The re-arranged game was a defeat I think it was mid-week and the mentioned defeat against Leigh that cost us the title. I am refusing to look these up but I am certain the Widnes game was cancelled and remember his rueful comments when the title was lost.
    God bless Mike, Our thoughts are with your family.

  16. #41
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    I remember his time at the club & what he did. So sad to hear what happened, RIP Sir.
    Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional

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    Sad news.
    He gave us some entertaining times indeed and 41-6 will remain one of the best days ever in my Saints watching lifetime.

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    Moderator Div's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tallaght Tiger View Post
    AD I think the Widnes game was cancelled and Mike said we would have done them if it was NYD. The re-arranged game was a defeat I think it was mid-week and the mentioned defeat against Leigh that cost us the title. I am refusing to look these up but I am certain the Widnes game was cancelled and remember his rueful comments when the title was lost.
    God bless Mike, Our thoughts are with your family.
    Yes the Widnes game on NYD was called off at very late notice in fact many of us arrived at the stadium to be told it was in doubt then postponed.
    We were running high on confidence and I'm sure had the game gone ahead we would have won. Alas it wasn't to be and we eventually lost on points difference. That cost us along with that God awful night at Hilton Park where we lost in the gales/hail/ snow / rain to a relegated Leigh and blew it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Div View Post
    Yes the Widnes game on NYD was called off at very late notice in fact many of us arrived at the stadium to be told it was in doubt then postponed.
    We were running high on confidence and I'm sure had the game gone ahead we would have won. Alas it wasn't to be and we eventually lost on points difference. That cost us along with that God awful night at Hilton Park where we lost in the gales/hail/ snow / rain to a relegated Leigh and blew it.
    That night was one of the worst I can recall supporting Saints.

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tallaght Tiger View Post
    AD I think the Widnes game was cancelled and Mike said we would have done them if it was NYD. The re-arranged game was a defeat I think it was mid-week and the mentioned defeat against Leigh that cost us the title. I am refusing to look these up but I am certain the Widnes game was cancelled and remember his rueful comments when the title was lost.
    God bless Mike, Our thoughts are with your family.
    Absolutely. I'm not arguing over something so trivial, I was only about 11 so easily could be wrong, I raised a quiet glass to him this afternoon looking out of the back window of the Black Bull.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Laner View Post
    Christmas 1991 (I think) we lived in Oxford and had some friends who were a Kiwi couple, actually from Niue to be precise. We came home for the Christmas period and invited the couple to stay with us at my parents house for Christmas and New Year. In between Christmas and New Year one lunchtime we walked up to Knowsley Road to show our friends the ground as they were big RL fans. We went into the old restaurant and asked if we could have a look at the pitch through the windows. Sat at a table in the restaurant was Mike eating a sandwich and he came over and was thrilled to meet our friends as were they. He invited us to the club that night as he said there was a big party and insisted we came. We went up there that night intending just to show our faces, have a drink and leave. The big party was actually just the players and their partners but when Mike saw us walk in he came over and treated us like long lost family. We sat with him all night whilst the Saints players around us got absolutely trollied. An honest, genuine man who was a great coach for Saints.

    Rest in Peace Mike
    Thanks for that , lovely story . God bless you Mike , now you can rest in peace .

  22. #47
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    Really sad news this, I read a post on Facebook this morning asking if anyone has images of him from his saints days they are asking people to send them in to use at his funeral. If anyone can help I can pass the details on.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    Absolutely. I'm not arguing over something so trivial, I was only about 11 so easily could be wrong, I raised a quiet glass to him this afternoon looking out of the back window of the Black Bull.
    Not meant that way AD.
    Mike said if we had played them then we would have beaten them, it may have given us the league, which in my opinion would have been a bigger victory for the underdog than if Salford had won the GF. He lamented that loss, as we all did.
    Still to be level on points against that full time team, could be claimed as a moral victory, on mature recollection.

  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tallaght Tiger View Post
    Not meant that way AD.
    Mike said if we had played them then we would have beaten them, it may have given us the league, which in my opinion would have been a bigger victory for the underdog than if Salford had won the GF. He lamented that loss, as we all did.
    Still to be level on points against that full time team, could be claimed as a moral victory, on mature recollection.
    I was only a kid then but looking back, he did a pretty good job with the resources he had compared to what they had

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tallaght Tiger View Post
    Not meant that way AD.
    Mike said if we had played them then we would have beaten them, it may have given us the league, which in my opinion would have been a bigger victory for the underdog than if Salford had won the GF. He lamented that loss, as we all did.
    Still to be level on points against that full time team, could be claimed as a moral victory, on mature recollection.
    I would never claim a moral victory but I know what you mean.

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