BACK PAGE: 2003

LEE RADFORD lost his Hull FC job minutes after their defeat by Warrington and it was announced on live TV shortly afterwards.

That was certainly different and there were probably better ways for club owner Adam Pearson to have done it. Adam might now accept it would have been more sensible to wait until the morning and make a formal announcement.

But what’s done is done and Adam was certainly honest in his reasons for the decision. The club has been through tough times before under Radders and stuck with him, but after seven years they’ve decided to go in a different direction.

The Hull FC job is one of the most highpressure roles in the sport. There’s a lot of media attention and that side of the city expects success. They have spent heavily to overhaul the squad and got off to a great start by winning at Leeds.

That’s what will have been so disappointing for Radders – they had that great win then the wheels fell off. As an outsider looking in, the sacking seems premature and a lot of players were missing on Thursday night (above).

But ultimately, Lee will be remembered as a success at Hull. He brought the club their first-ever Challenge Cup win then followed it up with another. They were up there challenging in Super League every other year and I believe he delivered as a coach.

I hope we see him back in the game soon. Everyone knows Radders is a character, but he’s also a student of the game and has been since we played together at Bradford.

He’s this rough and ready lad, but also a rugby nerd and those two characteristics combined to create a successful coach.

Hull FC now need a new coach only seven rounds into the new season and it has to be the right appointment.

Whoever gets the job has a good squad to work with and more than 20 league games to play – it’s an attractive proposition.

CHELSEA legend Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris tore into the club’s chariman Ken Bates in an abusive tirade.

Harris, skipper of the Blues’ 1970 FA Cup-winning side, blames Bates for the club’s financial plight.

“I think Batesy’s a p***k,” he said.