TRIBUTES TO

SERVANT

WARRINGTON Wolves' club chairman Lord Hoyle and former teammates of veteran Mark Forster have paid tribute to the wing star at the start of his double Testimonial.

Doug, as Lord Hoyle prefers to be known in rugby circles, said Foz is a player he has grown to know and respect.

He added: "Mark is one of Warrington's all-time greats and I believe he should have had more than two Great Britain caps.

"Whenever he goes on to the field he gives 110 per cent. I can not imagine the team without Mark Forster."

But Forster disagreed with the Lord's comments about his 1987 GB caps.

Forster said: "At the time I got my caps there was the likes of Henderson Gill, Joe Lydon and Des Drummond, who were experienced wingers, to compete with.

"I got one cap against France when one of them was injured and I managed to keep my place for the return leg in Carcasonne. So with the great wingers that were around I was happy with the two caps I got."

New Zealander Roby Muller was brought to Wilderspool by Kevin Ashcroft after impressing for the Junior Kiwis.

The loose forward established himself in Ashcroft's team in the same season as Foz arrived on the first team scene and remembers those 'crazy' days fondly.

Muller recalled how players would love to down a drink straight after the final hooter and revealed Foz was particularly adept at handling his ale.

He reminisced about one occasion when Mark had been on top form at the bar and followed it up by winning a hurdling competition over traffic hoardings.

Muller's immediate impression of Foz was simply 'fast'.

He said: "Foz had the ability to open up the line and once he saw a gap he was gone.

"Now he has learnt to use his weight to his advantage, more than just to rely on his speed."

Derek Finnigan was the full back when Forster arrived and, like Muller, was in the side when Foz made his debut at Barrow in 1983.

Finnigan said: "Fozzy never had the best pair of hands so you had to make sure you put the ball straight into his stomach. But once you did that you could be sure that he would finish it off.

"Whenever you fancied a rest you would give Fozzy the ball and he would run it in from 70 yards out no problem.

"Over the years I have seen him get a lot stronger."

Of course, the game has gone away from a boozy image to one of supreme athletes and Foz outlined the changes he feels have taken place throughout his career.

He said: "When I started it was a part-time job. You did your eight hours on the building site or shop floor and then did an hour and half training at night. Now we're full time you have to be available eight hours a day for the club.

"I don't think many players will do 10 years at clubs now, specially with the ruling that once you reach 24 and are out of contract you can move to another club for no fee."

IN 20 seasons of Rugby League with Warrington Wolves Mark Forster has donned 16 different jerseys but some stand out in his memory more than others.

The 35-year-old winger picked out his favourite: "The Wembley one from 1990 is special. It was my semi-final try against Oldham that helped to get us there and it was an incredible occasion.

"The 1994 shirt, when we just missed out on the title, also holds nice memories. The video of the Wigan game which we drew that season, when the league was lost on points difference eventually, clearly showed the penalty which robbed us of a point was not a penalty.

"Perhaps it wasn't meant to be our name on the trophy that year. One error cost us a piece of Warrington history."

Foz has played alongside and opposite some of the greatest players the game has seen. He outlined those who have both helped and challenged his career.

Foz said: "John Bevan and Jonathan Davies were good centres to play outside. Ronnie Duane was 6ft 3ins tall and he took all the battering, and Alan Bateman was a great partner for his defence.

"The most difficult players I have come up against would be Va'iaga Tuigamala, Ellery Hanley and Jason Robinson. You have to give every opponent the respect that you expect from them."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.