WITH the Knowsley Road grapevine continually crackling with rumours of player unrest, Saints' chief executive David Howes has attempted to clarify the situation.

The names of as many as six of the stars who brought the Silk Cut Challenge Cup home last season have been bandied around, including record signing Paul Newlove, who joined Saints from Bradford Bulls in 1995.

Said Mr. Howes: "The position with Paul is that he has asked for talks with the board on a contract that would keep him at Knowsley Road for the rest of his career, while Anthony Sullivan has indicated that he is in a similarly happy frame of mind.

'We shall be talking with Alan Hunte when the present Test series ends and hope to reach agreement with Tommy Martyn and Danny Arnold by the time training resumes on Monday, November 17, and Steve Prescott now has an upgraded contract.

"It would appear that Simon Booth is on his way to Hull Sharks, and that leaves Saints with Dean Busby, Ian Pickavance, and Chris Morley on the transfer list. But I would stress that a player review is under way with a 25-man squad and salary cap in mind" added Mr. Howes. Saints have signed 16-year-old utility forward Michael Loughlin on a five-year-contract - and he is even bigger than his famous brother Paul was at 21!

For Cowley schoolboy and St. Helens Crusaders star Mike stands 6ft 3in and tipped the scale at 15 stone, and like 'Lockers,' is a prodigious goalkicker.

Said dad Terry, himself a former Saints' player and now mine host of the Sprayhurst Club, Boundary Road: "I am naturally very proud that the name of Loughlin is back on the Knowsley Road register."

A decision as to whether Saints will visit Wigan on Boxing Day has been deferred due to the management re-structure at Central Park.

Season ticket details will be announced at Knowsley Road by the end of November.

Past Players' Association members Austin Rhodes, Geoff Pimblett, Jimmy Measures, Ray French, Kel Coslett and Glyn Moses were guests of Widnes at the official opening of Halton Stadium on Sunday. How many local lads have represented Saints at Rugby League and St. Helens Town at soccer? That's the burning question testing the sporting bar-flies of the Greenall Whitley Club in Alder Hey Road, Eccleston. And so far only local estate agent Frank Brown in the late 1940s, and Colin Ledsham (1970s) have been named as holders of the double distinction. No doubt there will be some advance on these from sport-minded Star readers.

A Sportsman's Dinner in aid of the Luke Bryan Appeal will be held at Windle Labour Club on Wednesday, November 19, from 7.30pm. Main speaker is former Great Britain star Eddie Cunningham, comedian is Shaun Styles and compere is Lennie Lowe. Tickets price £15 are available from Jimmy O'Sullivan on St. Helens 28148, Alan on 23053, or from the club.

Saints' reserve team forward of the late 1940s Walter Rochford has taken both Duggie Greenall and myself to task for stating in this column that he wore size16 boots. The correct fitting was size 12.

Answer to correspondent Ken Davies, of Eccleston: Jimmy and Tommy Stott both played for Saints after the second world war, with their respective dates of birth being Jimmy November 15, 1919, Tommy September 9, 1924. Tommy later signed for Swinton and, incidentally, his grand-daughter Bethany turns out for the Blackbrook under-eight team and recently won a player-of-the-match award!

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