After a winning home debut for Salford, the next fixture exposed the coalminer's son to Workington Town where the heavy mob took it in turn to run him over. As their victim picked himself up from the third painful experience, a spectator shouted out at the top of his voice: "Hey, Watkins.
Next time, try hitting 'em with your wallet." His status in October 1967 as the most expensive Union convert to League in a deal worth £16,000 more than - £300,000 by today's values - made him a magnet for every hit-man in the north of England aggrieved to learn that a Welsh 'midget' was being paid so much when they were getting so little.
Watkins knew, of course, that such a fortune would come at a price, most probably in the shape of a stiff-arm tackle. It arrived all too soon, whereupon the assailant made no attempt to disguise the motivation behind the brutality. "Now, then," he said, standing over his flattened victim. "Twinkle, twinkle little star, if you ******* can."
Denne historien er fra September 10, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra September 10, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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England show who's No.1
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Skivington: We're going to roll dice and go for it
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Four-try England make it 17 wins on the spin
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Time for Borthwick to prove his worth
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Barrington ready to power up the Mob
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Roebuck targets England success
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Stephens' debut try sees off old rivals
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