O/T:- Paul Mullin - My Wrexham Story

[Togtastic]

He's a cheat, one of the best, but still just a cheat.

[Togtastic]

I agree. Mullin is class at this level and has everything you'd want from a striker - skill, determination, nous. He's a bit like Lee Hughes in that he can score all types of goals and create something out of nothing. He single-handedly got them over the line several times last season. Yes, he likes to dive, and that winds me up, but we all know we'd adore him if he were our player.

Are you saying you applaud Cameron's less nuanced falls to the ground?

[slack_pie]

Are you saying you applaud Cameron's less nuanced falls to the ground?

No, that's not what I'm saying.

[BenFostersGloves]

My favourite Wrexham player of all time. And that's up against some top players since I started going to games in the early 90's. Worth every penny. He's has got us out of trouble so many times I've lost count.

He scored our fourth goal on Tuesday night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S_BkNCaqTA From 1:26 in ) which just sums him up. This is right at the end of the game, a game where he just ran and ran and ran. Came back way too early after his cracked ribs and punctured lung injury and often plays through the pain barrier.

The fact that so many opposition fans hate him and call him a cheat (laughable and highly hypocritical) just makes us love him even more.

[SwalePie]

My favourite Wrexham player of all time. And that's up against some top players since I started going to games in the early 90's. Worth every penny. He's has got us out of trouble so many times I've lost count.

He scored our fourth goal on Tuesday night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S_BkNCaqTA From 1:26 in ) which just sums him up. This is right at the end of the game, a game where he just ran and ran and ran. Came back way too early after his cracked ribs and punctured lung injury and often plays through the pain barrier.

The fact that so many opposition fans hate him and call him a cheat (laughable and highly hypocritical) just makes us love him even more.

That's a bit harsh. He's a cheat for sure but I wouldn't call him laughable or hypocritical.

[slack_pie]

My favourite Wrexham player of all time. And that's up against some top players since I started going to games in the early 90's. Worth every penny. He's has got us out of trouble so many times I've lost count.

He scored our fourth goal on Tuesday night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S_BkNCaqTA From 1:26 in ) which just sums him up. This is right at the end of the game, a game where he just ran and ran and ran. Came back way too early after his cracked ribs and punctured lung injury and often plays through the pain barrier.

The fact that so many opposition fans hate him and call him a cheat (laughable and highly hypocritical) just makes us love him even more.

Are you saying that he doesn't dive or try to con refs into giving penalties/free kicks?

Other players do it too, including ours, but it's still cheating.

But yeah, that's what I was saying in my previous post - one of those players you love if he's yours but hate if he's not. Lee Hughes was the ultimate example of that, and he was similar to Mullin in many ways (but better).

[SmiffyPie]

The most annoying thing about this diving business (across all teams) is refs can't recognise a manufactured foul or are scared to ignore/book a player that does it. The next most annoying thing is the ref has two other officials (not going to count the 4th official) running the lines that seem to have no responsiblity other than flagging offside and making an occasional decision on throws (they normally wait to see which way the ref indicates). If they had equal authority with the ref (the ref in the middle being the lead official) a lot more stuff would be picked up. Watch a game of hockey and the pitch is split across diagonal corners with each umpire being responsible for their half and indicating foul play when the ball is in the other umps half in case he misses it. Great system and almost foolproof.

[BenFostersGloves]

Are you saying that he doesn't dive or try to con refs into giving penalties/free kicks?

Other players do it too, including ours, but it's still cheating.

But yeah, that's what I was saying in my previous post - one of those players you love if he's yours but hate if he's not. Lee Hughes was the ultimate example of that, and he was similar to Mullin in many ways (but better).

No, he absolutely does. But I'd bet my house we've been done over more times by incompetent refs so F em. Karma.

I don't believe its cheating, or put it another way, cheating is too strong a word for it. Cheating for me is stuff like doping or the allegations of Ryan Reynolds paying refs off, the Italian bribe scandal etc.
If you want to call it cheating then every footballer is a cheat because given the chance they'll all take advantage of certain situations. Its just some do it more than others. Its just part of the game and some fans need to get over it.

[BenFostersGloves]

The most annoying thing about this diving business (across all teams) is refs can't recognise a manufactured foul or are scared to ignore/book a player that does it. The next most annoying thing is the ref has two other officials (not going to count the 4th official) running the lines that seem to have no responsiblity other than flagging offside and making an occasional decision on throws (they normally wait to see which way the ref indicates). If they had equal authority with the ref (the ref in the middle being the lead official) a lot more stuff would be picked up. Watch a game of hockey and the pitch is split across diagonal corners with each umpire being responsible for their half and indicating foul play when the ball is in the other umps half in case he misses it. Great system and almost foolproof.

Exactly - players generally get away with it so they do it. For me its the same level of 'cheating' as stealing a few yards on a throw in or free kick.

Ref's are a far bigger issue. L2 refs are a slight upgrade on last season but its not by much.

A problem we've had this season, especially at home is that some ref's just won't give us anything at all because its obvious they're scared they'll be accused of bias towards us, so they then go too far and we get nothing. Or maybe some refs just hate us.

Anyway, Mullin is a God.

Here's one for you and I know what the answers will be but hey ho... Would you swap Mullin for Langstaff this summer? Given that Mullin contributes more in games (i think thats fair to say) but you may lose a few goals...

[cher1]

No, he absolutely does. But I'd bet my house we've been done over more times by incompetent refs so F em. Karma.

I don't believe its cheating, or put it another way, cheating is too strong a word for it. Cheating for me is stuff like doping or the allegations of Ryan Reynolds paying refs off, the Italian bribe scandal etc.
If you want to call it cheating then every footballer is a cheat because given the chance they'll all take advantage of certain situations. Its just some do it more than others. Its just part of the game and some fans need to get over it.

There's a difference between what you call incompetence by refs and cheating by players though. It's all about intention. And much/most of the 'incompetence' is down to either human error or being conned by cheating players. If played didn't cheat, refs would be more competent.

Of course all players cheat, some much more than others though. One of our players cheats more than others according to some posters on here and it's regularly called out by them interestingly.