Mike McClennan - 1944-2019

I am sure many of you share my sadness at the news of the passing of former Saints coach Mike McClennan at the age of 75. McClennan was Saints coach from 1990-93, arguably laying the foundations for a decade and more of success when the old first division morphed into Super League in 1996.

The early 90s were a time of Wigan dominance. They were in the midst of their run of eight successive Challenge Cup final wins between 1988-95, adding eight first division titles in the decade before summer rugby. Yet was Saints who were as close as anyone to breaking down that dominance until the advent of full-time professionalism across the league finally levelled the playing field.

Among the highlights of the McClennan reign were the run to the 1991 Challenge Cup Final in which Saints were beaten 13-8 by Wigan in a tense Wembley encounter, and the 1992-93 first division title race. That saw Saints lose out to the cherry and whites again but only by virtue of Wigan's superior points difference after both teams finished level at the top of the table. The Good Friday draw at Central Park was one of the epic derby encounters of the winter era as the teams drew 8-8. The game saw Kevin Ward suffer a career-ending injury and also meant that Saints would ultimately come up just short in their quest to win a first title for what was 18 years at that time.

That they only had another three years to wait is down in no small part to the work of McClennan. His Saints sides were not only regular contenders but they were probably the most entertaining side to watch in the UK at that time also. George Mann, one of several of McClennan’s fellow Kiwis who underpinned the side along with the brilliant Tea Ropati and the equally masterful Shane Cooper, once scored a try after rangy forward John Harrison headed the ball into the in-goal area. The practice was outlawed soon after by the killjoys in suits but it was a sublime moment that still sticks in the mind and proves what an innovator McClennan really was. His solitary trophy with Saints was the 1992 Lancashire Cup as Saints beat Rochdale in the final, but his approach to the game and his hard work in trying circumstances deserved much richer rewards.

It is slightly speculative, but perhaps if Saints had been able to compete with Wigan financially at the time as they do now, McClennan could have ended their title drought. Shortly after the end of that thrilling 1992-93 season Wigan came along with a large sack of cash which they exchanged for the services of Gary Connolly. Then only in his early 20s, Connolly had been starring for Saints at both fullback and centre for five years by that point and was probably the side's outstanding performer. Logic dictates that if you have two equally matched teams and you take the best player from one and put him in the other then a gap will open up. Sure enough Saints made a bit of a dog’s dinner of the 1993-94 season, limping home in eighth place as Wigan marched off with another title. The gap was still miniscule between them and the rest, however, with both Warrington and Bradford Northern (remember them?) matching Wigan in terms of points on the table as Wigan claimed the prize on points difference for a second consecutive season. Their grip was loosening.

By then McClennan was gone, replaced eventually by Eric Hughes whose two year spell was followed by that of Shaun McRae as the inaugural Super League crown finally arrived. It had been 21 years since Saints last title at that point. Men like Alan Hunte and Steve Prescott were still a part of the set-up at that time having also been involved under McClennan. Not only did Saints win the Super League and Challenge Cup double in 1996 but they did so with a philosophy that was not very far removed from the off-the-cuff style favoured by McClennan. Where once there was Connolly and Hunte teaming up to cause havoc on the edge, by 1996 it was Paul Newlove and Anthony Sullivan who terrorised opposition defences.

After he left Saints McClennan coached Tonga at the 1995 World Cup before enjoying a spell as an assistant at Auckland Warriors alongside fellow Kiwi and former Wigan coach Graham Lowe. Mike's son Brian went on to coach Leeds Rhinos between 2008-10, beating his dad’s old club in two Super League Grand Finals. Yet Mike remained a Saint, with chairman Eamonn McManus this week remembering how Mike would call from New Zealand to wish his former club well ahead of a big game. Once a Saint, always a Saint, McClennan will always have a place in the hearts of Saints fans who spent many a heart-stopping Sunday afternoon watching his side play.