Andy Hay

Grateful thanks to Ray Fletcher for assistance with the cross checking and correction of these stats.
It is due entirely to him, I am sure, RL fans can sit around and become engrossed in numbers and a whiz at pub quiz questions.
The Doncaster try count is in red due to their being a clash of information and we are at present trying to find the correct figure [Is it 4 or is it 5?]

THE ANDY HAY PRESS COMMENT/QUOTES FILE (Courtesy of the Sheffield Star)

Andy Hay Returns To Sheffield

FORMER Great Britain star Andy Hay is rejoining Sheffield Eagles as a player-coach. The 34-year-old back rower spent last season at Doncaster Dragons after a Super League career that also included Leeds Rhinos and Widnes Vikings.He will be joining a remodelled Eagles coaching team led by Mark Aston with new head coach Gary Wilkinson and Andy Tyers. But chief executive Aston also sees an important role for Hay on the field as the club seeks automatic promotion in 2006. He said: "We have agreed terms with Andy as an assistant coach/player for 2006. Andy wants to go into coaching ands he feels that we as a club can help him develop. He will also be a player and bring a wealth of experience. Andy's had a few offers to get involved with other clubs but he felt that Sheffield had the right set-up. He feels that he can learn a significant amount on the coaching side from Gary Wilkinson and myself."

Hay joined the Eagles for £70,000 from Castleford in 1996 but moved to Leeds Rhinos less than two years later.

A Challenge Cup winner with Leeds he finished his Super League career at Widnes before joining Doncaster last season.

In his spell at the Eagles he established a reputation for strong defence coupled with ability to finish well with an average of one try every three games. Aston added: "Like everyone else he's come here to work and establish himself in the team. Obviously Andy brings a wealth of experience and he's a top class back rower. We need to make sure that he plays well and then he will get the respect of the players. He's got a role as an assistant coach and we want him to have the authority to take the drills in training."

Andy Hay - Back At Don Valley

Andy Hay wants the fans to take the same decision he made and come back to Don Valley. Hay has rejoined Sheffield Eagles after a near seven-year break and he believes the good times are on the way back.

One of 13 new signings Hay, now 32, has taken on a player-coach role working with Mark Aston and new head coach Gary Wilkinson.

“It’s good time for the fans to come back,” he said. “There’s a lot of ambition, Mark and Gary have showed a lot of ambition and the players they have brought in they want to do something. The season is right to get into the promotion battle and carry on from there.”

Hay feels the new squad has the ability and experience to be a force in the LHF Healthplan National Two league.
He said: “They’re quite a good mix, there’s a lot of good young kids. Tubby (Mark Aston) and Gary (Wilkinson) have put the squad together and they’ve got good reports on everyone here. It does look like a lot of good players and they are all putting the effort in during training. We haven’t done too much skills and ball work but that’ll come after Christmas. Everybody here is putting in 100 per cent effort, which is what you need.”

A strong tackler and aggressive attacking runner, Hay joined the Eagles for £70,000 from Castleford in 1996 but moved to Leeds Rhinos two years later.

A younger looking Andy at Leeds

A Challenge Cup winner with Leeds he finished his Super League career at Widnes Vikings before joining Doncaster last season. Now he feels the time is right to look to the future and move into coach – but he’s quick remind the Eagles’ fans that he can still make an impact on the field. He said: “I’m not getting any younger and I want to further may career and get into coaching. It’s a good set-up here. Not much has changed, except it seems that you get more time to train on Don Valley, to train on the field and use all the facilities here. When I was here before and we were in the Super League we didn’t seem to get as much help. “

“ It’s good to be back.”

Hay adds: “Personal objectives – first off as a player is to get in the team. Then basically we want to get in the play-offs and get promotion."

What was said about Andy on the Leeds Rhinos website:
Leeds Career :Andy signed for the Rhinos from Sheffield Eagles in May 1997 and was the last of the Eagles to fly up the M1 with Gary Hetherington. Andy was an integral part of the Rhinos squad which made the inaugural Grand Final in 1998 and likewise coming off the bench in the Challenge Cup Final in 1999. Andy was a tremendous try scorer for the club with his powerful running style which has seen him score three hat-tricks in his time at the club, two in 1999 season (against Widnes in the cup and Bradford in the league) and then he scored four tries against London in the opening game of the 2002 season. He started a total of 125 games for the club with 40 substitute appearances also. In total he scored 50 tries.

At the end of the 2002 season Andy was released from the final year of his contract and signed for Widnes Vikings.

Andy Hay Rugby Career :
Andy joined the Rhinos from Sheffield Eagles in 1997 before being selected for the Emerging England team in 1998. He followed this up with a place in the Great Britain squad for the Tri-Nations in 1999 and England's World Cup squad. During the tournament he made two starts, scoring on both occasions against Russia and Fiji and was a substitute against New Zealand in the semi final. He originally started his career at Castleford where he won the Regal Trophy against Wigan in 1993-94 and was seen as an outstanding youngster when he first broke through the ranks at Wheldon Road. He made 46 starts for the Tigers with 29 substitute appearances, scoring 18 tries. He originally signed for them in November 1990 from Redhill ARLFC. He moved to Sheffield in July 1995 and spent almost two years there, making 38 appearances including 33 starts. he scored 11 tries whilst at Don Valley.

What has been said about Andy recently....(well during 2005)

Quote made in the Doncaster press on 28th January 2005 - “ Top notch forwards Andy Hay and...”

“Several Dragons' players produced excellent performances - none more so than close season signing Andy Hay whose powerful first half display deservedly earned him the man of the match award. ...” match report after game against Workington - April 2005

“Both sides played a mean and tough physical game and nobody was up for the contest more than former Castleford forward Andy Hay. Along with Craig Cook and Gareth Handford the Dragons new signing was one of the top performers on a night that was not for the faint hearted.” - 30th March 2005

Picture from Doncaster Free Press

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