Lyon sorry for Eels walk-out
MANLY centre Jamie Lyon last night revealed he expects to be taunted and jeered by angry Parramatta supporters during Friday night's match at Brookvale Oval.
Lyon spoke with The Daily Telegraph last night about his regret and disappointment at walking out on Parramatta in 2004 and "letting down" his Eels teammates. Friday night's match will be Lyon's first against his former club. Ending a longstanding feud, Eels chief executive Denis Fitzgerald said he accepted Lyon's apology and remorse.
Adding to the match's anticipation, the Manly Daily newspaper is carrying advertisements calling on fans to turn up in droves, expecting anti-Lyon feeling from Eels fans. Lyon spoke with honesty and passion when asked last night how it felt to walk away from his Parramatta teammates. "It is disappointing when I look back," Lyon said. "I let the boys down. I know that now. "It is one of my main regrets. But there's not much I can do about it now, I suppose. "I just didn't realise at the time how much I had let them down." Lyon is still expecting a torrid encounter against his former teammates on Friday.
He is also desperately hoping the pro-Manly crowd can drown out the expected taunts from Parramatta supporters at Brookvale. The Manly Daily ads recall a comment from Nathan Hindmarsh earlier this year saying Brookvale Oval will be dominated by Eels fans there "to give it to Jamie (Lyon). They've been waiting a long while". "I'm sure there will be a few boos from the Parramatta fans but there'll be plenty of Manly fans there and hopefully they will block them out," Lyon said.
Lyon controversially spent the rest of 2004 playing in his home town of Wee Waa before spending two years with English Super League giants St Helens.
At the time, his Parramatta teammates were filthy Lyon walked out without telling them.
Asked whether his old Eels teammates were still angry, Lyon said: "Hindy (Nathan Hindmarsh) is all right. I'm not too sure about the rest of them. "I wouldn't hold it against them if they were. "I'm just glad the first match I play against Parramatta will be at Brookvale Oval. "There are no hard feelings from my end. It all happened a couple of years ago. It's time to move on." Fitzgerald said he and his club now harboured no ill-feeling toward Lyon. Told Lyon had said he regretted leaving the Eels, Fitzgerald said: "I accept what Jamie says. "We moved on a long time ago. It was something Jamie did at the time when he was a little confused.
"It is good for him that he's been able to continue his career at the highest level after spending most of 2004 with Wee Waa."
Lyon is trying to stay calm before the game and denies the match will carry extra pressure. "I wouldn't say I'm worried. I'm more excited than nervous about the game," Lyon said. "We (Manly) have had a good run (leading the competition) so we've got a bit of confidence. "It will be a big game and we're looking forward to it. "I have hit some form and want to keep improving." At the time of him leaving Parramatta, Fitzgerald claimed the Test centre could join Penrith but would not allow Lyon to sign with Manly. His stance came after a long-running battle with the Eagles
link: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21690092-5006066,00.html
MANLY centre Jamie Lyon last night revealed he expects to be taunted and jeered by angry Parramatta supporters during Friday night's match at Brookvale Oval.
Lyon spoke with The Daily Telegraph last night about his regret and disappointment at walking out on Parramatta in 2004 and "letting down" his Eels teammates. Friday night's match will be Lyon's first against his former club. Ending a longstanding feud, Eels chief executive Denis Fitzgerald said he accepted Lyon's apology and remorse.
Adding to the match's anticipation, the Manly Daily newspaper is carrying advertisements calling on fans to turn up in droves, expecting anti-Lyon feeling from Eels fans. Lyon spoke with honesty and passion when asked last night how it felt to walk away from his Parramatta teammates. "It is disappointing when I look back," Lyon said. "I let the boys down. I know that now. "It is one of my main regrets. But there's not much I can do about it now, I suppose. "I just didn't realise at the time how much I had let them down." Lyon is still expecting a torrid encounter against his former teammates on Friday.
He is also desperately hoping the pro-Manly crowd can drown out the expected taunts from Parramatta supporters at Brookvale. The Manly Daily ads recall a comment from Nathan Hindmarsh earlier this year saying Brookvale Oval will be dominated by Eels fans there "to give it to Jamie (Lyon). They've been waiting a long while". "I'm sure there will be a few boos from the Parramatta fans but there'll be plenty of Manly fans there and hopefully they will block them out," Lyon said.
Lyon controversially spent the rest of 2004 playing in his home town of Wee Waa before spending two years with English Super League giants St Helens.
At the time, his Parramatta teammates were filthy Lyon walked out without telling them.
Asked whether his old Eels teammates were still angry, Lyon said: "Hindy (Nathan Hindmarsh) is all right. I'm not too sure about the rest of them. "I wouldn't hold it against them if they were. "I'm just glad the first match I play against Parramatta will be at Brookvale Oval. "There are no hard feelings from my end. It all happened a couple of years ago. It's time to move on." Fitzgerald said he and his club now harboured no ill-feeling toward Lyon. Told Lyon had said he regretted leaving the Eels, Fitzgerald said: "I accept what Jamie says. "We moved on a long time ago. It was something Jamie did at the time when he was a little confused.
"It is good for him that he's been able to continue his career at the highest level after spending most of 2004 with Wee Waa."
Lyon is trying to stay calm before the game and denies the match will carry extra pressure. "I wouldn't say I'm worried. I'm more excited than nervous about the game," Lyon said. "We (Manly) have had a good run (leading the competition) so we've got a bit of confidence. "It will be a big game and we're looking forward to it. "I have hit some form and want to keep improving." At the time of him leaving Parramatta, Fitzgerald claimed the Test centre could join Penrith but would not allow Lyon to sign with Manly. His stance came after a long-running battle with the Eagles
link: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21690092-5006066,00.html
