Scotland's Chris Paterson has announced his international retirement.

First topic message reminder :

Another great of the game bites the dust.

I have a lot of respect for Paterson he always seemed to hurt England when we played them, and he made me laugh when he was at Gloucester as he couldn't hit a barn door with his kicking.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/16274504.stm


Chris Paterson's Scotland career
Games - 109
Started - 96
Points - 809

+1

George Carlin wrote:Remarkably childlike, some of the posters here, who cannot allow one single thread celebrating the contribution of a terrific individual and a long time servant to the game without stopping to insist on a caveat or have a pop at the country or clubs he played for.

Nakedly, senselessly graceless and pathetic and demonstrative of a terrible inferiority. Would you find a single Scottish fan qualifying praise about Shane Williams or Alfie on their retirement? No, you wouldn't.

The great thing about The Mossy was that he was much liked and respected amongst fellow professionals even if he wasn't always on the winning side. Utter dedication and professionalism required to get kicking numbers like that and to ease your body through all of these years in the professional game. You've got to want it.

And that's why he will always be a fan favourite - he struck a cord based on the national mentality that there is no substitute for sheer effing hard work.

Great Post but the Shane Williams and Alfie references should possibly be Jonny Wilkinson and Lewis Moody? The eegits you refer too above are English posters? they never seem to have anything positive to say about anything other than thier own team. As a welsh poster living up in Edinburgh i always felt Patterson was never really appreciated by the selectors (Hadden was mentioned earlier) but what you always got was 100% from the guy and over time will be remembered as a Scottish great - met him once - superstar perhaps not, one of the last breed of humble hard working professionals, possibly.

Thank god he's retired. Now I won't have to put up with listening to Scots lauding a player who wouldn't play for any other team, and has only been retained for the last 6 years for his kicking as Scotland can't score tries. He scored a few tries in the very early part of his career but has done absolutely nothing since other than kick his goals.

bathmad wrote:Thank god he's retired. Now I won't have to put up with listening to Scots lauding a player who wouldn't play for any other team, and has only been retained for the last 6 years for his kicking as Scotland can't score tries. He scored a few tries in the very early part of his career but has done absolutely nothing since other than kick his goals.

So you judge a retiring player's career for how much they have contributed to the game purely by how many tries they scored?

So professionalism, being a good role model, giving your all for your country, providing guidance and leadership for young players, putting your body on the line, try saving tackles, being a true rugby "gentleman" and not just kicking goals, but kicking goals under extreme pressure aren't worthy attributes of note for a player's career? Also - 22 tries is a lot more than a lot of top class internationals so shouldn't be sniffed at. It is made all the more impressive when you consider how few tries Scotland as a team has scored in the past 10 years or so.

Again you will notice that hardly anyone on this thread has claimed him to be some world beating player but have highlighted most of the attributes described above as to why Scottish people hold him in such high regard.

You are welcome to think he wasn't a fantastic at anything other than kicking but you are pretty naive if you are claiming that Scottish people shouldn't think he is a legend because of that. Apparently we are all wrong for liking the guy as a player and we should listen to a couple of English guys who say otherwise.

Neil Jenkins wasn't really renowned for much other than kick his goals, but does that stop people regarding him as a Welsh and Lions legend due to all his other attributes, but particularly his kicking?

Bathmad

+1

Now his gone Scotland might start scoring tries again.

Scored ratter more tries than a certain Mr Wilkinson.

TJ wrote:Scored ratter more tries than a certain Mr Wilkinson.

So?

bathmad wrote:

TJ wrote:Scored ratter more tries than a certain Mr Wilkinson.

So?

So now (post 2003) Wilkinsons gone England might start scoring tries again

Great player....!

Really sad to see his career come to an end. A fantastically accurate goal kicker, played in many positions for Scotland and Edinburgh with skill and respect from all opposition.

He leaves Scottish rugby at a time when there are talented players coming through, having played through some of the nations toughest years he would have been welcome in many greater teams too.

Wilko wasn't a winger or fullback players in those positions score more tries.

F A C T....

WelshinEdinburgh you can't talk about disrespect when you get Paterson's name wrong! His name is Chris Paterson (1 t not 2 ts).

Chris Paterson has been a very valuable member of the Scottish team and will deservedly go down in history as a Scottish legend. Scotland have been very much indebted to Paterson and his boot.

He has the record amount of caps for Scotland and the highest points tally. They are impressive accolades.

He will likely go down in history as one of Scotland's best ever players.

Farewell Chris Paterson. Best of luck for the future.

Shame he couldn´t make the transition to flyhalf. He would´ve freed up a wing spot for somebody flashier and filled a position that Scotland has been struggling with since Gregor Townsend retired.

That said, hats off to the guy. Scotland are in short supply of superstars but their rugby scalps attest to the fact that sometimes the sum of your individual parts and a very useful goalkicker can get you over the line (or the crossbar!). Paterson was the epitome of that type of player for Scotland. Hard working, reliable and not prone to stupid things on or off the field. Amassing over 800 points in test rugby is an indication of consistency and longevity. He won´t win awards for the best flyhalf but he did win the hearts of Scottish fans and those like me who always cheer on Scotland for being a great servant to Scottish rugby. I salute you.

As for HERSH and bathmad, think twice about putting up a post about Tindall when he officially retires.

HERSH wrote:Wilko wasn't a winger or fullback players in those positions score more tries.

F A C T....

Tell that to Mark Cueto

Tell that to the touch judge who disallowed the try. If he had given it, HERSH would be claiming Wilko and Cueto as England´s two best players.

F A C T

Bet you those idiots bathmad and Hersh would take someone as professional and diligent as Chris Paterson for their own woeful team right now !

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Bet you those idiots bathmad and Hersh would take someone as professional and diligent as Chris Paterson for their own woeful team right now !

Nope. Abendanon is streets ahead of Paterson. Although I did enjoy his cameo season, when he almost single-handedly pushed Gloucester to relegation.

bathmad wrote:

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Bet you those idiots bathmad and Hersh would take someone as professional and diligent as Chris Paterson for their own woeful team right now !

Nope. Abendanon is streets ahead of Paterson.

I saw Abendanon try to kick once.

It it wasn't for gravity, he would have missed the ground.

bathmad wrote:

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Bet you those idiots bathmad and Hersh would take someone as professional and diligent as Chris Paterson for their own woeful team right now !

Things aren't that bad yet, but to be honest some of us Bath fans could do with a laugh so maybe Paterson wouldn't be a bad thing at least we would get our kicks 25m out straight in front of the posts.

Yes well you are rather spoiled with good backs at Bath right now with the likes of Abadabadoo and the hulking idiot with no rugby ability whatsoever that is Bananaman. Funny names, funny rugby players !

Update: Chris Paterson has been appointed an MBE in the New Years Honours list

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/16364925.stm

I guess being a Scot he won't except it?

HERSH wrote:I guess being a Scot he won't except it?

How terribly racist.

Nah, he probably will, from Queen Elizabeth the First

He won´t except is a double negative so I´m not sure what your post means HERSH.

Hersh, I hate to see a good post spoiled by spelling.

Try this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whos-Whose-No-Nonsense-Easily-Confused/dp/0747572313/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1325591083&sr=8-15

Your wright guys sorry a bout that, thirst day back into work.

GLove39 wrote:Update: Chris Paterson has been appointed an MBE in the New Years Honours list

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/16364925.stm

MBE for services to over-hyped boredom.