Justin Holbrook’s recruitment as Titans coach was met with celebration on the Gold Coast, but for fans of his current club St Helens, the news was a lot less joyous.
Saints fans were devastated at the news Holbrook will be leaving their club at the end of the current Super League season to link with the Titans.
The Australian has been adopted as a favourite son in Merseyside for the way he turned around the fortunes of St Helens, taking them from seventh in Super League to two season at the top of the ladder.
As is the way of English sports fans, St Helens supporters took to song before Holbrook’s announcement, trying to convince the coach to stay at Totally Wicked Stadium.
Aside from the familiar chants at the ground, some Saints fans went the extra yard – including Keith Grimes, a delivery driver known as KG who has risen to prominence with his clever reworking of famous tunes into songs supporting his beloved club.
To try to convince Holbrook to stay in England, Grimes put his own spin on Bryan Adams’ song Heaven, declaring “Holbrook is all that we want”.
Here at the Titans, we couldn’t help but be impressed by the passion shown by Grimes and the other St Helens fans in support of their coach.
As a tribute to them – and by way of apology for pinching their coach – the Titans had our own Kerry O’Connell recreate KG’s song from a Gold Coast perspective.
Enjoy, St Helens fans. And good luck for the rest of the season from your friends at the Gold Coast Titans.
