Was Cliff Lyons' 300th for Manly actually his 303rd?

[Will on the hill]

While we're on a nostalgia train, I was recently viewing old pages from the legendary supporter's website - One Eyed Eagle - using the Wayback Machine. Old timers would remember it fondly. A poll was asked late in '99 on whether Manly fans supported the merger with North Sydney. A staggering 69% said yes. Hard for younger fans to work this one out but back then, things were so uncertain. No club was safe... well unless your club supported Rupert Murdoch and Super League, of course.

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The most shocking part of that is Michael Buettner out scoring Beaver in the favourite player poll.

If we didn't merge we may well have gone the way of the Bunnies and probably never made it back in.

 

[simon_eagle]

Was thinking the same thing. Talk about sacrilegious to the Beaver. The only way that could have happened was if Souths and Norths merged, leaving Manly out on their own. Anything was possible in those times.

The most shocking part of that is Michael Buettner out scoring Beaver in the favourite player poll.

If we didn't merge we may well have gone the way of the Bunnies and probably never made it ba

 

[Ned]

Cliffy is the best, legend.

 

[NYEagle]

Thank you kindly Eagle66. I know I can always turn to Silvertails when it comes to any request from the archives of Manly’s storied history.

I remember the anticipation and excitement that came with my favourite player ever taking the field to entertain me again. He sure didn’t disappoint I was screaming at the TV.

Thanks for bringing back this wonderful moment.

NYEagle

 

[Brissie Kid]

The only other thing I can think of was Cliffy being an unused bench player for a few of those 309. Unlikely as that is, Bozo played him on the bench - I think in early 1993 - as he was recovering from injury and Tooves/Hasler were filling his role admirably.

I know for sure in mid 1993 he was on the bench in Perth for Manly's win vs Sharks alongside Beaver in his 2nd game. What a combo! on the bench, but Cliffy never got on the field. Then a week or two later there was a headline he had been dropped to Manly's reserve grade team. I thought his career was done for sure. But the run in reggies did the trick, he got his mojo back and then led Manly firsts on a run into the finals. We all know then what came in 1994-1997 with Cliffy. Looking back, it was so close in the 1993 to being all over for him.

The thing with Cliffy is on top of his the 309 games for Manly is he had 23 more in 1985 for Norths. Plus he had been on the Sharks first grade bench in 1981 before he went bush for 1982-84. If he had played first grade from 1982 that's another possible 100 on top of the Manly 309.

And he also played some summers in England at Leeds too.

Full story on his Leeds career here.

Cliff Lyons

www.therhinos.co.uk

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Who is this Cliff Lyon bloke? Is he Jamie’s brother?