THE signing of Alan Hunte will give the Wolves just the lift they needed for the start of the 1999 season.

All the talk by the new owners and plans to move to a purpose-built state of the art stadium is great but the fans have wanted to see action rather than words.

The arrival of Hunte is the first visible sign the success-starved Wolves supporters have received that the club really do mean business, not only in the future, but in 1999 too.

Re-signing the likes of Danny Nutley, Steve McCurrie, Lee Penny and Mark Forster was brilliant news.

And capturing stand off Scott Wilson, centre Dean Hanger, back rower Simon Gillies and loose forward Dean Busby has added tremendous strength to Darryl Van de Velde's squad.

But to the supporters, landing Alan Hunte stands above all of this for numerous reasons - one of which being he is a big name British signing - which has been a rarity at Wilderspool for far too long!

Hunte has the type of magical qualities which, out of nothing, can suddenly turn a game his team's way in a split second.

He is a matchwinner. When Hunte is on fire he can receive the ball in his own half, torment and fool defenders and then run the length of the field to score a try.

As well as pace he has the strength of an ox and defends as mightily as you would expect from a Great Britain international with 15 caps.

All in all Hunte is a lethal weapon who thrills the crowds time and again. He is the sort of signing to encourage people to buy season tickets.

And, what is more, his arrival will breed confidence among the players around him. Knowing there is a strike player of Hunte's ability out wide who can reward the forwards for their donkey work will inspire every player.

Off the pitch the model professional has been an ambassador to each of the clubs he has been with and it all adds up to promising to be the best signing made yet by Van de Velde.

Hunte made his name at St. Helens after joining them from Wakefield Trinity in March, 1989. He scored 185 tries for Saints in 237 appearances.

While at Saints he won his 15 GB caps, the most recent being the three against the Australian Super League national team on their tour to Britain in the autumn of 1997.

In his nine seasons at Knowsley Road Hunte played in seven major finals, picking up winners' medals in the Premiership Trophy, the Challenge Cup and the Lancashire Cup. He has a Super League champions' medal from 1996.

Hunte, following personal problems with Saints, moved to the Boulevard for the 1998 season with Steve Prescott and Simon Booth joining him in exchange for £350,000.

Despite scoring five tries on his debut for the Sharks, against Cumbrians Ellenborough in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup, the 28-year-old did not settle at the Boulevard.

He was unhappy, his form dipped, Hull fans gave him a hard time for a period, he lost his Great Britain spot for the 1998 series against New Zealand and he was eager to get away.

And Hull, believing they were not seeing the best return from their huge investment, were also keen for Hunte to seek a long-term future elsewhere.

Possible moves to Rugby Union clubs Northampton and Saracens did not come off but Warrington were showing interest in Hunte as early as last September and, four months on, they have finally got their man.

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