29 replies to this topic

[Maximus Decimus]

This is absolutely brilliant. I've never seen such a one-eyed view of a situation in my life, they probably spent all day in Warrington trying to find those 4 opinions,

[GezH]

Eddie "all positive thoughts from the people of Warrington". Wow, time must have clouded my memory of how the mergers were recieved.

[westlondonfan]

Fascinating.

I like the bit at the end when Eddie says the game will be shown in Australia and other countries where the game has never been shown before!

[Bomb Jack]

It's only looking back that you see it was such a bird brained idea.

I mean, Widnes / Warrington, Hull / Hull KR to merge, but Bradford & Halifax to stand alone.

[marklaspalmas]

It's only looking back that you see it was such a bird brained idea.

No it's not.

Well, maybe for you, but for tens of thousands of other fans it was immediately apparent.

[Roy Boy]

Notice they never interviewed anyone from Cas, "Ffing Humberside" et al.
The idea was great, the lack of reasonable thinking was typical - don't you just love our game.
Think it's time Sky sought those people interviewed out and did an update on their current view lol

[Jeffles]

Stevo said clubs needed to pool their resources to become more competitive and take on Wigan. Not one merger happened and yet Wigan have been brought back to the field. Good judge!

[The Parksider]

Stevo said clubs needed to pool their resources to become more competitive and take on Wigan. Not one merger happened.

In the end no mergers happened but 16 years on we have seen a good number of clubs get quality grounds, grow their junior base, attract 10,000 fans and take on Wigan.

So it all went pretty well given that the clubs didn't merge.

Whilst clubs have not willingly given up their fans and players through merger, big clubs have attracted the fans and best juniors away from little clubs. Padges "merger by stealth" so lets be right here.

[Jeffles]

It's staggering how blatant that puff piece is. I mean, it was plainly obvious from the get go that mergers would not be well received by the majority etc yet Eddie and Stevo bow down to their paymasters and speculate that may only be a periphery concern.

[The Parksider]

It was plainly obvious from the get go that mergers would not be well received by the majority.

When was it put to the vote and what were the majorities against?

[marklaspalmas]

When was it put to the vote and what were the majorities against?

I can't remember the exact figures but the vote by Featehrstone members was just about unanimously conclusive. Pretty sure the vote was in April/may 1995

[Ant]

The problem is a discussion on mergers is like a discussion on Europe.

There is not a single shred of meaningful debate on either subject and too many people screaming "You can take my freedom, but you'll never take my club", to paraphrase Braveheart.
At no case has any rational investigation been made, no one had the conviction to look at how to make it work and the "mergers" that did happen were ill thought out, ill applied and in resonse to an entirely different situation.

Mergers could have worked, they could have been brilliant and could have catapulted RL into the world stage - but we will never know and the moment has passed.

At least we are being sensible enough to try licencing and hopefully give it a fair crack of the whip.

[Maximus Decimus]

The problem is a discussion on mergers is like a discussion on Europe.

There is not a single shred of meaningful debate on either subject and too many people screaming "You can take my freedom, but you'll never take my club", to paraphrase Braveheart.
At no case has any rational investigation been made, no one had the conviction to look at how to make it work and the "mergers" that did happen were ill thought out, ill applied and in resonse to an entirely different situation.

Mergers could have worked, they could have been brilliant and could have catapulted RL into the world stage - but we will never know and the moment has passed.

At least we are being sensible enough to try licencing and hopefully give it a fair crack of the whip.

The problem with an idea like this is that mergers could never have worked. The fact that people rise up and dig in their feet against them shouldn't be seen as a frustrating denial of an exciting opportunity; they were and are an inevitable consequence of trying mergers and should be seen in that light.

A good idea shouldn't have to require on changing human nature to work.

[Bleep1673]

In the end no mergers happened.

Really?
Speak to Hudderfield/Sheffield Fans, or Hull FC & Gateshead fans

Admitidley not the big ones like Oldham & Salford to become Manchester, but some did

[shrek]

The problem for me with mergers is that when you take Widnes and Warrington as an example, geography alone is going to dictate your going to end up with a senior and minor partner unless you either double up on costs by flitting between the two towns or building a purpose built facility in "no mans land" that suits no-one.

I guess in a city you'd have more leverage, but I wouldn't fancy being the one pushing through the Hull merger!

Watching the video, I couldn't help but wonder what the next hare brained idea would be, think I'm nicking one of Lobbys, mind, but no doubt there's a room of TV execs somewhere thinking if they could lob the top half of Super League and merge them in with the top half of the Guiness Premiership you've got a national game and can no doubt save a few bob in only forking out for TV rights on the one sport!

[The Parksider]

Really?
Speak to Hudderfield/Sheffield Fans, or Hull FC & Gateshead fans

Admitidley not the big ones like Oldham & Salford to become Manchester, but some did

Got me on a technicality!

[The Parksider]

Mergers could have worked, they could have been brilliant and could have catapulted RL into the world stage - but we will never know and the moment has passed.

Not sure here. I wonder wether Mo announced all the mergers in the kowledge they would be rejected out of hand thus enabling him to take the stance that he'd tried to be as inclusive as possible but people only have themselves to blame if they get left out in the cold......

Hairbrained idea or a clever bit of politicking?

[BelgradeRobin]

Wow, what a scarily one-sided feature.

As for mergers, I think most Rovers fans would rather watch Skirlaugh than travel to Walton Street every other week to watch a wezzy ull team... and if the government couldn't force us to accept the imposed county of Humberside, even with Hull as its capital, I doubt any execs could have forced us to accept a merged club.

[Just Browny]

That may be my favourite YT video ever, absolute insanity.

[shrek]

That may be my favourite YT video ever, absolute insanity.

I did wonder watching it if the majority who no doubt told them to shove it were the sun don't shine were actually allowed to finsh there sentance before the film crew wondered off! Be great to see the "out-takes"!