274 replies to this topic

[Johnoco]

They should certainly take a leaf out of the many areas developing the game and working hard at it.

Should they?

Don't they just get accused of exploiting everything if they so much as say they are sharing a pitch with an nearby side? Those areas you praise are just taking away resources from proper RL people anyway.

[keighley]

Should they?

Don't they just get accused of exploiting everything if they so much as say they are sharing a pitch with an nearby side? Those areas you praise are just taking away resources from proper RL people anyway.

In what way ?

[Johnoco]

In what way ?

Read the reactions to the 'feeder clubs'. No one knows what will happen yet but it is the usual....'super league exploiting this/that/the other'

[The Parksider]

L'Angelo is right. Nothing to see here folks, so move along please.

I think you owe me money. no I don't , I won't pay as I think you didn't do a good job. OK, I'll issue a winding up order to get your attention

I thought people issued county court claims for debts John? The issuing of a winding up order surprised me? I don't know the system, we have a couple of accountants on here and the odd legal eagle (booooo) thay may shed light on this odd situation.

[l'angelo mysterioso]

Salford are a Northern team CLOWN, love to know what your going to say when the RFL scrap licencing and bring back P + R because thats what will happen. Your either going to have to admit the RFL are the fools we have been saying all along, or admit your a complete clown and have been talking utter shiiite all these years. Cant wait. By the way you dont do sarcasm very welll make yourself look even more idiotic if that is remotely possible

exactly

look up the word irony in your ladybird dictionary.

[The Parksider]

I happen to agree with you mate. There's been some tremendous work done. I'm a big fan of the way Hemel have come through and can see the potential in the Hertfordshire area as well as others.
You will quickly learn on these forums though that there tends to be 2 camps.
One will tell you it'll all fail cos you've no history behind you and not enough infrastructure - the other lot will tell you that it'll all fail if you haven't several million quid and 10k gates.

Well I only respond to try to exonerate myself from either camp.

What do you mean by "fail"??

I'd say failure is a club who go into Superleague, can't pay the maximum wage bills even with the TV money, don't compete, lose players, then get a new ground and can't fill that, then run out of investment. That's Salford - they have failed at what they tried to do. It's a fact but it's not a criticism.

I'd say failure is a CC club who spend all they have and manage to get into the Championship but with little money left don't compete and eventually step forward as the first club to formally become a feeder club to it's local SL neighbour. That's Hunslet - they have failed at what they tried to do. It's a fact but it's not a criticism.

I'd say massive success is a semi pro club from a non heartland area that went bus but came back, that wipes the floor with the heartland Championship clubs and takes the Championship Grand final. A massive success to be celebrated. Sadly the celebrations are curtailed by setting the club up with ambitions they can't (IMHO) achieve.

I'd say success is a semi pro club from a non heartland area miles and miles away managing to survive in CC1 and gently building a (small but important) RL culture such that schools play, amateurs play and people start getting interested. To me that's a success not just for the club but a monster success for the game and it's attempts to become a truly national sport. Insert one of several names here.

Then round the corner to me there's a club way down the amateur ladder who have moved into the north Leeds Rugby Union playing belt (where many other clubs have failed) and they run two teams and a womens side, are a great social club and have wonderful links all over, down the road is a student team who amazingly can take on semi pros in the Challenge cup. Two massive successes.

Success and failure is relative.

If people have an axe to grind they'll have a go, but in the considered debates I've had with many level headed people I think they cheer success at all levels and sympathise with failure.

As I say Dave when you find people being insulting and mean spirited about RL clubs there's usually some self interest axe grinding away......

[The Parksider]

look up the word irony in your ladybird dictionary.

I looked this up...

Clowns are stereotypically characterized by colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red noses.

I've always meant to look out for you at Leeds Akkies matches. It should be easy now I know what you look like Ange.

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

I agree with you that Skolars are no joke but the average crowd thing is way off.

Maybe I'm wrong - I looked in mid season and they werent that far apart. When I get a moment later I'll try to work it out (unless that kind of thing is already on the web somewhere?)

[Ackroman]

Groundhog day in SL shock. Next!

[sheddings69]

London Skolars are NOT a joke. They've fought a hard battle over the years but I dare say their average crowd last season was in the same region as those heartland giants from Oldham & Rochdale. They also finished just behind both of those this last season and along with North Wales will push them both hard next season.
As for the expansion clubs - Hemel Stags are a fantastic Rugby League club with teams from 4/5 year olds all the way up to the big boys. They've supplied a large amount of the Broncos current youth setup and Sarginson and Dixon from their first team. Hemel have put in more hard work and have achieved more - and will continue to do so - than many two bob heartland clubs.
Ignore the ineptitude of the Broncos administration, there really is something special happening in the South East as far as Rugby League goes it just saddens me that so many Northern RL fans can never take their blinkers off. Stand alone and you'll die alone

Oldham have been a laughing stock for a while - to hold up crowds of 500 as a success is a joke. I go to amateur games that regularly get bigger attendances.

[Trojan]

L'Angelo is right. Nothing to see here folks, so move along please.

I think you owe me money. no I don't , I won't pay as I think you didn't do a good job. OK, I'll issue a winding up order to get your attention

My previous company were having difficulty gettnig paid from a customer. He bounced several cheques, said he couldn't (wouldn't) pay. A winding up ordre produced the money in short order.

[The Parksider]

Oldham have been a laughing stock for a while - to hold up crowds of 500 as a success is a joke. I go to amateur games that regularly get bigger attendances.

It's all relative isn't it. For a club like Oldham to be down to 500 people wanting to pay to watch is sad, for clubs miles from the heartlands to get 500 paying to watch is good.

[The Parksider]

Groundhog day in SL shock. Next!

What are you suggesting?

That you interpret a consultants trick to get his money (which he may well NOT deserve) as Salford going into administration?

[sheddings69]

It's all relative isn't it. For a club like Oldham to be down to 500 people wanting to pay to watch is sad, for clubs miles from the heartlands to get 500 paying to watch is good.

Is it? So the aspirations of all clubs outside the heartlands should be to reach the heady heights of a club that has been run down to the point where it's facilities, management and playing standards is bettered by three local amateur clubs......why bother?

[The Parksider]

I agree with you that Skolars are no joke but the average crowd thing is way off.

Oldham 606 Skolars 547 Rochdale 502 does this help in any way - from Shaum Mac

[The Parksider]

Is it? So the aspirations of all clubs outside the heartlands should be to reach the heady heights of a club that has been run down to the point where it's facilities, management and playing standards is bettered by three local amateur clubs......why bother?

In 1999 nobody paid to watch semi pro RL in Gateshead, north wales, south wales or over in north london.

over 2,000 paid to watch in Oldham/Rochdale

So yes success is relative when you get one club rising up passing another club going down.

clubs outside the heartlands don't aspire to crowds in the thousands, any more than I aspire to winning the lottery.

As to "why bother" they all bother to administer, play and watch because they enjoy TGG.

I go to Leeds Akkies where crowds are about 50 and we all sneak in free and it's a great afternoon.

So we bother.

Why do you bother going?

Edited by The Parksider, 19 October 2012 - 08:23 AM.

[sheddings69]

I ask myself the very same question on a regular basis Parky....and you are right, I get far more enjoyment from watching the amateur game these days and the standard is far better than CH1

[JohnM]

...the amateur game these days and the standard is far better than CH1...

Interesting point. Its ages since I have seen either, so In what way is the standard far better?

[sheddings69]

Pretty much every way mate - you can earn more money playing as an amateur, so many local players won't turn pro at Oldham if they can't make at SL/CH level.

[l'angelo mysterioso]

I ask myself the very same question on a regular basis Parky....and you are right, I get far more enjoyment from watching the amateur game these days and the standard is far better than CH1

and that's what it's all about-enjoyment.

Is it? So the aspirations of all clubs outside the heartlands should be to reach the heady heights of a club that has been run down to the point where it's facilities, management and playing standards is bettered by three local amateur clubs......why bother?

I admire Chris hamilton greatly and I see where you have coming from, but surely the 'running down' is over and the rebuilding of the club has started.
the 'old' Oldham were a classice example of the yo yo syndrome, up one year down the next with their stadium rotting away around them.

Edited by l'angelo mysterioso, 19 October 2012 - 09:24 AM.