46 replies to this topic

[Keith T]

As above I think the best bet for an SL club is Barrow, so same question to you - If Barrow were in SL would all these lads play for Barrow? Would people across the county travel to Barrow to watch Cumbrian Superleague? Could a Barrow in SL team up with Worky and Haven as partners?

Why would Barrow be the best bet? People need to understand the geography of the area. The main RL area is in the Whitehaven and Workington areas which are 60 miles from Barrow on probably the worst road in England. If you've never travelled it you wouldn't understand what people here say. It takes upwards of 2 hours depending on how many lorries and tractors are on the road!!!!!

IF a SL club/team was in Barrow there would not be many people travelling from west Cumbria and likewise, as barrowraiderskid has said if there was one in west Cumbria he and others would probably see them play away from home more than at home. Barrow did merge with Carlisle to become the Barrow Border Raiders and that was the end of Carlisle. The strongest RL area is the west with many very good amateur teams and a new RL academy at the Lakes College between Workington and Whitehaven. All the main industry, Sellafield, British Energy Coast, etc, is situated in the west with plans for new underground waste depository and a new nuclear reactor. So, as we keep saying west is best.

[Northern Sol]

I have driven on that road exactly once. It was an experience.

[barrowraiderskid]

Las behind me going to whitehaven in the NRC was sick all the way up there, didn't help the journey. Even half the journey up to millom is awful, I get the train when I can. But basically the point is a Cumbria SL club couldn't be a representative of the whole county. Unless we had a base in let's say penrith where the academy and training was ect and then the games rotated between the three grounds having 5 in Barrow and 8 in Workington/Haven having 4 at the rec and derwent park obviously. The games would be played as double headers with the CC clubs. This is the only way a representative of the whole of Cumbria could happen, if it would work however is another question.

[Northern Sol]

I can't see how it would work if Cumbria ever lost its SL slot.

They would then be in the same league as their "feeder clubs".

[keighley]

I would love to see a SL club in Cumbria. I have long supported an enlarged SL. However, it will never happen. All the evidence and hints from various sources point towards a reduction to 12 teams for SL plus the admission of Toulouse. Some of the more extreme suggestions have been for 10 SL clubs. The present SL clubs can t manage their finances and want a bigger share of the Sky pie.The SL clubs will be reduced in number not expanded.

So the chance of a SL club for Cumbria is pie in the Sky,sorry, sky.

[The Parksider]

I didn't suggest an SL club in Barrow but I see why you'd think I was hinting towards it as I only really spoke about Barrow born players although they're the only ones I could add to the topic. I know that fans won't come from west to south or south to west cumbria to watch an SL club as the roads are dire.

And IMO a stronger ameteur game is more important than having an SL club in the area. Maybe an SL club in a specific area will lead to an improvement of the ameteur game and more players produced. But like you said I've never understood why you NEED an SL club produce talent as Cumbria is a great example of how you don't.

It depends on what you mean "To produce talent".

Wigan and Leeds produce so much top class talent they can field home born/home grown first XV11's.

York and Doncaster "produce talent" that is top class too. Peter Fox and Ian Kirke.

In Leeds the kids are attracted to the game partly because of the Rhinos success, the kids go to games in great numbers, the club organises events for kids and sends it's players into the schools to promote the game and the local media are always harping on about them, on matchdays kids teams are invited to play at half time and they love that, etc etc etc.

So having an SL club around is a teensy weensy bit of a help to boosting the participation. Several new junior clubs have opened on the back of Leeds Superleague success. Top class kids only have a bus ride to further their careers etc.

So if Cumbria is "rich in talent" having an SL club around would boost that significantly.

Barrow is the biggest of the Cumbria clubs, best positioned fans wise to be an SL club (although a long way off it sadly) but if that awful road means Barrow may as well be Wigan to the kids of southern cumbria, then there we go.

Sadly SL is a vehicle only for attracting fans(i.e. money) and erm money, but the RFL have intervened a bit in this to push for SL to be used to widen the player base (done to death on other threads) if West cumbria is an area where RL is king, then an SL club could underpin that generate further interest and produce a teamful? Of Cumbria professionals??

The example I'm thinking of is Salford and castleford. One club can't produce top class juniors to save it's life yet it has access to 2M people just about. The other - a town of 40K can churn them out so to speak.

So population doesn't actually count, it's about how steeped an area is in the game and how vibrant RL is in that area. An SL club in west cumbria may not be a financial success (but few are at the moment), but if the policy ever changes and player development is given a higher priority then I'd certainly like to see one there.

The sad thing down here is if a kid looks like making it in Dewsbury there's five Superleague scouts crowding the kid!

[The Parksider]

Why would Barrow be the best bet? IF a SL club/team was in Barrow there would not be many people travelling from west Cumbria and likewise, as barrowraiderskid has said if there was one in west Cumbria he and others would probably see them play away from home more than at home.

I was thinking along the lines of which club would need the least subsidy to survive Superleague if they were chosed to play in SL to underpin player development. to attract more cumbria kids to play and be a focal point for that.

Barrow seemed to be the club who could get the biggest crowds (or maybe not) and therefore survive on the lowest subsidy, but that would be pointless if top quality west cumbria kids would simply sign for Wigan as it's just as easy to get there! and on the other hand top Barrow kids may as well go to Lancashire. I was thinking about if the fans won't take that journey will the top young players though?

Seemingly it's a no?