838 replies to this topic

[thundergaz]

Gaz where did you get zak from?

Gaz where did you get zak from?

Featherstone lions but what im saying is without the coaching we gave him would he be the player he is today? Also who says he would of even been picked up?

[The Parksider]

Ok parksider one question to your point.Would young Zak be as good as he is without the years he had at our place before he got pinched as usual?

I just don't get your point.

Hardaker was from Featherstone Lions wasn't he???.

He'd have still been developed into the same quality player if he'd gone to Leeds academy Cas academy or Rovers academy wouldn't he??

As it was Rovers picked him up after other clubs missed him. Rovers got £80K for him.

Some people try to argue that Hardaker proves championship clubs can be important to developing SL players.

Championship clubs can't afford to run academies in the hope they pick up a Zac Hardaker once a flood.

Rovers can't afford to run an academy - it puts them into debt every year according to the accounts.

But the academy is there simply to get entry to Superleague. I note Halifax abandoned theirs when they were refused SL.

Until you get that SL nod it will remain a costly millstone in which any star player you produce will be taken off you.

[thundergaz]

I just don't get your point.

Hardaker was from Featherstone Lions wasn't he???.

He'd have still been developed into the same quality player if he'd gone to Leeds academy Cas academy or Rovers academy wouldn't he??

As it was Rovers picked him up after other clubs missed him. Rovers got £80K for him.

Some people try to argue that Hardaker proves championship clubs can be important to developing SL players.

Championship clubs can't afford to run academies in the hope they pick up a Zac Hardaker once a flood.

Rovers can't afford to run an academy - it puts them into debt every year according to the accounts.

But the academy is there simply to get entry to Superleague. I note Halifax abandoned theirs when they were refused SL.

Until you get that SL nod it will remain a costly millstone in which any star player you produce will be taken off you.

I agree parksider but im a big fan of producing local talent.Featherstone as a club is very well run better than half the SL clubs i bet.Also any team in the SL outside the big four would make a loss in the championship if they wanted to get out of it.Widnes had a fan base of 1.5k when they were in the championship.They made losses year in year out too.We are the only team in the championship this season to use all the salary cap up so you have to guarantee losses in a league where their is'nt many big clubs.

Edited by thundergaz, 29 November 2012 - 11:49 PM.

[roughyedspud]

who are the 4 oldham lads in super league?

[saints10coach]

That's the dictionary definition, I want your definition when used in the context that you used it in. Many means different things in different contexts, so what did YOU mean by many.




In 93/94 only 1 club managed to top 3k in division 2 (there was only 1 tier below div1), 3,032,was acheived by Keighley so they just broke the 3k mark. The bottom 6 clubs were alll below 1,000 the highest of those 6 only got 788.

in 92/93 when there was 3 divisions not one club in the two second tier divisions managed 3k, closest to 3k was Oldham with 2,809.

in 91/92, the season when 3 divisions was re-introduced 2 clubs in the lower divisions scraped past 3k Oldham 3,149 and Leigh just scraped in at 3,014

To sumarise:
In 93/94 your definition of many is 1
In 92/93 your definition of many is 0
In 91/92 your definition of many is 2

Compare your researched facts with today. Not one team in the Championship is getting 2,800. Any of the third tier clubs would be proud of getting 788. I also notice Oldham being mentioned twice with averages of 3,149. Today's average for the same club is around the 500 mark. What a success the advent of SL has made for our sport.

[roughyedspud]

i remember us getting around 9000 for a challenge cup 1/4 final against huddersfield in 1995........




and when we get that "salford stand" erected at whitebank we'll be back heading towards 1000+ averages......as the lack of proper facilities at whitebank is the major factor in fans not going...

Edited by roughyedspud, 30 November 2012 - 09:42 AM.

[saints10coach]

who are the 4 oldham lads in super league?

Aren't there more than that Spud?

[The Parksider]

Featherstone as a club is very well run better than half the SL clubs i bet.

Who says Gaz?

They have had investment that's how they got out of CC1.

Rovers lost the grand final to a club on half Rovers crowds

Rovers lost fans when the thug element came in.

The SL clubs struggle because they don't have the £4,000,000 needed to compete in SL no more no less.

Let's not have this myth that because Leigh, Fax, Fev & Eagles are supposedly so "well managed" they can step up to Superleague and do better than clubs who simply can't afford SL.

This is what someone said, "Sheffield can manage in SL on less than full cap because they are so well managed".

Let's stick to reality.

[The Parksider]

Aren't there more than that Spud?

There must be as the amateur game in Oldham is apparently very strong. Four was all I could find, but there we go.

[Dave T]

The ground is being updated as we speak. I wish it was as easy as you put it though. As most of us at our place believe no matter how much money we have or what we do we will never get in.

But that's just paranoia - something which seems to be in abundance round Featherstone.

People make out it is all about fashionable clubs in SL, or clubs not from the heartlands, yet they ignore the fact that Castleford, Wakefield, Salford, Hull KR, Huddersfield etc have all been in the lower division in recent years and could all be classed as 'unfashionable teams' at the time.

If Featherstone prove they are strong enough they will get their chance.

[The Parksider]

But that's just paranoia - something which seems to be in abundance round Featherstone.

People make out it is all about fashionable clubs in SL, or clubs not from the heartlands, yet they ignore the fact that Castleford, Wakefield, Salford, Hull KR, Huddersfield etc have all been in the lower division in recent years and could all be classed as 'unfashionable teams' at the time.

If Featherstone prove they are strong enough they will get their chance.

I hate Featherstone - the Fev fans told me. Apparently I hate HKR.

Good post....

[Dave T]

Compare your researched facts with today. Not one team in the Championship is getting 2,800. Any of the third tier clubs would be proud of getting 788. I also notice Oldham being mentioned twice with averages of 3,149. Today's average for the same club is around the 500 mark. What a success the advent of SL has made for our sport.

I don't think Oldham's crowds are down due to Super League are they?

The simple fact is that you could cut the divisions in a new way to fix the averages problem tomorrow.

The top 10 in SL would average around 11k
The next 10 would average around 1700
The next 10 would average around 700-1000

[roughyedspud]

Aren't there more than that Spud?

i think so..

kev sinfield
mark flanagan
jordan turner
emmon o'carroll

marc sneyd & lee jewitt @ salford...

thats off the top of my head....im sure if you go through everyones squad theres a few more....theres dozens & dozens in the junior & academy setups thats for sure


and mr parksider.......don't be so ignorant...it was only a couple or 3 years ago 3 of the england team where oldhamers...kev,chris bridge & kyle eastmond..


and don't forget eastmond, joe ford & george ford,last years IRB young player of the year, who would have been carving out very good league careers had league clubs had the foresight to stick with them...

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

I just don't get your point.

Hardaker was from Featherstone Lions wasn't he???.

He'd have still been developed into the same quality player if he'd gone to Leeds academy Cas academy or Rovers academy wouldn't he??

As it was Rovers picked him up after other clubs missed him.....

Some people try to argue that Hardaker proves championship clubs can be important to developing SL players.

Pretty strong argument I'd say since NO SL club was interested in Zak.

Championship clubs can't afford to run academies in the hope they pick up a Zak Hardaker once a flood.

Rovers can't afford to run an academy - it puts them into debt every year according to the accounts.

And neither can most SL clubs using your measure

[saints10coach]

i think so..

kev sinfield
mark flanagan
jordan turner
emmon o'carroll

marc sneyd & lee jewitt @ salford...

thats off the top of my head....im sure if you go through everyones squad theres a few more....theres dozens & dozens in the junior & academy setups thats for sure


and mr parksider.......don't be so ignorant...it was only a couple or 3 years ago 3 of the england team where oldhamers...kev,chris bridge & kyle eastmond..


and don't forget eastmond, joe ford & george ford,last years IRB young player of the year, who would have been carving out very good league careers had league clubs had the foresight to stick with them...

+ Chris Bridge.

[saints10coach]

I don't think Oldham's crowds are down due to Super League are they?

The simple fact is that you could cut the divisions in a new way to fix the averages problem tomorrow.

The top 10 in SL would average around 11k
The next 10 would average around 1700
The next 10 would average around 700-1000

And even if you do that and the figures for tier 2 and 3 come no where near the pre SL figures. I would extend that to say no where near the figures before the SL draw bridge was raised.

[roughyedspud]

+ Chris Bridge.

oooppps lol

[JohnM]

before the SL draw bridge was raised.

The SL drawbridge, as you put it, has not been raised. Is there, open and ready for those with the will, the desire and the ability to cross it.

Edited by JohnM, 30 November 2012 - 11:24 AM.

[roughyedspud]

I don't think Oldham's crowds are down due to Super League are they?

in all honestY.......oldham fans are as myopic & stubborn as the vast majority of RL fans


oldham started to lose its core fan base because they move less than 2 miles across town from sheddings to boundary park......2 EFFING MILES!!!

whitebank is nearly 3 miles as the crow flies from sheddings........god help up lol

[Gav Wilson]

in all honestY.......oldham fans are as myopic & stubborn as the vast majority of RL fans


oldham started to lose its core fan base because they move less than 2 miles across town from sheddings to boundary park......2 EFFING MILES!!!

whitebank is nearly 3 miles as the crow flies from sheddings........god help up lol

The same happened with York in 1989 mate. You've just gotta accept that those stubborn miserable sods aren't coming back, and spend your limited money, time and energy in bringing in a brand new generation of fans. It'll be worth it in the long run!