345 replies to this topic

[Griff]

I do agree with the fact that it was naughty the way SL was constructed - for mine, we should have announced the qualification criteria and given teams a year to qualify - ie top 10 plus London and Paris.

What I don't agree with is the suggestion that Fev or any other team were stitched up as the RFL didn;t want them in - as has been pointed out, it was hardly a dream SL lineup after the mergers had been thrown out, so they basically went with top 10 plus the two expansion teams. Nothing more to it than that IMHO!

Exactly - top ten plus two expansion clubs. There was enough criticism about London and Paris - imagine the fuss if the RFL had started cherry picking Hull, Widnes, Featherstone ahead of teams who'd finished above them in the league.

Edited by Griff, 06 January 2013 - 04:56 PM.

[Cutsyke Raiders]

At the time Superleague was mooted, Fev were in the semis of the CC. They had done like many other clubs before them and sacrificed league position for a cup run. The Challenge Cup was much bigger in those days than it is today. Had they known what was coming perhaps things would have turned out differently.

They were 10th on Semi final day, 13th on the day the RL chairman agreed the proposals and finished up 11th.
The facts don't fit your supposition.

[oldrover]

Remind me which club's fans keep banging on about the league being the most important competition to win.

Consistency - that's what should be rewarded. None of these one-off games.

Anyway - stop now - my sides are aching.

Griff, could you tell me where you stand when/if you attend matches at fev. then i can stand as far away from you as possible.

[keighley]

Exactly - top ten plus two expansion clubs. There was enough criticism about London and Paris - imagine the fuss if the RFL had started cherry picking Hull, Widnes, Featherstone ahead of teams who'd finished abouve them in the league.

There was no need to do that. London had been around for over ten years. They were hardly an expansion club, nor were they remotely successful. Paris did not exist and the chances of then succeeding in that city were slim to none. Featherstone and Widnes, both with impeccable RL pedigrees in the trophy winning stakes, should have been in ahead of either London or Paris.

[Trojan]

Remind me which club's fans keep banging on about the league being the most important competition to win.

Consistency - that's what should be rewarded. None of these one-off games.

Anyway - stop now - my sides are aching.

AT THE TIME THE CHALLENGE CUP WAS CONSIDERED MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LEAGUE

Which bit of that don't you understand

[barrowraiderskid]

Like Salford and Barrow then.

Yes essentially. But investments should be made too try and make the club financially sustainable first as putting a investment into a club which isn't sustainable will likely have no impact in the long run ie your examples. If Mr Johnston had put his money into developing our club rather than going for what would get him the most immediate publicity and glory then we may be close enough too put a realistic SL bid in like fev. Unfortunately he didn't.

If fev use this investment too make the club a financially stable in SL conditions then there's no reason why they shouldn't be accepted under the RFLs criteria and should replace either Bradford or Salford, most likely its the latter.

It is still an internet rumour at the minute though.

[Griff]

AT THE TIME THE CHALLENGE CUP WAS CONSIDERED MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LEAGUE

Which bit of that don't you understand

It's a bold claim.

[Trojan]

They were 10th on Semi final day, 13th on the day the RL chairman agreed the proposals and finished up 11th.
The facts don't fit your supposition.

I can't speak for chairmen, all I know is that we humble fans on the terraces hadn't a clue whether the results counted or not. TBH I don't think anyone (even Mo) really knew what was going on. That was what was (and remains) so stupid about the entire project. Change the rules with the season almost over, what a good idea!

[Griff]

Griff, could you tell me where you stand when/if you attend matches at fev. then i can stand as far away from you as possible.

I can't stand for long these days. I can walk about but not stand still.

[Griff]

There was no need to do that. London had been around for over ten years. They were hardly an expansion club, nor were they remotely successful. Paris did not exist and the chances of then succeeding in that city were slim to none. Featherstone and Widnes, both with impeccable RL pedigrees in the trophy winning stakes, should have been in ahead of either London or Paris.

London's importance as a flagship is underestimated. A team in France was part of the concept of a European $uperleague. Paris was a surprise to me at the time, I'd have gone for something further south. Had we gone with a Catalans team in 1995, we may not have seen the same criticisms.

And you have to bear in mind that £87m completely dwarfed anything we'd had before.

[Cutsyke Raiders]

I can't speak for chairmen, all I know is that we humble fans on the terraces hadn't a clue whether the results counted or not. TBH I don't think anyone (even Mo) really knew what was going on. That was what was (and remains) so stupid about the entire project. Change the rules with the season almost over, what a good idea!

Nobody is going to disagree about what the fans on the terrace thought.
They didnt sacrifice league position for the cup though, they were 10th!

A few weeks later in June, a pal of mine came back off holiday. He opened his mail and found a cheque for £25000. He didn't know anything about it and asked someone at the RFL what it was for.
They said it is for not signing to the ARL....
How many of those cheques went out... A fantastic waste of cash...

Edited by Cutsyke Raiders, 06 January 2013 - 05:03 PM.

[Griff]

A few weeks later in June, a pal of mine came back off holiday. He opened his mail and found a cheque for £25000. He didn't know anything about it and asked someone at the RFL what it was for.
They said it is for not signing to the ARL....
How many of those cheques went out... A fantastic waste of cash...

Hmmm - I'm not sure those cheques were part of the £87m ........

[Padge]

Hmmm - I'm not sure those cheques were part of the £87m ........

They were probably from Sky via the RFL and for not siding with Channel 9 rather than for not going to the NRL as such.

Edited by Padge, 06 January 2013 - 05:26 PM.

[Griff]

They were probably from Sky via the RFL and for not siding with Channel 9 rather than for going to the NRL.

Yes, I was thinking that. I think they fell outside the RFL's deal with Sky. But it's 17 years ago now .....

[Cutsyke Raiders]

Hmmm - I'm not sure those cheques were part of the £87m ........

It makes you wonder what Farrell, Betts, Clarke, Offiah, Goulding, Newlove, Robinson, Connolly etc got dropped through their letterbox. . .

[Padge]

It makes you wonder what Farrell, Betts, Clarke, Offiah, Goulding, Newlove, Robinson, Connolly etc got dropped through their letterbox. . .

Newlove would have got nowt, they knew he wouldn't get on a plane.

Edited by Padge, 06 January 2013 - 05:29 PM.

[Griff]

Newlove would have got nowt, they knew he wouldn't get on a plane.

[marklaspalmas]

Which Newlove was it that played in PNG, Australia and New Zealnd in 1992?

[tw15]

It's great news if/when Fev gets more funding, but with the town having a population of only 16,000, is that a limiting factor to the club's growth? Can supporters be drawn from outside of the town, and, if so, would that have an impact on Cas and Wakey?

Edited by tw15, 06 January 2013 - 05:54 PM.

[Griff]

It's great news if/when Fev gets more funding, but with the town having a population of only 16,000, is that a limiting factor to the club's growth? Can supporters be drawn from outside of the town, and, if so, would that have an impact on Cas and Wakey?

Yes, they have supporters in Sharlston, Ackworth and Rawmarsh.