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Hopping Mad

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  1. Let's face it, if amateur clubs can come up with a decent programme (and not lose money on it), there is no reason why semi-pro and pro clubs can't. One suspects it is far easier for young club press officers to bash out a few characters of inane drivel on social media than it is to put together a proper match programme. Must be something in the water in York, mind, because York Knights, York Acorn and Heworth each offer printed programmes this season.
  2. Former Rochdale, Hull and Carlisle back-row forward Charlie Birdsall. https://www.hullfc.com/blog/2024/03/17/remembering-charlie-birdsall/
  3. Went to Thanet Road, Dringhouses, on 17/3, to watch Challenge Cup community game heroes York Acorn's 2024 NCL opener. An enjoyably open, lively contest, and a very good Acorn performance - during the first half, certainly - against Whitehaven-based Kells. Five tries to two, it finished, as Acorn won 28-12 (HT 22-6). Kells paid for a slow start, which saw them trail 0-16 after 27 minutes. Acorn crossed in the first, 10th, 27th, 39th and 70th minutes. Couple of eye-catching tries from the hosts, notably one set up by a superb break down the left flank and another by a fine pass slipped out of a tackle. Acorn's left-footed stand-off kicked four conversions. Kells, whose last tackle options were poor, scored tries, each converted, in the 31st and 62nd minutes. The £3 admission charge included a 12-page programme. I estimated the crowd at about 250.
  4. To collate what I think we know, as of 18/3 (any help filling the blanks and/or corrections appreciated): Super League/Challenge Cup Printed programme: Leeds (48pp, £4, 250 for sale on matchday, £75 season subscription and £4+P&P individual match copies through Ignition Sports Media), Leigh (68pp, £3.50, individual match copies through MatchDayCreative), Warrington (32pp, £70 season subscription and £3+P&P individual match copies through Ignition Sports Media), Wigan (76pp, £4, individual match copies through MatchDayCreative). Digital programme: Leeds (48pp, free, available only to 2024 club members), Leigh (through MatchDayCreative), London (scan a barcode at the stadium), St Helens ('Saints and Proud', free to download via zeeon.co.uk), Warrington (32pp, free), Wigan (76pp, £3, PDF, through MatchDayCreative). Printed magazine: Castleford ('Roar', £2, monthly, in-season only). Printed teamsheet: Salford (available from the stadium's main reception). Nothing: Hull FC. To be confirmed: Catalans, Huddersfield, Hull KR. Championship/1895 Cup/Challenge Cup Printed programme: Barrow (£2), Sheffield (£3), Swinton (£3), York (£3, league games only, with a "limited" print run). Digital programme: York (league and 1895 Cup). Printed teamsheet: Bradford (free, available from the stadium bars), Dewsbury (free, from the club office), Doncaster (free, available, from 2pm, in the stadium restaurant and on the concourse), Featherstone (free). Nothing: Batley (possibly a printed teamsheet available), Halifax, Wakefield, Widnes. To be confirmed: Toulouse, Whitehaven. League One/1895 Cup/Challenge Cup Printed programme: Midlands ('Eye of the Storm', £2, free with a 2024 Storm Card). Note: for the 17/3 League One game with Cornwall, Keighley printed 40 copies of their monthly magazine (a digital version was offered also), but they were available only in 'hospitality'. Printed magazine: North Wales ('The Crusader', £2, monthly, available from the stadium fanzone). Printed teamsheet: Hunslet (free), Keighley (free, available from the club shop), Rochdale (available in 'hospitality', at least). Digital magazine: Keighley ('Pride', monthly, 26pp, free), North Wales ('The Crusader', £2, monthly). Nothing: Cornwall, Newcastle, Oldham, Workington. World Club Challenge @ Wigan Printed programme: £8 (copies through MatchDayCreative). Pre-Season Friendlies Printed programme: Leeds (32pp, £3, copies through Ignition Sports Media). Printed teamsheet: Bradford (free, available from club shop and tea bars), Doncaster (free, available, from 2pm, in stadium restaurant and on the concourse), Featherstone (free). Testimonials Printed programme: James Donaldson, Leeds v Hull KR, 4/2/24 (32pp, £3, through Ignition Sports Media). Printed brochure: Scott Taylor, Hull FC (£5). Amateurs Challenge Cup Printed programme: Clock Face (24pp, £1), Doncaster Toll Bar (8pp, £3, w/a), Fryston (4pp, £1), Leigh MR (£3, w/a), Lock Lane (8pp, 50p), Lowca (4pp, £3, w/a), Orrell St James (8pp, £1), Royal Air Force (4pp, free). Printed teamsheet: Stanningley (£4, w/a), Thatto Heath (free, colour). Digital programme: Royal Navy (7pp, free), Thatto Heath (16pp, free). National Conference League Printed programme: Clock Face (24pp, £1), Dewsbury Celtic, Dewsbury Moor (24pp, £2.50, w/a), Distington, Egremont (£3, w/a), Ellenborough (£3, w/a), Hensingham (£3, w/a), Heworth, Hunslet, Leigh Miners (£3, w/a), Lock Lane (8pp, 50p), Millom, Pilkington (£3, w/a), Seaton, Skirlaugh, Stanningley (£1), Thornhill (£2), Wath Brow (£4, w/a), York Acorn (12pp, £3, w/a). Digital programme: Egremont (free to download, post-match, from the club's socials), Normanton (20pp, free to download, from the club's socials), Oulton (39pp, free to download, from the club's socials), Thatto Heath (16pp, free to download, from the club's socials). Nothing: Bentley, Beverley, Crosfields, East Leeds, Hull Dockers, Kells, Milford, Myton, Oldham SA, Shaw Cross, Siddal, Wigan St Judes, Woolston. To be confirmed: Barrow Island, Drighlington, Featherstone Lions, Ince RB, Leigh East, Rochdale Mayfield, Saddleworth, Waterhead, West Bowling, West Hull, Wigan SP. Regional Leagues To be confirmed. Women Super League Digital programme: York. To be confirmed: Barrow, Featherstone, Huddersfield, Leeds, St Helens, Warrington, Wigan.
  5. Sheffield Eagles issued a printed programme (£3) for their Championship opener against Toulouse Olympique. For their first NCL home game, against Premier Division rivals Kells, York Acorn offered a 12-page printed programme (included with £3 admission).
  6. How many NCL clubs have anything more than a railed pitch next to a clubhouse? I'd suggest: Ellenborough Rangers (stand), Heworth (stand), Rochdale Mayfield (stands), Saddleworth Rangers (stand), West Bowling (stands and terracing).
  7. According to Guardian rugby league correspondent Aaron Bower, National Conference League clubs are considering applying to join the third tier:
  8. Got to be better than paying £15 for the sort of view (i.e. the Alexander Stadium's warm-up arena) you get at most amateur grounds.
  9. As mentioned elsewhere, the fault is with slow-to-respond PA Media, the BBC's third party data provider.
  10. From midlandshurricanes.com (11/3): Midlands Hurricanes are delighted to announce that from March 2024, the club’s home fixtures will be played inside the main stadium arena at Alexander Stadium, starting with the first League One fixture against Rochdale Hornets on 17th March. For the last two years the club has been based at the Alexander Stadium campus, playing matches on the Community Pitch within the warmup infield. It has always been an aspiration of the club to move into the main stadium in the future and the club are delighted that this aspiration has come to fruition. Representatives of the club confirmed: “We look forward to calling Alexander Stadium our home venue for the foreseeable future." Moving into the main stadium is a fantastic boost for Rugby League in the Midlands and will allow the club to grow the game within the region. Speaking on the move, CEO Greg Wood said: “To call a stadium that hosted the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games our home venue shows the intent that the club has to grow. I thank our fans, the RFL and visiting clubs for their continued support, I am sure that they are as excited as we are about this announcement. In addition, we would like to thank the team at Alexander Stadium and Birmingham City Council for their efforts in making this happen." Dave Wagg, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Birmingham City Council, said: "We are delighted that Midland Hurricanes are playing their 2024 season home fixtures at Alexander Stadium. While athletics will remain at the heart of the stadium ethos and operation, a multi-sport approach was set out as the legacy Vision Statement for the stadium following the success of the Commonwealth Games. Having the Hurricanes at Alexander Stadium supports the diversification of the site and opens up a new audience to rugby league, which is an underdeveloped sport in the Birmingham region. We hope their presence continues to attract new followers to the sport and the stadium, which in turn will lead to further opportunities for participation in a wide range of sports on offer at the site."
  11. Unhelpful day and kick-off time for that tie, though (not to mention the opportunity to watch it for free). Had the game been on the Sunday, at three o'clock, I'd have probably gone over to watch it.
  12. The 'charity jersey' of the NCL's Seaton Rangers.
  13. I couldn't agree more. I've made the point to the BBC on several occasions. I'm sure the NCL press officer has too.
  14. Digital programme, free to download, from the club's socials, from the NCL's Oulton Raiders. The issue for yesterday's (9/3) game with Leigh Miners Rangers was a 39-pager. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S0B285A02VMLoKM9TItKC6NoNh2U0W4W/view No programme (of any description) at the 9/3 Kells versus Egremont NCL derby.
  15. I was down near Alfreton yesterday, watching non-league football. Came across the ground - in a public park at South Normanton - of Bolsover Bulls RLFC, who appear to run a number of junior teams. Posts up, pitch marked out and a publicity poster on the outside of the changing rooms. Nice to see some rugby league interest remains in that part of the world, despite the long ago demise of semi-pro Mansfield Marksman RLFC, who played at Field Mill, Mansfield, then at North Street, Alfreton. https://www.facebook.com/bolsoverbulls/?locale=en_GB
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