Bill H

Rochdale played well but our forwards got on top towards the end. 1 Leak 2 Flynn 3 Walshaw

I don't think any of the supporters are happy with the situation Bromley but any club that bucks the trend may struggle to attract ambitious and talented young players. Players agents no doubt like and benefit from the system. It's very disappointing when players are signed or re signed and disappear from the club even before a game is played but I suppose that it would take a 'gentlemans' agreement between the Championship clubs to stop the practice. It would be nice to see some financial compensation mandated from above but I can't see it happening.

That might be a tad unfair Bromley. If agents/players are looking for a SL get out clause in the deal then it may have been the only way for us to have competed for some players.

It's very difficult these days with there being no reserve team to allow players to maintain fitness and skills and push for a place. We do have a very canny coach from what I can see who will make well informed decisions. Still, it's human nature to play the "picking a team" game, so I would like to suggest that as the weather improves and the ground dries out there would be a case for moving Buchanan to loose forward and Kear or Morton to centre. Will there be any unforced changes for the Hornets game?

Good thinking DD. I had tried the Batley Bulldogs Player Rugby League Project but he wasn't on that list, but he is indeed on the Batley RLFC Heritage Roll of Honour, number 1132, 9 starts and 8 substitutes and first game 4th April 1970 Blackpool away, so before he was first team coach/manager at the Mount. Thanks for the input DD

Fevnut, I have scanned a copy of a page from a Batley v New Hunslet programme dated 6th October 1973. For whatever reason and to my surprise the file is too large to upload to the site. I tried a pdf copy but the site doesn't accept pdf. Anyway, it's not a definitive list of Don's appearances but up to and including 1972/73 season Don Fox is down as playing 9 games, 1 try, 3 goals. If you would like to message me with your e mail address then I'm more than happy to send it across to you. He is down as D. Fox but it ties in with Don's coaching spell at Batley and with my memory of him playing.

Probably not fevnut, but I'll try. He's not in the players list but my not too reliable memory seems to remember Don complaining that players didn't back him up when he was on the field so I suspect that it was during his coaching stint. No promises but I'll try and dig something up.

A good read thank you. You can add Don Fox to your list of players who have played for both clubs!

I've been told that Batley have had a referee visit to explain what is expected this season whereas it looks as if Dewsbury haven't arranged a visit but intend doing so. I think that the referee was just doing what he had been instructed to do and no doubt penalty counts will improve as the season starts.

What? Foresight?

I say that because having a club with such a budget playing in what is mainly a part time league does not make for an interesting season or fair competition. Good luck to Wakefield of course, and it's certainly for the greater good of the game to have wealthy owners in it. At least we should get a good gate when we play them.

I've been reading that Wakefield have a £1.4m budget for the coming season and have shifted more than 5,000 season tickets. Talk about haves and have nots. It makes a mockery of the competiton really.

The advantage was that you never left the phone at a customer because you missed the weight of it on your shoulder as you were leaving.

Hi nineoil, the season ticket is printable we are told so if you use a pc and a printer you should be fine. If not I'm sure that there will be a way for someone to buy it and print it on your behalf. If you're stuck then message me if you want and I'll sort something out with you. Like you I don't have a smart phone despite having cell phones at work going back as far as the huge analogue ones. I just can't be bothered with the things to be honest.

I thought that Meadows thanked Batley Bulldogs for letting him go, which suggests that he had signed a contract. This is me adding 2 and 2 and making 5 maybe, but that was my assumption.

Yes, plenty of time to the start of the season but disruptive to Moxon's training. He's certainly not having the luck that he deserves.

Also Josh Woods out for 6 to 8 weeks with a broken thumb apparently. The poor old coach must be wondering when his luck will turn.

You win Graham, I doubt that I would have argued with your Dad! If enough people choose to call it Flatt then that's what it is, that's how language works. Looking back through old newspaper archives suggests that the discussion goes back way before our time. Maybe there was a time when it depended what side of town you lived as to which version you used, rather like people in Slaithwaite called the town Slauwit or Slathwaite depending on which side of the valley they lived (or so I've been told). Who knows! Or perhaps, as someone suggested, it's just a case of poor proof reading.

For what it's worth, I had a discussion with BSJ awhile ago on this topic and found that the Dewsbury Reporter called the ground Crown Flatts back on the 9th March 1889, Crown Flatt on 8th September 1900 and even Crown Flatte on January 29th 1898. Take your pick!

Fair points fairly put and constructive. You Fair points and well put.

We are in for a tough season Roger, it's clear that we don't have the means to replace some of the exceptional players that we have lost. And people have a right to express concern. But there has been a thread of constant nitpicking and denigrating the clubs efforts through good times and bad these last few years that stifles enthusiasm. On a plus note, and as a long term supporter that does very little other than attend home matches and the odd away match; I think that not only have KN and co done a wonderful job against the odds (can it continue forever?) but the club is lucky to have a hard core of really dedicated supporters who in various ways make huge contributions to the clubs success. Wouldn't it be nice to have a "supporter of the year" to recognise this; although I think that the idea is unworkable.

Why 12:12 BSJ?

For what it's worth I really enjoyed the atmosphere at The Mount last year. The increase in crowd size may have been small but you could feel the difference. Thanks for a bold initiative.

Last season the majority of tries came on the right hand side, which Meadows was working, so very sorry to see him go. Good luck to the lad though, it's been a pleasure watching him.