Manxmanc

Having known this place extremely well, this would have been my most accurate quote from the piece: "When I was younger, it was quite rough. It was all old man boozers that were a bit dodgy, there used to be fighting, and no eat-and-drink bars that you’ve got now." It's clearly gone up in the world from when a Manchester Evening News reporter referred to it (on a Sunday visit) as like something out of the Eastern Bloc.

Maybe there is a trend. Last year, FC Isle of Man was launched and, whilst a programme was issued for the inaugural match against Guernsey FC, it was revealed that programmes would be digital for enviromental reasons. Unfortunately, the season never started because Covid-19 regulations effectively created a border between the IOM and the UK. This season, life has commenced for FC Isle of Man in the North West Counties League Division One, with programmes issued for each fixture at a reasonable £1.50. With crowds ranging from 1166 to 2112 so far, I am sure the economics stack up well. I didn't know ptogrammes were being issued until I saw a pubgoer browsing through a programme with an after-the-match pint. Very heartening, and one of the reasons a printed programme rules.

That was right on cue!

Cumbric, to use the modern term, doesn't have any written records as far as I am aware, which would be a barrier to effective revival. tt's in the Brythonic branch of Gaelic, which means it is more closely aligned to Welsh, Cornish and Breton, rather than Irish, Scottish or Manx Gaelic. I was a liitle surprised at that thinking about Cumbria's proximity to Scotland and the Isle of Man, and Northern Ireland for that matter. I don't think that anyone really knows the geographical reach of Cumbric, but there are suggestions that it extended from Strathclyde to Lancashire, possibly even reaching Cheshire. I'd be interested to know whether there are any compilations of words and phrases that have been identified as being associated with Cumbric.

I thought it was impressive, not least outlining the vision whilst acknowledging the uncertainties of the present situation. I was particularly taken with the plan to run two teams, one in the RFL, the other in the NARL. This was presented as a definite, not a possibility, with the NARL team being the feeder, at least for the foreseeable future.

I had to check that one...thought it might be yet another version of RU.

It’s ok, International Rugby League is on the Observer status list…you’ll find it between Padel and Table Soccer.

If it has helpful tips on analysing stadium diagrams and calculating ticket sales, I'm all for it.

Raiders for me.

At least that's back on the topic.

Not taking any sides, the so-called 'Toronto/Leigh spat' would appear to have an incredibly tenuous connection with a Toronto revival thread.

I thought the revival thread was going well yesterday - lots of contributions expressing a variety of viewpoints. The latest stuff would more appropriately suit the older threads where old ground can be further gone over.

I think that pretty well nails it.

Any club signing SBW would have attracted massive publicity. I think most people on here would agree with that. However, it's something of a distractor here. The story of TWP has not just been about the SBW signing. Even before that, they were attracting column inches, social media hits and appearances on Canadian TV and radio, never mind in the UK.

Forgot to quote the 100 page reference. If it does, then it gives further support to the view that TWP is box office, not bad for a club whose existence is hanging on a thread. This might be tempting fate, and actually attract the fiercer keyboard warrior, but this revival thread has seen a reasonably mature discussion to date, with good contributions reflecting differing viewpoints.