Hopping Mad

I'd say one of the big differences between football and rugby league is the former is growing (and is only too clearly capable of growing) its audience year on year whereas, sadly and conversely, the latter's audience appears to be shrinking rapidly.

Extending your analysis (nobody can be attracted to a sport without having a prior interest in it), there is no prospect of any rugby league club, in any expansion area, attracting any support. Maybe Salford RLFC can't attract a decent crowd because, bar their recent Grand Final blip (and unlike Salford City FC), they've achieved next to nothing since the early 1970s.

It depends how you define 'support'. There are loads of, say, Man U 'supporters' who never set foot in Old Trafford. Many because they can't afford to. Some will actively (i.e. by actually attending matches) support other clubs - including the likes of FC United of Manchester and Salford City (or the dozens of other non-league clubs in the Manchester/Salford area). My experience of watching Salford City - and I've been to five games at Moor Lane, in various leagues - indicates the club has plenty of locally-domiciled fans who've started watching live football because, all of a sudden, Salford has a football team worth supporting. At rock bottom admission prices, too. During the club's 'bankrolled' seasons, Salford City's average gate has risen from 150 to 2,500+. You don't think, of circa 251,000 Salfordians, there aren't quite a few who are happy simply to support a football team called Salford - and really aren't interested in any other club?

That sounds like a generalisation. Nonsense, in the other words.

When Swinton played at Moor Lane, the ground was indeed a toilet (as it was when pre-Man U Old Boys Salford City struggled to attract 50 spectators to games there). No denying, however, it's much smarter now, even if a lot of the revamp is superficial. Last time I visited, a couple of years ago, to the obvious consternation of residents, Salford City and Hartlepool United fans took part in a post-match punch-up that rolled along Moor Lane. Took me right back to watching football in the 70s and 80s.

Out of interest: was the Moor Lane pitch the same size as it is now when Swinton were based at the ground (albeit in its unrebuilt state)?

I waited before booking anything - even match tickets - just in case it was put back or cancelled. Never had any confidence the tournament would go ahead this year.

Former India cricketer Yashpal Sharma, a World Cup winner in 1983. He was 66. A heart attack.

John Woodcock, former cricket correspondent of The Times. He was 94. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/19/cricket-writers-unite-salute-finest-of-all-john-woodcock

Division Five (North) of the Yorkshire League this week. Seacroft Sharks (third) beat Birstall Victoria (fourth) 28-16. Seacroft led 22-0 at half-time after playing down their ground's noticeable slope. Tries in the fourth, 13th, 20th and 39th minutes. All bar the fourth converted. The fourth was a 50-yard solo effort. Eight minutes into the second half, Seacroft went 28-0 ahead thanks to another converted try. Virtually every time the home team got in the Birstall 25, they touched down. Finally, Birstall, who despite the score had competed pretty well, made an impact on the scoreboard. They went over in the 55th, 65th and 74th minutes. The second two tries were converted. Had Birstall not opted, shortly after their third try, to pass inside with a two man overlap, they surely would've added a fourth. A decent crowd of about 130 on a muggy afternoon included a good turnout of Birstall supporters.

Footballer Paul Mariner, the former England, Ipswich, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Chorley striker, 68. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57788208

Watchable Yorkshire League Division Four derby at Glebelands (a public park) between Garforth Tigers and Kippax & Swillington Miners. The visitors won 18-6 to register a third win in six outings this season. A fair size crowd - about 130. Thankfully, it stayed dry. Five straight defeats now for bottom-placed Garforth but they were good value in a keenly contested game. Tigers had 'tries' ruled out in the 23rd and 35th minutes, for a double movement and a knock-on respectively. In stoppage time, Miners seized on a Tigers fumble to race 75 yards for a converted try under the posts and a 6-0 half-time lead. Similarly tight after the break. A narrow pitch contributed to defences being on top. Miners added two more tries, in the 57th and 66th minutes. Each again under the posts and each converted. Garforth kept going and, in the 78th minute, scored a deserved consolation try. Bravely taken, too. Close enough to the sticks for the extras to be added. Decent entertainment.

Monday evening fixture (7/6) at Sharlston Rovers, who hosted Bramley Buffaloes in the Yorkshire League's First Division. Great set-up Rovers have - superior to many grounds in the National Conference League. Highlight of a fairly poor game was a length-of-the-touchline Sharlston solo try five minutes before the break. 10-0 at half-time, 22-4 come the final whistle. Four tries to one. About fair. Way too much niggle in the second half. Bramley had a player sin-binned in each half. I put the crowd at about 235, including circa 50 supporting the visitors. Free admission but donations requested via a pitchside woolly hat collection.

Are the fixtures now going to appear on the Yorkshire Men’s League website? No sign of the May 22 list. Without them, it’s difficult to know what’s “on the doorstep”.

Yes, me too. AtPM is on iplayer at the moment. Classic films are clearly helping people through another lockdown!

American actor Hal Holbrook, 95 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-55900985

A shame you can't share that. Sunderland RUFC are still going, albeit at level eight. They share facilities, at Ashbrooke, where they were playing in 1892, with Sunderland Cricket Club. The history outline on their website states: "In the late Victorian and early Edwardian periods, Sunderland RFC was one of the most significant clubs in the north of England. The first XV won the first ever Durham County Cup and a photograph of the side shows one team member sporting an England cap." Capable of giving Manningham a game, maybe!

How many players have appeared in both the Rugby Football League and the Football League? Came across one the other day: Eric Fitzsimons. He made one appearance (at Chesterfield) for Bradford (Park Avenue) in 1970, the club's last season in the Football League, then later played for Oldham and Hunslet (and Salford?).

Former Everton and Arsenal goalkeeper Geoff Barnett, 74. Played for the Gunners against Leeds United in the 1972 FA Cup Final.

I suspect the club's name choice - Forth Valley rather than Tillicoultry - reflects an ambition to appeal to a much wider area than the town in which they're based.

The larger population centres of Stirling, Alloa and Dunfermline (all of which have RU clubs) aren't far from 'Tilly'.

From Private Eye (Dec 4-17)...

Keith Titmuss, a promising prop forward with the NRL's Manly Sea Eagles, has died after a training session at the club's Narrabeen base. He was 20. Titmuss, who had risen through Manly's junior ranks to secure a call-up to next season's 30-man full-time squad, reported feeling ill and died later at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital. Manly coach Des Hasler said: "We are devastated. Keith was a very popular character amongst the playing group. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten."

So-called Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has died. He was 74. Having grown up near Halifax during his reign of terror, I remember only too well the impact Sutcliffe's murders had, particularly on female family members and girls at my school. One of the women who survived being attacked by Sutcliffe was a cleaner at the office in which my mum worked. Mum told me the unfortunate woman's mental scars were only too obvious.