David Shepherd

This post hasn't aged well.

Not bought the Hemsworth & Elmsall for a while. It did 3/4 years ago. I'll have a look when I get back

We were really late. Our flight was delayed, so we didn't get to our accommodation until about 1am. We overslept and only made it to the 3 Brewers about 1/2 an hour before kick off. Sorry I missed you. Great game, we ran you much closer than I thought we would. Had a right laugh partying after the game. Got a very sore head this morning.

Can't see us winning, just hoping for a good effort that we can build on for the end of the season. TWP 32 - 16 FEV Heard great things about the after party, proper looking forward to that.

Didn't make the connection when I read the report Go on, tell us your real rating 5/100?

Think I'll be far too knackered by then, but if I feel human enough after the flight I'll make one in. It looks pretty close to our apartment.

It did. But it's also our holiday for the year, we're off to Niagra and then New York for a few days too. I'm a travel agent, so I called in a few perks and favours I also got a welcome contribution from the bank of mum and dad

3 Brewers, I think.

Excellent. If you see a fat grey haired bloke in shorts, flip flops and a Fev shirt, with his wife and 3 teenagers in tow, that's me. I'll almost certainly have a pint (or is it 1/2 litre in Canada?) in my hand.

Steady on Kman. You should know by now that Fev don't play to the script. And Percy isn't scared of the big bad wolf. Hope he's coming. I'm heading down to dirty London on Thursday to catch my flight over. Really looking forward to it.

Don't be silly. The higher ranked team already gets the benefit of home advantage in the earlier rounds. And your daft comment about 70,000 cap stadiums is the deflection. Finals are generally played at neutral venues, which I'm sure you know, but true to form, you're being deliberately contrary.

Last time it was there (Fev v Leigh), they didn't open the south stand. The crowd looked quite good on TV, since the cameras couldn't really see the south stand.

Reading the article, Elstone has only had initial discussions. Doubt it's worth getting excited about just yet.

It is a lot to ask in terms of travel for those teams. But why are the 12 UK chairmen only thinking about it now? It was obvious to me at the start of the season that we could have an issue with this. A decision has been made and rightly or wrongly, they have to stick to it this year. Change it to a neutral venue next year, then we all continue to know what we're playing for. I doubt many would make a final in Toronto, we'd only get one week notice and it would be difficult to arrange time off etc. Although I'd have a bloody good go at it if we (Fev) got there. Toulouse would be fine, it only needs one night away and is often cheaper than getting a train to London. A switched on UK chairman would hire a big screen at the stadium for the fans to view the game on. Anyhow, I'm flying out to Toronto on Friday and am really looking forward to what will probably be a once in a lifetime experience.

There must be a suitable stadium in or near Reykjavik. That would seem to be the fairest way of settling it.

Heard there was some confusion at the training camp. Some bloke called Brian turned up, but it turns out he was just a naughty boy.

Nah, he's been named in Israel's RU7s squad. Money is better than RL apparently.

Oh I agree. A club "owning" a human being and treating him as a balance sheet asset has a whiff of slavery about it, not really something that should be happening in the modern age.

45/100 rating for the ref in League Weekly. Think they've been a bit generous.

Most clubs sold as well as bought. Part time wages were significantly lower than those paid today. Backroom and medical costs were lower, there was no army of "trainers" and the "physio" was usually a bloke in a track suit, armed only with some Vaseline, Elastoplast and a bucket with some mucky water and a sponge. Attendance figure were routinely under declared, players were paid in conveniently untraceable and non VATable cash.

Just watched Ryan Carr's post match interview. He really wasn't pleased with today's officiating. Genuine question: Are referees evaluated after each game?

Happens more than you'd think. Was chatting to a KR fan a few years ago in Bridlington (before they got relegated). He noticed my shirt and asked if it was an old one, cos he thought clubs like Fev no longer existed. There are young Rhinos in Ponte who ask why I'm wearing a Lions shirt (It's a Rovers shirt), cos they have no idea there's a pro club a mile and a half away. Despite Fev's decent marketing output, we need to up our game.

Appreciate that, I sit sideways on towards that end, so had a good view. Christ knows what the flag waver was looking at.

They've done really well in their first season back and I'm chuffed to bits for them. But I think they're a little way off just yet. But in a couple of years time, they'll be a valuable addition to SL.