fighting irish

I think you are right in your assessment of their motives and to be wary of what might happen afterwards as in the Sale/Salford debacle. I think its important that the Cornwall RL team enter into it was equal partners with the other two sporting clubs.

Oh god.

I expected my post to appear straight after the one about stock car racing, but it came out four or five below so created the wrong impression. I'll be more careful in future. The typical post on these forums is so monosyllabic that readers have become conditioned to ''guessing'' what the poster implied. I'm afraid Dave, you've jumped to some erroneous conclusion about what I really meant. I usually try to be more explicit, in my communications. I was just musing about the possible willingness of rugby league fans (in Cornwall) to travel, and put up with the counties poor infrastructure to watch the games. Time will tell I suppose. For what it's worth, I agree with you, that this should have been discussed amongst the clubs and accepted, rather than being foisted onto them without consultation. If the travel is ''unaffordable'' it's not going to succeed long term. That's quite clear. I was just saying in a recent post (praising the North East's 40 year long effort) that just plonking new semi-pro clubs in an area and ''hoping'' for a great turn out won't work. We have plenty of evidence to support that belief. Also, I know very well, that having some detailed, credible plans is an essential feature of any successful project. So, we are in agreement here Dave. God help Eric Perez, Cornwall and League 1.

It does demonstrate, that real fans (and enthusiasts) are willing to go to significant lengths in order to pursue their passion.

Is that Mick Gledhill driving the train?

What are you trying to achieve?

That's Ging'.

that's the gayest X-man I've ever seen.

I think it's a good idea. I'm always amazed (disappointed) that the clubs don't share information about what works for them. If say Warrington pioneered a local method of raising a few quid, it wouldn't hurt them to tell the other clubs how its done and vice versa. But they see each other as deadly enemies, so information is closely guarded. It's so small minded.

What's your idea?

Are they definitely going to Moor Lane then? If so, when?

Bravo!

I am Spartacus.

Ah clarity. Let's have it.

I don't know of any other sports that have introduced this kind of system. It's licensing/franchising but with a limited time frame. At the end of each four year ''era'' it all comes up for review. It's not difficult to understand how it would work and it does confer all the benefits of stability JAG listed a few posts back. What do you fear are the major negatives with his suggestion?

Presuming you really do have something sensible in mind, almost all of your posts need a lot more words, in order that the reader can actually make sense of them.

Ha ha ha. I'm not Brian Carney!

The more I think about it, the more I like it.

I think this very honest statement is all too typical but it makes me very sad indeed. We seem to have a sizeable proportion of our fanbase who feel this way and I'm wondering why and how we have come to this sad state of affairs? What's the matter with shouting for your town team, come hell or high water? Why is it only interesting or satisfying if you have a realistic chance of promotion at the end of this particular season? I'm haunted by the idea that we are (somehow) guilty of engendering and encouraging this mentality amongst our supporters, (without even realising it). I think it's time to acknowledge just how damaging this attitude is (if widespread), to the clubs and the games income. It's time that we started celebrating the simple pleasure, of watching this great game, well played. Just because we are not in a promotion race (this year) ought not mar our enjoyment of this weekends game. Why would you judge your club and it's players (extremely hard working, highly skilled professionals, all) as rubbish, just because their not table toppers?

I've been wondering what you found so funny about the top-most post? I certainly wasn't trying to be funny, yet you found it very amusing (apparently), so would you care to elaborate? In the meantime, I don't understand what you are trying to say in your first two paragraphs above. Are you saying that a Championship club couldn't sustain a squad capable of competing at SuperLeague level for the 4 years duration of JAG's Era? Well if that's what you are implying, why would they need to? The club's could settle into the competition with a 4 year plan to grow to a suitable standard, rather than gamble everything they have (DB style) in one sh*t or bust season. What do you mean the ''beauty'' of the middle eights was that you knew who could make it and who wasn't up to it? Up to what? Do you really believe that qualifying through the middle eights was any guarantee (or even a strong indication) that the club could survive the next SuperLeague season? With regard to your last paragraph, what makes you think the move into SL1, or the drop to SL2 will be less daunting than it is now? You need to know the funding split, to have any confidence in that assumption. Furthermore, usurping all the available cash and thereby sending some of the League One clubs into bankruptcy would/could undermine the games feeder system while alienating huge swathes of the games supporter base (and not just the supporters of the clubs abandoned). I think, more than ever, we need a whole game solution. Many former full blooded supporters (including many posters here) are disillusioned and have become disenchanted by previous self centred, short term, cut-throat decisions made by the faux-elite clubs in the not-to-distant past. Allowing teams more time, to adjust to the rigours of a different level of competition is a sensible idea.

This is an interesting idea. I was thinking about the clubs in Australia, who are ''bidding'' for a place in the NRL, and those clubs are really solid, well supported (numerically and financially) in the area they operate and on that basis their bid for NRL status is built on robust foundations. The idea that someone like Derek Beaumont can fund a club for only one season and buy a place in SuperLeague is part of the problem over here. It's the SuperLeague or bust approach which anchors us to the short term mentality which has been so harmful to the game. In contrast, building the prestige, of becoming Championship (and League One) winners, while the clubs develop financial sustainability and slowly grow, to become worthy SuperLeague contenders is surely the way to go? Our own supporters are so contemptuous of the Championship and League 1 we contribute to undermining a long term growth mentality. We should be congratulating and celebrating our Championship and League One, champions achievements with genuine pride. Steady, season upon season growth would build the whole game, from top to bottom.

Unlike Mumby, I enjoy thinking about these fresh ideas. Some of you will recall, I thought Martin Sadlers, idea had merit. I think JAG's idea would add some much needed stability. It might mean though, (perhaps) that at the end of each 4 year Era, there may not be as many as 3 teams eager, or even capable of taking up the challenge of promotion. Maybe under those circumstances the number relegated could be adjusted to a maximum of 3 dependent on how many Championship clubs ''applied'' for promotion and were judged worthy, by being eligible due to on-field performance and demonstrating sufficient financial capital for the duration.

Well in that case, the game is doomed anyway you look at it, isn't it? Can you see, your giant sugar daddy solution, on the horizon? No? I thought not. These people like Pulga, are making it happen, down on the ground, (all over the place) entirely on their own initiative and their own dollar. Their following the method that created the Northern Union (RFL) and the NRL in the first place. You and I I'm glad to say, are polar opposites.

They don't need to make a profit, the venture just needs to be affordable. This has the benefit of establishing the competition, the beginning of a tradition, and in terms of the incentive it creates for young club players to stay in the game, and commit to continually raising their standards, the value is immense. I've never met anyone so blind to the concept of kaizen (continual improvement by small increments) as you. Comparing the game in Canada, or the USA to the NRL is a folly, it's a 'game' the newcomers just can't win. However, comparing the game in Canada, this year, to the game in Canada, last year is a 'game' that they (and all the new nations) can win. Thankfully, Newcastle have adopted this 'strategy' for the last 40 years or so. If only every other area in this country and across the world, had done the same. Don't you have any ideas, any ideas at all, as to how these fledgling nations might grow? You are not just habitually negative, but you exude negativity (by nature), and its so distasteful. Not only are your (incessantly repeated) arguments potentially depressing to our younger members, they are boring me to tears.

I received the exact same email but with my own name in the salutation. Big effort indeed.