Eddie

Everton are changing their name to Liverpool apparently, to try to increase attendances.

He’s a former professional athlete and first class coach. Winner doesn’t mean wins stuff (though he has won two league leaders shields in his two seasons).

I didn’t realise they currently play outside the city, if that’s the case then yes hopefully they can pick up a few Union fans keen for something to watch in their close season.

I like TO and what they’re doing but their crowds are so low (often sub 2k) that I don’t share many people’s optimism that they’re the great hope for SL. I can’t see them even averaging 5,000 in SL if they went up next season (though I’d love to be proved wrong), they already have very well established football and Union teams in the city.

And rural SW France.

Quite clearly he is saying there there is significant national media focus on the Scottish third division, whereas the rugby league championship gets none despite being much better supported. I expect it’s also better supported than the Women’s football premier league too, which now gets plenty of column inches.

Traditionally there was focus on the Scottish lower leagues due to the Pools, hence them being read out by James Alexander Gordon and being on the Grandstand Vidiprinter.

Doncaster aren’t far off either, and if they were in the equivalent division I expect they’d be higher. Also interesting to see that adding Birmingham to their name hasn’t done much for Moseley’s support.

I’m born and bred in Liverpool and they certainly did at my school and area, and others. Which part do you live in to think Liverpool have more fans than Everton out of interest?

It would be better if Rochdale came up, stadiums would be bursting at the seams.

That badge is decent, if they really have to do this.

These are last season’s average attendances in the second and third tiers of Union, according to Wikipedia. They make our equivalent divisions look positively thriving ?

It’s surprising that other clubs aren’t doing similar having seen the impact it’s had at Wire.

Even if he did it will just have been heat of the moment stuff, how many of you have had a bad day at work and said you’re leaving then changed your mind shortly after - I certainly have, countless times. If a winner like JH doesn’t want to try to win the GF from this position I’d be amazed.

Indeed, if New York play Oldham people in the town will soon know about it. I expect they’ll create far more interest than Toronto have so far, and Toronto have created a lot.

Yeah all of Barrow’s fans are going to go to Workington for home games, or vice versa. Unless you were being sarcastic in which case ?

I’m in Norfolk so won’t be coming down this weekend but those crowds are superb, the envy of some NCL sides I expect. I know it’s early days but have you got ambitions to progress up through the pyramid?

In the city yes, and in some areas (other than Everton) more than 50%.

I remember listening to an interview with someone from Goole on one of the RL podcasts when you were starting out a year or so ago. How’s it going there, have you got many registered players and what sort of crowds are you getting? I just had a look at your Facebook page and it looks really professional, especially for a first season. Good luck with it all anyway ?

Ok fair enough I hadn’t thought of them. They were all from the same town though, I don’t think it would work with teams from different towns so unless Hull and HKR or Leeds and Hunslet merge, both completely pointless, I don’t think any other merger would work.

I understand your sentiment but how would you have promotion and relegation without the top three divisions all playing at the same time? If they all played in summer and everyone else in winter it might work, non-league (for want of a better expression) players / staff could go to watch professional games in summer and in winter fans of professional teams might go to watch NCL games etc - everyone’s a winner.

The 30k + crowd at the Nou Camp was absolutely phenomenal when you think about how many neutrals went, and how many of them would never have heard of Rugby League before.

Everton have c.50% of the fan base in Liverpool without being called Liverpool, and same with Aston Villa - Swinton can still get fans from elsewhere while being called Swinton.

Wigan and Saints - could be the Lancashire Lynx.

No, it doesn’t work.