HornyHornyHorneeet

On the contrary i had already shut you down on the original point having evidenced a player i know you have grossly overpaid as an example, you failed to come back so i moved on. You then confirmed your budget is higher than previous and acknowledged the recruitment of Champ & Super League players but then tried watering it down As if they have joined you for League 1 money (why be embarrassed about it???). Re Mazey, he calls a spade a spade, i guess that wont please everyone all of the time, but we at Rochdale are fortunate to have a Chairman thats passionate about the game at all levels, been involved in the sport both amateur and professional for many years, and knows how to operate a club sustainably. Hopefully yours will have the same longevity in the sport...... On my further points It was not an attack, i merely raised valid questions about your model which you have seemingly chosen not to acknowledge and answer. Good luck to you also in the 8's, we may or not make the four and it may or may not matter anyway if the league structure changes.

Thanks for clarifying that then. And what are you doing to develop Midland based players? How many Midlands based players played on Sunday? To me your model seems to be a Yorkshire based owner, Yorkshire based coach and management team operating a club in Yorkshire and paying overs to a load of Lancashire and Yorkshire based players then turning up 9 or 10 times a year in Birmingham to play a match in front of a handful of supporters. When your offering players 2 or 3 times more what they are earning or arguably worth it doesn't do the sport any favours at a time when central distributions are reported to be at an all time low. PS I was in Coventry a few years ago when Coventry Bears beat us so its nothing new and I didn't have an issue then or now with what you do. Your the one who came on this thread with a chip on your shoulder, the comments must really be hitting a nerve over in Yorkshire Hurricanes HQ

https://www.hornetsrugbyleague.co.uk/article/1621/hornets-to-hold-open-training-and-fans-forum Any opportunity to go along and ask any questions you may have fella!

You are paying the likes of Mikey Wood, Matty Crimes, Luis Roberts etc Championship money in League 1 and that is no secret within the game. Do you think Luis Roberts left a three year full time deal at Leeds to travel to Birmingham for win and loss pay Why do you believe the likes of Wood, Morris, Chrimes etc would be leaving Championship clubs in prime years to play in League 1 if not for money?

Aiden himself told me that he had been offered a lot more money by Midlands at the end of last season and Mazey confirmed it was three times more than he was on at Hornets at the All Hornets AGM so its not open to debate pal. He would not have left Rochdale a club he had spent three happy years, 20 minutes away from home and playing with his mates for roughly the same money. Are you mad

So do we just ignore the fact that budgets in all sport are a major factor? Do you think there is not a direct corelation in F1, football, rugby and most team sports between what you spend and what you get. It is likely that Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester this year who all got relegated from the Premier League probably spent the least. It is also likely that the three who finished top four are all amongst the highest spenders. While the relegated three may have beaten a top side or two along the way in one off games, if they played Liverpool, Arsenal or City ten times on the spin they would be lucky to win 1 or maybe 2. There are always exceptions to the rule, you only need to look at Man Utd in football or Keighley this year in our league, but generally in sport those who consistently spend the highest usually achieve the most. Why would owners and coaches not highlight the realities of their clubs budget as then supporters can use context in judging performances and outcomes and set realistic expectations? If your 5th or 6th in terms of spend and you finish top 3/4 your over achieving. If your a top spender and finish bottom your underachieving. Its pretty simple really.

Its normally me that gets accused of being Andy so this makes a refreshing change Agents talk, players talk, coaches talk, staff talk, owners and directors talk. I try and steer clear of rumours and just work on the facts if possible. Using Aiden Roden a player I used to chat with after games and am still friends with on Facebook as an example, it was made public at a supporters club AGM that he had left us for more money and to treble his earnings at Midlands. It was also stated at the AGM (probably in the minutes if they do them) that the contract Midlands gave him was three times his Hornets contract value. I guess that is the only marker we as fans can use, but it makes sense as why would a Lancashire based player sign for a "Midlands" club (I use the term Midlands loosely) that trains in Yorkshire and only goes to Birmingham to play home matches. It can only be for money as nobody of sane mind would travel hours on end in the week to train in Yorkshire and travel hours on end to Birmingham for home games for similar money. Good luck to them but Sunday with 100-150 people in that big stadium would be a worry for me if it was my club as it cant be cheap. Also id fear a point in time when this big red fella cant fund it or has had enough. We have seen this all before in RL and it usually ends one way.

Hornets to hold open training and Fans' Forum Rochdale Hornets supporters are invited to attend an open training session and Fans' Forum at ‘The Hive’ @ Million Pavilion, Balderstone this July. The event will take place on Friday 18 July, starting at 6:30pm. It will give fans the opportunity to see the men's first team take to the field and undertake their final preparations ahead of the trip to Newcastle Thunder later on that weekend. Captain's Run will begin at 6:30pm. Supporters are invited to watch the session before interacting with their favourite members of the Hornets squad, collecting autographs and taking selfies. Throughout Captain's Run, drinks and snacks will be available to purchase in the Balderstone Park cafe. From 8pm, supporters can join us for a special Fans' Forum, during which time chairman Andy Mazey, head coach Gary Thornton and a number of senior club personnel will be answering your questions and providing updates on the club, Foundation and wider sport’s key issues. The full panel for our Fans' Forum is: Andy Mazey (chairman) Carl Halstead (director) Jason Wilson (director) Paul Ormerod (club president) Mark Wynn (Foundation chair) Gary Thornton (men’s head coach) On the night, it is intended to be an open and interactive session, and all supporters and stakeholders are urged to attend and put forward questions, ideas and feedback. Both events will be free to attend, and no pre-registration is required.

I share your frustration and in the recent piece the club put out from the Chairman he said similar. If we are to secure a top four place we will need to address this for sure and it remains to be seen if we will as North Wales, Midlands and Workington have all beaten us convincingly and losing at Whitehaven was a blow. While we have beaten Swinton twice they seem to be improving and have knocked off North Wales and Workington at home. Dewsbury also beat Workington and we beat Dewsbury so it feels like plenty twists and turns to come yet. I feel it may come down to us having to beat Whitehaven, Swinton and Dewsbury as well as Goole and Newcastle and then maybe nicking one against Workington, North Wales or Midlands to achieve 20-22 points that may get 4th. I do feel we are capable on what I've seen of this team but at the same time I've never seen a League 1 so competitive and so many strong sides at this level.

Not bigging anyone up just sticking to facts. It was widely accepted they have a top 2/3 budget and was most peoples favourites at the start of the year. Whatever went on Killshaw a proven coach who we know well has been brought in and backed to sort it out, clearly he's doing that as they recently ran North Wales close, nilled Newcastle away, and nicked a late win against us. Id imagine with the budget, quality of player they possess, and the fact they are able to just go and spend the kind of money on 2.5 year contracts for signings like Teanby from York and Beherrell from Hunslet, that they will have a strong second half of the year now and likely pick off more scalps.

I thought overall was a positive performance despite the obvious disappointment of losing it the way we did. We actually started well with our pack making good yards and Millers early kick tested the young Keighley fullback and Else pounced on the opportunity. Our forwards won the middle battle and we made good yards throughout. I felt it was a big improvement on North Wales, but the end of sets was poor and gifted them two tries against the run of play. The old adage when you play Fev, Keighley and Batley on those slopes is its worth 12 points and we went in 14 behind so it always felt doable at half time. Second half we pretty much dominated the middle but again gifted them points largely against the run of play and on the break. Its a crazy competition this year and anyone can beat anyone. Miller was good and his goal kicking and kicking game generally was what we have lacked. If we get Ridyard back we wont be far off and we will have three top half backs with likes of Dewsbury and Haven still to come to us and Goole, Newcastle and Swinton still to play. Points will be attainable IMO as when we play well we can beat anyone in this League. Midlands if we are at our best will be interesting and North Wales could well have won the league by the time we play them next. Keighley's league position is clearly not a true reflection of their actual position, they may well beat those around us also which could play into our hands as the second half of the season materialises.

Chairman Andy Mazey's mid-season update Chairman Andy Mazey has provided a mid-season update for Rochdale Hornets supporters: With no game this weekend and having now played half of our 2025 Betfred League 1 fixtures, it felt an opportune time to provide you all with a mid-season update. On the field, our men’s team sit fifth in the table at the halfway point. While we have had some notable victories against Keighley, Swinton (league & cup) and Dewsbury away, and we are still in striking distance of the top four places, it's fair to say that overall we are disappointed with results and performances so far in the games against the top sides, of which we believe we are one of. Whilst we appreciate the likes of Midlands, North Wales and Workington have spent big this year, and have significantly higher playing budgets than ourselves, we are still disappointed not to have knocked off a top side yet, either home or away. Last Sunday’s performance in North Wales, particularly in the first half, was not of the standard we have set or expect, so there is work to do going into the second half of the season. The early loss of Martyn Ridyard to a bicep injury against Widnes Vikings in the Betfred Challenge Cup has undoubtedly had an impact on the cohesion and overall performance of the team. We have coped without him to a degree, with players playing out of position to cover, but with Martyn not due back until July/August, I was therefore delighted to conclude deal for the transfer of another experienced half back, Jack Miller, from Keighley Cougars. There are very few top-class half-backs around at this level, but Jack Miller is absolutely one of them, so it's a real coup for this club and a timely boost going into the second half of the campaign. The transfer will hopefully also demonstrate our ambition as a club to push for a top-four finish, and earn a crack at promotion via the Middle 8s. Dual-registration, I’m aware, is a topic that can divide opinion at times. At the pre-season get-together of staff and players, Gary Thornton made it perfectly clear that we would be running with a dual-registration partner. He did, however, caveat that with his priority always being with our own contracted players, and everyone has had their chance, and an opportunity to keep a shirt. There are always reasons for bringing in players and the need to supplement our own playing squad at times, but I do appreciate supporters won’t always be aware of them. Injuries, illness, suspensions, player unavailability for personal reasons, or simply a loss of form all affect decision-making during a season. When we fall short in the big games and performances and standards aren’t meeting expectations, Gary is fully supported by myself and the board to do what we need to do to remain competitive and to achieve this season's on-field goals. While we always want to provide people with opportunities and develop our own players, it's professional sport and a result-driven industry at the end of the day. I have never subscribed to the theory that you don’t change a winning team either - that’s simply nonsense in professional sport. With the greatest of respect, there is clearly a vast difference in standard between playing the likes of Newcastle and Cornwall or trying to match the size and quality of North Wales and Midlands, who are both loaded with proven Betfred Championship quality players. Our expectation, however, and my own personal mantra is always to punch above your weight and be that person, team or business that overachieves. This will only come from exemplary attitudes, togetherness, team spirt and ultimately giving everything you have got. As we all now know, our women’s team was relaunched for 2025 and we are making outstanding progress with some very pleasing early season results. Credit must go to Matt, Ben, Rob and the rest of the group for their hard work and the creation of a very special environment down at 'The Hive'. Keep up the good work, girls! Under the stewardship of head coach Pete Hird, our wheelchair team continues to go from strength to strength and is now the flagship team of the Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation. Pete and his group are a fantastic bunch, and I look forward to watching them progress even further this year as they wear our shirt and fly the flag with pride. Off the field, our general manager Matt Rigby remains a popular figure in and around the club, stadium and town. He works his socks off for this club and goes above and beyond. The board and I really do appreciate his ongoing efforts, as well as those of our team of loyal volunteers who support Matt day-to-day. A special mention for Sarah Vining, who is a great support to Matt and the board and continues to go above and beyond. The support of our fantastic sponsors and partners headlined, of course, by Premier Kia remains invaluable and, as always, is very much appreciated. On behalf of myself and the board, a huge thank you to all our partners and sponsors. The Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation, chaired by former Hornets chairman Mark Wynn, has been through a period of change, but as a result is now in a far better place with some exciting developments and announcements to come soon. The delivery, engagement and activity down at 'The Hive' is growing month on month, and some special times are ahead. I have to say I have really enjoyed working more closely with Mark during these past 12 months. He’s a supporter at the end of the day, and is passionate about making a difference and having an impact on the community. Having been in my position in the past, he gets it. I’m grateful for his support and extremely excited by the vision and the direction of travel of the Hornets Sporting Foundation. Regarding finances, as an ownership group we remain committed to taking the club forward and are currently investing significantly to the tune of six figures per year. However, the reality is that if we wish to progress any further and push this club on to greater heights, we are going to need more support and more people contributing moving forward. We will be holding an in-person fan forum in the coming weeks. I urge all supporters and interested parties to keep an eye out for this, and let’s get as many people that care about this club in a room and openly discuss ideas and ways that we can increase income to ultimately enable us to retain our best talent for 2026, and also back Gary with the tools we will need to become a Championship club, which remains our medium to long-term aspiration and goal. Commercially, we are already reviewing our 2026 commercial properties and packages, and we will be on the front foot for next year rest assured. The commercial performance has been excellent this past couple of years, but again we must strive to achieve more. As I've said many times, all who care about the club can be salespeople for it. Carl, Matt, Jason and I are always grateful to speak to businesses or individuals at any time, who may be interested in getting involved with the club to help us take it forward. Our All Hornets Supporters Association, led by Ged Heatherington, continue to support the club not only in raising vital funds via membership fees and squad builder contributions, but also providing coach travel to away games and voluntary resource on matchdays. Contributions to the lottery and merchandise purchases are other vital revenue streams. If every supporter, stakeholder, staff member or player from all our teams can do that little bit more, it all really counts and is needed and appreciated. In addition to looking at reinvigorating existing revenue streams at the upcoming forum, we will look to table some new ideas for discussion to generate income, so once again I'd urge everyone with an interest in Rochdale Hornets to keep an eye out for the details of the forum. Please do make the effort to come along, contribute and have YOUR say on YOUR club. We need to continue doing the good things we do, on and off the field - as mentioned above - and need more people to support us and get on board. If anybody wants to speak to myself, Matt or indeed any of the board, please don’t hesitate to contact us or speak to us on a matchday. As always, we are all happy to answer any questions and we all share your passion for this great club. As I move to wrap up this update, I cannot do without acknowledging the commitment of you – our fans. This club, while not the biggest presently, genuinely has one of the most loyal fanbases and the potential to be so much more. While we have significantly improved the matchday experience over the past two seasons and Project 1500 is bearing some fruit, the best is yet to come with our 2025 Superhero Day and some big home games ahead. We need an even better atmosphere. We want away fans to feel outnumbered. We want opposition players to feel anxious when playing us. Most of all, we want you to feel proud of our efforts on both sides of the touchline. We can only achieve success with you all on board – this is unity and collaboration. Keep coming to the games, bring friends, bring family. Onward, Hornets! Andy Mazey

Maybe try reading the latest update from the Chairman https://www.hornetsrugbyleague.co.uk/article/1608/chairman-andy-mazeys-mid-season-update To make it easy for you Mr Thicket the following is an extract.... Regarding finances, as an ownership group we remain committed to taking the club forward and are currently investing significantly to the tune of six figures per year. Now I'm no genius but six figures would suggest not less than £100,000 per year but not more than £999,000

Hornets land experienced half-back Jack Miller Rochdale Hornets have signed half-back Jack Miller for the remainder of the 2025 season, following his departure from Betfred League 1 rivals Keighley Cougars. Miller leaves former club Keighley as the second-highest point-scorer in their history, with a tally of 977 points from his 102 appearances. A goal-kicker and playmaker, the 30-year-old will add a new dimension to the Hornets' attack ahead of the second half of the season as the club continues its push for a top-four finish. Miller has spent six of the last seven seasons at Cougar Park - a year spent with Newcastle Thunder in 2023 being the exception. He has featured nine times for the club during the 2025 campaign, scoring twice and adding 42 points with the boot. Crowned Betfred League 1 Player of the Year in 2022, Miller also finished as the top point-scorer in the division last season as Keighley secured an impressive second-placed finish. "I'm really excited to get going," he said. "Having worked with Gary Thornton at Doncaster many years ago, we have an excellent relationship and I can't wait to put my best foot forward for the club. "Hopefully I can add something new to this team and we can make that top four. "I've played against a lot of the Rochdale lads during my career and know them quite well. They've always been real competitors, and I'm sure we can build something really special moving towards the back end of the year.” Rochdale Hornets head coach Gary Thornton said: “Jack is a proven half-back with loads of experience, and will be a huge addition to our group. “When Keighley made us aware of his availability, we looked at how we could get him in. I’ve worked with Jack before at Doncaster, so I know the value he will add. “His kicking game and organisational skills will complement our pivots, and it’s a great signing for us as a club.” Chairman Andy Mazey said: "I am very pleased to have been able to conclude a deal with Keighley, and we are delighted to have secured the services of Jack. “It's no secret we have missed Martyn Ridyard’s experience, leadership and kicking game this season. “There are very few top-class half-backs around at this level, but Jack Miller is one of the best. He is a proper general with a quality kicking game. “This transfer will hopefully demonstrate our support for Gary Thornton and our ambition as a club to push for a top-four finish heading into the second half of the campaign.” As part of the deal which will see the 30-year-old Miller make the move to the Crown Oil Arena, hooker Oli Burton has gone in the opposite direction on a permanent basis. Former Batley Bulldogs man Burton joined the Hornets during the off-season and has made a total of 12 appearances, three of which were starts. He leaves with our best wishes for the next chapter of his career.