Supporters

[jt]

I know people have not been too happy this week but how many have changed their mind and will now be turning up this weekend.

If we all think about it not turning up this week will only hurt Featherstone Rovers RLFC no one else. Some of the players will not be playing that let the club and us supporters down last week and with a bit of luck we will all see some good rugby this Sunday. The committee will also of been unhappy but they will of had to continue moving on with the club so lets all get down Sunday show the club that us supporters do care and that although the team let us down we WILL NOT be letting Featherstone Rovers down

[GAZ1983]

I know people have not been too happy this week but how many have changed their mind and will now be turning up this weekend.

If we all think about it not turning up this week will only hurt Featherstone Rovers RLFC no one else. Some of the players will not be playing that let the club and us supporters down last week and with a bit of luck we will all see some good rugby this Sunday. The committee will also of been unhappy but they will of had to continue moving on with the club so lets all get down Sunday show the club that us supporters do care and that although the team let us down we WILL NOT be letting Featherstone Rovers down

agree with all those sentiments but the cold facts are we've blown the NRC and its gone down like a lead balloon.if the crowds over a thousand i'll be amazed.we DO CARE.but ther'e aint enough of us.

[Heppy]

agree with all those sentiments but the cold facts are we've blown the NRC and its gone down like a lead balloon.if the crowds over a thousand i'll be amazed.we DO CARE.but ther'e aint enough of us.

Well I have been going for over 35 years but not this week sorry and yes i do still care

[LOWFIELD]

Me and the lads i go with will still be making 1 in, even though we moan and play helll up after a bad result the previous weeks result / performance is largely irrelevant when it comes to attending. The way i see it is you either support a team or you dont there are no grey areas.

[K.Loxton]

It's hurts when we're not at our best but win, lose or draw and I'll be back for more :-)

[petesmithfan]

The way i see it is you either support a team or you dont there are no grey areas.

Could not agree more.

[zo9]

Could not agree more.

[/quote

we should be used to it by now, we get it every year, its part of the fev rollercoaster. weve a thousand or so faithfull that will be there no matter what, but to attract new fans we need a winning team on the field. theres a lot of hard work been done at fev off the field and were probably as proffesional as we have ever been, behind the scenes. we fans thought this was our year, so the board and coaching staff must have done a good job in recruiting. weve a big squad with a lot of quality in it and once powell finds the right balance and his best 17, they will do well.

[Rarefrith]

I've calmed down and i'll be there

[Rovers2010]

agree with all those sentiments but the cold facts are we've blown the NRC and its gone down like a lead balloon.if the crowds over a thousand i'll be amazed.we DO CARE.but ther'e aint enough of us.

Why aint there enough of us? This thread is almost positive, but most of the time we put ourselves and the game down at every opportunity and over the slightest little thing. If we dont encourage people to come and don't talk ourselves up then they aint gong to care! There's a lot to be positive about and if we tell folks I reckon that would be a much better way forward than telling everyone how ###### everything is!

[F.Slater]

Why aint there enough of us? This thread is almost positive, but most of the time we put ourselves and the game down at every opportunity and over the slightest little thing. If we dont encourage people to come and don't talk ourselves up then they aint gong to care! There's a lot to be positive about and if we tell folks I reckon that would be a much better way forward than telling everyone how ###### everything is!

You can talk us up all you like but if supporters come back and see the standard we are playing now and see us getting beaten by supposed inferior opposition they will not return - we have to have long term improvement

[Rovers2010]

Isnt that what we have done since Swinton knocked us out of the play offs in 2006? I reckon they'd swap places with us now dont you?

[zo9]

Isnt that what we have done since Swinton knocked us out of the play offs in 2006? I reckon they'd swap places with us now dont you?

i would say so, if the people who are involved in the club now hadnt come along and sorted the club out, i very much doubt we would have a featherstone rovers to support now.

[Bob Fowler]

i would say so, if the people who are involved in the club now hadnt come along and sorted the club out, i very much doubt we would have a featherstone rovers to support now.

We might have still een around, because there were some committed people around, however, the current board are doinga very very good job with limited resources.

[GAZ1983]

You can talk us up all you like but if supporters come back and see the standard we are playing now and see us getting beaten by supposed inferior opposition they will not return - we have to have long term improvement

nail on the head Frank.......i dont mind getting beat by better sides if we've competed.but until we achieve the consistency of Barra or Fax (or even the Eagles who even when they lose they come away with something) we'll not scare no-one.even the ruddy liegh fans we're shocked how easy it was at thiers.

[jamescolin]

nail on the head Frank.......i dont mind getting beat by better sides if we've competed.but until we achieve the consistency of Barra or Fax (or even the Eagles who even when they lose they come away with something) we'll not scare no-one.even the ruddy liegh fans we're shocked how easy it was at thiers.

71 years this year. Seen far worse times than this. But I can understand the sentiments which come from disappointment after high expectations. Things will get better and I will, God willing, be there. I am gurding my loins for the GG and sharpening my pen for the charity letters and cleaning my bucket for the collections. Long may it remain so.

[DMS]

agree with all those sentiments but the cold facts are we've blown the NRC and its gone down like a lead balloon.if the crowds over a thousand i'll be amazed.we DO CARE.but ther'e aint enough of us.

Spot on Gary, we do care. BUT there just isn't enough paying punters coming through the gates, and it's not just FEV. The sad fact is RL at our level is dying a slow and painful death. We have a fantastic product but because of reasons most of us know about, RL at our level is being allowed to wither away a little bit at a time. The future will be a thriving amateur game and a semi pro game kept alive as feeder clubs to the all powerful SL. And if you don't think SL is all powerful, ask yourself this. Why have all the major decisions taken by OUR ruling body benefited only one level of OUR sport and when was the last time OUR ruling body made a decision that benefited the whole sport.

[F.Slater]

Spot on Gary, we do care. BUT there just isn't enough paying punters coming through the gates, and it's not just FEV. The sad fact is RL at our level is dying a slow and painful death. We have a fantastic product but because of reasons most of us know about, RL at our level is being allowed to wither away a little bit at a time. The future will be a thriving amateur game and a semi pro game kept alive as feeder clubs to the all powerful SL. And if you don't think SL is all powerful, ask yourself this. Why have all the major decisions taken by OUR ruling body benefited only one level of OUR sport and when was the last time OUR ruling body made a decision that benefited the whole sport.

Spot on

[NTC]

There was the breakaway from mainstream rugby at the turn of last century by a group that became rugby league. It would not surprise me if our leagues broke away from SL at some point and formed a governing board who did care about the teams that have been the root of RL for many years, who have dedicated personel and fans and who struggle only because they do not have the pound notes that SL clubs have.

[DMS]

There was the breakaway from mainstream rugby at the turn of last century by a group that became rugby league. It would not surprise me if our leagues broke away from SL at some point and formed a governing board who did care about the teams that have been the root of RL for many years, who have dedicated personel and fans and who struggle only because they do not have the pound notes that SL clubs have.

I've heard other fans talk of a breakaway but the problem with this is you have to be prepared for the sport to take a giant step backwards. You would have no ruling body because make no mistake the RL would stay with SL. You would then have to finance a new ruling body. You would have no match officials and because you aren't getting your little titbit from Sky no money for either of these. Some clubs who still harbour dreams of getting in SL would refuse to breakaway. The much talked about breakaway at the turn of the century was done in a more innocent times. They also started up a complete new sport. We would be trying to sell the same sport to a media who already have the premier competition. There is no doubt many other obstacles to a breakaway which i have not mentioned. And yes i know if you don't try you will never know but i'm not sure people realise just what it would entail. For me breakaway is not the way forward, trouble is i don't know what is.

[NTC]

Mmm its certainly a problem and I take on board what you say. Its just frustrating seeing the gap widen between SL and the rest of us when you think of the excitement of pre SL years when anyone could end up becoming top dogs for a season and certainly up untill when money became a bigger force it was often hard for anyone to predict who would win any given campaign. Its also upsetting seeing the game seemingly going the way it is with lower flight clubs struggling more and more and the 'interesting' rules making it more difficult for clubs to be promoted - although that may be a Godsend for some who might not otherwise survive financially in SL.

As you say what is the way forward?