Quins..

[Pottsy]

RP - Have you been to Tooting & Mitcham's ground? Is it suitable for SL? Or could it be with extra temporary stands?

Not much top notch soccer in the area

Looks quite a tidy (three sided) ground.

Wouldn't meet Super League standards in terms of capacity though.

[bowes]

Looks quite a tidy (three sided) ground.

Wouldn't meet Super League standards in terms of capacity though.

Sounds like a potential for a Championship side some time in the medium to distant future maybe?

[PREPOSTEROUS]

Just looking around the stadium has a capacity of 3,500 with 612 seats.

Is it you who says that Leyton Orient could be a good base, as their stadium looks quite ok with a decent capacity?

I also brought it up a whiles ago, it's a clever way for developing the ground when strapped for cash. Developers have used the corners to build residential properties whilst providing new facilities for the football club. I thought it would be a great base then take big games to the Olympic Stadium when that was constructed with it been only a few miles away.

[shrek]

problem with football clubs is that they are not always looking for more income.. they are looking for more profit.. opening up the ground for RL in the summer also costs money so the income has to outweigh these costs.. that means taking gate money, taking bar profits, or charging very high rent.. maybe too high for the club to stomach.. they need the summer to sort the pitch out etc as well so at some point the RL team will have to go on the road.. i would love to see them back at the valley, its the best ground outside of zone 1 and 2 which isnt actually that far away and easily accesible a few stops down from london bridge and waterloo (would only be annoyed as i would have loved it there when i lived in blackheath and my bro lived in charlton! but no they were at griffin bloody park then!)

Agreed, problem with London though is alternatives are few and far between. I'd rather be a tenant on somewhere with reasonable rent, grateful landlords and in a ground I have an outside chance of one day filling than some of the other ideas being banded around.

We must have almost been neighbours! Although I was further up shooters hill in the rough part of town, so rough, Tony Mestrov was a neighbour. We did occasionally sneak into Blackheath under the cover of darkness to sample the delights of Zero degrees and that ropey curry house around the corner!

[Lobbygobbler]

Agreed, problem with London though is alternatives are few and far between. I'd rather be a tenant on somewhere with reasonable rent, grateful landlords and in a ground I have an outside chance of one day filling than some of the other ideas being banded around.

We must have almost been neighbours! Although I was further up shooters hill in the rough part of town, so rough, Tony Mestrov was a neighbour. We did occasionally sneak into Blackheath under the cover of darkness to sample the delights of Zero degrees and that ropey curry house around the corner!

We have no idea what the "rent" is at Quims, also who is to say that Quins RU are grateful. Finally it is such a remote stadium with no RL interest in the local area, that there is zero chance of even filling up 2 stands

That is why other ideas are necessary

[shrek]

We have no idea what the "rent" is at Quims, also who is to say that Quins RU are grateful. Finally it is such a remote stadium with no RL interest in the local area, that there is zero chance of even filling up 2 stands

That is why other ideas are necessary

I presume you read the posting from RP I was replying to regarding using football stadiums! We didn't say Quins were grateful, the rent was reasonable or they should stay and were talking about alternatives!

[Methven Hornet]

RP - Have you been to Tooting & Mitcham's ground? Is it suitable for SL? Or could it be with extra temporary stands?

Not much top notch soccer in the area

Mitcham? Why does that ring a bell?

Edited July 20, 2010 by Methven Hornet

[RP London]

Agreed, problem with London though is alternatives are few and far between. I'd rather be a tenant on somewhere with reasonable rent, grateful landlords and in a ground I have an outside chance of one day filling than some of the other ideas being banded around.

We must have almost been neighbours! Although I was further up shooters hill in the rough part of town, so rough, Tony Mestrov was a neighbour. We did occasionally sneak into Blackheath under the cover of darkness to sample the delights of Zero degrees and that ropey curry house around the corner!

i would say the hardest things to find are the grateful landlords and reasonable rents.. and of course location.. location wise QPR or Fulhm would be fatastic as would be really easy for people to get to frommost parts of london but i would be very suprised to see that happen.. its a very hard thing to do and get right which is why it isnt happenin at the moment..

oh so it was you who would come down and sully the great street of blackheath i loved it there and only moved out as i couldnt afford to buy a flat in the area so moved to whitechapel instead..

Zero degrees was fantastic, though sometimes for comedy value

[RP London]

Looks quite a tidy (three sided) ground.

Wouldn't meet Super League standards in terms of capacity though.

that seems to be a problem IMO with londo especially the areas that we would love RL to be.. the grounds are either too big or too small..

it would be a good move if Quins could buy into one though and the RFL helped them financially to build it up to scratch if they couldnt get the money aother way.. that would mean a good base, in a good area that they owned etc.. making them a more valuable "asset" for people to buy into.

[Dave T]

I always like this website for looking at stadiums and capacities etc. Not all grounds, but pretty interesting, and has plenty of grounds I have never heard of. The French pages are good too.

www.worldstadiums.com

[Lobbygobbler]

that seems to be a problem IMO with londo especially the areas that we would love RL to be.. the grounds are either too big or too small..

it would be a good move if Quins could buy into one though and the RFL helped them financially to build it up to scratch if they couldnt get the money aother way.. that would mean a good base, in a good area that they owned etc.. making them a more valuable "asset" for people to buy into.

With the smaller one, there is always the possibility to add temporary stands Bath RU style.

Also if the football club is aspirational then a joint effort is good. In this case I would hope the RFL would be lenient on standards at least for a 3 year period (soemthing they shoud also do for newly promoted heartland teams when they bring back P&R)

Better that than the current sitch where they are playing at a dead-end stadium

[Pottsy]

that seems to be a problem IMO with londo especially the areas that we would love RL to be.. the grounds are either too big or too small..

it would be a good move if Quins could buy into one though and the RFL helped them financially to build it up to scratch if they couldnt get the money aother way.. that would mean a good base, in a good area that they owned etc.. making them a more valuable "asset" for people to buy into.

I'd agree with all that but, unfortunately, it's not something I could foresee happening.

[Pottsy]

With the smaller one, there is always the possibility to add temporary stands Bath RU style.

Also if the football club is aspirational then a joint effort is good. In this case I would hope the RFL would be lenient on standards at least for a 3 year period (soemthing they shoud also do for newly promoted heartland teams when they bring back P&R)

Better that than the current sitch where they are playing at a dead-end stadium

I see what you did again there...ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[RP London]

I'd agree with all that but, unfortunately, it's not something I could foresee happening.

no i agree.. thas the annoying thing.. there are ways to help and solve the issues but i cant see it happening..

I'm ignoring Lobby;'s post although good becuase of the little dig/comment bit with P&R..

[Pottsy]

no i agree.. thas the annoying thing.. there are ways to help and solve the issues but i cant see it happening..

I'm ignoring Lobby;'s post although good becuase of the little dig/comment bit with P&R..

In an ideal world*, I'd prefer to see London (not Quins - heave..) bcxeing given dispensation to play the majority of their fixtures at this kind of venue (perhaps with temperary stands as someone suggested), along with 2-3 of their bigger games 'on the road' at strategically chosen venues around the south-east (eg, MK, Oxford, Ipswich, Brighton etc)

*ie, not this one!

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

With persistent rumours of Louis McCarthy Scarsbrook going to either Saints or Hull, Orr already gone, Stevo in LE repeating the rumours about David Hughes wanting to cut back on the piles of dosh that he puts into the club and Leeds apparently chasing Brian McDermott as McClennan's assistant I think we've other things to seriously worry about than where we'll be playing!

[EastLondonMike]

if its a football team id suggest they talk to Orient.. nice little stadium, good transport links, some nice pubs nearby, 15mins from the M11.. and 5 mins from my house.. it has everything!

and Orient being the kind of club who are always hard up, they might be willing to listen..

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...matchroom.shtml

[Pottsy]

if its a football team id suggest they talk to Orient.. nice little stadium, good transport links, some nice pubs nearby, 15mins from the M11.. and 5 mins from my house.. it has everything!

and Orient being the kind of club who are always hard up, they might be willing to listen..

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...matchroom.shtml

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

b

Not a bad option. Which tube line is it on?

Central Line.

[sgorpioncaerdyddrob]

I often see a couple of former London Bronco's fans , East End boys at Neath on matchdays ,who say they just can't support the Quins and the club playing in Twickenham ,it just doesn't work for them.

They'd prefer ground sharing in the East End with a smaller football club in a more RL conducive area ,so Orient would probably be the best option on that front. I've often thought the same myself. Twickenham is a great idea in theory, but it doesn't seem to deliver as yet.

London RL just needs a permanent base though more than anything, It just needs to stay in the sameplace for 15 years or more and establish itself in the area, you've got to remember going from Charlton to Twickenham is a large distance in sporting terms , compare the comparative distance in Yorkshire!

Maybe they should go down the Union route where most of the top level clubs play around the M25 hinterland instead of the city itself, where the crowds have been better like Wasps.

Edited July 20, 2010 by cardifcrusaderrob

[Lobbygobbler]

With persistent rumours of Louis McCarthy Scarsbrook going to either Saints or Hull, Orr already gone, Stevo in LE repeating the rumours about David Hughes wanting to cut back on the piles of dosh that he puts into the club and Leeds apparently chasing Brian McDermott as McClennan's assistant I think we've other things to seriously worry about than where we'll be playing!

On the contrary, "where the club plays" is absolutely crucial IMO. The club made a huge mistake going to Quins. If they'd gone to Orient 5 years ago and called themselves East London, or Leyton or anything else, I'm sure they'd be getting much bigger gates now.

They need to go where fans can be proud to support them. Sadly that has not been the case since the ridik Quins thing

[bowes]

I think we've other things to seriously worry about than where we'll be playing!

Really?

Players can be replaced more easily than a place to play. If Quins chuck you out or up the rent then suddenly it's much more serious to worry about. Plus crowds are poor and if anything falling and so the chance of somewhere cheaper to rent with bigger crowds is a huge deal

[EastLondonMike]

a few amateur clubs springing up in the east now also (hainault, brentwood, Phantoms RL, essex eels) .. and only a 20min drive from the skolars on the north circular.. close to the motorway for away fans, or central line for anyone coming down on the train.

dont suppoe it would happen.. but would love to see it properly explored.

wonder what the name change would be if they did have to move..

[Pottsy]

I often see a couple of former London Bronco's fans , East End boys at Neath on matchdays ,who say they just can't support the Quins and the club playing in Twickenham ,it just doesn't work for them.

I was a regular at Broncos games when they played at The Valley but, if I was still residing in London, honestly don't think I could bring myself to support 'Quins'.

Just goes agains the grain and doesn't feel right.

[Pottsy]

wonder what the name change would be if they did have to move..

Whatever the name, I'd like to see them continue playing in either the current quartered kit or the old Fulham black/white 'V' design to preserve a bit of a historical link.