Tetley’s Challenge Cup semi-final details confirmed

[distantdog]

I hope you have a bloody good lawyer mate and suggest you retract that PDQ

 

Sense of humour failure (Do I have to get myself a lawyer too?)

[Jeff Stein]

The last train back from Manchester is 20:35. This may allow you to catch a slightly later train. It might even be cheaper. For reference, Leigh is only a few miles further away to Manchester than Wigan. A taxi at night will only take 30mins. Can you book them from the local hotel on the lsv site?

£62.50 for cheapest room. Don't know how many are left at that rate.

[Jeff Stein]

The approach you describe is almost excluding some London fans by inflating their travel costs. That's just plain wrong

It should be noted that this is London's fourth away match on four weekends, including a trip to Perpignan too

[Jeff Stein]

On the issue of commercial astuteness, how astute is it to send out that the message that it has to be played on the doorstep of one of the participants as it is going to be such a walkover and that is the only way a crowd will be attracted. In the circumstances I think many Wigan fans will stay at home. It's hardly a marketing masterclass.

[Dave T]

On what channel was the game televised in France?

Anyone else think Canetman will be the first to snitch to the French authorities?

I think Hudgell may get there first!

 

Do these laws only apply to televised games?

[Just Browny]

I think Hudgell may get there first!

 

Do these laws only apply to televised games?

I'll get you an answer once the legal eagles have cleared it.

[gingerjon]

 I think many Wigan fans will stay at home

 

They couldn't be arsed today.  With playoffs, a presumed Cup Final appearance and the same again next year to come why would they bother heading to the LSV.

 

You wouldn't want to base your approach on the team whose biggest game it is for 14 years.

[dkw]

I'll get you an answer once the legal eagles have cleared it.

I've sent citizens advice a short email to see exactly what your situation is here. I went to the free one,I like you but you know.....I ain't spending on you.

[Derwent]

I think Hudgell may get there first!

Do these laws only apply to televised games?

No. One of the key parts of the Evin law is that advertising of alcohol and tobacco is strictly forbidden anywhere that it can be seen by children. If there were kids at the game, and of course there were, then it's illegal.

[Lobbygobbler]

On the issue of commercial astuteness, how astute is it to send out that the message that it has to be played on the doorstep of one of the participants as it is going to be such a walkover and that is the only way a crowd will be attracted. In the circumstances I think many Wigan fans will stay at home. It's hardly a marketing masterclass.

Jeff, I think you are spot on. Funnily enough the LSV isn't that easy to get to from Wigan on public transport and the later kick off doesnt help

My guess is a crowd of 8k

Best bet for a full house is to have some sort of "cockney for a day" campaign to get locals behind London. Leythers would be delighted to see Wigan lose

[williamssimonp]

Could someone please explain how a venue that is 8 miles from one team's home and 233 miles from the other team's home be considered a 'neutral' venue?  Add to this the fact that travelling for the more distant teams fans will involve either an overnight stay or a dangerously long drive because of the kick off time chosen.  Also add in the fact that the more distant team's players will have to travel for four hours to get to the game while the local team's players can just pop down the road and be back home in time for a not too late dinner with the wife and kids.

 

Leigh Sports Village is not a neutral venue.  Anyone would think that the league were scared that one of their chosen finalists might lose to the upstarts if they are not given all the help they can get!!!

 

If you haven't guessed, I am a very angry southerner who has the cheek to enjoy rugby league and chooses to support his local team.  Wigan will almost certainly beat the Broncos, we all know that, so why do the league have to make it so difficult for themselves to pretend to be impartial? 

[Dave T]

Could someone please explain how a venue that is 8 miles from one team's home and 233 miles from the other team's home be considered a 'neutral' venue?  Add to this the fact that travelling for the more distant teams fans will involve either an overnight stay or a dangerously long drive because of the kick off time chosen.  Also add in the fact that the more distant team's players will have to travel for four hours to get to the game while the local team's players can just pop down the road and be back home in time for a not too late dinner with the wife and kids.

 

Leigh Sports Village is not a neutral venue.  Anyone would think that the league were scared that one of their chosen finalists might lose to the upstarts if they are not given all the help they can get!!!

 

If you haven't guessed, I am a very angry southerner who has the cheek to enjoy rugby league and chooses to support his local team.  Wigan will almost certainly beat the Broncos, we all know that, so why do the league have to make it so difficult for themselves to pretend to be impartial? 

Why do people repeat the nonsense about the RFL being worried about London winning - this could be played anywhere in the country and Wigan would be overwhelming favourites.

 

The RFL have made this decision based on finances - as it happens I still think they have made the wrong choice, but its clearly nothing to do with thinking it helps Wigan.

[Gerri Monside]

While I find the choice of venues and kick off times very disappointing, we really shouldn't be surprised. A quick glance through my collection of Rothmans shows that there's been plenty of times this has happened:

 

1986 Hull KR v Leeds (plus replay) CC semi - played at Elland Road

1989 Leeds v Cas Yorks Cup Final- played at Elland Road

1984 Saints v Wigan Lancs Cup Final - played at Wigan

1982 Wigan v Leeds John Player Final - played at Elland Road

 

 

I guess it shows that even after the SuperLeague revolution, the concept of "neutral" is pretty arbitrary at the RFL. Feel sorry for London having to travel to Leigh and equally quite miffed that my lot don't kick off till 6 on the Sunday. Main concern with the latter is that it potentially inviting some people to get absolutely hammered before the game.

[archibald]

I hope you have a bloody good lawyer mate and suggest you retract that PDQ

For someone who claims that the RFL fiddle crowd figures without any evidence to back it up. That's a priceless and highly amusing dummy spit.

[dkw]

For someone who claims that the RFL fiddle crowd figures without any evidence to back it up. That's a priceless and highly amusing dummy spit.

If only you knew who he is....

[archibald]

If only you knew who he is....

All will be revealed when he takes JB to court for calling him a snitch.

[shrek]

I don't particularly agree with the choice of LSV as a venue, but it seems to be in keeping with the size of grounds we now use, however, in amongst all the huff and puff has anyone raising it as a serious issue taken it up with the RFL?

Presumably you can't just ring up on Monday morning and book a ground so the two venues will have been shortlisted from the grounds that are in budget/willing to host the game, this could have been the best of a bad bunch!

[Bomballey]

That's a bit different from playing it in London. For once, the RFL had a chance to help out a club that is dying on its a**e by giving them a high profile fixture on their doorstep.

If the RFL had come out and said, we are going to play this game at the Stoop, the reasons are (a) it will increase the profile in London, b, it will recognise the good development work done in London and c) it will help out a club that is really suffering at the moment and give their long suffering fans a day in the sun.

Who on earth would have denied them that? They would have got 7-8k, it would have been a good news story (maybe even in the local London press) and Wigan would still have got to Wembley. As a game we are so narrow minded in is untrue.

Bingo! You've nailed it. The reason that the above has not happened is poor leadership at the RFL

[Spicer]

Will get to this fixture one way or another but sent a whingeing e mail to the RFL re the Wigan home game.

Will make no difference but I feel a lot better now.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Spicer

[dkgfd]

I think if i was a Wigan fan i would be hard pressed to get excited about this one. I wonder where they would have played Catalans v London???!!

 

I wish the RFL had the money to take this fixture to a half way venue (such as say Coventry) but it probably just doesn't have the money to justify the spend for a one off event. Bit depressing but i'm sure the final will make up for it.

[1976PMJwires]

I think if i was a Wigan fan i would be hard pressed to get excited about this one. I wonder where they would have played Catalans v London???!!

 

I wish the RFL had the money to take this fixture to a half way venue (such as say Coventry) but it probably just doesn't have the money to justify the spend for a one off event. Bit depressing but i'm sure the final will make up for it.

 

 

Wigan fans have great memories and the REAL fans realise shocks can happen........ Sheffield Eagles in 98 and Catalans @ HJ 2007 ( yes Catalans had some great players, but Wigan massive favourites for the game IIRC)

[zorquif]

I'm not quite sure what JB has done - is suggesting that someone is an upstanding member of the community who endevours to see that the laws of the land are upheld not on these days? I take it that is what he meant...

[zorquif]

I think if i was a Wigan fan i would be hard pressed to get excited about this one. I wonder where they would have played Catalans v London???!!

 

I wish the RFL had the money to take this fixture to a half way venue (such as say Coventry) but it probably just doesn't have the money to justify the spend for a one off event. Bit depressing but i'm sure the final will make up for it.

 

I suppose that even though this smacks of a home game for wigan, you could hav 8k at Leigh (I actaully wrote Wigan first then), lets say 4k in London or about 1k in some midlands outpost...

[Spicer]

I think if i was a Wigan fan i would be hard pressed to get excited about this one. I wonder where they would have played Catalans v London???!!

 

I wish the RFL had the money to take this fixture to a half way venue (such as say Coventry) but it probably just doesn't have the money to justify the spend for a one off event. Bit depressing but i'm sure the final will make up for it.

There was talk according to a poster on here of Cats V London being in Perpy at The Aimee Giral (Union Ground) in the French Press.

Heard that mentioned friday at Sheffield also. 

[shrek]

I suppose that even though this smacks of a home game for wigan, you could hav 8k at Leigh (I actaully wrote Wigan first then), lets say 4k in London or about 1k in some midlands outpost...

Thats one thing that always amazes me about rugby fans, the culture in football seems to be one of willingness to travel and genuine excitment about visiting a "new ground" so if you'd put it on in the Midlands it'd be seen as a day out, were as in our sport it seems more of a chore.  Not sure I get it or ever will.

 

On the flip side, putting my football hat on for a second and just for the record I never once moaned about Millwall having a home tie in the FA Cup Semi Final!!!