Wood pays tribute to Northern Rail winners

[nec]

I'm caught in the unwelcome position of agreeing with everything 'just to be clear' said whilst being one of the perpetrators of misery on this thread. Let me clarify, I like the competition but every year it's combatants seem to find new sources of complaint about it. Sadly the one tool that drove attendances up is now rendered meaningless with the proposed reintroduction of promotion and relegation. I thought the crowd was reasonable considered the competing sides but would have preferred the venue to be more prestigious - nothing shouts small time parochial like a final in Halifax or Rochdale.

[JohnM]

Just to be clear, this is why we can't have nice thing.

Nigel Woods job is to promote rugby league, so if he being positive is what he does best then he is the right man for the job.

People complain that we don't have sponsors then they complain when the RFL puts positive spin on things to try to attract them. We then get bloody Chris Irvine whinging that the press release does not point out how the attendance was a great failure. For a journalist lecturer he seems to know ###### all about how media relations work.

There is Lord Trumpington sitting on his big pile of money that he wants to invest in a sport, reads Nigel Wood doing what he does best, and thinks that all sounds jolly goo. Or you have Lord Trumpington reading the account or Irvine, Wilson, or god forbid coming across this site, and sees how rugby league is regarded as a toxic brand by those who profess to love it. Which is more likely to make him want to give his big pile of money to have his name attached?

The likes of Andy Wilson saying in the Guardian not to bother watching Warrington vs Huddersfield because it means nothing is far more likely to deter sponsors than anything Nigel Wood can do. Sponsors don't care about internal politics and competition structures, all they care about is the sport's public image and a sizeable fanbase. Yet for every effort of Wood to try and present that image there are many more doing everything the can to destroy it.

The Stobart sponsorship was in such a way that had it been a success they could have converted into a paying supporter of the game. Instead they walked away. Given the column inches, tweets, forum posts, that constantly vilified them it is of little surprise they wanted nothing more to do with us.

And now we have a problem that people do sponsor us? First it was Toyota being attacked for boasting about a commercial deal with the RFL, now Northern Rail's name is an affront. If Wood signs a deal with Northern Rail he is holding the game back, if he turns down their sponsorship he is killing the game. If he conducts a deal so development officers can travel the country he is doing a bad job, if he scraps development officers he is doing a bad job. He is not perfect, but to satisfy the two-faced whinging fan base that seems to set on destroying the sport just so they can say "told you so" he would have to be evolve into a quantum state.

The man charged with running the game issues a press release to promote it and people queue up to bash him for it. We deserve everything that is wrong with the game, and then some more. I wish those who claim the game will die off in the next few years are right, because the sooner it can be rid of the pervasive rot that includes a vocal minority of fans and majority of journalists the sooner those of use who love it can see it reborn as something to be enjoyed and supported to grow.

I have met many wonderful and friendly rugby league fans, spoke online with many wonderful and friendly rugby league fans, yet when they want to be Rugby league fans really are the worst.

 

Correct in every aspect.

 

 

A bit a drama , though: According to the Irish orator John Philpot Curran in 1790: "It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance."

 

Let us not be indolent in defending our rights from the forum's highly active naysayers. Let us be eternally vigilant in defence of our liberty and at every turn, we must counter the negativity demonstrated by these people.

[JohnM]

He wishes he could.

 

FFS!

 

its the word "and" ..technically a conjunction.

 

Still , if its about our game,  if it about the RFL, or Nigel Wood, or indeed anything , it must be wrong eh?

[Just to be clear]

I seem to recall a team from London actually reached a major final just over 10 years ago. They made the Super League play-offs 10 years ago. Has Nigel Wood forgotten about Broncos when he wrote this ?

Just to be clear, you recall wrongly unless you think the elimination playoff round of the Super League playoffs is "a major final" and that Leeds, Saints and Bradford, who they played in their Challenge Cup Final and first round playoff elimination appearances, are all in Wales. Do you?

Edited July 22, 2013 by Just to be clear

[Griff]

In the press release, Nigel Woods says

“Just 10 years ago it would have been unthinkable that teams from Wales and London would contest a major final and the success of the Crusaders and Skolars offer compelling evidence of the burgeoning appeal of Rugby League.

 

I seem to recall a team from London actually reached a major final just over 10 years ago. They made the Super League play-offs 10 years ago. Has Nigel Wood forgotten about Broncos when he wrote this ?

Didn't realize that Leeds was in Wales.

Read it again - he says Wales AND London, not Wales or London.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Tetleys is not brewed in the North anymore is it?

Wolverhampton.

[Lobbygobbler]

I'm caught in the unwelcome position of agreeing with everything 'just to be clear' said whilst being one of the perpetrators of misery on this thread. Let me clarify, I like the competition but every year it's combatants seem to find new sources of complaint about it. Sadly the one tool that drove attendances up is now rendered meaningless with the proposed reintroduction of promotion and relegation. I thought the crowd was reasonable considered the competing sides but would have preferred the venue to be more prestigious - nothing shouts small time parochial like a final in Halifax or Rochdale.

How about annually promoting the winners of the NRC in addition to promoting the winners of the GF?

The NRC is kind of a mini league anyway

[Griff]

How about annually promoting the winners of the NRC in addition to promoting the winners of the GF?

The NRC is kind of a mini league anyway

Suppose it is if you're in Division 3.

[PhilCarrington]

Didn't realize that Leeds was in Wales.

Read it again - he says Wales AND London, not Wales or London.

ouch

[sweaty craiq]

The NRC is comparable to the Sherpa Van Trophy. The Regal Trophy was however a proper decent trophy so disagree with the comparison

Lobby as a fellow Leyther you don't half spout some sheeeite. The NRC is the only knock out comp for championship clubs and is integral to the season

A number of factors hit this years gate:

1. It was not a family day out in Blackpool

2. It was played in what are now wakes weeks in a heat wave, it was normally a week earlier

3. Sheffield have no fans

4. Sheffield don't have a pull to make the effort due to no Craic unlike say Fax or Fev

Playing at Blackpool with a 7000 gate would have lost money, money clubs like mine cannot afford to lose unless folk like you financially support it but you choose not to, yet use our locality in your username whilst pontificating the games ills and our future

[amm]

the trouble is, Lobby has been around forever, and someone always jumps to his defence saying he's forgotten more than we'll ever know about RL

 

That may be true - but it's doesn't stop him from constantly being a right Victor Meldrew - It wouldn't bother me apart from his supposed representation of Leythers. His opinion is often quoted as being one for ALL Leigh fans on here. Now that gets my goat and maybe that's what he aims to do, stir up discussion and debate ....trolling??

 

Lobby, please say whatever you feel, your opinion counts like anyone else, but please, everyone else.....it's HIS opinion and not that of the rest of the Leigh fans

[gingerjon]

the trouble is, Lobby has been around forever, and someone always jumps to his defence saying he's forgotten more than we'll ever know about RL

That may be true - but it's doesn't stop him from constantly being a right Victor Meldrew - It wouldn't bother me apart from his supposed representation of Leythers. His opinion is often quoted as being one for ALL Leigh fans on here. Now that gets my goat and maybe that's what he aims to do, stir up discussion and debate ....trolling??

Lobby, please say whatever you feel, your opinion counts like anyone else, but please, everyone else.....it's HIS opinion and not that of the rest of the Leigh fans

Bloody Leythers, moaning again...

[Kenny Bania]

Thought it was a cracking day - felt a little bit low key though. If we're to assume that Blackpool is a 'no' due to cost and Halifax due to it being an RL club ground and perhaps having a bit of a 'small' feel to it, what would be a good option for next year?

By the way, to anyone who was there, please accept my apologies for the chap in the Speedos and the gold paint.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Is Victor Meldrew the patron saint of RL forums?

[amm]

I assume it must have been you Kenny and your mates at the Pump Room pre match - can't have been any other bloke in gold - good effort

[Kenny Bania]

I assume it must have been you Kenny and your mates at the Pump Room pre match - can't have been any other bloke in gold - good effort

Correct - I was the lucky bloke dressed as a (Wests) Tiger who was charged with applying the paint to our very own Gloucestershire All Gold!

Good buzz around that pub and also in The Railway post match.

[jpmc]

Swapping venues and times does no one any favours, so now Halifax has been chosen as the venue it should be there for a few season,it just needs selling better to RL fans

[nec]

Swapping venues and times does no one any favours, so now Halifax has been chosen as the venue it should be there for a few season,it just needs selling better to RL fans

How does one 'sell' Halifax?

[jpmc]

How does one 'sell' Halifax?

Its the cup final you need to sell not halifax

[longboard]

Thought it was a cracking day - felt a little bit low key though. If we're to assume that Blackpool is a 'no' due to cost and Halifax due to it being an RL club ground and perhaps having a bit of a 'small' feel to it, what would be a good option for next year?

By the way, to anyone who was there, please accept my apologies for the chap in the Speedos and the gold paint.

 

You chaps seemed to be having a good time.

 

Who was the eejit repeatedly chanting, "Dirty Yorkshire barstewards" with a big grin on his face, during the Leigh/Sheffield game?

[Kenny Bania]

You chaps seemed to be having a good time.

 

Who was the eejit repeatedly chanting, "Dirty Yorkshire barstewards" with a big grin on his face, during the Leigh/Sheffield game?

Not one of ours I hope? Poor form that.

Some lad from Batley tagged on to us after a while, I think one of the gang was hoping to adopt him they were getting so close.

[longboard]

Not one of ours I hope? Poor form that.

Some lad from Batley tagged on to us after a while, I think one of the gang was hoping to adopt him they were getting so close.

 

I think he was being ironic.

 

The fellah from Batley didn't appear to have taken any human growth hormone.  He was finding himself very entertaining.

[Celtic Rooster]

Halifax is a great little town nec, and I have always enjoyed going to games over there. Some good pubs with great real ales. I know groups of people in Manchester/Salford who have nothing to with Rugby League who often go over to Halifax for the day. I would prefer to have the Northern Rail finals in Blackpool though myself.

[nec]

Halifax is a great little town nec, and I have always enjoyed going to games over there. Some good pubs with great real ales. I know groups of people in Manchester/Salford who have nothing to with Rugby League who often go over to Halifax for the day. I would prefer to have the Northern Rail finals in Blackpool though myself.

You could sell many places on being 'great little towns' and find someone that will agree with you, but would still really struggle to get the vast majority to see it as an attractive venue for a final (or for that matter a world cup match). If the match has sufficient attraction to overcome this then attendances will not suffer, or if the event is marketed well to people outside of traditional attendees the same could be said (see Rochdale world cup match). A new or recently improved stadium can also drive attendances.

 

The Northern Rail Cup final at Halifax had none of these, it also had 2 relatively (compared with previous finalists) poorly supported sides. This led to the mediocre crowd.

[Bartholemew Smythe]

 

The Northern Rail Cup final at Halifax had none of these, it also had 2 relatively (compared with previous finalists) poorly supported sides. This led to the mediocre crowd.

It's a good job the poorly supported Leigh club took as many as they did then.