EssexRL Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Over the season I am going to try to visit as many 'southern' (essentially anywhere south of the heartland areas) RL teams as I can. One thing I am interested in, beyond experiencing games at different levels, is why people follow, play, manage or invest in the sport. So, if you are a 'southern' RL fan- Where were you born? Where do you live? How do you get involved in game (spectator, sponsor, post on here...) Why do you follow RL? I am planning to write it up here: https://fishinginabathtup.wordpress.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannerboyuk Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Plymouth Cardiff Occasional spectator, merchandise on occasion Partly because of challenge cup on t'telly/Because of the crusaders when they played in Bridgend PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF http://www.rugbyleaguecares.org/ and http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/8790/join-team-wales-for-2013 Predictions for the future - Crusaders RL to get a franchise for 2012 onwards -WRONG Widnes Vikings also to get a franchise - RIGHT Crusaders RL to do the double over Widnes and finish five places ahead of them -WRONG Widnes Vikings NOT to dominate rugby league in years to come! STILL TO COME http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cardiffdemonsrlfc/ http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/ I promise to pay �10 to the charity of Bomb Jacks choice if Widnes Millionaires finish above the battling underdogs Crusaders RL. I OWE A TENNER! http://www.jaxaxe.co...89/Default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Outside UK New Forest Occasional spectator, Magic Weekend, Internationals, Broncos home games It's all Rugby isn't it? main sport is RU but would much rather watch RL than Football, Cricket or most other sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wackojacko Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Southampton New Forest/Pau Dad's from Wigan Used to be a big fan when I was very young but didn't have much of a way to get involved while my Dad was not a fanatical supporter. RWC rekindled my love for the sport and I've been following it keenly ever since. Cyclist rather than a rugby player these days but it's just so good to watch. Passionate supporter of expansion of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastLondonMike Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Born in East LondonLive in East London. Involved in the local amateur club (Newham Dockers) and go to the marquee games when I can, any big games in London and the occasional Broncos game.First got into RL when someone bought my older brother a Wigan seasons highlights video from '88 and started to take an interest. Up until then "rugby" had always been considered a boring sport to me, though my older brother then educated me about the fact there were two versions of rugby. What is considered "boring" had been union. I used to watch both League and union but as my knowledge of both games grew and my understanding of good play etc increased, and also my knowledge on the history between the sports increased i became less and less interested in union to the point where in comparison to Rugby League it bored me. In 1992 my parents got a SKY dish and have been a RL fan ever since. Played for a few years from about 17-21, but just run around the training pitch nowadays. Newham Dockers - Champions 2013. Rugby League For East London. 100% Cockney Rugby League!Twitter: @NewhamDockersRL - Get following! www.newhamdockers.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingking Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 South Cheshire Moved to Folkestone when I was eight and have remained there since. Awareness of rugby league was only through watching Challenge Cup Finals on TV. However a travel deals email list I subscribe to highlighted a deal for cheap Challenge Cup Final tickets. I went mainly because I reckoned it was the easiest way to experience a major event at Wembley. I chose to support Warrington because I was with their supporters and my Cheshire connections. I was blown away by the atmosphere and the speed of the game. My involvement with the game is as a fan, I will attend the major occasions and the odd Wire, Broncos or Skolars game. During the World Cup I was a volunteer and had the role of a Social Media Journalist. I enjoy any sport that is fast and has a lively atmosphere. Therefore my favourite sports are rugby league, ice hockey, handball, volleyball and judo and to a lesser extent hockey and basketball. www.twitter.com/flyingking2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cube Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Basingstoke Reading Spectator - mostly of Oxford RL, but taking in whatever other games I can locally, with an occasional other trip north. For example, last season I went to Capital Challenge, the Varsity match, community club and Army home games in the Challenge Cup, the schools finals in Richmond, Friday Night Lights including a masters match and youth game, and Challenge Cup Final. Even went to watch the joke club London Broncos once. Would probably have gone to internationals had England actually played any. This season will no doubt be similar, but I've added a weekend trip to watch the World Club Series. Hooked properly after the first professional game I went to - Widnes v Warrington in the Premiership. But my original interest came from watching on Grandstand in the 1970s (they showed the second half of a match most Saturday afternoons during the season). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooza Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Leeds Hertfordshire Spectator, former team manager, committee member, wheelchair RL player Yorkshire stubbornness. When I moved down here when I was about 22, I'd never watched a game of RL, but I decided I wanted to stick to my northern roots and started drinking bitter and watching RL (the bitter drinking didn't stick) Check out upcoming international fixtures and highlights of past matches at http://rlfixtures.weebly.com St Albans Centurions International Liaison Officer and former Medway Dragons Wheelchair RL player.Leeds Rhinos, St Albans Centurions y Griffons Madrid fan. Also follow (to a lesser extent) Catalans Dragons, London Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Jacksonville Axemen, Vrchlabi Mad Squirrels, København Black Swans, Red Star Belgrade and North Hertfordshire Crusaders.Moderator of the International board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Stein Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Essex Essex Supporter at any game within reach (have been season ticket holder with Broncos, Skolars, Hemel and Eastern Rhinos). Short lived stint in amateur club administration. Welsh parentage but Grandfather thought rugby league closer in culture to working folk in South Wales than union was. Always on TV in the house and teenage years coincided with founding of Fulham and Southend Invicta. Major part of my everyday life for over 30 years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnleywelsh Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Over the season I am going to try to visit as many 'southern' (essentially anywhere south of the heartland areas) RL teams as I can. One thing I am interested in, beyond experiencing games at different levels, is why people follow, play, manage or invest in the sport. So, if you are a 'southern' RL fan- Where were you born? Where do you live? How do you get involved in game (spectator, sponsor, post on here...) Why do you follow RL? Born. Llandrindod Wells. Live. Burnley Got involved . Loved watching Floodlight Trophy and RL on Grandstand. Saw my first live game Fulham RL at Chiswick Poly ground when working in London. Followed them through various incarnations from Crystal Palace to Barnet. Played and coached in London Amateur League. Now Administer for my local club doing it tough in East Lancashire. Why do I follow RL: Because it's brilliant. I am planning to write it up here: https://fishinginabathtup.wordpress.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnleywelsh Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Over the season I am going to try to visit as many 'southern' (essentially anywhere south of the heartland areas) RL teams as I can. One thing I am interested in, beyond experiencing games at different levels, is why people follow, play, manage or invest in the sport. So, if you are a 'southern' RL fan- Where were you born? Where do you live? How do you get involved in game (spectator, sponsor, post on here...) Why do you follow RL? I am planning to write it up here: https://fishinginabathtup.wordpress.com/ Born. Llandrindod Wells. Live. Burnley Got involved . Loved watching Floodlight Trophy and RL on Grandstand. Saw my first live game Fulham RL at Chiswick Poly ground when working in London. Followed them through various incarnations from Crystal Palace to Barnet. Played and coached in London Amateur League. Now Administer for my local club doing it tough in East Lancashire. Why do I follow RL: Because it's brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Reiver Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Born. Stirling Live. London Living in Carlisle as a teenager Carlisle RL was started in 1981. Persuaded by friends to attend. Had never seen League on the telly or read about it. Probably didn't even understand there was a second code of rugby. Was more involved in other sports. Got hooked from seeing it live with the skill, speed and physicality appealing. But also the spirit of the game and respect for the officials. Played amateur at home, uni and latterly in London. Occasional attendee, when not playing, at Fulham/Crusaders games before Broncos started and been watching them from start of SL. Sometimes persuaded to attend Skolars games. Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbo Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I was born in Rugby, but spent most of my 'formative' years (1956-on) in Coventry. I often watched RL on TV on Saturday afternoons (Eddie Waring and all that), although my sports were RU and soccer, and I attended Highfield Road and Coundon Road more often than not. However, I always enjoyed what I saw of RL, even though there was no chance of seeing it live without travelling - and I was rather influenced by This Sporting Life in book and film form. That's possibly a bad thing? Still have and covet my original copy of the book though. In fact the first live RL I saw was at Coundon Road when Al Robinson (and slightly later with the help of Bearman) set up Coventry Bears there in c1999. I fairly quickly got involved and set up their first website (running it for about five years) and did a bit as Press Officer. I've never played - far too old and fat by the time the game came to the area (and being an ex-RU second-row I reckon I would have died on the pitch within 10 minutes of the start, had I tried...). I now live in retirement on the east coast, near Skeg, and not having any motorized transport myself (and don't even mention the train and bus services!) I can't get over very often, and am reliant on my wife's company car when I can blag it. However, that may change later this season... I still love both codes - but have fallen out of love with soccer. eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iffleyox Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Kidderminster Oxford I live 2 mins walk from Iffley Road, so go and watch the Blues there through the winter - and then Oxford RL turned up so I went to see their first ever match and bought a season ticket there and then... Before that I'd seen very little League - Challenge Cup final on the TV every year and the odd other televised match. Went to a Union school (we weren't allowed to play football, let alone league - I was an indifferent 3rd/4th XV outside centre), and went to watch Moseley at weekends. Still try and get up to Moseley as often as possible - they'll always be my first love. However, I was 14 when Union went open so never really grew up with any sense of a divide. I've said this before but from an expansion pov summer rugby was a masterstroke because, if forced to choose by a fixture clash, there are plenty of us down here that will default to union, but, if not forced to choose, will pay good money to watch League. I like both on their own merits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockney4league Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Born in Tottenham Live in Enfield Go to broncos games when I am not playing football and made trips up north with my mates. recently took my Granddad for his first game at the age of 91. Go to the games at wembley. I watched Great Britain in the 2003 Ashes series on tv, loved it and been hooked ever since. Tough sport played by real men instead of the prima dona's who I play football against and the ones i see on tv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssexRL Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 Thanks to everyone who has posted so far. The blog (just started) can be found at- https://fishinginabathtup.wordpress.com/ My response- Born in Newbury, Berkshire Live in east London (via Kent and Watford) Got hooked watching RL on Grandstand in the 1970s, consolidated by a spell at university in Brandford in early 1980s Follow the game because at its best there is no greater sport - speed, skill, agility and power combined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Wild Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Leeds Hertfordshire Spectator, former team manager, committee member, wheelchair RL player Yorkshire stubbornness. When I moved down here when I was about 22, I'd never watched a game of RL, but I decided I wanted to stick to my northern roots and started drinking bitter and watching RL (the bitter drinking didn't stick) Did you buy a whippet as well? Rugby League - a sport where shape and size does not limit your potential Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooza Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Did you buy a whippet as well? No, but me and the ex did seriously consider getting a ferret! Check out upcoming international fixtures and highlights of past matches at http://rlfixtures.weebly.com St Albans Centurions International Liaison Officer and former Medway Dragons Wheelchair RL player.Leeds Rhinos, St Albans Centurions y Griffons Madrid fan. Also follow (to a lesser extent) Catalans Dragons, London Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Jacksonville Axemen, Vrchlabi Mad Squirrels, København Black Swans, Red Star Belgrade and North Hertfordshire Crusaders.Moderator of the International board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPOFFICER Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Sittingbourne, Kent Sittingbourne Spectator Mum was born in Bradford, one summer when visiting my grandparents Dad took me and my brother to watch Northern play a friendly - it seemed so much better than what union was serving up on the telly. Watched as much on TV as possible, which only increased my love of the game, increased by spending three years at uni living in Headingley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spicer Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 1 East London 2 Essex Became a spectator Good Friday back in 2000 for Broncos v Hudds at The Valley. Always previously enjoyed tv coverage. Became a Broncos season ticket Holder the following year and remained so till 2013. Still Have a Skolars season ticket and will pop up Hemel and St Albans very occasionally. Also follow Eastern Rhinos but my visits there tend to be limited due to clashes with work or Broncos fixtures. Was involved for a number of years with my then Local London Junior League Club and the latter days of an ex NL 3 Club. Thouroughly enjoy the game though the current plight of the London Clubs at the upper end of the game is depressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernRLfan Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Over the season I am going to try to visit as many 'southern' (essentially anywhere south of the heartland areas) RL teams as I can. One thing I am interested in, beyond experiencing games at different levels, is why people follow, play, manage or invest in the sport. So, if you are a 'southern' RL fan- Where were you born? Where do you live? How do you get involved in game (spectator, sponsor, post on here...) Why do you follow RL? I am planning to write it up here: https://fishinginabathtup.wordpress.com/ 1. Portsmouth 2. In between Winchester and Lee-on-the-Solent (basically Gosport) 3. Spectator - Always watched it on Sky Sports on Friday nights with my mum. Went to the Wembley semi-finals in 2013 and tickets bought for the Olympic Stadium test this year. Hoping to play for Southampton Spitfires this year which will be the first time I have ever played it. 4. I'm a rugby fan through-and-through, but as the only thing south of my school was the Isle of Wight, we were only exposed to union, so that is my preferred code. Still, far prefer league to any other sport bar union. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins up north Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Hamilton Scotland I always used to watch the Floodlit Trophy games on tv and the Challenge cup when I was young. I was never interested in watching union even back then. Saw my first live game when working in Hull for a few weeks in 79. The Robins been my team ever since. Dont get to as many games as I used to but will be at the Magic weekend at Newcastle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxford Ant Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Born in Oxford, live in Bicester (Oxon) Spectator only, lived in Manchester for about 5 years and used to get the occasional free tickets to the Willows, which I enjoyed and starting going and paying for the pleasure! Moved back down to Oxon and within a few months ORLFC got going so started going and now consider myself a big fan. Also partner is life-long Bradford Bulls supporter so surrounded by RL when visiting in-laws in Bradford. Never had any interest in Union (still don't) but RL just got me hooked from the first match. Used to watch a lot of lower league football, the stadiums and fanbasis of most RL clubs are cut from the same cloth so felt at home straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibster8 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Where were you born? Poole, Dorset Where do you live? Fareham, Hampshire How do you get involved in game (spectator, sponsor, post on here...) I am a keen follower of Leeds Rhinos although my location means that, on the whole, I am restricted to Sky Sports rather than Headingley. I did manage to get up for Jamie Peacock's testimonial recently and make the annual pilgrimage to Magic. Why do you follow RL? My mum's family are all from Yorkshire (She is a Goole girl) and 2 of my uncles represented Yorkshire RL in their youth. I of course was brought up playing union at school but was hooked on league the first time I saw it. The sheer speed, power and excitement of the game makes it so much more of a spectator sport than union with it's frequent bouts of kicking from FB to FB for hours at a time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiltshire Rhino Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Swindon Swindon Got into RL after watching the 3rd Ashes Test in 1988 on TV. Watch some Challenge Cup games but first live game was 1st Ashes Test in 1990 and I was hooked. Found out Swindon had a team (Swindon Bulldogs) and played for them until they folded. Swindon St George started about 10 years later and I played/coached/media with them. Only spectator now, mostly on TV, but still watch the Challenge Cup Final, Grand Final, Internationals and the Mighty Swindon St George live. I love this game. It's the greatest game of all! 2014 Challenged Cup Winner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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