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Rumourville: London Broncos to move again


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Not what I heard (in fact a couple of Championship 1 clubs play their home games on a Saturday where the travelling is greater and one assumes the pay is less). My understanding is that the coach at the beginning of the season thought it would be unsettling for the players to play on a Saturday one week and a Sunday the next. As usual with the club, logic and the fans' preferences were ignored. Still as we now know the players have shown little ability to cope with playing on any day.

 

I certainly remember it suggested Joey Grima wished for those reasons given to play on a sunday.

To be fair I believe we quite liked playing on a wednesday evening.

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JohnM and Red Rooster,

If David Hughes moves on thereby allowing someone else to come in and make the 'right decisions' for the club what makes you think that these new owners will be able, and will be willing, to put in the investment that will be needed to make the club a success?

History suggests the opposite is likely to be the case.

 

 I don't recall anyone saying that any of this would be easy, or even possible.I could not imagine anyone being  "new owners" unless they were "able, and  willing to put in the investment that will be needed to make the club a success".. I have a feeling the number of such possible owners is currently  between zero and none, which is why i fear for the future. If it could not be made to work under Branson, than maybe it will never work...a frightening prospect for a code which now seems to have been overtaken in the media at least, by the women's soccer Super League

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I would argue that good ownership means a willingness to make a reasonable level of financial input to ensure a club (or company for that matter)'s progress.

 

I'd ask you to consider the input of money as an investment that creates growth and gets a club over a problem and the chairman gets paid back later, and the injection of say £1,000,000 that the chairman wants to write off??

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It's a shame someone like Koukash hadn't taken on the Broncos - he would certainly have got them publicity and big name players! 

 

He would not have done that.

 

His record shows he cannot get big name players that are effective, more once big name players over the hill.

 

The record for Broncos even when they could pay towards full salary cap is players did not want to uproot from the M62 to London.

 

Koukash may like spending money on players but he cannot go past the Salary cap.

 

I see no evidence he spends on infrastructure.

 

You can all put Hughes up as the fall guy as much as you want, but underinvestment was the problem, and it was SKY that failed to create London Storm, ring them and have a go.

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I'd ask you to consider the input of money as an investment that creates growth and gets a club over a problem and the chairman gets paid back later, and the injection of say £1,000,000 that the chairman wants to write off??

The latter's a long term recipe for disaster. I remember back about thirty years ago when Portsmouth F.C. were basically being run as a tax avoidance exercise by the then chairman against his business and what happened when he hit problems and the money suddenly stopped. The model to follow would, in a perfect world, be Simon Moran at Warrington but the world ain't perfect.

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So is this ten or eleven moves since the club was created? This feels like a big step back. @Londonfaithful tweeted a link to the local paper who have covered the rumoured Trailblazer move but you had to look really hard for it, it wasnt a front page story. Other than the practicalities of getting there and the problem of never having roots, it just makes the club seem, kindof lost, drifting at best and at worse sinking. While it has hardly been the best of seasons at Skolars you feel there are foundations there and potential for growth. It will be interesting to see turn out at the Wigan v Catalan match. Feels like RL in London needs a bit of a boost.

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Point made by EW on another thread about whether London could use the Den after its RL initiation with Wigan-Catalan . Would be good but guess cost issue. Without any marketing or publicity I guess Wigan could attract 3-5000 which would cover costs. With marketing, who knows? For Bronco games I could imagine a better turn out at the Den than the Hiive but unless performances improve would not be enough.

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I know its all irrelevant now, with everything being announced, but would it have been worth the RFL, Wigan and the Bronco's sitting down at the start of the Wigan/Catalan idea and having the Bronco's play their home Super8 game against Workington as a curtain raiser at the Den also?.. instead of a day later..

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The record for Broncos even when they could pay towards full salary cap is players did not want to uproot from the M62 to London.

 

You can all put Hughes up as the fall guy as much as you want, but underinvestment was the problem.

 

   The salary cap is even more restrictive when added to the possible lack of the London Weighting Allowance which may be decisive when considering uprooting from the M62

 

      http://www.lrdpublications.org.uk/publications.php?pub=WR&iss=1667&id=id136938

     No reserves,but resilience,persistence and determination are omnipotent.                       

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.a frightening prospect for a code which now seems to have been overtaken in the media at least, by the women's soccer Super League

 

And to think I was mocked for suggesting such a thing would happen.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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And to think I was mocked for suggesting such a thing would happen.

 

You got lucky, nobody could predict a long term development plan and success at international level would bring an increased interest in domestic level in Women's football.

SQL Honours

Play off mini league winner - 2002. Bronze Medalist - 2003. Big Split Group Winner - 2006. Minor Stupidship - 2005, 2006. Cup Silver Medalist - 2008, 2009

CHAMPION - 2005, 2009, 2010

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Judging by the article David Hughes is planning an exit strategy... This long lasting mess is like the USA leaving Iraq.

 

   They're going to find oil in Ealing have Johnson Mathey Bank deal with the profits and find a sinecure for Tony Blair? Wow!

 

Judging by the article Andrew Henderson aims to be the head coach for the long haul and presumably,with cricket and the other code being involved in the stadium,monies for improvements/expansion will be easier than if it was just a rugby league club wanting assistance.

 

    Although the London supporters were not consulted I find it hard to accept that the club,although wanting things to be cost-effective,would willingly change stadia and thereby abandon all hope of again playing in Super League.

 

    Equally,the stadia will require certain criteria for the RFL to allow the change;won't it?

     No reserves,but resilience,persistence and determination are omnipotent.                       

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The Broncos need to buy into the Ealing ground or let the chap who owns Ealing RU buy out David Hughes (similar to Newcastle Thunder) if the Broncos are going to prosper there. Otherwise it will be another short term failed move.........

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Positives for the Broncos at the moment = coach Henderson, Wes Naiqama, some raw local youth talent in the side, David Hughes committed for next year to guarantee there short term future, creation of London broncos business group, clubs websites been regularly updated this year & 500 - 700 loyal fans!

 

potential positives suggestions - have an anzac day celebration bbq at a game next year for ozzies & kiwis in London with embassy staff london based Maori cultural group Ngati Ranana performing etc, when playing northern sides who have london based ex residents (bradford,halifax etc) advertise on those clubs websites & local papers to get them along to there side game in london. Get some signage/ promotional mention/involvement with clubs name or playing curtain raiser at all big league events in london test matches, challenge cup, wigan super league game in capital, new ground were rent allows club to make a profit on crowds of 700 or so, have replica shirts ready before xmas to maximise income from there sale, look to have clubs london business group & london supporters group become part owners with Hughes from 2017 onwards.

 

Some people have come up with good ideas like craft beer festivals at games etc, one last idea its a bit radical but embrace the clubs londons journey in the name London Rovers, Nomads, Wanderers...

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In any case don't we want rich individuals to come in and invest in the sport?

Personally? No.

Seen too many feck-ups with clubs going down this route.

eh?

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Positives for the Broncos at the moment = coach Henderson, Wes Naiqama, some raw local youth talent in the side, David Hughes committed for next year to guarantee there short term future, creation of London broncos business group, clubs websites been regularly updated this year & 500 - 700 loyal fans!

 

potential positives suggestions - have an anzac day celebration bbq at a game next year for ozzies & kiwis in London with embassy staff london based Maori cultural group Ngati Ranana performing etc, when playing northern sides who have london based ex residents (bradford,halifax etc) advertise on those clubs websites & local papers to get them along to there side game in london. Get some signage/ promotional mention/involvement with clubs name or playing curtain raiser at all big league events in london test matches, challenge cup, wigan super league game in capital, new ground were rent allows club to make a profit on crowds of 700 or so, have replica shirts ready before xmas to maximise income from there sale, look to have clubs london business group & london supporters group become part owners with Hughes from 2017 onwards.

 

Some people have come up with good ideas like craft beer festivals at games etc, one last idea its a bit radical but embrace the clubs londons journey in the name London Rovers, Nomads, Wanderers...

My two point plan is depressing:

- See how the top roller derby teams get their four figure crowds

- Rip them off

"You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014

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JohnM and Red Rooster,

If David Hughes moves on thereby allowing someone else to come in and make the 'right decisions' for the club what makes you think that these new owners will be able, and will be willing, to put in the investment that will be needed to make the club a success?

History suggests the opposite is likely to be the case.

 

One of the big problems at the moment lies in the fact that despite London being debt free, thanks to David Hughes decisions. It has become a very unattractive Business proposition.

 

The club lost it's superleague status thus losing not just SKY money but also the commericial and marketing opportunities that come with Super League status.

 

The club has no security of tenure (Without knowing the details of the Ealing deal) and is a tenant at the landlords whim. In addition to which the Hughes era has seen the club management fall out with two landlords

 

The club has no matchday revenue save for the sale of programmes and replica shirts.

 

The clubs youth set up has not recovered from the departure of Phil Jones in addition to which the playing assets of the club refllect an ordinary Championship side. The big earners being players at the end of their careers with little re-sale value. If the club was producing more players through the youth system that Super League clubs wanted to buy then transfer receipts come in handy at championship level and you could be confident that departing players would be replaced by new prospects.

 

The clubs training facilities may now have to be relocated from scratch from Bushey to West London.

 

The customer base keeps on dwindling losing about a third with each move and what remain are disenchanted with the club.management.

 

And after atomisting the club in September 2013, thus creating the mayhem outlined above, David Hughes claims to have "saved" the club - From himself presumably....If he is looking for an exit strategy then he has snookered himself.

 

No proper owner gets involved with a sporting club looking to make money but you do not do it to lose significant amounts of money either. Most do it to massage their ego but remember they are stewards of an institution within their community and while players, coaches, owners and even fans go the club remains and they are the temporary guardian of that heritage.

 

The sad thing is that off the field the club now has the right coaching and backroom staff - unfortunately about six year too late..

 

So to answer your question directly, any new owner would not have to be particularily cashed up to run a championship club what needs to be addressed are the problems outlined above and unlike the one man committee that has run the club you need to employ the right individuals on and off the field to fix the problems I have outlined and allow them to do the job.

 

You can spend as much money as you like but unless you spend it wisely all your doing is decreasing your wealth. You can lavish as much money as you like on a team but it is no gurantor of success (and there are a few examples of this in league). What you have to do is get the infrastructure of the club right first. then things can progress from there.

 

The main criteria when employing staff should be a love of Rugby League and a desire to create links with the amateur game, the community, local business and above all else to re-engage what's left of the fanbase.

 

It's a tough ask in the current circumstances.

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One of the big problems at the moment lies in the fact that despite London being debt free, thanks to David Hughes decisions. It has become a very unattractive Business proposition.

 

The club lost it's superleague status thus losing not just SKY money but also the commericial and marketing opportunities that come with Super League status.

 

The club has no matchday revenue save for the sale of programmes and replica shirts.

 

The clubs youth set up has not recovered from the departure of Phil Jones in addition to which the playing assets of the club refllect an ordinary Championship side. If the club was producing more players through the youth system that Super League clubs wanted to buy then transfer receipts come in handy at championship level and you could be confident that departing players would be replaced by new prospects.

 

The customer base keeps on dwindling losing about a third with each move and what remain are disenchanted with the club.management.

 

No proper owner gets involved with a sporting club looking to make money but you do not do it to lose significant amounts of money either. Most do it to massage their ego but remember they are stewards of an institution within their community and while players, coaches, owners and even fans go the club remains and they are the temporary guardian of that heritage.

 

The sad thing is that off the field the club now has the right coaching and backroom staff - unfortunately about six year too late..

 

So to answer your question directly, any new owner would not have to be particularily cashed up to run a championship club what needs to be addressed are the problems outlined above and unlike the one man committee that has run the club you need to employ the right individuals on and off the field to fix the problems I have outlined and allow them to do the job.

 

You can spend as much money as you like but unless you spend it wisely all your doing is decreasing your wealth. You can lavish as much money as you like on a team but it is no gurantor of success (and there are a few examples of this in league). What you have to do is get the infrastructure of the club right first. then things can progress from there.

 

The main criteria when employing staff should be a love of Rugby League and a desire to create links with the amateur game, the community, local business and above all else to re-engage what's left of the fanbase.

 

It's a tough ask in the current circumstances.

 

    Before it is too late,if the fans input on this forum and rlfans are to be believed,would a larger engagement by the supporters be helpful.

 

    I am thinking in terms of Supporters Direct - http://www.supporters-direct.org/homepage/what-we-do/rugby-league

 

    or even emulating this lot - http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/28/operation-promotion-grimsby-town-fans-crowdfunded-110000-transfer-manager.

     No reserves,but resilience,persistence and determination are omnipotent.                       

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