Squad for Bradford

[homeandawayer]

I haven't heard the interview but maybe he was just pointing out another difference in the level of funding available between us and them. Losing Penky and Ollie was too big a hurdle then Fui..with them we might have got back into it..it wasn't to be. Great season nevertheless.

[Onreport]

I too hope he commits to an extra year, but the wave he gave the travelling fans at Bradford at the end of the game looked a good bye to me, hope I am wrong

[GeordieTownie]

28 minutes ago, THMS said:

Before people start calling Leon just because the win didn't go our way on Sunday, I think u first need to be thanking him for where he's got us this season. We have done better than the last few (at least), he has brought great players in and got rid of the rubbish ones, he has created 'Hope' for our team and a real buzz around the town. I can't remember a season I have enjoyed as much as this one in a long time. 

I hope he stays with us another year whether we get to championship or not! 

Also the BOD should be credited for their amazing job and backing of Leon and his team. 

I wasn’t calling him I think he’s done a great job he just lets himself down at times.

He needs to realise where he is and to grow up a bit. You don’t always get your own way in life unfortunately. It’s all well and good getting promoted and I think they’ve done great, but would anyone accept it if we got promoted and went bust in the process?

The directors do the job for nothing, he gets paid, maybe if he wanted them to stay over he should’ve sacrificed his own salary?

 

[GeordieTownie]

15 minutes ago, oldrake9 said:

I’m sure a lot of previous coaches would have enjoyed the backing that has been there this year. 

 

If you read these 2 statements you'll see it's obvious why Leon has done well this year......CASH! This must be the biggest budget in the last 3 seasons that the board have spent. The "great players" Leon has brought in would probably add up to the full budget during last season. I'm sure if Clark had this budget he'd have done better too.... Leon has done well in his 1st year but the money has definately helped him achieve this. 

Biggest budget I can remember in many a year barring the Fifita shambles.

[havenhater]

Could something official not be announced for us die hard fans on Sunday please?

Do we have a squad? Are we signing anyone else with dispensation?

 

Is Leon here? 

 

Can moimoi appeal or play before the ego meeting?

 

 

[GeordieTownie]

9 minutes ago, havenhater said:

Could something official not be announced for us die hard fans on Sunday please?

Do we have a squad? Are we signing anyone else with dispensation?

 

Is Leon here? 

 

Can moimoi appeal or play before the ego meeting?

 

 

I’d imagine it’s still ongoing. It’s less than 48 hours since we knew we even had a game, I’m sure it’ll be announced in due course.

[Brookie]

Is Scott Akehurst still on the books?

[oldrake9]

5 minutes ago, Brookie said:

Is Scott Akehurst still on the books?

On the books but not available

[bigapple]

This extra game is, as we all know ridiculous,not only have we got players on holiday,how hard is it gonna be to draft any players in when its the day after the grand final  ,fans /players have the grand final weekend planned year on year!

[DavidM]

1 hour ago, oldrake9 said:

I’m sure a lot of previous coaches would have enjoyed the backing that has been there this year. 

 

If you read these 2 statements you'll see it's obvious why Leon has done well this year......CASH! This must be the biggest budget in the last 3 seasons that the board have spent. The "great players" Leon has brought in would probably add up to the full budget during last season. I'm sure if Clark had this budget he'd have done better too.... Leon has done well in his 1st year but the money has definately helped him achieve this. 

I just think that’s unfair and simplistic . You can give someone a budget but it takes a lot more to make it successful . It naturally took him time but his impact across the board has been sizeable in an alien environment . He’s not bullet proof , I’d agree some of his communication could be better , but he’s getting his head round something totally different - and he’s doing and saying it all for one reason , to be better and more professional to give us the best chance of success . That’s commendable . Anything that comes out is frustration I’m sure . Overall he’s got his head round coaching as well as could be expected , it was a risk both ways . You feel now we’re going somewhere and I hope he sticks around to carry it on because as he gets better we’ll get better . And he attracts exposure - look at the PR we’ve got this season , as well as players . He’s putting us back on the map 

[wonky]

Anyone calling leon for his comments needs to get a grip of themselves, Geordie you are one of the most negative posters on this forum. Of course not staying over is going to be a factor, compare the 2 donny performances for example. he wasn’t diminishing what the board have given him this year at all, he’s done a great job, simple as that. It’s said it’s been our biggest budget since fifita, Sammut etc, that was only 2 seasons ago ffs. We had 1 budget year under Clarke and that was it. Get behind everyone in blue and white and stop all your whinging, it’s pathetic. 

[Marrafan]

It is a disgraceful decision to play this game and the clubs that voted for it should hang their heads in shame. Such a late change in fixtures ruins the whole credibility of the Championship and League One. Part time players give  approx 10 months of the year to the game and expect the Play off final to be the last playing day. Surely  this has put players at both clubs, Town and Swinton in an impossible position. For both clubs to be playing weakened teams in a match of so much importance is disgraceful. As I say the clubs that voted this in should hang their heads in shame.

[Old standoff]

2 hours ago, GeordieTownie said:

I wasn’t calling him I think he’s done a great job he just lets himself down at times.

He needs to realise where he is and to grow up a bit. You don’t always get your own way in life unfortunately. It’s all well and good getting promoted and I think they’ve done great, but would anyone accept it if we got promoted and went bust in the process?

The directors do the job for nothing, he gets paid, maybe if he wanted them to stay over he should’ve sacrificed his own salary?

 

Bloody ridiculous suggestion Geordie.

[Cumberland Sausage]

3 hours ago, oldrake9 said:

I’m sure a lot of previous coaches would have enjoyed the backing that has been there this year. 

 

If you read these 2 statements you'll see it's obvious why Leon has done well this year......CASH! This must be the biggest budget in the last 3 seasons that the board have spent. The "great players" Leon has brought in would probably add up to the full budget during last season. I'm sure if Clark had this budget he'd have done better too.... Leon has done well in his 1st year but the money has definately helped him achieve this. 

Disagree.

Leon has done well by bringing in quality players on the budget available and getting rid of 3 players who he thought would be good enough but proved otherwise.Penky is worth every penny of his wages and is not just a traveller filling his pockets at the end of his career and the same is true of Fui Fui and the quality of DR we have seen this year is also down to Leon not just taking any old rubbish to keep the parent club happy.The respect the guy has in the game is why these players wanted to come and play for him and the way our club has looked after them is why the likes of Penky was more than happy to sign back on again for next year.

The comment about staying overnight was not used as an excuse but to show the battle we have against the bigger clubs and their budgets and playing squads,he actually praised the players for the effort all season and for buying into what he wants to bring to the club.This will have been a huge learning curve for Leon coming from the environment he is used to and working with part time players and yes he has made mistakes but I for one love what he is trying to bring to our club and I know the BOD buy into it as well.

If it was as simple as cash then Bradford should have gone right back into Sl the season they came down and Leigh should have walked the Championship this season along with Toronto.

[The Voodooguru]

2 hours ago, GeordieTownie said:

I wasn’t calling him I think he’s done a great job he just lets himself down at times.

He needs to realise where he is and to grow up a bit. You don’t always get your own way in life unfortunately. It’s all well and good getting promoted and I think they’ve done great, but would anyone accept it if we got promoted and went bust in the process?

The directors do the job for nothing, he gets paid, maybe if he wanted them to stay over he should’ve sacrificed his own salary?

 

Oh the irony of your first sentence and the rest of the twaddle that followed.

I can't believe you are having a pop at Leon, So he gets upset at getting beat, sometimes doesn't say the bog standard manager speak, and is hard on the players. So f***ing what? He is a born winner and expects the highest standards. Every manager wants the best of the best and will plead for everything they can squeeze from the BOD. It's up to the BOD to say yes or no. If travelling the night before wasn't a factor nobody would do it as it would be just a waste of money. When we beat the Bulls Kear used every excuse in the book, Leon was honest enough to admit we were beat by a better team on the day but used some contributing factors as to why he thought we got beat. I think they were all perfectly reasonable.

Some folk just like twining.

[LancashireTown]

Leon signed a 2 year contract so it says on BBC Sport. The aim wasn’t to go up this season, so surely he’ll be here next year.

[JMB]

4 hours ago, oldrake9 said:

I’m sure a lot of previous coaches would have enjoyed the backing that has been there this year. 

 

If you read these 2 statements you'll see it's obvious why Leon has done well this year......CASH! This must be the biggest budget in the last 3 seasons that the board have spent. The "great players" Leon has brought in would probably add up to the full budget during last season. I'm sure if Clark had this budget he'd have done better too.... Leon has done well in his 1st year but the money has definately helped him achieve this. 

Clark is a clown, that was evident when he had control of the academy,  good talker but that's about all. 

[ST1959]

4 hours ago, bigapple said:

This extra game is, as we all know ridiculous,not only have we got players on holiday,how hard is it gonna be to draft any players in when its the day after the grand final  ,fans /players have the grand final weekend planned year on year!

We go grand final every year so its no problem going to Swinton on way home on Sunday Just wish it was that easy for any players that have given there all this season and are going on a well deserved holiday. Hope we can put a competitive team out on the day and do our club proud Best wishes to whoever wears the blue and white on Sunday Give the BOD , Leon and yourselves what is deserved Championship next season UTT

[town4me]

Assembling a good side isn't all about  cash. Yes it helps massively but theres more to it.  I think after this sundays farce we have a great opportunity to have a good crack at C1 next season. 

[fairfolly]

Town4me,

             Why are you giving up on Sundays game? Who says you are going to lose the game? Why not be positive and believe you can have a good year in the Championship next season.If Worky turn out a decent team they have every chance on Sunday.Remember Swinton won omly 5 games out of 30 games this season.Have faith man.

[dkw]

17 minutes ago, fairfolly said:

Town4me,

             Why are you giving up on Sundays game? Who says you are going to lose the game? Why not be positive and believe you can have a good year in the Championship next season.If Worky turn out a decent team they have every chance on Sunday.Remember Swinton won omly 5 games out of 30 games this season.Have faith man.

Mainly because the odds are against us turning out any team, let alone decent.

[town4me]

33 minutes ago, fairfolly said:

Town4me,

             Why are you giving up on Sundays game? Who says you are going to lose the game? Why not be positive and believe you can have a good year in the Championship next season.If Worky turn out a decent team they have every chance on Sunday.Remember Swinton won omly 5 games out of 30 games this season.Have faith man.

We could have a good year next season up there.  but As another town fan has just said  the odds are stacked against us turning out a team .  We have had no official news mate but rumour is 4 or 5 are on pre-booked holidays and penky wilkes injured and moi moi  banned. I would love to see us win on Sunday and best of luck to our lads especially as i don't think swinton should have  got this game to save themselves but the fact is they do. PS i live in hope its mind games and we have a full squad to pick from and moi moi gets off.

[georgeb1]

39 minutes ago, town4me said:

We could have a good year next season up there.  but As another town fan has just said  the odds are stacked against us turning out a team .  We have had no official news mate but rumour is 4 or 5 are on pre-booked holidays and penky wilkes injured and moi moi  banned. I would love to see us win on Sunday and best of luck to our lads especially as i don't think swinton should have  got this game to save themselves but the fact is they do. PS i live in hope its mind games and we have a full squad to pick from and moi moi gets off.

Why should you have preference over swinton.

[Keith T]

In the way the system was originally both Rochdale and Swinton would have been replaced by York and Bradford.   At very short notice the RFL in their wisdom decided that the Championship next season should be 14 teams.   They could have let the third and fourth placed teams in League 1 go up but instead came up with a convoluted system where Rochdale stay up and the bottom team Swinton plays off against the losing team in the League1 play-off, Workington.  This was not decided until about a month ago during which time Workington have had to go through three very hard away games to get to this position whilst Swinton have been able to have a week off to rejuvenate their players for Workington’s nextaway game to decide who goes or stays up.   If that is a fair system then I give up.

[duffymoon]

Both clubs are lucky to have another bite of the cherry! Swinton also have injuries and players on holiday. For any fans attending the Grand Final there is reduced admission if you present your ticket stubb on Sunday.