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https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/paper-talk-rfl-wanted-1895-cup-final-curtain-raiser-professional-blackpool-proposal-williams-transfer-fee

 

Professional Blackpool team back on the agenda

A meeting will take place in Blackpool on Tuesday which will determine the next moves to try and reinstate professional rugby league in the seaside town, report League Weekly.

The former supporters club of Blackpool Borough and Blackpool Gladiators has remained in place and with fundraisers, they have continued to sponsor National Conference League clubs and professional clubs over the past decade. League Weekly claim they have already informed RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer of their plans to rejuvenate rugby league in Blackpool.

 

Not quite as glamorous or headline grabbing as New York but an interesting development nonetheless. Could a semi professional team succeed in Blackpool at the third attempt?

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2 minutes ago, Damien said:

Hopefully. The more RL teams representing new areas the better.

I understand where you're coming from Damien but the previous entities weren't exactly big draw cards or did much to develop the game locally. I wish someone with money would fund junior teams rather than more cellar dwellers.

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Yes I agree I would prefer Blackpool to concentrate on junior development and maybe have another amateur team. 

Another attempt for a semi-pro team wouldn't work, I have friends from Blackpool who didn't even know who the Panthers were, also apart from their final season the results were poor.

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What makes them think a club is sustainable there if two previous incarnations have disappeared? Nostalgia is great and everything but it doesn’t make money. 

It’s also a poor time to try and recreate a Blackpool club with the town’s football club no longer being under the ownership of crooks. There will be the fabled “feelgood factor” there and people have their sporting fix back. 

They’d be better off sticking their money into creating a junior team in Blackpool IMO and building from the bottom up. 

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1 minute ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

What makes them think a club is sustainable there if two previous incarnations have disappeared? Nostalgia is great and everything but it doesn’t make money. 

It’s also a poor time to try and recreate a Blackpool club with the town’s football club no longer being under the ownership of crooks. There will be the fabled “feelgood factor” there and people have their sporting fix back. 

They’d be better off sticking their money into creating a junior team in Blackpool IMO and building from the bottom up. 

You say that nostalgia is great, OC, but frankly, I don't think it's what it used to be!

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20 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

I understand where you're coming from Damien but the previous entities weren't exactly big draw cards or did much to develop the game locally. I wish someone with money would fund junior teams rather than more cellar dwellers.

Why does everyone need to be a big draw card though or pay big money? The sooner we have leagues with teams representing all towns and cities the better. Football and RU have very good pyramids with teams all the way down which allows teams to find their level. RL should be aiming to do likewise. Have Manchester, have Blackpool, have Liverpool. Let them start small and build.

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If there’s a top to bottom approach with a pro team and the plan to develop the grassroots alongside this then I’m a fan.

If it’s just “we want a team to support in Blackpool” I can’t see it lasting long term.

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Whatever level they come in at, they will need a supporting network (pyramid)around and beneath them that will provide all the personnel, money (supporters) and players they are going to need, if they are going to survive for any length of time.

It would be really good, if they achieved something like Hemel Hempstead, where they are completely self reliant in terms of these three vital supply lines and not going cap in hand to the RFL for help.

Anything else is a naive (foolish) belief that you can get ''something for nothing'' in this world.

Growing it from the ground up, is the long haul, but the ground-work can't be neglected, or defaulted on, because its the essential component for long term existence. Any attempt to do it without embedding the game in the local community is a pipe dream.

Its one of the things Parky keeps banging on about and he's dead right.

 

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2 hours ago, Damien said:

Hopefully. The more RL teams representing new areas the better. 

I have watched all the development teams that have come and gone over the years because I would love to see RL flourish in these areas but it just doesn't work. Only London and Sheffield and North Wales have had some kind of success. At best, there are about a quarter of a million people with any interest in RL in this Country. That includes players & supporters. We are a minority sport and its time the RFL stopped pretending we are bigger than we are. Genuine expansion can only be achieved through schools.

2 hours ago, Nate90 said:

Yes I agree I would prefer Blackpool to concentrate on junior development and maybe have another amateur team. 

Another attempt for a semi-pro team wouldn't work, I have friends from Blackpool who didn't even know who the Panthers were, also apart from their final season the results were poor. 

On the other hand the Blackpool supporters club is the oldest continuous supporters club in Lancashire and they still do a great job of supporting other teams in the RFL whilst they are waiting for a new team of their own. If any area deserves a new club it's Blackpool but, as Deluded Pom says, it needs somebody behind it with "real money", somebody who is a genuine RL fan and who is prepared to lose a lot of money for the love of the game rather than well meaning enthusiasts with nothing but dreams. There is already Blackpool Scorpions and Blackpool Stanley playing in the NWML. They don't need another amateur side.

2 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

What makes them think a club is sustainable there if two previous incarnations have disappeared? Nostalgia is great and everything but it doesn’t make money. 

It’s also a poor time to try and recreate a Blackpool club with the town’s football club no longer being under the ownership of crooks. There will be the fabled “feelgood factor” there and people have their sporting fix back. 

They’d be better off sticking their money into creating a junior team in Blackpool IMO and building from the bottom up. 

I try not to get involved with any of you're posts because you are a typical Super Greed fan, with no genuine love of the game as a whole. All you ever do is "stick the boot" into the struggling clubs. The smaller clubs are struggling because of the unfair distribution of funds coming into the game. Where do you think your'e players are going to come from when you have killed off all of these pesky little teams? How sustainable do you think you're club would be if Sky pulled the plug tomorrow?

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12 minutes ago, Celtic Rooster said:

I have watched all the development teams that have come and gone over the years because I would love to see RL flourish in these areas but it just doesn't work. Only London and Sheffield and North Wales have had some kind of success. At best, there are about a quarter of a million people with any interest in RL in this Country. That includes players & supporters. We are a minority sport and its time the RFL stopped pretending we are bigger than we are. Genuine expansion can only be achieved through schools.

On the other hand the Blackpool supporters club is the oldest continuous supporters club in Lancashire and they still do a great job of supporting other teams in the RFL whilst they are waiting for a new team of their own. If any area deserves a new club it's Blackpool but, as Deluded Pom says, it needs somebody behind it with "real money", somebody who is a genuine RL fan and who is prepared to lose a lot of money for the love of the game rather than well meaning enthusiasts with nothing but dreams. There is already Blackpool Scorpions and Blackpool Stanley playing in the NWML. They don't need another amateur side.

I try not to get involved with any of you're posts because you are a typical Super Greed fan, with no genuine love of the game as a whole. All you ever do is "stick the boot" into the struggling clubs. The smaller clubs are struggling because of the unfair distribution of funds coming into the game. Where do you think your'e players are going to come from when you have killed off all of these pesky little teams? How sustainable do you think you're club would be if Sky pulled the plug tomorrow?

You’re a grown adult who uses the term “Super Greed”, that’s highly humourous. You are presumably a fan of a lower league team, would you stop following your team if they were promoted to Super League?

Numerous clubs are reliant on the distribution money. It’s a sad indictment on the game and something needs to be done to stop this. 

Looking at the current Super League, eleven players (an average of less than one per team) where transferred this off-season from a team that played in the Championship or below in 2018 to a Super League team, that number is less if you were to discount those that moved to promotion winners, London. So, not even a full team (unless you’re West Wales of 2018, that is) has moved from the lower levels to Super League this winter. You ask where the players for Super League would come from. The answer is the same places where they come from now. Australia, other Super League teams, Super League team’s Academies and a very small number from the lower levels. 

In my opinion, finances need to be given to the community game as they’re the true “birthplace” of our players. Your Bradford Dudley Hill’s, Siddal’s, Wigan St Pats’, West Hull’s etc are worth their weight in gold, not your Swinton’s, Hunslet’s, Keighley’s etc. It’s the volunteers who spend their free time honing the skills of children ata weekend, some who go on to play the game at the highest level, some even get to go as far as the NRL, that are imperative to the future of the game, not some team who won the Challenge Cup once in the 20’s. 

 

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6 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

What makes them think a club is sustainable there if two previous incarnations have disappeared? Nostalgia is great and everything but it doesn’t make money. 

It’s also a poor time to try and recreate a Blackpool club with the town’s football club no longer being under the ownership of crooks. There will be the fabled “feelgood factor” there and people have their sporting fix back. 

They’d be better off sticking their money into creating a junior team in Blackpool IMO and building from the bottom up. 

I agree that setting up an amateur club is a better idea. Plus I don’t think the RFL can support anymore teams unless they are being bankrolled by a multi millionaire and are not taking any central funding.

I can’t imaging many people are interested in RL in Blackpool, be interesting to see how many people from Blackpool have attended the Summer Bash seeing as the RFL never seem to promote it.

With people returning to watch Blackpool FC now the Oystons have left, wouldn’t it have been a better idea to set up a club to attract the dissolutioned fans over the past few years

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3 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

You’re a grown adult who uses the term “Super Greed”, that’s highly humourous. You are presumably a fan of a lower league team, would you stop following your team if they were promoted to Super League? 

Numerous clubs are reliant on the distribution money. It’s a sad indictment on the game and something needs to be done to stop this. 

Looking at the current Super League, eleven players (an average of less than one per team) where transferred this off-season from a team that played in the Championship or below in 2018 to a Super League team, that number is less if you were to discount those that moved to promotion winners, London. So, not even a full team (unless you’re West Wales of 2018, that is) has moved from the lower levels to Super League this winter. You ask where the players for Super League would come from. The answer is the same places where they come from now. Australia, other Super League teams, Super League team’s Academies and a very small number from the lower levels. 

In my opinion, finances need to be given to the community game as they’re the true “birthplace” of our players. Your Bradford Dudley Hill’s, Siddal’s, Wigan St Pats’, West Hull’s etc are worth their weight in gold, not your Swinton’s, Hunslet’s, Keighley’s etc. It’s the volunteers who spend their free time honing the skills of children ata weekend, some who go on to play the game at the highest level, some even get to go as far as the NRL, that are imperative to the future of the game, not some team who won the Challenge Cup once in the 20’s. 

 

I am not a loyal fan of anybody. I just fell in love with Rugby League. I watched Manchester United home and away from 1966 to 1981 but I started watching Salford RLFC as well in 1971. In 1981 I decided to choose where I was best entertained and I gave up watching Manchester United. I followed Salford home and away, rarely missing any games, until 1999. I also started watching amateur RL every Saturday in 1986 and still do now. It was a very difficult decision to stop watching Salford in 1999, especially as my sons were big fans by then but, they were in Super Greed by then and I had already decided it would ruin the rest of the game, they were allowed to pass the ball forward and the referees were going to decide who wins tight games. The first Salford game I missed that season was Hull away and I went to watch Batley .v. Dewsbury instead. I enjoyed just picking  game to go to as a neutral every week but mostly spent my money where it was most needed - Blackpool, Chorley, Prescot etc. In 2006 Celtic Crusaders were formed and I went to the first home game as it was the only ground I had never been to at the time. Somehow I just enjoyed being part of something new and their was a great feeling of optimism at the club. Despite a 430 mile round trip for home games I only missed no more than 6 games in the short history of that club (including the first season in Super Greed). I was awarded the supporter of the year trophy on the pitch at Bridgend by John Devereux. When they moved to Wrexham I spent a season watching newly formed South Wales Scorpions but then decided I was too old to keep travelling that far. North Wales Crusaders were formed and I followed them for 3 seasons home and away. After that I went back to just watching games wherever I feel like again. This season I wanted to spend more time with my sons so I am watching Salford as often as I can despite them being in SG. However, as I sat and watched the performance of James Child in the home game against Leeds I found myself thinking "I can't watch this for an entire season". I will probably see the season out with Salford but who knows next season?

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4 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

You’re a grown adult who uses the term “Super Greed”, that’s highly humourous. You are presumably a fan of a lower league team, would you stop following your team if they were promoted to Super League?

Numerous clubs are reliant on the distribution money. It’s a sad indictment on the game and something needs to be done to stop this. 

Looking at the current Super League, eleven players (an average of less than one per team) where transferred this off-season from a team that played in the Championship or below in 2018 to a Super League team, that number is less if you were to discount those that moved to promotion winners, London. So, not even a full team (unless you’re West Wales of 2018, that is) has moved from the lower levels to Super League this winter. You ask where the players for Super League would come from. The answer is the same places where they come from now. Australia, other Super League teams, Super League team’s Academies and a very small number from the lower levels. 

In my opinion, finances need to be given to the community game as they’re the true “birthplace” of our players. Your Bradford Dudley Hill’s, Siddal’s, Wigan St Pats’, West Hull’s etc are worth their weight in gold, not your Swinton’s, Hunslet’s, Keighley’s etc. It’s the volunteers who spend their free time honing the skills of children ata weekend, some who go on to play the game at the highest level, some even get to go as far as the NRL, that are imperative to the future of the game, not some team who won the Challenge Cup once in the 20’s. 

 

Surely there is a place and a level for everyone

I agree that there a lot of very strong amateur clubs who after years of good work have the junior development systems and teams that the game needs. Their development pathways are proven and what some of the newer "development area" pro clubs should be looking to achieve.

Saying that do we really want to be turning new teams down or being too stringent with our conditions of entry. The main thing we need is a proper structure and pyramid like football has. Everyone can compete at a level however "lowly" or "unglamorous" and move up and down. 

Funding is key but clubs need to learn how to budget properly at their respective levels. Funding lower down in football is not brilliant but somehow there are many long established non league clubs who seem to keep going.

Re Blackpool I think times have changed. It is no longer the holiday draw it used to be with "wakes weeks" and such and the demographics of the town have changed. Maybe if it was on the up with the past muted super casino but now it is all faded glories and not much upside. As said above maybe launching as an alternative to the Oyston ran football club might have generated some interested but now they have gone cant see much room for a RL club 

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10 hours ago, BD20Cougar said:

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/paper-talk-rfl-wanted-1895-cup-final-curtain-raiser-professional-blackpool-proposal-williams-transfer-fee

 

Professional Blackpool team back on the agenda

A meeting will take place in Blackpool on Tuesday which will determine the next moves to try and reinstate professional rugby league in the seaside town, report League Weekly.

The former supporters club of Blackpool Borough and Blackpool Gladiators has remained in place and with fundraisers, they have continued to sponsor National Conference League clubs and professional clubs over the past decade. League Weekly claim they have already informed RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer of their plans to rejuvenate rugby league in Blackpool.

 

Not quite as glamorous or headline grabbing as New York but an interesting development nonetheless. Could a semi professional team succeed in Blackpool at the third attempt?

Excellent news....Preston/Lancaster/Blackpool should all be development areas for league....have a spine going to Cumbria then bridge across to a growing North East game with the N. Thunder......everywhere north becomes league!! 

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Just because a club in Blackpool failed in the past doesn't mean one in the future will.   Sure it definitely provides key learnings and shows that there needs to be a really strong strategy and arguably some decent cash behind the bid, but we shouldn't just say it is doomed to fail even before we have all the facts.

Honestly, I would be surprised if the RFL is open to letting them in when they have put up so many barriers for the Manchester Rangers, but from my perspective, I would welcome a return.  If we are going to be a 'northern' sport, then let's own the north, and to do that, we need to be in every town / city / hamlet of note in the area both at an amateur and professional level.

From what I saw of the last Blackpool side, there appeared to be very little strategy around engaging locals, with the club predominately targeting away fans, so it's not surprising that it failed. 

PACIFIQUE TREIZE: Join the team by registering as a fan today at pacifique13.com

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10 hours ago, Mr Plow said:

I agree that setting up an amateur club is a better idea. Plus I don’t think the RFL can support anymore teams unless they are being bankrolled by a multi millionaire and are not taking any central funding.

I can’t imaging many people are interested in RL in Blackpool, be interesting to see how many people from Blackpool have attended the Summer Bash seeing as the RFL never seem to promote it. 

With people returning to watch Blackpool FC now the Oystons have left, wouldn’t it have been a better idea to set up a club to attract the dissolutioned fans over the past few years

Do you imagine people in Blackpool are interested in Rugby League or not Mr Plow? I know you mean well and have the best interests of the game at heart but there are already two amateur RL clubs in the town and you want to start another but you don't think there is any support for it? There were 3 clubs not to long ago when Blackpool Sea Eagles played in the summer competition. There has been amateur RL in Blackpool since Blackpool Stanley joined the North West Counties League for the 1982-83 season and they were joined later by Blackpool Scorpions but neither of them have played any higher than division 1, although Stanley finished third in 3 successive seasons in the late 80's when the top 2 were promoted to the premier division.

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24 minutes ago, Celtic Rooster said:

Do you imagine people in Blackpool are interested in Rugby League or not Mr Plow? I know you mean well and have the best interests of the game at heart but there are already two amateur RL clubs in the town and you want to start another but you don't think there is any support for it? There were 3 clubs not to long ago when Blackpool Sea Eagles played in the summer competition. There has been amateur RL in Blackpool since Blackpool Stanley joined the North West Counties League for the 1982-83 season and they were joined later by Blackpool Scorpions but neither of them have played any higher than division 1, although Stanley finished third in 3 successive seasons in the late 80's when the top 2 were promoted to the premier division.

I think it’s a bit like Liverpool, they’ve been teams there before but they’ve all failed. By all means keep the amateur clubs.

If someone is going to set up a new club u don’t think it would be accepted. I think the RFL have made that clear by telling Manchester they’d be allowed in if they didn’t receive any central funding and paid a entry fee or relocated an existing club (wonder if the All Golds, Oxford/ Bristol licences are still available?)

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10 hours ago, Celtic Rooster said:

they were in Super Greed by then and I had already decided it would ruin the rest of the game, they were allowed to pass the ball forward and the referees were going to decide who wins tight games

Just made a note of the three people who've liked a post that includes this wonderful section.

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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