Posters not from the heartlands: how did you first become interested in rugby league?

[EssexRL]

9 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Born and bred in Hemel......I'm a heartlander!! 

Interested to know why you chose to watch RL though. It’s clearly not been a mainstream choice for many  locals. I used to watch Hemel occasionally when I lived in Watford but was aware of the game by then and knew there were a couple of clubs near by (Hemel & St Albans). What got you to go along? 

[DC77]

I became interested through the RL podcasts. Phil Caplan, Tony Collins, Dave Woods. The history of the sport and its noble origin should be far better known. I consider myself pretty knowledgable about sport in general but I knew very little about the inception of RL. Also made me look at RU in a different light.

[17 stone giant]

I watched GB vs Aus in 1990 on Grandstand. I didn't know much about the sport back then, but I liked what I saw, so have had an interest in it ever since then. I don't support a club team, so it's mostly just international matches that I like to watch.

[kier]

Wish I could just copy earlier similar posts I've written on the topic....would save me time.

Grew up playing RU in the home counties, believing that I hated RL, as was pretty typical for everyone else in my peer group (it was the 1980s).

My conversion to RL happened once I got to the University of York in 1991. The main reason was that the RU squad at the time were a bunch of private/public school tossers* and I didn't want anything to do with them.....so I took up rowing. Eventually friends of mine (bizarrely Americans) who were playing for the fledgling UYRLFC persuaded me to play.

*(or at least that's how they behaved, a real bunch of tools)

I loved playing the game from the very start and have been a fan ever since. Played for a few new clubs once I moved back south, including Reading and Kingston (now Elmbridge). Kept on playing and coaching when I emigrated to NZ in 2002. In recent years I've just been an armchair fan though.

The main thing that always surprised me was how my easily anti-RL sentiments had been inculcated in me when growing up.....especially as history/politics were so closely aligned to my own views. This kick-started an interest in the social history of sport that I still have to this day.

[deluded pom?]

5 hours ago, kier said:

Wish I could just copy earlier similar posts I've written on the topic....would save me time.

Grew up playing RU in the home counties, believing that I hated RL, as was pretty typical for everyone else in my peer group (it was the 1980s).

My conversion to RL happened once I got to the University of York in 1991. The main reason was that the RU squad at the time were a bunch of private/public school tossers* and I didn't want anything to do with them.....so I took up rowing. Eventually friends of mine (bizarrely Americans) who were playing for the fledgling UYRLFC persuaded me to play.

*(or at least that's how they behaved, a real bunch of tools)

I loved playing the game from the very start and have been a fan ever since. Played for a few new clubs once I moved back south, including Reading and Kingston (now Elmbridge). Kept on playing and coaching when I emigrated to NZ in 2002. In recent years I've just been an armchair fan though.

The main thing that always surprised me was how my easily anti-RL sentiments had been inculcated in me when growing up.....especially as history/politics were so closely aligned to my own views. This kick-started an interest in the social history of sport that I still have to this day.

Can I ask how this early hatred of RL was compounded into your thoughts as a young player growing up?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 27/06/2019 at 08:18, EssexRL said:

Interested to know why you chose to watch RL though. It’s clearly not been a mainstream choice for many  locals. I used to watch Hemel occasionally when I lived in Watford but was aware of the game by then and knew there were a couple of clubs near by (Hemel & St Albans). What got you to go along? 

They had and still have I believe a schools league set up by Stags. Both non Rugby and union kids get encouraged to get involved. At 45 I'm too slow and rubbish to play these days but it's still my number one sport. (I am more than quick/fit enough to still play Union ) 

[Vambo]

Not a million miles away from the Heartlands but whilst living in Blackburn and saving up for a mortgage deposit (late 80's) we started stopping in on Saturday afternoons and that's when I started watching Rugby League.

Blew me away.

My first game in the flesh was Wigan v Saints at Old Trafford in a cup semi. 

 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

16 minutes ago, Vambo said:

Not a million miles away from the Heartlands but whilst living in Blackburn and saving up for a mortgage deposit (late 80's) we started stopping in on Saturday afternoons and that's when I started watching Rugby League.

Blew me away.

My first game in the flesh was Wigan v Saints at Old Trafford in a cup semi. 

 

Picked a beauty for the first game to watch! 

Is there no league at all in Blackburn (Darwin area is it?) 

[Bleep1673]

My first game was a 7-7 Salford v Saints game at the Willows, I took my wife to her first game Salford v Bradford c. 1989, she was silent through the first half, at half time, I asked if she was OK, did she want to leave, she said "no never", and she was from Uxbridge, she's been addicted ever since, even though we divorced in 1995, she still goes to games, even though she lives in Norfolk

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, Bleep1673 said:

My first game was a 7-7 Salford v Saints game at the Willows, I took my wife to her first game Salford v Bradford c. 1989, she was silent through the first half, at half time, I asked if she was OK, did she want to leave, she said "no never", and she was from Uxbridge, she's been addicted ever since, even though we divorced in 1995, she still goes to games, even though she lives in Norfolk

Wish her indoors felt the same

Took her to the sensational Broncos win at Headingly in 2011 and has moaned about going since

And that was when beating Leeds at Headingly actually meant something 

[Vambo]

1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Picked a beauty for the first game to watch! 

Is there no league at all in Blackburn (Darwin area is it?) 

East Lancs Lions played out of the Anchor Ground in Darwen for a while and I also used to watch Accrington from time to time. Not sure what the current state of play is around here these days though.

Last time I watched Accy they were playing at Blackburn RU.

[jacobus]

I used to watch it as a kid on Grandstand, not really understanding. But then I started travelling to Catalunya with my wife and her family (they had a home there) and starting following the Dragons. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

24 minutes ago, jacobus said:

I used to watch it as a kid on Grandstand, not really understanding. But then I started travelling to Catalunya with my wife and her family (they had a home there) and starting following the Dragons. 

I think we'd all love TGG to become Catalonia's game.... They'd be guaranteed to whoop Spain each game so thats an incentive! 

[Marauder]

On 21/06/2019 at 08:46, deluded pom? said:

You are Darren Gough and I claim my free Yorkshire terrier.

More chance of being Liam Botham

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

6 hours ago, deluded pom? said:

Can I ask how this early hatred of RL was compounded into your thoughts as a young player growing up?

It's still prevalent in sone older union players / volunteers. Mostly good natured but..... 

Younger players much less so in fact a lot of the younger lads in our union side play for various London league sides in summer and never make any anti-league comments

 

 

 

Just now, Marauder said:

 

 

[deluded pom?]

2 hours ago, Marauder said:

More chance of being Liam Botham

But he’s called Goughy. 

[Ivarr the Boneless]

Growing up in South Staffordshire I gained an interest via Grandstand. George Fairbairn seemed to feature every week if my memory is reliable, probably not. Whilst watching Oxford a few years ago George popped up as match commissioner, recognised him immediately despite the passge of time.

I went to Liverpool Uni and marked every RL ground in my A-Z but never went. Watched Prescot Cables at football, I'm from Wolverhampton......

Went to one London game a season or so after moving south. When Highfield became Prescot I jumped on a train and watched their first two league games and was hooked.(v South Wales and a shock win v Barrow.) Started jumping on trains to watch them at Doncaster, York etc despite living around the corner from London's ground.

I've had season tickets at Broncos, Skolars and Oxford since hen Sadly I seem to be drifting away from the sport.  Hopefully the fire will return soon.

[Damien]

2 minutes ago, Ivarr the Boneless said:

Growing up in South Staffordshire I gained an interest via Grandstand. George Fairbairn seemed to feature every week if my memory is reliable, probably not. Whilst watching Oxford a few years ago George popped up as match commissioner, recognised him immediately despite the passge of time.

I went to Liverpool Uni and marked every RL ground in my A-Z but never went. Watched Prescot Cables at football, I'm from Wolverhampton......

Went to one London game a season or so after moving south. When Highfield became Prescot I jumped on a train and watched their first two league games and was hooked.(v South Wales and a shock win v Barrow.) Started jumping on trains to watch them at Doncaster, York etc despite living around the corner from London's ground.

I've had season tickets at Broncos, Skolars and Oxford since hen Sadly I seem to be drifting away from the sport.  Hopefully the fire will return soon.

It's safe to say you are not a glory hunter anyway

[Marauder]

6 hours ago, deluded pom? said:

But he’s called Goughy. 

I get called a lot of names and mine is Jim or James if your a policeman.

[OriginalMrC]

1 hour ago, Ivarr the Boneless said:

Growing up in South Staffordshire I gained an interest via Grandstand. George Fairbairn seemed to feature every week if my memory is reliable, probably not. Whilst watching Oxford a few years ago George popped up as match commissioner, recognised him immediately despite the passge of time.

I went to Liverpool Uni and marked every RL ground in my A-Z but never went. Watched Prescot Cables at football, I'm from Wolverhampton......

Went to one London game a season or so after moving south. When Highfield became Prescot I jumped on a train and watched their first two league games and was hooked.(v South Wales and a shock win v Barrow.) Started jumping on trains to watch them at Doncaster, York etc despite living around the corner from London's ground.

I've had season tickets at Broncos, Skolars and Oxford since hen Sadly I seem to be drifting away from the sport.  Hopefully the fire will return soon.

Come to a Bears game some time. Good running rugby and always a decent atmosphere 

[TheReaper]

I'd been playing RU since grade 10 in high school, where it quickly became my favourite sport. Tried football too but hated wearing a helmet. That would have been 2009.

In 2015 I was done high school, was playing club RU but we only have 8-10 game seasons and wanted to play more rugby. A few guys from my club went to play with the new Brantford Broncos team in the ORL so I figured more rugby is more rugby.

It wasn't to be however, I'm pretty much a through and through union forward, my top skills being rucking, scrumming and lineouts, LOL. That and we had to drive to Toronto for all our games, and every time I did I had to play for the other team who was always short. So I quit playing.

Then the Wolfpack came around, and I figured any rugby is better than no rugby. So it was pretty cool from that aspect, as well as being very interested in the business of sport in general they were very interesting to follow.

Nowadays, I've developed a huge love for Canadian Football as well, and now live within view of my Hamilton Tiger-Cats home stadium. Now with the birth of the Toronto Arrows, and still playing RU, RL has slipped to number 3, but it's still better than soccer! 

[deluded pom?]

8 hours ago, Marauder said:

I get called a lot of names and mine is Jim or James if your a policeman.

I think my “joke” bypassed you officer.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

19 hours ago, OriginalMrC said:

Come to a Bears game some time. Good running rugby and always a decent atmosphere 

No don't. Come to watch Broncos again... We are ace and beat St. Helens

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 27/06/2019 at 08:18, EssexRL said:

Interested to know why you chose to watch RL though. It’s clearly not been a mainstream choice for many  locals. I used to watch Hemel occasionally when I lived in Watford but was aware of the game by then and knew there were a couple of clubs near by (Hemel & St Albans). What got you to go along? 

Thinking about this today... Interesting you mention St. Albans... Look at the Herts newspaper and the sport section has Centurions as there own section....

https://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/st-albans/had-search-element-7-176117?q=&submitted=true&searchSlot=true&Submit=true

 

[Marauder]

12 hours ago, deluded pom? said:

I think my “joke” bypassed you officer.

And mine went over your head as well "Police, James"