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I was looking at an old Bears programme for 2007 (V Somerset Vikings)

I wrote the editorial piece and I noted that there were 146 teams in the Rugby League Conference alone.

I bet there that are not many more across all the whole of the amatuer game in the UK now.

I hope I am wrong.

Ron Banks

Midlands Hurricanes and Barrow

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I’ll take that bet.

Off the top of my head, there’s 36 in the NCL and (I think) 62 teams in the North West Men’s League and 68 in the Yorkshire Men’s League. Thats 166. Throw in Cumbria and the Summer League’s and you’ll be close to, if not more than 200. 

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4 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I’ll take that bet.

Off the top of my head, there’s 36 in the NCL and (I think) 62 teams in the North West Men’s League and 68 in the Yorkshire Men’s League. Thats 166. Throw in Cumbria and the Summer League’s and you’ll be close to, if not more than 200. 

In the late 1980s/early 1990s that number was over 500.

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5 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I’ll take that bet.

Off the top of my head, there’s 36 in the NCL and (I think) 62 teams in the North West Men’s League and 68 in the Yorkshire Men’s League. Thats 166. Throw in Cumbria and the Summer League’s and you’ll be close to, if not more than 200. 

There are approx 300 clubs in the Community game. You need to differentiate between cubs and teams for a proper headcount. Most of the bricks and mortar clubs turn out at least ten teams each

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1 hour ago, del capo said:

There are approx 300 clubs in the Community game. You need to differentiate between cubs and teams for a proper headcount. Most of the bricks and mortar clubs turn out at least ten teams each

300 clubs? Really! What a load of drivel. 

What comps do these clubs play in? I doubt there's barely half that number. 

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1 hour ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I’ll take that bet.

Off the top of my head, there’s 36 in the NCL and (I think) 62 teams in the North West Men’s League and 68 in the Yorkshire Men’s League. Thats 166. Throw in Cumbria and the Summer League’s and you’ll be close to, if not more than 200. 

i think NCL has 48 teams, but either way, there is massively a lot less clubs than in 2007. how many teams (with clubs with multiple open age teams) there are is the best guide. most sports are in a similar position. football & cricket looks good at the top level, but at grass roots both are struggling. however thats not the answer to stop reversing the problem

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11 hours ago, Pie tries said:

What’s happned to all these teams !????????

Same thing happening in cricket and union. The cricket team I used to play for had 3 mens Saturday teams and a Sunday league side. Now struggles to get 11 out for one side. My union team had 4 sides 20 years ago and now one

I suspect its to do with more alternatives for entertainment 

I play a lot less now due to family reasons and old bones

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1 hour ago, Eddie said:

This is a great thread for doom mongers to say how a lot of clubs closing since the 70s means the game is dying, without taking time to consider why that is. 

Yep. The decline in participation is universal across sport..... People are lazy and want to play on their screens too much these days (as I type this on my phone ?

Same goes for tv audience and sportsmen recognisability. 

The days of the whole nation recognising a sportsman a la Eric Bristow, Botham, Linekar etc. are going.... 

 

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11 hours ago, Pie tries said:

What’s happned to all these teams !????????

Also just thought of this 

Do dads these days want to spend more time with their family/kids? 

Go back 30/40 years and I think a lot of parenting by dad's was more at arms length. Left more time for them to get out and play? 

I know my dad barely spoke to me and his hobbies were his weekend

 

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11 hours ago, Bearman said:

I was looking at an old Bears programme for 2007 (V Somerset Vikings)

I wrote the editorial piece and I noted that there were 146 teams in the Rugby League Conference alone.

I bet there that are not many more across all the whole of the amatuer game in the UK now.

I hope I am wrong.

Is it is as simple as finding out how many clubs are registered with the RFL?

I say 'simple' but I can't actually manage to do that myself.

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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Even in the late 80s early 90s when I started playing open age the leagues were topped up with what were effectively pub teams. I don’t know for sure but having spoken to people who run clubs there’s a lot of work goes on now to tick all the boxes so that you can safely put teams out. That would without doubt put an end to lots of these teams. 

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A mere 41 RFL Community Board Clubs (42 including Edinburgh Eagles from Scotland Rugby League) exist outside of the Core RL Areas, there's another double digit number of Core Area (Heartland if you will) Clubs I'll do a run down of.

West of England League = 6
1. Somerset Vikings
2. Reading Raiders
3. Oxford Cavaliers
4. Cheltenham Phoenix
5. Bath RL
6. Swindon St George

London League = 7
1. Brixton Bulls
2. Elmbridge Eagles
3. London Chargers
4. London Skolars
5. Medway Dragons
6. Newham Dockers
7. West Warriors

South West League = 5
1. Devon Sharks
2. Tarka Storm
3. Dorset County Giants
4. Teignbridge Trojans
5. Saltash Essayons

East Rugby League = 7
1. Brentwood Eels
2. St Ives Roosters
3. North Herts Crusaders
4. St Albans Centurions
5. Southend Sharks
6. Hemel Stags
7. Bedford Tigers

Midlands League = 8
1. Birmingham Bulldogs
2. Telford Raiders
3. Leamington Totals
4. North East Worcestershire Ravens
5. Sherwood Wolf Hunt
6. Derby City
7. Boston Buccaneers
8. Nottingham Outlaws

North East League = 9
1. Edinburgh Eagles
2. Jarrow Vikings
3. West View Warriors
4. Cramlington Rockets
5. Wallsend Eagles
6. Durham Demons
7. Durham Tigers
8. Catterick Crusaders
9. Peterlee Pumas

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3 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Same thing happening in cricket and union. The cricket team I used to play for had 3 mens Saturday teams and a Sunday league side. Now struggles to get 11 out for one side. My union team had 4 sides 20 years ago and now one

I suspect its to do with more alternatives for entertainment 

I play a lot less now due to family reasons and old bones

I was talking to the chairman of Deal Town (Football) when my club played them last year and he told me in the old days 90% of his players came from the local league now non as its been disbanded (8 clubs lost) growing up in Beckenham there were 40 teams in the local Saturday league 60 on Sundays + a Wednesday and Thursday league for the likes of the fire brigade hospital teams police etc ALL NOW GONE EVERYTHING:(

Village cricket in Kent is still strong where there is s sense of community we have a Saturday Sunday and U11/12 in our village (I coach the juniors) even now in lockdown we are having nets 7 days a week in the evenings and weekends just to keep our eye in have some fun and a social distance beer or 2 afterwards:)

 

Paul

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4 hours ago, Eddie said:

This is a great thread for doom mongers to say how a lot of clubs closing since the 70s means the game is dying, without taking time to consider why that is. 

In the mid 90s the Government legislated to allow Sunday trading and I think the decline in playing numbers across all sports, including RL, started from then. Life became increasingly 24/7 and the nature of 'le weekend' changed. 

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3 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Also just thought of this 

Do dads these days want to spend more time with their family/kids? 

Go back 30/40 years and I think a lot of parenting by dad's was more at arms length. Left more time for them to get out and play? 

I know my dad barely spoke to me and his hobbies were his weekend

 

Definitely. 

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1 hour ago, bobbruce said:

 I don’t know for sure but having spoken to people who run clubs there’s a lot of work goes on now to tick all the boxes so that you can safely put teams out. That would without doubt put an end to lots of these teams. 

I can assure you this does not happen in union

My club regularly has had people who have never played before just turn up and play after a couple of training sessions.... Some have been okay after a season or two! 

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