Eddie Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 14 minutes ago, Smudger06 said: 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 A ‘mere’ 41? It’s great that there are that many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbruce Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 1 minute ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said: 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! I don’t mean for players it’s the clubs themselves who have to sort everything out. Players can just turn up and play as always but it makes making a team up out of pub regulars and mates a thing of the past now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number 16 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 15 hours ago, Bearman said: 2007...there were 146 teams in the Rugby League Conference alone Plenty of those teams relied on 'out of season' union players but since then we've seen the rapid growth of touch rugby and an increase in end of season Sevens rugby. Both these developments have reduced RL's potential player pool. Additionally, back in 2007 clubs were part of a national competition with a fairly good profile, but nowadays it's more regionalised and more anonymous. Even RLE gives the competition little more than a cursory nod! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 7 minutes ago, Eddie said: A ‘mere’ 41? It’s great that there are that many. Some would have been lost to 2020 and beyond without the Coronavirus which I'm sure would have been replaced. more will be lost to 2020+ because of the virus, don't know if the will, time or inclination to replace these is there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 21 minutes ago, bobbruce said: I don’t mean for players it’s the clubs themselves who have to sort everything out. Players can just turn up and play as always but it makes making a team up out of pub regulars and mates a thing of the past now. I have a rather romantuc notion that northern pubs do seven a side league teams!/leagues? Does that still happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 66 Clubs in the North West Heartland: North West League = 54 1. Ashton Bears 2. Blackbrook 3. Blackpool Scorpions 4. Blackpool Stanley 5. Bold Miners 6. Bolton Mets 7. Bury Broncos 8. Cadishead Rhinos 9. Chester Gladiators 10. Chorley Panthers 11. Clock Face Miners 12. Crosfields 13. Culcheth Eagles 14. Dalton 15. Eccleston Lions 16. Folly Lane 17. Garswood Stags 18. Golborne Parkside 19. Halton Simms Cross 20. Haresfinch 21. Haydock 22. Heysham Atoms 23. Higginshaw 24. Hindley 25. Hindpool Tigers 26. Ince Rose Bridge 27. Langworthy Reds 28. Latchford Albion 29. Leigh East 30. Leigh Miners Rangers 31. Liverpool Lions 32. Liverpool St Helens 33. Newton Storm 34. Oldham St Annes 35. Orrell St James 36. Pilkington Recs 37. Rochdale Mayfield 38 Roose Pioneers 39. Runcorn 40 saddleworth Rangers 41. Salford City Roosters 42. Shevington Sharks 43. South Ribble Rabbitohs 44. Thatto Heath Crusaders 45. Ulverston 46. West Bank Bears 47. Westhoughton Lions 48. Widnes Tigers 49. Wigan Bulldogs 50. Wigan Springview 51. Wigan St Cuthberts 52. Wigan St Judes 53. Wigan St Patricks 54. Woolston Rovers Cumberland ARL = 12 1. Distington 2. Wath Brow Hornets 3. Ellenborough 4. Glasson Rangers 5. Seaton Rangers 6. Egremont Rangers 7. Hensingham 8. Kells 9. Maryport 10. Cockermouth Titans 11. Aspatria Hornets 12. Lowca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Last but not least, 59 RFL Community Board Clubs in Yorkshire. Yorkshire League = 57 1. Allerton Bywater 2. Almondbury Spartans 3. Batley Boys 4. Bentley 5. Birkenshaw Bluedogs 6. Birstall Victoria 7. Bramley Buffaloes 8. Brighouse Rangers 9. Brotherton Bulldogs 10. Crigglestone All Blacks 11. Crofton Cougars 12. Cutsyke Raiders 13. Dearne Valley Bulldogs 14. Dewsbury Celtic 15. Dewsbury Moor 16. Doncaster Toll Bar 17. East Hull 18. East Leeds 19. Elland 20. Farnley Falcons 21. Featherstone Lions 22. Fryston 23. Garforth Tigers 24. Greetland All Rounders 25. Heworth 26. Hunslet Club Parkside 27. Hunslet Warriors 28. Keighley Albion 29. King Cross Park 30. Kippax Welfare 31. Kirkburton Cougars 32. Leeds Akkies 33. Lock Lane 34. Milford Marlins 35. Moorends Thorne 36. Myton Warriors 37. New Earswick All Blacks 38. Normanton Knights 39. Odsal Sedbergh 40. Ossett Trinity Tigers 41. Oulton Raiders 42. Ovenden 43. Queensbury 44. Sharlston Rovers 45. Sheffield Forgers 46. Sheffield Hawks 47. Siddal 48. St Josephs 49. Stanningley 50. Thornhill Trojans 51. Goole Vikings 52. Wakefield Hawks 53. West Hull 54. Wetherby Bulldogs 55. Wibsey Warriors 56. Wyke 57. York Accorn 58. Dodworth Miners 59. Lambwath Lions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Yorkshire - 59 Cumberland - 12 North West- 54 North East - 9 Midlands - 8 East - 7 South West - 5 London - 7 West - 6 That's 167 Clubs. Clubs, not teams. Many of those in the heartlands have 2 Open Age Teams, one in the Regional League, the other in the NCL. Nottingham Outlaws team is in the Midlands and they also run a team in the Yorkshire League. Some of the non heartlands clubs run two teams. One in their Regional League the other in the Southern Conference League. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 6 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. Because no one is bothered. Especially the expansion fantasists on TRL Forums. The Governing Bodies and the Pro Clubs have taken the Community Game for granted, paid it lip service for many a decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Eel Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 9 minutes ago, Smudger06 said: Because no one is bothered. Especially the expansion fantasists on TRL Forums. The Governing Bodies and the Pro Clubs have taken the Community Game for granted, paid it lip service for many a decade. Can I be an expansion fantasist if it involves starting up a new club? I agree with the second part of your post in particular. The hand that provides the depth of potential pro-players is under-nourished and under-cherished, without doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said: I have a rather romantuc notion that northern pubs do seven a side league teams!/leagues? Does that still happen? Definitely used to, but doubt it does anymore. A lot of the pubs I frequent in Wakefield and Leeds have old "pub team" shirts up on the wall. The Skyrack did before it was revamped - an orange and Black hooped number. Plenty on the Westgate run have had rugby, darts and pool teams. Compared to Leeds its a bit of a throwback, perhaps an anachronism in modern Britain. That said there's no pub teams now that I know of sadly, which is a shame as I'd love to play for the Wagon or the Waterloo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 37 minutes ago, Smudger06 said: Because no one is bothered. Especially the expansion fantasists on TRL Forums. The Governing Bodies and the Pro Clubs have taken the Community Game for granted, paid it lip service for many a decade. The areas of growth for the amateur teams has been almost exclusively outside the heartlands and is reliant on clubs like Newcastle, Hemel, London Broncos and Coventry to act as beacons and crux points of the amateur clubs there. I agree the heartland pro game could do more. The problem I think would be demarcation of which amateur clubs are whose responsibility and who are best place to hold that responsibility. For example for you as a Fev fan, would Fev Lions or Sharlston Rovers be best served by coming under Fev Rovers banner or one of the two Super League clubs? Would the West Yorkshire clubs all be better coming under either Huddersfield or Leeds with the best funded academy/community set ups? I think there's a lot wrong with the way the amateur game is ran, but I don't have any tangible interest in it anymore and wouldn't be paid enough to care until my own children take part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 38 minutes ago, Northern Eel said: Can I be an expansion fantasist if it involves starting up a new club? I agree with the second part of your post in particular. The hand that provides the depth of potential pro-players is under-nourished and under-cherished, without doubt. If an ARLFC hopefully with a JARLFC, no. If an RLFC then you could be, depending on where you are locating the Club, what funds you are guaranteeing to run that Club and what solid Community plan and guaranteed funds you will put into the well thought out community plan. To get people enjoying playing the game in this new expansion area, to get people through the turnstiles, primarily for the game and on a long term basis, to eventually develop potential pro players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Eel Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Smudger06 said: If an ARLFC hopefully with a JARLFC, no. If an RLFC then you could be, depending on where you are locating the Club, what funds you are guaranteeing to run that Club and what solid Community plan and guaranteed funds you will put into the well thought out community plan. To get people enjoying playing the game in this new expansion area, to get people through the turnstiles, primarily for the game and on a long term basis, to eventually develop potential pro players. We started with kids only. Outside the heartlands. Own cash. Hopefully that passes muster with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tms Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 2 hours ago, Smudger06 said: Last but not least, 57 RFL Community Board Clubs in Yorkshire. Yorkshire League = 57 1. Allerton Bywater 2. Almondbury Spartans 3. Batley Boys 4. Bentley 5. Birkenshaw Bluedogs 6. Birstall Victoria 7. Bramley Buffaloes 8. Brighouse Rangers 9. Brotherton Bulldogs 10. Crigglestone All Blacks 11. Crofton Cougars 12. Cutsyke Raiders 13. Dearne Valley Bulldogs 14. Dewsbury Celtic 15. Dewsbury Moor 16. Doncaster Toll Bar 17. East Hull 18. East Leeds 19. Elland 20. Farnley Falcons 21. Featherstone Lions 22. Fryston 23. Garforth Tigers 24. Greetland All Rounders 25. Heworth 26. Hunslet Club Parkside 27. Hunslet Warriors 28. Keighley Albion 29. King Cross Park 30. Kippax Welfare 31. Kirkburton Cougars 32. Leeds Akkies 33. Lock Lane 34. Milford Marlins 35. Moorends Thorne 36. Myton Warriors 37. New Earswick All Blacks 38. Normanton Knights 39. Odsal Sedbergh 40. Ossett Trinity Tigers 41. Oulton Raiders 42. Ovenden 43. Queensbury 44. Sharlston Rovers 45. Sheffield Forgers 46. Sheffield Hawks 47. Siddal 48. St Josephs 49. Stanningley 50. Thornhill Trojans 51. Goole Vikings 52. Wakefield Hawks 53. West Hull 54. Wetherby Bulldogs 55. Wibsey Warriors 56. Wyke 57. York Accorn according to yorkshire league web site on club list there are 59 teams your list seems to be missing Premier Division Nottingham Outlaws and Division 5 Sherwood Wolf Hunt However in the league tables there are 68 teams named with 5 A teams in Divisions 4 and 5 Also in Division 4 Dodworth Miners and Lambwath Lions are named who funnily enough aren't mentioned on the club list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
del capo Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 18 hours ago, Number 16 said: 300 clubs? Really! What a load of drivel. What comps do these clubs play in? I doubt there's barely half that number. So it's still drivel Number 16 after all the above posts ? I calculate 294 clubs at open age prior to lockdown ( counting a club as simply the first team so no doubling up at lower levels for reserves etc) . Probably equally as many ' stand alone ' youth and junior clubs. The game has morphed from 'pub ' sides to clubs with more structure and depth - a bit like the old enemy who lost their 'works sides ' years ago. ( I don't think they ever had pub one's ) All team sports under the cosh as society changes but RL still meeting to the satisfaction of the Government the set targets - 5% growth and 2% retention. Just waiting to get going again when they let us..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 1 hour ago, POR said: according to yorkshire league web site on club list there are 59 teams your list seems to be missing Premier Division Nottingham Outlaws and Division 5 Sherwood Wolf Hunt However in the league tables there are 68 teams named with 5 A teams in Divisions 4 and 5 Also in Division 4 Dodworth Miners and Lambwath Lions are named who funnily enough aren't mentioned on the club list That's because I've done Clubs, those are already listed under Midlands League mate. Yes, some Clubs also run 2nd Teams lower down the tiers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Appologies to Yorkshire League Clubs Lambwath Lions & Dodworth Miners. Anyone spot any other Clubs missed from the League's or any Clubs not returning an open age team for 2020, please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 6 hours ago, Tommygilf said: Definitely used to, but doubt it does anymore. A lot of the pubs I frequent in Wakefield and Leeds have old "pub team" shirts up on the wall. The Skyrack did before it was revamped - an orange and Black hooped number. Plenty on the Westgate run have had rugby, darts and pool teams. Compared to Leeds its a bit of a throwback, perhaps an anachronism in modern Britain. That said there's no pub teams now that I know of sadly, which is a shame as I'd love to play for the Wagon or the Waterloo. Ah well.... at least there is that film with Samantha Janus for me to watch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
del capo Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 51 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said: Ah well.... at least there is that film with Samantha Janus for me to watch You will be lucky to find a pub able to turn out 13 have go lads these days and to be honest post lockdown even the darts and dominoes teams might struggle.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 44 minutes ago, del capo said: You will be lucky to find a pub able to turn out 13 have go lads these days and to be honest post lockdown even the darts and dominoes teams might struggle.... Not to mention, a lot less pubs open to even try an attempt to cobble a team together compared with a decade or 2 ago. Probably be even less reopening after this lockdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fighting irish Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 I've really enjoyed reading the posts about the number of clubs around the country. I hope we can continue to grow into new areas for decades to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
del capo Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 2 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said: Ah well.... at least there is that film with Samantha Janus for me to watch I could get a really decent 13 on the park and any number of bench warmers if she was collecting the subs.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fighting irish Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 7 hours ago, Northern Eel said: We started with kids only. Outside the heartlands. Own cash. Hopefully that passes muster with you. I'd love to hear your story. Whatever the know-it-all's here say, its people like you that the game depends on to grow. Taking up the challenge of organising teams/clubs just for the sheer joy of playing and being involved. Our (the games) biggest mistake, is not acknowledging this fact and the immense debt of gratitude the game owes to people like you. Some here dismiss it (the junior/amateur game) as irrelevant or unimportant and speak of the achievements of the likes of Bob Brown at Hemel Hempstead with such contempt, describing the club as a failure. They make me sick. Good luck in your endeavours I hope you get as much fun out of it as its given me, over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Eel Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 30 minutes ago, fighting irish said: I'd love to hear your story. Whatever the know-it-all's here say, its people like you that the game depends on to grow. Taking up the challenge of organising teams/clubs just for the sheer joy of playing and being involved. Our (the games) biggest mistake, is not acknowledging this fact and the immense debt of gratitude the game owes to people like you. Some here dismiss it (the junior/amateur game) as irrelevant or unimportant and speak of the achievements of the likes of Bob Brown at Hemel Hempstead with such contempt, describing the club as a failure. They make me sick. Good luck in your endeavours I hope you get as much fun out of it as its given me, over the years. Appreciate the sentiment, thanks. I don't take too much notice of naysayers. I like to get the job done and if that means taking the bull by the horns and leading by example, that's what happens. My story has been aired before on here, so apologies to those who know it. Whilst living down in Essex, I started the Brentwood Elvers team, a group of U11s who, within 6 years had grown to 7 ages groups, including the likes of Jo Keyes and Alex Walker, who went on to play Super League. Moving again in 2011, I left the Elvers (subsequently Brentwood Eels) in very capable hands and they now are one of the stronger southern-based teams at Open Age. After taking a few years to get on top of my new job, I began a new junior club in Nottinghamshire, Bassetlaw Bulldogs. We are in our third year and over 75% of our players are rugby league players, before any other sport. We have two kids who play rugby union, a handful who play football and many more who just love playing RL. I will keep going. Tomorrow I am digging holes on our village sports field, where we play, to put up new rugby posts on our sole-use pitch. We have £130k pledged in funding to build our new clubhouse in the winter/spring and hope to add a girls team and adult touch team to our 4-team roster in the coming months, once the lockdown is lifted. The ground is just at the side of the East Coast Mainline, south of Retford, so I can see some decent advertising coming on soon too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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