Newcastle submit Championship application

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

What's an ' away ' day ?

It’s when you have a day out somewhere different drinking with your mates, with a match thrown in. 

[thunder pete]

13 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Which one ?

Go back to the "Forums" tab, and scroll down to all the teams' pages (after the General and other headings at the top)

[fighting irish]

4 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

What's an ' away ' day ?

Sounds like you never go away with your team. 

[the mutt]

21 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

I think narrowly missing out on promotion last time in the final 20 mins means yes, they were a whisker away.  I also don't think it is the responsibility of away clubs to provide fans but would be confident if they start to be around the playoffs, they will start to take a few. 

as your a madrid dwelling shropshire bull do you envisage any matadors will be attending thunder home games?

[Oldbear]

Even when we were the whipping boys of the league we had a small, but hardy and dedicated fans to travelled away, small in number but loud. Just being competitive would swell those numbers, who knows what success drives as NE sports fans are very devoted, let’s face it if they hadn’t been Thunder would never have survived its many incarnations.

I also agree, and hope it’s not a major factor in determining SL and Championship sports, that the away team should be responsible for swelling the home teams gates, otherwise Bradford are nailed on for the SL spot!

[GUBRATS]

5 hours ago, fighting irish said:

Sounds like you never go away with your team. 

I keep trying but I can't find the train station 

[Oldbear]

36 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I keep trying but I can't find the train station 

Believe me, they are overrated, I just moved to Kelowna, in BC’s interior (wine country), and there’s no trains here either!

[Johnny Ringo]

It will be close between Newcastle and Barrow and hard to call. The problem Newcastle may face is they run at a loss and rely on the wealthy owner and RU club. They also have a much smaller fan base home and away but they have structure and Mr Betts  so maybe they will just edge it. 

[Newcastle Thunder]

26 minutes ago, Johnny Ringo said:

It will be close between Newcastle and Barrow and hard to call. The problem Newcastle may face is they run at a loss and rely on the wealthy owner and RU club. They also have a much smaller fan base home and away but they have structure and Mr Betts  so maybe they will just edge it. 

Thunder 2019 Attendances 

 

Doncaster - 1,817 

West Wales - 679

Oldham - 889

Keighley - 1,423

Hunslet - 624

Whitehaven - 1,079

Workington - 1,077

London - 1,098

Coventry - 711

North Wales Crusaders - 883

average- 1028

[yipyee]

On 02/12/2020 at 19:23, the mutt said:

aye they were a whisker away ? they did not go up automatically,failed in the play offs and they have no coach.think someone said they have 10 players signed on.(according to the workington forum),I can see why they are favourites?how many fans go to their away games does anyone know?

Fans to away games : None as there is a national lockdown

Dont see why people use this as a metric anyways.

Its an actual joke to say

Good stadium ... tick

Good academy....tick

Solid funancial footing .... tick

Well what about how many fans go to away games though...

So its a no.

Its a joke!!!

So Bradford for example

No stadium

Academy on the decline 

Several financial colapses through sucsessive owners

Many take 300 away fans on their travels..

Lers get them in then!

[Oldbear]

4 hours ago, Johnny Ringo said:

The problem Newcastle may face is they run at a loss and rely on the wealthy owner

This describes the vast majority of of RL clubs, including almost all of SL, if you think Newcastle are unsuitable to be placed in the Championship I can’t wait so see your thoughts on the prospective SL applicants.

[Tommygilf]

hOw MaNy PaGeS iS iT tHoUgH?

[Mr Frisky]

12 hours ago, Johnny Ringo said:

It will be close between Newcastle and Barrow and hard to call. The problem Newcastle may face is they run at a loss and rely on the wealthy owner and RU club. They also have a much smaller fan base home and away but they have structure and Mr Betts  so maybe they will just edge it. 

Think Workington have a good case as well.

[RSN]

It's between Newcastle and Barrow for me personally. 

Newcastle have more potential,  but there has been a club in the North East for quite a while so they'll have to put a solid case in how they are going to tap into the potential which I'm sure they will. They have a nicer ground albeit shared.

Barrow has higher crowds, own their own ground and more established amateur game which produces SL players in their favour. I saw on another thread an article was posted about the ground not being fit for purpose but that was more from building income streams point of view rather than being suitable to host championship rugby so for me was taken out of context. I think any fan who has been to Craven Park will testify it's a good match day experience. 

Squad wise at the moment (if it's relevant) I'd say Barrow probably just edge. They've signed Ben Harrison, Shaun Lunt and Adam Walne for next season which is very strong for league 1. 

Both clubs seem to be doing a lot in their local communities to try and grow the game and reach a larger audience of people which will tick a lot of boxes. 

I think the RFL rate that 'ourleague' app quite a lot and base funding on which clubs have most fans subscribed. Anyone know which club has the most fans subscribed?

The financial sustainability of both clubs I imagine will be a big factor in the decision. If Barrow run at a profit and Newcastle run at a loss that is a reason I think the RFL can justify to select them over Newcastle without looking daft. 

I personally think the references to previous clubs leagues position is completely irrelevant to the argument.

Could go either way. I don't think either club will be a disaster in the competition. The RFL will receive a lot of stick no matter who they pick regardless. 

 

 

[Oldbear]

3 hours ago, RSN said:

It's between Newcastle and Barrow for me personally. 

Newcastle have more potential,  but there has been a club in the North East for quite a while so they'll have to put a solid case in how they are going to tap into the potential which I'm sure they will. They have a nicer ground albeit shared.

Barrow has higher crowds, own their own ground and more established amateur game which produces SL players in their favour. I saw on another thread an article was posted about the ground not being fit for purpose but that was more from building income streams point of view rather than being suitable to host championship rugby so for me was taken out of context. I think any fan who has been to Craven Park will testify it's a good match day experience. 

Squad wise at the moment (if it's relevant) I'd say Barrow probably just edge. They've signed Ben Harrison, Shaun Lunt and Adam Walne for next season which is very strong for league 1. 

Both clubs seem to be doing a lot in their local communities to try and grow the game and reach a larger audience of people which will tick a lot of boxes. 

I think the RFL rate that 'ourleague' app quite a lot and base funding on which clubs have most fans subscribed. Anyone know which club has the most fans subscribed?

The financial sustainability of both clubs I imagine will be a big factor in the decision. If Barrow run at a profit and Newcastle run at a loss that is a reason I think the RFL can justify to select them over Newcastle without looking daft. 

I personally think the references to previous clubs leagues position is completely irrelevant to the argument.

Could go either way. I don't think either club will be a disaster in the competition. The RFL will receive a lot of stick no matter who they pick regardless. 

 

 

Good summary, the problem may be that realistically there could be 4 candidates, Newcastle, Barrow, Workington and Donny, all of whom are perhaps too big for L1 and all have strengths and weaknesses. Obviously as a Thunder fan, albeit from afar, I have a vested interest, but also could not get too upset if say Barrow were chosen as I think they are a great candidate too, still wish it could have been decided on the field though, where these things are supposed to happen!

[Neutralfan7]

Should be Barrow, but be interesting to see the outcome 

[kev p]

what teams have actually applied for the championship place for next season? what is final day to apply? when is the team announced for the place? league 1 with 10 teams then?

[langpark]

I just saw RFL announcement, saying it will be revealed in Thursday at 2pm. 

[Tommygilf]

On 04/12/2020 at 19:07, Neutralfan7 said:

Should be Barrow, but be interesting to see the outcome 

Assume you think it should be London too in the Super League?

[Eddie]

I listened to the latest Rochdale Hornets podcast earlier (a bit niche I know) and Andy Mazey was talking about their bid. It sounds like a solid one (as I’m sure they all do) but I still think Newcastle should be chosen, primarily because they have set up tens of community clubs and have massively expanded the game in the North East.

It’s a shame that there aren’t quite enough clubs to make a strong League One, and too many to have them all the pretenders in the Championship. A 14-14-14 set up would be ideal but we’re a few clubs short. 

[Johnny Ringo]

58 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I listened to the latest Rochdale Hornets podcast earlier (a bit niche I know) and Andy Mazey was talking about their bid. It sounds like a solid one (as I’m sure they all do) but I still think Newcastle should be chosen, primarily because they have set up tens of community clubs and have massively expanded the game in the North East.

It’s a shame that there aren’t quite enough clubs to make a strong League One, and too many to have them all the pretenders in the Championship. A 14-14-14 set up would be ideal but we’re a few clubs short. 

But you could also argue Barrow also have youth and academy squads and strong local amateur connections which the bulk of their squad and coach comes from, where as Newcastle now currently seem to be going down the route of building a pro squad of ex or current SL availabilities? It is going to be very tight between these two clubs in my opinion. 

[Eddie]

Just now, Johnny Ringo said:

But you could also argue Barrow also have youth and academy squads and strong local amateur connections which the bulk of their squad and coach comes from, where as Newcastle now currently seem to be going down the route of building a pro squad of ex or current SL availabilities? It is going to be very tight between these two clubs in my opinion. 

Have Barrow actually set up any community clubs and leagues, at various age groups? I’m not dismissing their bid, I just think Newcastle should be rewarded for what they have done, if a team has to be picked without earning it. 

[Johnny Ringo]

11 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Have Barrow actually set up any community clubs and leagues, at various age groups? I’m not dismissing their bid, I just think Newcastle should be rewarded for what they have done, if a team has to be picked without earning it. 

I am not knocking their off field efforts although they do have a wealth advantage, I'd say Barrow are probably responsible both directly and indirectly for all of the amateur clubs in their area over their history, being one of the oldest founded clubs in the country? 

[Eddie]

23 minutes ago, Johnny Ringo said:

I am not knocking their off field efforts although they do have a wealth advantage, I'd say Barrow are probably responsible both directly and indirectly for all of the amateur clubs in their area over their history, being one of the oldest founded clubs in the country? 

I didn’t know, I was just asking as I haven’t heard much about that, but pleased to hear it if that’s the case

[langpark]

53 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Have Barrow actually set up any community clubs and leagues, at various age groups? I’m not dismissing their bid, I just think Newcastle should be rewarded for what they have done, if a team has to be picked without earning it. 

I think if we are judging amateur activity in each area (regardless if they initiated it or not), then Newcastle, Barrow and Workington are ahead and pretty hard to split.  Rochdale seems to only have Rochdale Mayfield in their area (as great as they are, it is just one club) and I think Doncaster have even less going on, so they will be well behind the pack.  Of course I am only talking about this one bit of criteria when I say that.