London to go part-time from next year

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

David Hughes has always funded the club out of his income, not some big cash pile he’s got squirrelled away. He’s not getting any younger, I’d see this as a form a retirement planning. In the absence of another miracle backer, the only viable set-up for transition to a post-Hughes future is a part time club built on local youth. 

[Man of Kent]

1 hour ago, graveyard johnny said:

every time a bell rings - i hate  Richard Branson some more 

Get your hedge cut

[Liverpool Rover]

Even if the RFL ever had the money to invest in London the way that the NRL did with Melbourne they wouldn’t have done it. A competitive London team in Super League would be great for the league.

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

9 hours ago, binosh said:

Don’t worry, haven’t you heard, once the saviours of RL Toulouse get to SL the whole of France is going to take notice of English Rugby League. Bein sports will then come to the Super League table with a massive french TV deal to share out amongst English clubs and London will be quids in!

I think we can survive if Toulouse, in the 4th largest city in France, replace Leigh, the 4th largest suburb of Wigan, the 4th largest non-City in the North West of England 
 

I’m sure Sky want X number of English clubs, makes sense, but I’m equally sure they’d happily swap at least one random northern small town in an already cannibalised geographic market with the opportunity and brand credibility offered by somewhere like Toulouse. 

[Robthegasman]

One thing this proves as a whole is that the game is on it’s anus.

And the fact that we are seeing clubs outside of Super League like London taking a huge hit financially because the central funding has been butchered very savagely shows that the RFL,(or is it Super League)in their current guise are not fit for purpose.

 And the longer they are in charge of the game,the game will decline until the day comes that it dies.

Sometimes I wonder if the clubs outside of Super League and maybe some in Super League should go to the Rugby Football Union,cap in hand and with tails between legs and beg them to take them, and say we will do whatever you say.

Because quite frankly the Rugby Football League has totally ed up and is the biggest up and joke going around in sport.

[Hello]

The primary team from the capital city of the country, with a total population in the region of 10 million, many times over the population of the rest of the teams in Super League put together, are going part-time?   That's shockingly bad for the sport eh?  I feel that the people in power have had chances to make the sport and SL more relevant and bring in more general interest e.g. the Toronto debacle, and have totally failed to grasp the nettle, and more and more stories of chickens coming home to roost are now occurring and will continue to occur.  You have to look at the bigger picture to gain relevance in the eyes of the wider public, and if not then you will reap what you sow.  Which this is another prime example of.

[Niels]

1 hour ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

I think we can survive if Toulouse, in the 4th largest city in France, replace Leigh, the 4th largest suburb of Wigan, the 4th largest non-City in the North West of England 
 

I’m sure Sky want X number of English clubs, makes sense, but I’m equally sure they’d happily swap at least one random northern small town in an already cannibalised geographic market with the opportunity and brand credibility offered by somewhere like 

If city size was the only factor then London would have progressed further.

I think the problem is the casual fans who like expansion, have now switched allegiance to Toulouse and Catalans as they are doing well. There is no committment to any one team so in London's case they are left with only the core fans now.

 

[nadera78]

13 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

'The London Broncos will increase the level of financial input into our highly successful Academy and Scholarship programme as well as work with the Community game in London and the South East to continue to develop professional Rugby League players as we take the opportunity to restructure the club ahead of our planned move to Plough Lane in 2022.

'Off the field a huge amount of work is being undertaken in several areas to ensure that Rugby League in London continues to thrive and that the Broncos are able to return stronger for a promotion push in seasons to come with a squad littered with home grown players and a solid supporter base in our new home.'

To be fair, it sounds like the Broncos do have some sort of long-term plan rather than making it up as they go along (as they can appear).

Can anyone shed any light on what the off-field work entails?

 

Hey, you got what you wanted; it's your team now. You do the leg work.

[Man of Kent]

3 hours ago, nadera78 said:

Hey, you got what you wanted; it's your team now. You do the leg work.

Not mine, mate. David Hughes’

From the Wimbledon POV, all we want is the stadium/bars/hospitality to be used as much as possible throughout the year.

So Broncos in summer makes sense - particularly in Super League. And the Wimbledon chief exec told us the Broncos would ‘bet their house’ that they’d be in Super League within three years. 

What doesn’t make sense is a move to Wimbledon when going part-time makes the steep Super League promotion hill into a Himalayan mountain - unless there is something we are not being told.

If Broncos have been given a nod and wink about a restructure that guarantees them a certain level of opposition - and attractive fixtures with decent crowd potential - it begins to make some sense again.

[Magic XIII]

55 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

If Broncos have been given a nod and wink about a restructure that guarantees them a certain level of opposition - and attractive fixtures with decent crowd potential - it begins to make some sense again.

That should never be the case. 

[nadera78]

1 hour ago, Man of Kent said:

Not mine, mate. David Hughes’

From the Wimbledon POV, all we want is the stadium/bars/hospitality to be used as much as possible throughout the year.

So Broncos in summer makes sense - particularly in Super League. And the Wimbledon chief exec told us the Broncos would ‘bet their house’ that they’d be in Super League within three years. 

What doesn’t make sense is a move to Wimbledon when going part-time makes the steep Super League promotion hill into a Himalayan mountain - unless there is something we are not being told.

If Broncos have been given a nod and wink about a restructure that guarantees them a certain level of opposition - and attractive fixtures with decent crowd potential - it begins to make some sense again.

Nope.

You spent a year on here cheerleading this nonsense, refusing to listen to actual fans of the London Broncos, and in the process mocking and laughing at people who've spent decades supporting the club. You don't get to disown it now. Enjoy your £200,000 rent next season, in all likelihood it's all your football club will ever receive.

[Tommygilf]

17 minutes ago, nadera78 said:

Nope.

You spent a year on here cheerleading this nonsense, refusing to listen to actual fans of the London Broncos, and in the process mocking and laughing at people who've spent decades supporting the club. You don't get to disown it now. Enjoy your £200,000 rent next season, in all likelihood it's all your football club will ever receive.

Quite. I wasn't, from the outside, initially averse to the move to Plough Lane in principle. But combined with going Part Time its absolutely pointless and I agree will almost certainly end next year (if it even happens at all).

[Man of Kent]

23 minutes ago, nadera78 said:

Nope.

You spent a year on here cheerleading this nonsense, refusing to listen to actual fans of the London Broncos, and in the process mocking and laughing at people who've spent decades supporting the club. You don't get to disown it now. Enjoy your £200,000 rent next season, in all likelihood it's all your football club will ever receive.

Ignoring your bitter personal stuff that simply isn't worth listening to, chief, it may be that Wimbledon disowns it after being told porkies. Assuming we take what's in the public domain at face value, that is.

If there is a secret plan, Plough Lane could attract a reasonable crowd for ‘Super League 2’ home fixtures against the likes of Wakefield, Leigh, Bradford et al. 

Away fans will come in decent numbers, and there’ll be a fair few Londoners (inc. Dons fans) who’ll enjoy the facilities - which p*ss on Ealing from a great height - while watching good sport in summer. 

 

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Ignoring your bitter personal stuff that simply isn't worth listening to, chief, it may be that Wimbledon disowns it after being told porkies. Assuming we take what's in the public domain at face value, that is.

If there is a secret plan, Plough Lane could attract a reasonable crowd for ‘Super League 2’ home fixtures against the likes of Wakefield, Leigh, Bradford et al. 

Away fans will come in decent numbers, and there’ll be a fair few Londoners (inc. Dons fans) who’ll enjoy the facilities - which p*ss on Ealing from a great height - while watching good sport in summer. 

 

That's all true, but clearly does not fit with the trajectory of London Broncos.

[ATLANTISMAN]

My personal feeling is that the Broncos have been given the nod for at least SL2.

If this is the case then it makes sense to consolidate next season with extra investment in the excellent academy.

All will be revealed in time I guess:)

 

Paul

[Bulls2487]

3 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

My personal feeling is that the Broncos have been given the nod for at least SL2.

If this is the case then it makes sense to consolidate next season with extra investment in the excellent academy.

All will be revealed in time I guess:)

 

Paul

If the 2 teams of 10 is implemented for 2023. London will have to finish in the Top 8 of next year's Championship, it would certainly make for an exciting 2022 in the Championship.

[gingerjon]

27 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

it may be that Wimbledon disowns it after being told porkies

This would be an acceptable outcome.

[Robthegasman]

26 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

My personal feeling is that the Broncos have been given the nod for at least SL2.

If this is the case then it makes sense to consolidate next season with extra investment in the excellent academy.

All will be revealed in time I guess:)

 

Paul

I think you may well be right.

My feeling is that in order to get into any Super League divisions,there will be a minimum criteria and I see it being a franchise where a club will have to apply to join it. And I would think that London despite going part time next year will end up in the top 7 or 8 of the Championship next year and end up in a second tier Super League.

[Magic XIII]

36 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Ignoring your bitter personal stuff that simply isn't worth listening to, chief, it may be that Wimbledon disowns it after being told porkies. Assuming we take what's in the public domain at face value, that is.

If there is a secret plan, Plough Lane could attract a reasonable crowd for ‘Super League 2’ home fixtures against the likes of Wakefield, Leigh, Bradford et al. 

Away fans will come in decent numbers, and there’ll be a fair few Londoners (inc. Dons fans) who’ll enjoy the facilities - which p*ss on Ealing from a great height - while watching good sport in summer. 

 

Are you hanging the success of the Plough Lane move on the hope there is a 'secret plan' ?

And as for nadera78 observations, let's be honest, you have spent a year telling all who'd listen how good this move is (and it may prove to be so) and at the same time belittling the views of long standing and knowledgeable Broncos fans who have a little more insight into the history and workings of the club than yourself.

[Magic XIII]

33 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

My personal feeling is that the Broncos have been given the nod for at least SL2.

If this is the case then it makes sense to consolidate next season with extra investment in the excellent academy.

All will be revealed in time I guess:)

 

Paul

I would be flabbergasted if this was the case. The clubs appear clueless on the game's structure and finance beyond the season end, let alone tipping clubs the wink they'd be involved. London needs to earn its place at whatever table is established. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

13 minutes ago, Robthegasman said:

I think you may well be right.

My feeling is that in order to get into any Super League divisions,there will be a minimum criteria and I see it being a franchise where a club will have to apply to join it. And I would think that London despite going part time next year will end up in the top 7 or 8 of the Championship next year and end up in a second tier Super League.

Can you give some examples of the type of players that you think will be in their squad in 2022 to keep them in the top 7 or 8? We already know that Miski and Fozzard are leaving and Aston and Richards are rumoured to be off. Whether they can keep any of the likes of Sammut, Walters, Curran, Egodo or Hankinson on part-time contracts remains to be seen. They are already struggling to cling on to 6th place, and barely managed to beat already-relegated Swinton at the weekend.

If as seems likely they lose half a dozen or more of their better players, having also parted company with the hugely well-regarded Danny Ward, it's hard to see them being able to attract even like-for-like players on part-time contracts from the North and they're presumably going to be fielding even more of their youngsters. If that's the case, they are going to get hammered on a regular basis next year and very likely relegated, which would surely make any case for a place in a second tier SL untenable (and there seems to be precious little evidence that this plan is a goer anyway).

It's really sad what has happened to London over the last couple of years and I feel sorry for their fans, but they just seem to be SO poorly managed.

 

[Man of Kent]

16 minutes ago, Magic XIII said:

Are you hanging the success of the Plough Lane move on the hope there is a 'secret plan' ?

And as for nadera78 observations, let's be honest, you have spent a year telling all who'd listen how good this move is (and it may prove to be so) and at the same time belittling the views of long standing and knowledgeable Broncos fans who have a little more insight into the history and workings of the club than yourself.

Sorry if you think that. I've long said Ealing is a dead end and I believe this season has shown that to be the case beyond all doubt. 

Without wanting to belittle long-standing Broncos fans, I do think the club has to worry more about the people who aren't coming (or stopped coming) to games than the dwindling band who will turn up to watch them play on a park pitch.

As for the secret plan, well, the move to part-time raises a lot of questions from a Plough Lane/Wimbledon perspective.

As it happens, there is an online Dons Trust forum tomorrow and I'm sure the board will have something to say about it. I was told by one of the co-chairs at the weekend that it's still happening but that was before the announcement.  

[Archie Gordon]

13 minutes ago, Magic XIII said:

London needs to earn its place at whatever table is established. 

I agree.

At the moment, we have a good scholarship/academy system running. But like the Cheshire cat's smile, that is all that remains of the club. 

I really don't care much about the Broncos anymore but there needs to be a pathway for the London Junior League kids that doesn't involve them travelling up North somewhere.

[gingerjon]

5 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I do think the club has to worry more about the people who aren't coming (or stopped coming) to games than the dwindling band who will turn up to watch them play on a park pitch.

It would just be easier if you started every one of your posts with, "I, a Wimbledon fan who has no knowledge of, or interest in, London Broncos rugby league, herewith make a statement ..."

As an aside, if I were the Dons Trust, I would be annoyed at having been lied to. However, also, if I were the Dons Trust I would have done about thirty seconds of internet research, and worked out that there was a 99% chance that the Broncos weren't being honest about their past, their current status, or their future plans.

[nadera78]

1 hour ago, Man of Kent said:

Ignoring your bitter personal stuff that simply isn't worth listening to, chief, it may be that Wimbledon disowns it after being told porkies. Assuming we take what's in the public domain at face value, that is.

If there is a secret plan, Plough Lane could attract a reasonable crowd for ‘Super League 2’ home fixtures against the likes of Wakefield, Leigh, Bradford et al. 

Away fans will come in decent numbers, and there’ll be a fair few Londoners (inc. Dons fans) who’ll enjoy the facilities - which p*ss on Ealing from a great height - while watching good sport in summer. 

 

You spent a year championing this relocation, dismissing and mocking people who know more than you about the Broncos, and now you don't like it when people call you out on it. Fair enough. As I say, we all know where you stand. Your only concern is, and always has been, AFC Wimbledon.