Dexy says Leigh Leopards rebrand is working

[RP London]

On 20/12/2022 at 13:46, JohnM said:

Good questions Dunno the answers. Thinking more that the governing body gets more involved in London, maybe in a partnership role, a framework for London. If the Broncos join in fine, but feel that a second London club be created/found/ supported. IMG should, I think, be capable of driving London exposure.

 

 

Interestingly (well maybe not but hey ho) when i was down there playing in the early/mid 2000s the RFL had a strong hand in junior and amateur work in London. Broncos were there and were open to involvement but it wasn't them pushing it. At the time the London Leagues were looking stronger, participation and youth work was stronger but then the RFL pulled support out (as they did around the country) and I think we are now seeing the long term effect of that.  

Its totally for another thread, but if people/RFL want to see London work they cannot just leave it to the clubs and they need to be actively involved themselves. 

[Davo5]

4 minutes ago, RP London said:

Interestingly (well maybe not but hey ho) when i was down there playing in the early/mid 2000s the RFL had a strong hand in junior and amateur work in London. Broncos were there and were open to involvement but it wasn't them pushing it. At the time the London Leagues were looking stronger, participation and youth work was stronger but then the RFL pulled support out (as they did around the country) and I think we are now seeing the long term effect of that.  

Its totally for another thread, but if people/RFL want to see London work they cannot just leave it to the clubs and they need to be actively involved themselves. 

The RFL getting rid of the development officers up & down the country is one of the biggest examples of their ineptitude & shortsightedness and let’s face it,there’s been a few.

[RP London]

2 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

The RFL getting rid of the development officers up & down the country is one of the biggest examples of their ineptitude & shortsightedness and let’s face it,there’s been a few.

100% agree.. there is a long list but I think this is right at the top.. 

[Harry Stottle]

21 minutes ago, RP London said:

100% agree.. there is a long list but I think this is right at the top.. 

I always said that the RFL/SL should have put a provision on the central funding the clubs recieved that say 10% of the monies should have been invested in the community game.

[Tommygilf]

16 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I always said that the RFL/SL should have put a provision on the central funding the clubs recieved that say 10% of the monies should have been invested in the community game.

The community game doesn't buy support for your governance of the RFL though sadly.

I agree it should be obvious that the SL money should have a specified amount going to community RL development. 

[RP London]

47 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I always said that the RFL/SL should have put a provision on the central funding the clubs recieved that say 10% of the monies should have been invested in the community game.

totally agree but the RFL need to take control of this, clubs serve themselves first, and understandably so, the RFL can look at the whole picture and should be the ones driving investment, especially in newer areas. And its money you wont see a return on for a while too

 

[JohnM]

Agree over development officers. What was the thinking behind binning them?

Random thought: If there were two SL (or Championship?) clubs in "London"  say inside the M25 or even the North/South Circular, at least there's be a possibility of two local (artificially-created?) derbies per season as well as twice as many fixtures in the Capital for "heartlands" clubs. 

[dkw]

34 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Agree over development officers. What was the thinking behind binning them?

Random thought: If there were two SL (or Championship?) clubs in "London"  say inside the M25 or even the North/South Circular, at least there's be a possibility of two local (artificially-created?) derbies per season as well as twice as many fixtures in the Capital for "heartlands" clubs. 

Wasn't it then put on clubs to apply for funding for dev officers, or something like that? Then all that happened was clubs used it to fund/subsidise a few players wages, though I know in allerdale them players did do considerable work in the area. 

[Kirmonds pouch]

On 18/12/2022 at 11:24, JohnM said:

The gift that keeps on giving.

The fact is that underneath the inarticulate bluster, interpreted no doubt by Carter, there is much right in what Beaumont says about the game.  As for his ardent support of the "rebranding", I reckon that supporters of other clubs wish their owners would make similar headlines.

 

I don't, I'd be mortified to be honest.

[GUBRATS]

On 22/12/2022 at 11:50, dkw said:

Wasn't it then put on clubs to apply for funding for dev officers, or something like that? Then all that happened was clubs used it to fund/subsidise a few players wages, though I know in allerdale them players did do considerable work in the area. 

The problem with players doing it is it then usually ends when they move on or retire , with somebody else coming in and starting again , a well paid permanent development ' manager ' to oversee things long term is what we should see 

And as an aside , I recall an RFL council meeting nearly 2 decades ago where myself and the then Doncaster chairman were pointing out the ridiculous situation were if a player was being paid to work as a development officer his total salary including the ' community ' bit was to be included in the NL 1 and 2 ( Championship and L 1 as now ) salary caps of £ 250 K and £ 150 K respectively that was being introduced 

Completely bonkers 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by GUBRATS

[Adelaide Tiger]

On 22/12/2022 at 19:04, Davo5 said:

The RFL getting rid of the development officers up & down the country is one of the biggest examples of their ineptitude & shortsightedness and let’s face it,there’s been a few.

Totally agree about the Development Officer debacle.  But I have a suggestion that could cut the cost per Development Officer to the RFL by 50% or even more.

Each Council has a Health and Wellbeing strategy I.e. Wakefield MDC have a Wakefield District Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-2025.  Within the strategy the Council along with internal and external partners create a number of programs and projects to achieve the four overarching priority areas.  One priority area is ‘A healthy start in life for every child’.  Each program and project will cost ‘X’ amount and will also need human and physical resources.

Councils are cash strapped so they will be looking for cost effective opportunities to deliver against the KPI’s and IMHO RL has a great opportunity to create a partnership approach with individual Councils whereby each partner puts in 50% of the salary plus oncosts to create a Development Officer role that can deliver a health and well-being program to 100’s of youngsters.

The cost to each partner may be further reduced if Government Departments have funding rounds and the RFL are successful with a funding bid for their overarching role.

Is a salary of £30k an appropriate amount for such a role?  Would the role be suitable for graduates with qualifications for such a role?  If so, even without any funding from a successful bid to an external organisation, the cost would be around £15k for each partner per Development Officer.  £15k is absolute peanuts for a Council to deliver a program to potentially 100’s of youngsters.  If the RFL targeted 10 Councils in existing RL communities then the RFL would need £150k.

OR, another way to pay for the RFL contribution would be for RL clubs to pay all/some of the £15k contribution. For example you have Wakey, Cas and Fev in the Wakefield MDC area so each club puts in £5k each.  Again absolute peanuts.  

Is this achievable?  All it needs is some joined up thinking!

 

[Jack Russell]

Myself, being from wigan I've always seen leigh as a small club, simply a district in wigan with no potential to become as big as us.

But, I have changed my perception of you leighers recently and fair play to degsy for a big part of that. Wigan (inc leigh) imo is the epicentre of rl in the uk, junior and amateur teams are doing well etc. If man u and man city can can be based in the same city because the area is football mad then why shouldn't we have 2 teams based around wigan. As much as I detest leigh due to being a wigan fan, I actually hope you do well.

[Harry Stottle]

6 hours ago, Jack Russell said:

Myself, being from wigan I've always seen leigh as a small club, simply a district in wigan with no potential to become as big as us.

But, I have changed my perception of you leighers recently and fair play to degsy for a big part of that. Wigan (inc leigh) imo is the epicentre of rl in the uk, junior and amateur teams are doing well etc. If man u and man city can can be based in the same city because the area is football mad then why shouldn't we have 2 teams based around wigan. As much as I detest leigh due to being a wigan fan, I actually hope you do well.

I will take that as some kind of back handed compliment Jack.

Just one thing though it is 'Leythers' not 'Leighers'

[GUBRATS]

7 hours ago, Jack Russell said:

Myself, being from wigan I've always seen leigh as a small club, simply a district in wigan with no potential to become as big as us.

But, I have changed my perception of you leighers recently and fair play to degsy for a big part of that. Wigan (inc leigh) imo is the epicentre of rl in the uk, junior and amateur teams are doing well etc. If man u and man city can can be based in the same city because the area is football mad then why shouldn't we have 2 teams based around wigan. As much as I detest leigh due to being a wigan fan, I actually hope you do well.

Do you want a shirt Jack ? 

Come on the Leopards

[Guest]

My advice would be drop the name Leopards and known as Leigh. No Leopards or Centurions. Workington and Whitehaven have the right idea.

[Harry Stottle]

12 minutes ago, NW10LDN said:

My advice would be drop the name Leopards and known as Leigh. No Leopards or Centurions. Workington and Whitehaven have the right idea.

Thanks for that I will pass it on to Mr B, I am absolutely positive he will take your advice especially when he sees the London connection.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Thanks for that I will pass it on to Mr B, I am absolutely positive he will take your advice especially when he sees the London connection.

Please do instead of defending everything your savior does. And I don't live in London anymore. I happen to live in a place much nicer than Leigh.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, NW10LDN said:

Please do instead of defending everything your savior does. And I don't live in London anymore. I happen to live in a place much nicer than Leigh.

Raqqa?

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, NW10LDN said:

Please do instead of defending everything your savior does. And I don't live in London anymore. I happen to live in a place much nicer than Leigh.

I assume from that comment you have lived in Leigh previously ? 

[David Dockhouse Host]

On 22/12/2022 at 08:34, Davo5 said:

The RFL getting rid of the development officers up & down the country is one of the biggest examples of their ineptitude & shortsightedness and let’s face it,there’s been a few.

I seem to remember it was cost related and they did want them just couldn't afford them.

Was one advertised a few years ago, I was interested until I saw the salary of around £20k.

What standard or experience would you get for that money?

You need to pay double, then with car, pension etc. It's an expensive roll. How do they find it? Tax clubs and fans? I don't know

[Tommygilf]

20 minutes ago, David Dockhouse Host said:

I seem to remember it was cost related and they did want them just couldn't afford them.

Was one advertised a few years ago, I was interested until I saw the salary of around £20k.

What standard or experience would you get for that money?

You need to pay double, then with car, pension etc. It's an expensive roll. How do they find it? Tax clubs and fans? I don't know

£60k budget per officer?

Probably don't spend quite as much as circa £3 million a season on the Championship and League 1 propping them into a false financial position for zero returns over 5 years or so might help.

[Davo5]

30 minutes ago, David Dockhouse Host said:

I seem to remember it was cost related and they did want them just couldn't afford them.

Was one advertised a few years ago, I was interested until I saw the salary of around £20k.

What standard or experience would you get for that money?

You need to pay double, then with car, pension etc. It's an expensive roll. How do they find it? Tax clubs and fans? I don't know

They lost a lot of Sport England funding because they were fudging the participation numbers & got found out.

[MEXICO WILL PAY]

They should have a mascot named Leonard the Leopard

[Guest]

1 hour ago, MEXICO WILL PAY said:

They should have a mascot named Leonard the Leopard

Oi!

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, MEXICO WILL PAY said:

They should have a mascot named Leonard the Leopard

We might have  

Come on you Leopards