Whitehaven

[Simon Hall]

1 minute ago, Neutralfan7 said:

York I think, must be sour a " pub team" done the double over them

Funnily enough it turns out you can't afford the team that managed that. 

 

 

 

 

[Neutralfan7]

9 minutes ago, Simon Hall said:

Funnily enough it turns out you can't afford the team that managed that. 

 

 

 

 

Probably says more about York than Haven I understand it's a public forum and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I just don't see how you can have such strong views about it that you feel the need to slate the situation. If you want to help then do so, if not, then what good is being negative towards it? 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Neutralfan7

[OriginalMrC]

45 minutes ago, Griff said:

Why do they need it?

Because like many RL clubs they aren't run as a business. Their expenditure is  higher than their revenue.  They are hugely reliant on a few local board members putting their hand in their pockets every season. This means they are extremely vulnerable to someone pulling the plug. This isn't a dig at Whitehaven, it's how lots of clubs do it. 

[Simon Hall]

5 minutes ago, Neutralfan7 said:

Probably says more about York than Haven I understand it's a public forum and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I just don't see how you can have such strong views about it that you feel the need to slate the situation. If you want to help then do so, if not, then what good is being negative towards it? 

I just think the sport should be run as a professional sport really. Step aside if you can't do that.

When you're trying to sell the game to people, stuff like this does nothing but make it look like something off Phoenix Nights.

[Griff]

5 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Because like many RL clubs they aren't run as a business. Their expenditure is  higher than their revenue.  They are hugely reliant on a few local board members putting their hand in their pockets every season. This means they are extremely vulnerable to someone pulling the plug. This isn't a dig at Whitehaven, it's how lots of clubs do it. 

Exactly.  That's the risk they took and it hasn't paid off for them.

[Tommygilf]

23 minutes ago, Simon Hall said:

Which is all part of the reason they're having to get the begging buckets out. They aren't running a professional outfit.

Should they be in the professional leagues if they are run like a pub team?

This is the perrenial problem in RL (and also in fairness club RU). Its a problem IMG are essentially going to lay bare in their gradings.

In football, clubs at Whitehaven's level are separated from those at Leeds or Wigan's by potentially hundred(s) of clubs, and several divisions (some of those divisions being split geographically). In RL, they're split by maybe 15 to 20 clubs, and 1 or 2 divisions. Our smaller numbers don't force elite standards, it just compresses the pyramid. 

That's not to say that clubs like Whitehaven aren't viable or have no place at all, its just highlighting the inevitable conclusion of having such a massive spread of club types in the middle of our 3 (semi)professional leagues. Without just upping the number of clubs however, I'm not sure how that problem gets solved any time soon.

[Davo5]

34 minutes ago, Simon Hall said:

I just think the sport should be run as a professional sport really. Step aside if you can't do that.

When you're trying to sell the game to people, stuff like this does nothing but make it look like something off Phoenix Nights.

Run professionally or step aside,how many clubs in this country do you think turn a profit ?

[IanMac]

From a town fan it would be extremely sad for Cumbrian rugby league if Whitehaven ceased to exist. I don’t know the ins and outs of the club but one of their players has posted on Facebook asking for people to donate to the fund set up and stating the players are owed 1 months salary which amounts to 35k based on 2 wins and 2 losses. This apparently doesn’t cover any other costs such as doctors, coach or medical equipment just the players wages. He also states they haven’t had a recognised physio since April. None of that sounds good and I would think some drastic restructuring is needed for them to continue.
Town had a similar cash flow problem last year, cut salaries by a third last year and got rid of out of county players. No doubt the wage structure this year would be even less given we are in league 1 and central funding at that level is very little. Yesterday we had a squad where 19 out of the 21 are Cumbrian, a lot were playing in the community game last year,  have just had a substantial sponsorship for ground naming, started a ladies team, had numerous community takeover days by local clubs, and achieved an attendance of 1395 for yesterdays game against Rochdale. It will take time to produce a team capable of sustaining championship rugby but it will be done within the amount of money we have to spend. Things can be turned around but I think there’ll have to be some serious thinking about how they move forward. 

[Simon Hall]

16 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Run professionally or step aside,how many clubs in this country do you think turn a profit ?

You can run a club professionally without turning a profit. 

The point is, Whitehaven don't look to be a very well run club and they are spending more than they can afford on players.

 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Davo5 said:

Your doing an huge disservice to Town fans there.

All Whitehaven replica kit is available on the manufacturers website APX Performance.

That good to know. Shame it’s not for sale at their own online shop though, or at least a link to the place you can buy it. 

[Phil]

1 hour ago, Griff said:

Why do they need it?

I don’t know, I don’t know what the background to this is and tbh I don’t care 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Simon Hall said:

I just think the sport should be run as a professional sport really. Step aside if you can't do that.

When you're trying to sell the game to people, stuff like this does nothing but make it look like something off Phoenix Nights.

If all clubs in a bad way financially stepped aside we’d end up with about five teams in all divisions. 

[Griff]

38 minutes ago, Eddie said:

That good to know. Shame it’s not for sale at their own online shop though, or at least a link to the place you can buy it. 

They'll get a kickback, Eddie

[Griff]

27 minutes ago, Eddie said:

If all clubs in a bad way financially stepped aside we’d end up with about five teams in all divisions. 

Champagne tastes and lemonade money isn't the way to go either, though.

[Mr Frisky]

3 hours ago, Simon Hall said:

If Whitehaven can attract new ownership into the club and it can thrive in the community, improve the ground and offer more than 80 minutes of semi-pro RL every other week then great.

You seem like a great RL fan marra - spot on....

[Angelic Cynic]

32 minutes ago, Griff said:

Champagne tastes and lemonade money isn't the way to go either, though.

I hope you told Sheffield Eagles the same,not so long ago.

https://www.scci.org.uk/news/sheffield-eagles-club-statement/

[Griff]

9 minutes ago, Angelic Cynic said:

I hope you told Sheffield Eagles the same,not so long ago.

John Whaling was offering goods and services to businesses.

As opposed to asking the general public for donations.

[Harry Stottle]

3 hours ago, Davo5 said:

Exactly

So you will support your local club if like the pheonix it rises from the ashes?

[Davo5]

5 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

So you will support your local club if like the pheonix it rises from the ashes?

I’ve supported it in various ways over 4 decade’s thanks.

[DavidM]

6 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

I’ve supported it in various ways over 4 decade’s thanks.

Ultimately we all need each other up here and the game is central to our communities , all the best pal 

[Harry Stottle]

2 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

I’ve supported it in various ways over 4 decade’s thanks.

The way you relate to Wigan as "us" when posting on threads that mention them, albeit I can't recall you using that description re Haven so you must understand if I get mixed up where your loyalties lie, but commendations to you now they seem to be on their death bed like a distant relative you are showing concern.

[Dovster]

Good luck to Haven.

In my opinion, at times like this those that care about the game should come together and support (if possible).

Many clubs have experienced hard times. Bad decisions in the boardroom cause suffering on the terraces. It's always the fans that I feel for.

[Simon Hall]

41 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

You seem like a great RL fan marra - spot on....

I’ve got every sympathy with the Whitehaven fans, I’ve been there with my club a few times. Doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be realistic about the business side of the sport. 

[Davo5]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

The way you relate to Wigan as "us" when posting on threads that mention them, albeit I can't recall you using that description re Haven so you must understand if I get mixed up where your loyalties lie, but commendations to you now they seem to be on their death bed like a distant relative you are showing concern.

I’ve supported my local semi pro team in various ways over 4 decades.

Ive supported my local community club in various ways over 4 decades.

Its not my fault you have a problem in how I relate to clubs.

[tim2]

I'd rather give money to my own club to be honest.

I don't want Whitehaven, or any other club, to go under  but the community in Cumbria has to solve this, no one else.