The true sleeping giants of the game

[Click]

46 minutes ago, OMEGA said:

I’m talking about the unique time of Superleagues inception, with a big push from SKY who marketed it as another Premier League and even used Premier League players in the adverts. Unique in that many clubs used Rock Bands to entertain the crowds and had stilt walkers, jugglers and other street entertainers at every match.

The Bulls used Cougermania to make the most of all that and complimented it with a team full of top class players on big money which created a rivalry with the Rhinos when in reality the club couldn’t afford any of that!

It just seems that Bradford were trying to create an event for the people attending their games. There were other clubs at the inception of SL that didn't quite go for it in the way Bradford did. I don't think the stilt walkers, jugglers, etc was the reason they went bust. 

Perhaps if more clubs invested in their off field offerings, they could get some more people through the gates.

Evidently the club couldn't afford what they were doing on and off the field after many years - There are many reasons behind that, but they still have the potential to become big again, they just have to do it in a sustainable way. If they managed to sort out their home ground - I imagine they would have the biggest potential out of the other clubs mentioned.

[dboy]

2 minutes ago, Click said:

It just seems that Bradford were trying to create an event for the people attending their games. There were other clubs at the inception of SL that didn't quite go for it in the way Bradford did. I don't think the stilt walkers, jugglers, etc was the reason they went bust. 

Perhaps if more clubs invested in their off field offerings, they could get some more people through the gates.

Evidently the club couldn't afford what they were doing on and off the field after many years - There are many reasons behind that, but they still have the potential to become big again, they just have to do it in a sustainable way. If they managed to sort out their home ground - I imagine they would have the biggest potential out of the other clubs mentioned.

I think you've missed the point.

The very first club to bring the match-day razzmatazz in RL, were Cougars = Cougarmania.

Cougars were cruelly denied their rightful promotion (remember that concept anyone?), and Bulls picked the concept up and developed, under the exceptional Peter Deakin, the thing we all fondly remember as Bullmania.

[Click]

1 minute ago, dboy said:

I think you've missed the point.

The very first club to bring the match-day razzmatazz in RL, were Cougars = Cougarmania.

Cougars were cruelly denied their rightful promotion (remember that concept anyone?), and Bulls picked the concept up and developed, under the exceptional Peter Deakin, the thing we all fondly remember as Bullmania.

You're right, I guess I have missed the point of Cougarmania - Was that back in what, 1995/6? So I was approx... 3.

I think it is time you move on from it to be honest, we're almost at 30 years since now. 

[DEANO]

41 minutes ago, Click said:

You're right, I guess I have missed the point of Cougarmania - Was that back in what, 1995/6? So I was approx... 3.

I think it is time you move on from it to be honest, we're almost at 30 years since now. 

I’m still bitter about it and they’re not even my club

[dboy]

Click - Your age makes sense of your ignorance.

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by dboy

[DEANO]

1 hour ago, dboy said:

 

How do you conclude that anyone has forgotten that and what is the relevance?

The relevance is anyone can be successful if they are protected and have a backer

[Click]

2 minutes ago, dboy said:

Click - Your age makes sense of your ignorance.

 

After 30 years I am not sure ignorance even comes into it anymore.

[dboy]

2 minutes ago, DEANO said:

The relevance is anyone can be successful if they are protected and have a backer

So what is the relevance to sleeping giants of the game?

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

[Click]

7 minutes ago, DEANO said:

I’m still bitter about it and they’re not even my club

What part are you bitter about?

Keighley not getting into SL, or Bradford deciding to copy another clubs marketing?

[DEANO]

Just now, Click said:

What part are you bitter about?

Keighley not getting into SL, or Bradford deciding to copy another clubs marketing?

Both

 

3 minutes ago, dboy said:

So what is the relevance to sleeping giants of the game?

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

Page 1. Somebody talking about expansion and how well Catalan have done

[dboy]

In what sense are Catalans Dragons a sleeping a sleeping giant?

Formed recently and massively successful.

They were given a 3 year dispensation from relegation as a new club.

 

[DEANO]

1 minute ago, dboy said:

In what sense are Catalans Dragons a sleeping a sleeping giant?

Formed recently and massively successful.

They were given a 3 year dispensation from relegation as a new club.

 

I wonder where York  donny fev etc would be with 3 years dispensation. Don’t forget they didn’t have to be promoted in the first place

[dboy]

But they aren't newly formed clubs.

Giving a 3-year dispensation to a current club locks other clubs out. Why should they then strive to be better?

Huddersfield Giants finished bottom for a number of years - a dispensation if you like.

That worked out well.

Edited November 25, 2023 by dboy

[DEANO]

1 minute ago, dboy said:

But they aren't newly formed clubs.

Huddersfield Giants finished bottom for a number of years - a dispensation if you like.

That worked out well.

Yep these clubs are struggling now because of rfl  or sky rules. Who knows where keighley would be now with 3 years protection. They had to give way to failed expansion experiments like Paris and Gateshead 

[Click]

1 hour ago, DEANO said:

Yep these clubs are struggling now because of rfl  or sky rules. Who knows where keighley would be now with 3 years protection. They had to give way to failed expansion experiments like Paris and Gateshead 

3 years protection from what though? 

From my limited understanding, SL was a new division that was created, and as an example, Keighley weren't guarenteed entry into it, they have had 30 years to try and get into it and haven't. I am not sure blaming the likes of Paris and Gateshead for why they haven't been able to make it yet is right.

Other clubs that weren't in the inception of SL have managed to get into it and stay there, why not Keighley?

I am also not sure how these clubs are now struggling due to RFL or sky rules.

[The Masked Poster]

8 hours ago, DEANO said:

I’m still bitter about it and they’re not even my club

Green Bay Packers fans are still fuming over how Keighley stole their match day presentation. I’m not even American or into gridiron but I’m bitter about it too. 

[The Blues Ox]

8 hours ago, DEANO said:

Yep these clubs are struggling now because of rfl  or sky rules. Who knows where keighley would be now with 3 years protection. They had to give way to failed expansion experiments like Paris and Gateshead 

The same could be said about Fax, Fev and Sheffield and I do wonder where all 3 of those teams would be now if they were allowed promotion after their Championship winning seasons. That said its now 13 years ago and we were trying to protect the elite back then and get them to grow but like many things in RL, it just didn't work out and has much changed since then?

[The Blues Ox]

11 hours ago, EggFace said:

I small place like Halifax and CC champions in the past you think everyone knows they have a Rugby League club ?

I reckon most people know and a lot if quizzed might wax lyrical about the 80's but I also reckon that most people don't care either. Its an expensive hobby and a lot of people in the Town probably can't afford to spend upwards of £50 quid each week to take a family to a game.

[M j M]

6 hours ago, Click said:

3 years protection from what though? 

From my limited understanding, SL was a new division that was created, and as an example, Keighley weren't guarenteed entry into it, they have had 30 years to try and get into it and haven't. I am not sure blaming the likes of Paris and Gateshead for why they haven't been able to make it yet is right.

Other clubs that weren't in the inception of SL have managed to get into it and stay there, why not Keighley?

I am also not sure how these clubs are now struggling due to RFL or sky rules.

SL was just the old Stones Bitter Championship as far as all heartland teams were concerned. Except for those who had earned the right to be in the league under the rules but were denied entry when the rules were changed a month before the end of the season.

I know lots of people on here inexplicably can't conceal their contempt for our sport's clubs in smaller towns, those places which kept the game alive for the past 125+ years. But the Keighley story in particular was an inspiring one, a great narrative of how a little club could reinvent itself, get fans in and earn themselves success on and off the field. 

It's facile to pretend what happened with Keighley could simply have been forgotten by the fans or management. It was a devastating blow which severed the bonds of faith in the sport for many of their fans. The Cougars were the poster boys for the disruption of the relationship  between Rugby League and countless smaller towns where we as a sport have wilfully been in retreat since the mid-1990s.

Edited November 25, 2023 by M j M

[marklaspalmas]

9 hours ago, dboy said:

In what sense are Catalans Dragons a sleeping a sleeping giant?

Formed recently and massively successful.

They were given a 3 year dispensation from relegation as a new club.

 

Founded in 1934. One of the oldest clubs in France.  Absorbed a couple of smaller neighbours in 2000. 

[gingerjon]

24 minutes ago, M j M said:

It's facile to pretend what happened with Keighley could simply have been forgotten by the fans or management. 

They seem keener to indulge in bitterness from 30 years ago then notice that 15 years ago it was the RFL who saved them and their ground.

[Harry Stottle]

22 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

That's great news, Oldham are definitely one of the lost clubs of the game. When I first started watching the game they seemed to produce more players than anyone, Wigan seemed to be full of Oldham products.

Oldham was full of Leigh product.

[Midlands hobo]

19 hours ago, iffleyox said:

what is the persistent fascination with Norwich on here? Is it just because it's in the east and would look good as a pin on a map? Even with the road improvements it's relatively isolated, difficult and time consuming to get to, and has a pretty well followed football club. Neither RU nor cricket have properly tried to crack Norfolk - so is that a gap in the market for us, or is it because comparatively other pins in the map would be better priorities? 

I really like Norwich, by the way.

Aren't you a fan of North Norfolk digital?

[Midlands hobo]

16 hours ago, MattSantos said:

If he was, he'd be looking for somewhere equidistant between Norwich and London, i.e. Linton.

 

The travel tavern would run out of crockery at dinner. Best take your own 

[iffleyox]

45 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

Aren't you a fan of North Norfolk digital?

Not sine they dropped ‘Up With the Partridge’ - turned into a bit of an end of the pier show…