Anglian Vipers, Bedford Tigers and Goole Vikings reveal their cases for League One place

[Tommygilf]

I think this process (and League 1 over the past decade) has shown that the whole structure of Semi pro to amateur RL needs reconsidering so it's fit for purpose.

 

[The Future is League]

On 01/08/2024 at 06:55, bbfaz said:

It's the same answers from the same people.  Have you tried to ever run a club?  Do you have any expertise whatsoever?

I was involved in coaching at junior level a while back.

 

[Griff]

On 31/07/2024 at 20:27, Eddie said:

Are you completely against expansion then, if you think all teams should be right next to the existing heartlands? 

Gloucester and Oxford weren't expansion, were they?  It's a tough old life away from the M62, even for established clubs like Barrow, Whitehaven and Workington.

[gingerjon]

41 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I think this process (and League 1 over the past decade) has shown that the whole structure of Semi pro to amateur RL needs reconsidering so it's fit for purpose.

 

More thought, and money, need to be given to providing opportunities for playing. What we keep being shown is that, at pretty much every level, we simply do not have enough clubs, players, facilities to do anything other than 'sort of exist'.

That's obviously mostly visible once you leave our tiny heartlands but it also seems to be the issue inside those pockets as well.

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, Griff said:

Gloucester and Oxford weren't expansion, were they?  It's a tough old life away from the M62, even for established clubs like Barrow, Whitehaven and Workington.

Excellent statement of the obvious. Do you think nobody should ever try then? 

[Griff]

1 minute ago, Eddie said:

Excellent statement of the obvious. Do you think nobody should ever try then? 

Easy to say if you're not paying, Eddie.

 

[Eddie]

2 minutes ago, Griff said:

Easy to say if you're not paying, Eddie.

 

What? 

[JM2010]

31 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Excellent statement of the obvious. Do you think nobody should ever try then? 

What are your thoughts on expanding League 1 into a more regionalised format with some cross conference games? 
Would help with travel costs and allow expansion clubs from nearby areas to be competitive with each other. 

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

More thought, and money, need to be given to providing opportunities for playing. What we keep being shown is that, at pretty much every level, we simply do not have enough clubs, players, facilities to do anything other than 'sort of exist'.

That's obviously mostly visible once you leave our tiny heartlands but it also seems to be the issue inside those pockets as well.

This is the key thing isn't it, and tbh, it's where I find our organisation most limiting for the sport.

It always seems hard to join the sport when it should be easy, and it has almost always been this way.

[Griff]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

What? 

You mean "Pardon?"

[Impartial Observer]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

This is the key thing isn't it, and tbh, it's where I find our organisation most limiting for the sport.

It always seems hard to join the sport when it should be easy, and it has almost always been this way.

It is easy to join the sport at community level.  Should the game just allow anyone to join at pro level without proper checks?

[Tommygilf]

21 minutes ago, Impartial Observer said:

It is easy to join the sport at community level.  Should the game just allow anyone to join at pro level without proper checks?

How easy is it to join outside of the heartlands? Even in the heartlands, how easy is it to join if you don't already know someone?

The (semi)pro game shouldn't just allow anyone in of course, but it should have a framework that supports clubs at all levels. Right now it seems to serve nobody very well.

[Eddie]

4 hours ago, Griff said:

You mean "Pardon?"

No I meant what I said. 

[Eddie]

4 hours ago, JM2010 said:

What are your thoughts on expanding League 1 into a more regionalised format with some cross conference games? 
Would help with travel costs and allow expansion clubs from nearby areas to be competitive with each other. 

I think it’s a terrible idea tbh, League One south would just be the southern conference. If RL wants to be a national sport and welcome teams from outside the Heartlands the third tier should be national. 

[Griff]

3 minutes ago, Eddie said:

No I meant what I said. 

That's always good.

[The Future is League]

Looking at the 3 clubs i can only see that the Bedford Tigers have an academy, but perhaps Goole, and the Vipers do as well, but i can't see it.

It is my opinion that any club entering the pro ranks should have an academy/ junior sections as a way of building the club through junior development.

[Eddie]

11 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

Looking at the 3 clubs i can only see that the Bedford Tigers have an academy, but perhaps Goole, and the Vipers do as well, but i can't see it.

It is my opinion that any club entering the pro ranks should have an academy/ junior sections as a way of building the club through junior development.

What if they were linked in with a number of local junior clubs and helped the development of them, rather than having a junior section of their own? 

Edited August 7 by Eddie

[JM2010]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

What if they were linked in with a number of local junior clubs and helped the development of them, rather than having a junior section of their own? 

I’d prefer that from a professional club. That’s the best way for them to produce players. 5/10 or even 20 junior clubs in their catchment area with the professional club sat above that. Would be good for them to have plans for an academy at some point even if the at is tier 3. Would also like to see professional clubs without scholarships maybe organising a representative team for the area at u12s upwards for the best players to get together maybe a could times a month and maybe even play against a few northern junior teams once a month or so 

[The Future is League]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

What if they were linked in with a number of local junior clubs and helped the development of them, rather than having a junior section of their own? 

Perhaps both.

Think of what the Penrith Panthers have done with both.

[The Future is League]

On 03/08/2024 at 22:33, Eddie said:

I think it’s a terrible idea tbh, League One south would just be the southern conference. If RL wants to be a national sport and welcome teams from outside the Heartlands the third tier should be national. 

What about going East-West regional leagues?

[The Future is League]

On 03/08/2024 at 17:33, JM2010 said:

What are your thoughts on expanding League 1 into a more regionalised format with some cross conference games? 
Would help with travel costs and allow expansion clubs from nearby areas to be competitive with each other. 

Who ever gets in, if any, I hope they have a junior/academy set up

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, The Future is League said:

Perhaps both.

Think of what the Penrith Panthers have done with both.

Yes they have, but the Penrith Panthers are a world away from a club trying to get into League One. 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, The Future is League said:

What about going East-West regional leagues?

Who would that help? 

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, The Future is League said:

What about going East-West regional leagues?

That would defy the whole benefit of regionalisation

[northamptoncougar]

Without a fair chunk of start up money and enough following to fund a robust 10 year plan IMO any application is doomed to fail.

I like Bedford and the work put In by the people there but running an L1 club is literally a way of life with almost no reward.

For that reason I hope Bedford don’t get in (unless they have the above) and they continue the great work they’ve already done.