David Hughes

[Dave T]

6 hours ago, Click said:

It's a bit more understandable when they're 20 + hours in a plane away, compared to 4 in a car.

If we move away from the silly anti-Northernness of men not being away from their mums, we can probably recognise that the issue is quite different.

London is a superb city, but to move to work there there really are financial demands that mean that you really are looking for substantial increased income. Even though there may be weighting allowances in the cap, the reality is that Broncos aren't a big club out there paying the big wages (plus substantial weighting) to bring in talent from the North.

Many players are on really modest wages and moving to London on £30k/£40k or so isn't attractive. It's not as if the Broncos are adding the glamour, or the best facilities or anything that makes it overly attractive. It's not a surprise that it's a tough sell for young RL players.

We saw with TWP that you can go big and make players want to be part of your movement, but that comes with a huge wage bill.

And I do think this brings us back to strategy. It's nonsense to focus on not being able to get players because they miss their mums, you'd deliver the wrong answers based on that (recruiting overseas or only locally). As unpopular as it would be with many, I can only see London doing well with substantial additional central funding and leniency on player restrictions and the cap.

If London were a decent vibrant club paying good wages with a positive future, people would absolutely want to play with them.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

7 hours ago, Ivarr the Boneless said:

Looks like we'll know more later today. Mile Eccles is on Talk Sports at 14.30. The fan forum is at 20.00.

Hopefully today will see a new owner announcement. Sadly my money would be on we need to X by date Y or the club fails announcement.

Fingers crossed.

Any news?

[Gomersall]

39 minutes ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Any news?

 

[Worzel]

Well, I'm afraid I'm not that confident that they'll raise the £350k needed based on tonight's turnout... 

https://x.com/SteveMascord/status/1848453096818499816

Edited October 21, 2024 by Worzel

[Ivarr the Boneless]

A large proportion of the long standing London fans live a long travel time (and often distance) from London and were never going to make a Monday 20.00 meeting. It wasn't a bright bit of scheduling tbh.

Though even if you factor them in, there's no real chance of making £350k inside a month without an investor or two.

[OriginalMrC]

1 hour ago, Worzel said:

Well, I'm afraid I'm not that confident that they'll raise the £350k needed based on tonight's turnout... 

https://x.com/SteveMascord/status/1848453096818499816

They need an investor and fast. I still have hope that someone will step up.

[Archie Gordon]

18 hours ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Any news?

https://www.londonbroncosrl.com/what-was-said-at-the-london-broncos-fans-forum?fbclid=IwY2xjawGEcOJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcebC_EQCYC0TYnwqm9i8Z8662D_A-g_EOOMkJkFQLsdnhZazPIBrhvo4A_aem_AlvuI4407g6xyS6QRnlJHw

 

[nadera78]

1. That reads like they're placing all the blame on IMG and not the decade spent driving people away.

2. There's an awful lot of hope in those answers and very little action.

[OriginalMrC]

Hmm that doesn't make good reading at all. Only 3 players signed up for next season! I get they have been left in the lurch somewhat but this is further indication of a club that has been poorly run for years.

[The Blues Ox]

2 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Hmm that doesn't make good reading at all. Only 3 players signed up for next season! I get they have been left in the lurch somewhat but this is further indication of a club that has been poorly run for years.

But that is the thing, there is no excuse for them only having 3 players signed for next season. They have known longer than any other team what division they would be in 2025.

[Chrispmartha]

They can’t complain all season about being relegated before a game kicked off then not recruit and plan accordingly.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Also no confirmation that they will definitely be playing at Wimbledon - interesting.

[iffleyox]

56 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

They can’t complain all season about being relegated before a game kicked off then not recruit and plan accordingly.

Exactly. Not the actions of a serious regime, regardless of whether they like the system or not. 
 

incidentally, I did smile at the gritted teeth mention that investors like grading….

[mrfranco]

37 minutes ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Also no confirmation that they will definitely be playing at Wimbledon - interesting.

Well, the coach said he thought the club was finished if it left Plough Lane, so it seems if they make the start line it will be in Wimbledon (or without the coach?)

[Gav Wilson]

3 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

But that is the thing, there is no excuse for them only having 3 players signed for next season. They have known longer than any other team what division they would be in 2025.

But crucially, the didn't (and still don't) know what their budget it. Their benefactor took his ball home two weeks ago. 

[Jeff Stein]

16 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

But crucially, the didn't (and still don't) know what their budget it. Their benefactor took his ball home two weeks ago. 

Equally generally as an employee, you do what your boss says. You don't sign players he doesn't sign off on and you don't enter into succession planning if told to do something else by your boss.

[gingerjon]

20 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

But crucially, the didn't (and still don't) know what their budget it. Their benefactor took his ball home two weeks ago. 

I'm actually amazed they have three players. I'd hope they've got a Plan B for if (when) the Broncos don't make the start line next year.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

14 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I'm actually amazed they have three players. I'd hope they've got a Plan B for if (when) the Broncos don't make the start line next year.

3 on 3 basketball team?

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

3 on 3 basketball team?

Straight to the Commonwealth Games for them!

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, Gav Wilson said:

But crucially, the didn't (and still don't) know what their budget it. Their benefactor took his ball home two weeks ago. 

You have said this before but that makes no sense. So nothing was planned before 2 weeks ago? Ink on contracts for next season should have long since dried before then. Either that or he has lead them sleepwalking in to a disaster.

[Gav Wilson]

15 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

You have said this before but that makes no sense. So nothing was planned before 2 weeks ago? Ink on contracts for next season should have long since dried before then. Either that or he has lead them sleepwalking in to a disaster.

Your second sentence explains the first. 

[gingerjon]

26 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

Your second sentence explains the first. 

I mean, it's so magnificently simple there is no need for any debate.

David Hughes has never had a plan, let alone a succession plan, and, whilst being the sole funding source for the Broncos, has also lunged from disaster to disaster around any aspect of it as a sustainable club for a decade.

[DI Keith Fowler]

3 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I mean, it's so magnificently simple there is no need for any debate.

David Hughes has never had a plan, let alone a succession plan, and, whilst being the sole funding source for the Broncos, has also lunged from disaster to disaster around any aspect of it as a sustainable club for a decade.

He has in effect spent an awful lot of his own money to slowly kill the club. 

[fighting irish]

17 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

You have said this before but that makes no sense. So nothing was planned before 2 weeks ago? Ink on contracts for next season should have long since dried before then. Either that or he has lead them sleepwalking in to a disaster.

I'm not going to chastise you, for your lack of sympathy but surely from all the ''evidence'' we've had presented on this forum over the years, it's clear to see that Hughes had complete control of everything.

The fact that he wasn't sanctioning signing new players for next season is an ominous sign that he was going to withdraw but he's withdrawn in the most damaging way possible.

Perhaps those left behind suspected he was going to do it but were unable to prepare for life after him (Hughes) without his approval. They may also, have been paralysed with fear of the consequences, if their suspicions proved to be well founded. 

I suggest that no-one else at the club, had any license to act (in recruitment) without his permission or had any idea he was going to completely eviscerate the club on his withdrawal rather than make reasonable provision for the continuation of the club. I think ''they'' are just as shocked and upset as we are and as such are completely blameless with regard to your accusations.

[OriginalMrC]

Yes he's effectively done the if i can't have you no one else will routine. Bizarrely though he still owns the club