Challenge Cup 2025

[JonM]

Both York Acorn and West Hull have hundreds of kids playing, with all the associated coaches, parents and volunteers. Perhaps both clubs have to balance when their amateur players are actually available to play, and when the rest of the club is able to come and watch, with the time/day that will give the best one-off attendance?

[RP London]

14 hours ago, DoubleD said:

Haven't they got some sort of friendly?

That's in Ireland (which was sort of the point )

[ricky]

FC are playing in France the following Friday:

"The club's new boss told Hull Live he will respect the fixture and field a strong squad of first-team players. The club is set for their one and only pre-season fixture against Castleford Tigers this Saturday afternoon, with the cup tie following the weekend after.

"The club then open their Super League account in Perpignan on Friday the 14th, taking on Catalans Dragons, with the cup tie not interfering with the club's preparation and travel plans ahead of the fixture. They will have adequate time to recover and then gear up for their trip across the channel as planned, flying out on the Thursday morning."

[dkw]

7 hours ago, Snowys Backside said:

Workington v Leigh Friday Night, 7th Feb.

Pity, would have loved to have gone and had a stop over in the Lakes. Can only see a few Hundred coming up the M6 now rather than a couple of thousand, but lets hope Worky give us a game (and some niggle).

Yeah I dont understand this decision at all by Town, Saturday afternoon would almost certainly have seen a much bigger Leigh contingent coming north surely.

[ricky]

22 minutes ago, dkw said:

Yeah I dont understand this decision at all by Town, Saturday afternoon would almost certainly have seen a much bigger Leigh contingent coming north surely.

Will it be because Leigh are playing their first SL game on Thu 13 Feb?

Their opponents on that day will be Wigan, who are also playing their CC tie on the Fri evening

Edited January 29 by ricky

[dkw]

2 minutes ago, ricky said:

Will it be because Leigh are playing their first SL game on Thu 13 Feb?

Their opponents on that day will be Wigan, who are also playing their CC tie on the Fri evening

Thats almost certainly the reason, which is a real shame for both sets of fans, and our clubs finances.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

1 hour ago, ricky said:

FC are playing in France the following Friday:

"The club's new boss told Hull Live he will respect the fixture and field a strong squad of first-team players. The club is set for their one and only pre-season fixture against Castleford Tigers this Saturday afternoon, with the cup tie following the weekend after.

"The club then open their Super League account in Perpignan on Friday the 14th, taking on Catalans Dragons, with the cup tie not interfering with the club's preparation and travel plans ahead of the fixture. They will have adequate time to recover and then gear up for their trip across the channel as planned, flying out on the Thursday morning."

I think I've seen that, should York beat Keighley, their game against Rovers is scheduled for the Friday. Guessing Acorn didn't want to clash with that.

It's a tough one. I suppose this is another reason why having the draw earlier (up to this stage) and the possible routes known ahead of time could be beneficial for logistical reasons.

[Just Browny]

Halifax v Catalans is at the Shay on 8th February, 12pm kick off on The Sportsman.

[Hopping Mad]

York Acorn-Hull FC @ POR, Featherstone, February 8 (2.0). £15, concessions a tenner, U16s free.

Edited January 29 by Hopping Mad

[gingerjon]

34 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

Halifax v Catalans is at the Shay on 8th February, 12pm kick off on The Sportsman.

Disappointing to see it being played at Huddersfield’s ground.

[Griff]

6 hours ago, dkw said:

Thats almost certainly the reason, which is a real shame for both sets of fans, and our clubs finances.

I thought five days was the minimum between games, which would've left Saturday as an option.

[DEANO]

It would seem super greed are once again calling the shots at the expense of the smaller clubs. Shame they can’t do a five day turnaround as either York or keighley will have to with their part time players who’ll have been at work that day

[georgeb1]

18 minutes ago, DEANO said:

It would seem super greed are once again calling the shots at the expense of the smaller clubs. Shame they can’t do a five day turnaround as either York or keighley will have to with their part time players who’ll have been at work that day

Agree, plus the superleague side will probably only use half a dozen of their regular starters

[Coggo]

Are they deliberately trying to kill the Challenge Cup by making it a joke or is the game just run by cretins?

[Puk]

6 hours ago, Hopping Mad said:

York Acorn-Hull FC @ POR, Featherstone, February 8 (2.0). £15, concessions a tenner, U16s fre

Can't understand why the game couldn't have been played at the LNER stadium where the knights and the football club play instead of having to travel to Featherstone to play the game.

[DEANO]

33 minutes ago, Coggo said:

Are they deliberately trying to kill the Challenge Cup by making it a joke or is the game just run by cretins?

I would say both

[Josef K]

I have bought a ticket for the Saints cup game but i don’t think i’ll be going, i just hope West Hull get some of my £10. 

[Gooleboy]

42 minutes ago, Puk said:

Can't understand why the game couldn't have been played at the LNER stadium where the knights and the football club play instead of having to travel to Featherstone to play the game.

Agreed, but Featherstone, as always, prepared to help the amateur game.

[Fevrover]

13 minutes ago, Gooleboy said:

Agreed, but Featherstone, as always, prepared to help the amateur game.

Not 'bad' news about Fev so nothing will be said lol.

[Fevrover]

24 minutes ago, Josef K said:

I have bought a ticket for the Saints cup game but i don’t think i’ll be going, i just hope West Hull get some of my £10. 

£3.33 ,it's shared 3 ways i belive,the 2 clubs and the RFL. 

[ricky]

1 hour ago, Puk said:

Can't understand why the game couldn't have been played at the LNER stadium where the knights and the football club play

The football club already have a game there that afternoon, York City vs Woking 

[Snowys Backside]

12 hours ago, ricky said:

Will it be because Leigh are playing their first SL game on Thu 13 Feb?

Their opponents on that day will be Wigan, who are also playing their CC tie on the Fri evening

It will be the reason but a Sat kick off would have been fine. 
 

A pity really and would have been better for the games to be played this weekend to enhance the interest overall. 
 

Instead, we take an almost FT squad to Wire for a friendly

[RS]

5% in the Challenge Cup pool, limited match expenses and then a split of the rest. 
 

1,000 gate at £15 means around 3k per club 

Edited January 29 by RS

[Tommygilf]

2 hours ago, Coggo said:

Are they deliberately trying to kill the Challenge Cup by making it a joke or is the game just run by cretins?

No they deliberately did this in response to calls to "save the cup" from a group of fans on a nostalgia trip who forget every 50 nil battering.

[Griff]

1 hour ago, RS said:

5% in the Challenge Cup pool, limited match expenses and then a split of the rest. 
 

1,000 gate at £15 means around 3k per club 

£2500 of a £15000 gate will go straight to the VATman.  Financial rules for shared gates seem to be a closely guarded secret these days.