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Thread: Coronavirus - Rugby League Implications

  1. #176
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph Fridge View Post
    Post of the year.

    Spot on.

    I still hear the 'I like going to Castleford, it's a proper rugby league ground' line every time I go there.

    It's utter nonsense
    That's the only thing I like about the place although I've been there and freezing/soaked and didn't like it much then. It's not like they couldn't have improved it though, I could improve it with a lump hammer and 12 stella in me. There's plenty of room, more so than there was at KR yet they play at being a big club without putting much in. Mutton dressed as lamb comes to mind.


  2. #177
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    Spot on.

    But I disagree about Knowsley Road being a dump, it needed a new stand and club building, new toilets and bars and new roof's on the Popular side and the Eddington end but apart from that it was fine. As you say it would still be a better stadium than Cas, Wakey, HKR and plenty others. I understand why we moved and accept we needed to move on but for people to make out it was that bad is a lie, plain and simple.
    To be fair to Bostock, the point he made Dave was we got told by Stevo and then Hemmings WE were a disgrace having THAT stadium. Then that old fraud calls Weldon Road ICONIC it's not it's a tip.

  3. #178
    In The West Stand Ralph Fridge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cyprus View Post
    To be fair to Bostock, the point he made Dave was we got told by Stevo and then Hemmings WE were a disgrace having THAT stadium. Then that old fraud calls Weldon Road ICONIC it's not it's a tip.
    My sister got me the book they did about Super League & Sky coverage etc.

    Honestly, you wouldn't believe how arrogant & deluded Eddie Hemmings is. He thinks he IS rugby league that guy.

  4. #179
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cyprus View Post
    To be fair to Bostock, the point he made Dave was we got told by Stevo and then Hemmings WE were a disgrace having THAT stadium. Then that old fraud calls Weldon Road ICONIC it's not it's a tip.
    Aye, sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick. I was watching an old game last night on facebook, the last one at KR and I got all misty eyed about the place but the fact is, it could've easily been redeveloped as I described, kept that old school charm, atmosphere and been on my doorstep. Not that I'm knocking the new place, it's probably the best purpose built Rugby ground in the country, it's just not KR and never will be. That said, it's ours and very much something to be proud of when you look at every other RL club in the competition, in fact, it's better than quite a few NRL grounds too.

    The point is though, there's a few teams who add nothing, give nothing and take plenty out of RL in this country and if there's one positive can come out of this situation it *might make the authorities take them to task a bit more.

    *probably won't.

  5. #180
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    Aye, sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick. I was watching an old game last night on facebook, the last one at KR and I got all misty eyed about the place but the fact is, it could've easily been redeveloped as I described, kept that old school charm, atmosphere and been on my doorstep. Not that I'm knocking the new place, it's probably the best purpose built Rugby ground in the country, it's just not KR and never will be. That said, it's ours and very much something to be proud of when you look at every other RL club in the competition, in fact, it's better than quite a few NRL grounds too.

    The point is though, there's a few teams who add nothing, give nothing and take plenty out of RL in this country and if there's one positive can come out of this situation it *might make the authorities take them to task a bit more.

    *probably won't.
    I sort of knew why you said what you said ( and understand the feeling) yes we could have developed the two ends of KR but we were hemmed in at the sides, and it was in the wrong place (except for the Bird and the Bull).

    But as you said the rhubarb triangle clubs add nothing to this game, they just take and cry when things get bad. I do fear that this loan will be wasted propping the basket cases up whilst Us, Wire, Widnes, Leigh, Halifax etc will cut our cloth accordingly. Whereas the rhubarb triangle will have another excuse, and they will to continue playing out of a scrapyard for 10 more years.

  6. #181
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bostik Bailey View Post
    I sort of knew why you said what you said ( and understand the feeling) yes we could have developed the two ends of KR but we were hemmed in at the sides, and it was in the wrong place (except for the Bird and the Bull).

    But as you said the rhubarb triangle clubs add nothing to this game, they just take and cry when things get bad. I do fear that this loan will be wasted propping the basket cases up whilst Us, Wire, Widnes, Leigh, Halifax etc will cut our cloth accordingly. Whereas the rhubarb triangle will have another excuse, and they will to continue playing out of a scrapyard for 10 more years.
    We were hemmed in a bit but there was space at the back of the main stand and obviously the training pitch, there's also the allotments at the back of the Eddington. It could've been a thing of beauty but I guess that would've cost a lot of money and wasn't really practical. I must admit, Langtree (I won't call it the other name) is growing on me but take me back to this any day.

    Last edited by Angry Dave; 2nd May 2020 at 20:46. Reason: Rubber Duckies man boobs and red stripe.

  7. #182
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    Credit to Bronco for this one I think.


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    In The South Stand Jackbit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Belgian Saint View Post
    What are the chances of some transparency over which clubs get what amounts, and the reasoning behind the allocations? I won't be holding my breath on that one.
    However I am glad to see us get this money, if a bit surprised at how fast it has happened.
    I know, I did not expect it to come through to be honest. 'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts' and all that! But it's a lifeline of sorts and a big clap to those who have pressured the government to release these funds.

    But the likes of MP's in the RL heartlands have been pressuring the government, I remember one female MP, (sorry for my ignorance in not knowing her name) going full on for support for RL, early in the outbreak. But the Hull MP Karl Turner did this campaign.

    https://www.change.org/p/chancellor-...57c/u/26523004
    Last edited by Jackbit; 2nd May 2020 at 20:07.

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    Have to say the Forty 20 podcast this week was superb. Straightforward interview with Michael Carter (Trinity chairman), no bluster, no melodrama, just the facts of what is happening and part of the credit should go to Carter himself for that. Made a few important points, including that in his estimation clubs that own their own grounds like Wakefield (and us...) are in a better position than those who rent because rents will continue to be paid. He did also make the point though that Trinity won't suffer the downturn in hospitality income that clubs like ourselves will feel harder. Perhaps the most important point he made though, which is directly linked to the support package being discussed here, is that for every £ spent on supporting rugby league, the knock on investment into the community because of rugby league clubs' work in that area is bigger (I can't remember the ratio he mentioned but he said something along the lines of for every £ spent, the community benefits by £1.80 - forgive me if the figure is wrong). Also made the point that (and I'm not trying to open an irrelevant political discussion here) a lot of rugby league areas turned blue for the first time ever late last year and the one thing every new MP wants is a second term so there is a strong incentive there already.

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    The St. Helens star has a weekly ‘quiz’ showing pictures of old grounds from the 70’s and 80’s, and I challenge anyone to Point out any fundamental difference of those grounds from Bell Vue and Wheldon Road.

    Well the Wakefield Chairman may be happy that they own a vacant building plot that has a grass pitch, and hey quelle surprise that they don’t make that much out of corporate hospitality. Who would pay big money for a portacabin in the sky. Their ground doesn’t even take card payments for food and ale, so their match day revenue will be insignificant to the Sky money.

    The fact is that they have given nothing to this game and only taken money to be a pension fund for bang average Aussies.

    I do agree that the current government wants to court the traditional Labour seats and this loan is welcome I hope it is used wisely ( although I doubt it)

  11. #186
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bostik Bailey View Post
    The St. Helens star has a weekly ‘quiz’ showing pictures of old grounds from the 70’s and 80’s, and I challenge anyone to Point out any fundamental difference of those grounds from Bell Vue and Wheldon Road.

    Well the Wakefield Chairman may be happy that they own a vacant building plot that has a grass pitch, and hey quelle surprise that they don’t make that much out of corporate hospitality. Who would pay big money for a portacabin in the sky. Their ground doesn’t even take card payments for food and ale, so their match day revenue will be insignificant to the Sky money.

    The fact is that they have given nothing to this game and only taken money to be a pension fund for bang average Aussies.

    I do agree that the current government wants to court the traditional Labour seats and this loan is welcome I hope it is used wisely ( although I doubt it)
    The points he made still hold water in my opinion. If you own your own ground, you're in a better position for a number of reasons (for a start, you have significant collateral if money issues do crop up). Trinity are a small club doing what it sees best to keep itself in the position it's in. You can't expect a small parochial club to be going out signing top players. He wasn't b*tching about not having much hospitality, just stating facts. They're not really a direct rival of ours so I've no reason to feel bitter towards them.

  12. #187
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph Fridge View Post
    My sister got me the book they did about Super League & Sky coverage etc.

    Honestly, you wouldn't believe how arrogant & deluded Eddie Hemmings is. He thinks he IS rugby league that guy.
    Ralph I was sat on the same table as him at the Co-Operative awards when they sponsored the lower leagues and arrogant and deluded sums it up nicely.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Heretic View Post
    The points he made still hold water in my opinion. If you own your own ground, you're in a better position for a number of reasons (for a start, you have significant collateral if money issues do crop up). Trinity are a small club doing what it sees best to keep itself in the position it's in. You can't expect a small parochial club to be going out signing top players. He wasn't b*tching about not having much hospitality, just stating facts. They're not really a direct rival of ours so I've no reason to feel bitter towards them.
    I have plenty of reason to feel bitter towards them. We take the same to their shit dump as they have home fans, they're constantly skint and wanting bailing out, they play in a third world slum, they bring about 500 at best away and they offer •••• all except for £1.50 pints as Ralph pointed out and that shows what a backward shithole it is.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    I have plenty of reason to feel bitter towards them. We take the same to their shit dump as they have home fans, they're constantly skint and wanting bailing out, they play in a third world slum, they bring about 500 at best away and they offer •••• all except for £1.50 pints as Ralph pointed out and that shows what a backward shithole it is.
    Maybe I escape the Wakefield hating because I'm from too far away to hate them lol

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    To he fair to Wakey didn't they have chairman who nearly bankrupted them.

    I think Bobby Goulding and a few other names went there but he was spending money he hadn't got.

    On that topic although we're criticising other clubs at the end of the day all clubs are in the hands of directors and Chairmen.

    At the moment theres lots of polls about best player etc but I think we're very lucky we've got the best chairman.
    I've never met him or likely to so I'm not brown nosing but he's done a great job with the new ground and apart from a few iffy years we've always been in with a shout of trophies.

    When you see what's happened to Bradford and other clubs I think we can count ourselves lucky to have him.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Infamous Grouse View Post
    To he fair to Wakey didn't they have chairman who nearly bankrupted them.

    I think Bobby Goulding and a few other names went there but he was spending money he hadn't got.

    On that topic although we're criticising other clubs at the end of the day all clubs are in the hands of directors and Chairmen.

    At the moment theres lots of polls about best player etc but I think we're very lucky we've got the best chairman.
    I've never met him or likely to so I'm not brown nosing but he's done a great job with the new ground and apart from a few iffy years we've always been in with a shout of trophies.

    When you see what's happened to Bradford and other clubs I think we can count ourselves lucky to have him.
    Any chance of him doing a job on another team beginning with W (either of the two I'm thinking of will do)?!?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Infamous Grouse View Post
    To he fair to Wakey didn't they have chairman who nearly bankrupted them.

    I think Bobby Goulding and a few other names went there but he was spending money he hadn't got.

    On that topic although we're criticising other clubs at the end of the day all clubs are in the hands of directors and Chairmen.

    At the moment theres lots of polls about best player etc but I think we're very lucky we've got the best chairman.
    I've never met him or likely to so I'm not brown nosing but he's done a great job with the new ground and apart from a few iffy years we've always been in with a shout of trophies.

    When you see what's happened to Bradford and other clubs I think we can count ourselves lucky to have him.
    Couldn't agree more. Also when he speaks, he is sensible without being arrogant. Just as I was typing that double glazing Gary popped into my thoughts.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post


    Credit to Bronco for this one I think.

    KR was miles ahead of Cas with floodlights, don't they still have them on stanchions at the side of the pitch?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Belgian Saint View Post
    Couldn't agree more. Also when he speaks, he is sensible without being arrogant. Just as I was typing that double glazing Gary popped into my thoughts.
    I also like the fact he genuinely cares about Saints and wants the best for us. A good exhibit of that were his reactions to Saints' tries in the #SL Rewind match shown last night (he was even laughing at seeing himself going mad on the screen). I've always had the feeling he's at Saints for the right reasons.

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    In The West Stand Ralph Fridge's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Cyprus;790415]Ralph I was sat on the same table as him at the Co-Operative awards when they sponsored the lower leagues and arrogant and deluded sums it up nicely.


    Never had time for him.

    All about him. Sure he threw a tantrum on Sky when he didn't get invited to a testimonial event for a famous player a while back

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Heretic View Post
    I also like the fact he genuinely cares about Saints and wants the best for us. A good exhibit of that were his reactions to Saints' tries in the #SL Rewind match shown last night (he was even laughing at seeing himself going mad on the screen). I've always had the feeling he's at Saints for the right reasons.
    Without doubt, I think the phrase he often uses is you don't become a chairman of a rugby league club to make money

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Heretic View Post
    I also like the fact he genuinely cares about Saints and wants the best for us. A good exhibit of that were his reactions to Saints' tries in the #SL Rewind match shown last night (he was even laughing at seeing himself going mad on the screen). I've always had the feeling he's at Saints for the right reasons.
    He definitely does. He's a fan first & foremost & every decision he has made he has done it for what he feels is best for the club.

    He hasn't always got it right but the positives far outweigh the negatives. It's possible if he hadn't took the club over when he did, we would have gone under.

    He was bang on with what he said about Hicks reffing the CC final as well. Despite the howls of derision on other forums. We are lucky to have him

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    Whilst I agree with the comments about Cas and Wakefield's grounds and lack of investment, I do tend to think (especially in terms of Cas) that fans cannot be tarred with the same brush as owners or boards, etc.

    Castleford is a small town yet that club gets crowds bigger than the likes of Hull KR who have a bigger catchment area, and I think we'd be worse off as a game without them. I don't really buy in to the idea that clubs 'offer nothing' just because owners or boards are useless. They are a historic club, get decent crowds and have generally played our game in a stylish and attractive manner. Yes, the ground is a dump, yes the people in charge have flouted certain things along the way and gotten away with stuff clubs this side of the Pennines haven't, but do Castleford really 'offer nothing'? Would we be better off if they withered and died to be replaced by some expansion club with no soul or tradition?

    And whilst they may have a few knuckle-heads at times, what have the 7-8,000 people in that small town done to deserve their club disappearing to the lower leagues because they don't have a modern ground? A far higher proportion of that town supports its club than the people of Wigan, Hull and St Helens follow theirs.

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    In The West Stand Ralph Fridge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gray77 View Post
    Whilst I agree with the comments about Cas and Wakefield's grounds and lack of investment, I do tend to think (especially in terms of Cas) that fans cannot be tarred with the same brush as owners or boards, etc.

    Castleford is a small town yet that club gets crowds bigger than the likes of Hull KR who have a bigger catchment area, and I think we'd be worse off as a game without them. I don't really buy in to the idea that clubs 'offer nothing' just because owners or boards are useless. They are a historic club, get decent crowds and have generally played our game in a stylish and attractive manner. Yes, the ground is a dump, yes the people in charge have flouted certain things along the way and gotten away with stuff clubs this side of the Pennines haven't, but do Castleford really 'offer nothing'? Would we be better off if they withered and died to be replaced by some expansion club with no soul or tradition?

    And whilst they may have a few knuckle-heads at times, what have the 7-8,000 people in that small town done to deserve their club disappearing to the lower leagues because they don't have a modern ground? A far higher proportion of that town supports its club than the people of Wigan, Hull and St Helens follow theirs.
    I agree with you from that angle & as always, you make an excellent point.

    I am not outright against expansion but the way we do it is completely by the seat of our pants and hoping for the best without any foundation, youth structure or long term plan in place. Also it is worth mentioning that although Toronto's crowds are decent, their ground is far from it, the same thing that I hammer Cas & Wakey for.

    Although a fair few of my experiences at Castleford have been far from pleasant, it's a small town which despite economic problems, has retained a steady & loyal fanbase.

    I don't think other posters have come it from that angle though Gray. They have rightly pointed out that other clubs (mainly on the west of the Pennines), reigned it in on the playing side because they were told by the RFL that they needed a new stadium. So, Wigan moved to the DW, Hull FC moved to the KCOM, Wire did, Widnes did, Salford did, Leigh did & we did. And I fully admit that for whatever reason, it took us a fair while to sort it. But sort it, we did.

    Cas, Wakey & to a fair extent Leeds decided that they weren't going to adhere to this & there were no consequences. So it all became a bit of a joke really. Therein lies the problem. Expansion isn't working but certain heartland clubs have taken the Mickey.

    I'm not particularly fussed, I will stand in the rain getting soaked an an open terrace. Just a bit annoying when you are paying best part of £25.00 to do so.

    They got away with it & they should have been relegated.

    Mind you at Cas near the turnstilesdown the side of the training pitch, there's a big poster of the players lifting the 2017 LLS. The same season they got dusted at Old Trafford by an ageing Leeds team. So I guess there's not much hope for visionary, forward thinking & improvement off the field when a club makes a big deal out of achieving nothing.
    Last edited by Ralph Fridge; 3rd May 2020 at 09:24.

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    Let’s not forget Cas go a cash injection of ~£350K over the Solomon’s case. Surely they could have earmarked that as a start for investment in a new ground? No they go out and sign top players.

    Super league need to bring in minimum standards on grounds. Give existing clubs five years to achieve it. Then Cas and Wakey will be forced to get their act together.

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