I've seen us get beat by lower league opposition in the cup before, a 2nd division Oldham schooled us once when we were the best team in the League in 1990. But that today was awful.
At the moment, the club's identity is a mid-table championship team. And the reality is, that's all we're ever going to be given the current set-up.
On the one hand, things like professionalism, effort, attitude, these things should be a given. And we were lacking today.
On the other hand, quality wins games and we don't have much of it; nor can we afford it.
Without serious financial backing, we're not going to break out of this cycle. Like most of the teams in and around us. And who is going to finance Widnes?
I honestly think some people imagine that we can sneak play-offs and upset the likes of Fev. Even if we could, what we would do then? The teams at the bottom end of SL, some of whom can't win a game, are light-years ahead of us.
There's little mileage in having aspirations at the moment other than effort, solidity and hopefully some relative enjoyment on a Sunday afternoon. But we're not even offering that.
Sad times but, we are what we are, like it or not. I can't imagine firing Kear for someone else will make much difference.
@a-cape I agree but the club is run like a part time youth club, the board are either incompetent or disinterested and the players seem to perform the same. If a great idea/solution is mentioned on here it might ignite something within the club. The club should be concentrating on a financial backer and be in negotiations with the council over leasing options for the stadium. People have commented on costs of running the stadium but with a good marketing plan we can utilize its revenue to build a better team and improve our chances of investment
The board might not be incompetent or disinterested; they might be operating within their means.
The board have saved the club from going under, have appointed a coach of some repute and have financed signings that, he, presumably has wanted.
It might not be Abramovic stuff but, it's helped.
And why should the council help the club? The council have no money. Plus, not everyone in the borough wants their hard-earned going towards the club. The club needs to be smarter about where the investment could come from. And if they cant, or there is no investor sat out there waiting, then it's tough titty.
@gpo1971 I’ve stated many times on this forum that we owe a lot of thanks to the current board for stepping in on the 11th hour to help save the club, releasing 2 players to go play elsewhere and instead of replacing them we invested in back room staff whilst we have key players out injured for long periods of time. That to me isn’t working within our means it’s mismanagement. The coach is oast it but possibly has steadied the ship somewhat but without stadium ownership our income streams are limited so dwindling crowds is a huge problem
@mckviking we've already sold it. Are you suggesting we lease it back, or even buy it back? Who's going to pay for that?
@gpo1971 the council would lease the stadium for a 10 year period for example. I don’t know how much we pay in rent but possibly a rental payment due quarterly etc…
with the right marketing team in place it would be something that could help turn the current financial situation around and help us even go full time again
If I controlled the council purse-strings, explain to me why that would be a good idea.
And If I was in charge of the rugby club, please tell me where the money (that would be significantly more than the paltry rent we pay now) would come from?
@mckviking the council won't give up the income it makes from the stadium,you obviously don't live in Widnes or you'd realise the council is on its arse.
We've been here before, lots of times. Unless a benefactor of some financial significance walks through the door, this is it for us as Widnes fans.
We need more investment to get out of this division. We need to be full-time to even contemplate SL.
How much would it cost to buy back our ground? We probably gave it away, to buy it back, at a guess £10+ million. How much is it going to cost to assemble a full-time squad?
Look at Fev; miles better than us yet Wakefield and Cas would batter them and they're on 0 points in the SL. What's the point given the current circumstance?
Can you see where this is going?
Licensing promoted us, with IMG on the case, I doubt that happening again.
RL's bigger problem is there's only 4 or 5 teams who are cutting it, never mind us.
We've been here before, lots of times. Unless a benefactor of some financial significance walks through the door, this is it for us as Widnes fans.
We need more investment to get out of this division. We need to be full-time to even contemplate SL.
How much would it cost to buy back our ground? We probably gave it away, to buy it back, at a guess £10+ million. How much is it going to cost to assemble a full-time squad?
Look at Fev; miles better than us yet Wakefield and Cas would batter them and they're on 0 points in the SL. What's the point given the current circumstance?
Can you see where this is going?
Licensing promoted us, with IMG on the case, I doubt that happening again.
RL's bigger problem is there's only 4 or 5 teams who are cutting it, never mind us.
Which is why all I want is a coach who plays half entertaining rugby.
We’ll probably always be in this division from now on in and will always win & lose some games.
At least let us have some fun along the way. This season has been the most boring I can remember in my 40 years of watching us.
@gpo1971 I’m not in the position to give educated advice on these subjects. That’s where the marketing team would come in, we could have a hybrid rental of the stadium where we have the stadium for the length of our season and then it’s the councils for the rest of the year etc…
@richard-richard your right I don’t live in widnes, I grew up in widnes and moved away in my 20’s, I have family who still do though and I know what the team means to the town that’s why I’m trying to get some suggestions of a solution
I admire your passion mate but the ground angle is going nowhere.
Unless one of us loons wins the Euro Millions I can't see anything changing.