I don’t understand the position Feth have found themselves in. The two biggest clubs in the division by a considerable distance is us and Bradford. I am not suggesting that gives us a right to compete but Feth, haven’t got a wealthy backer, they don’t have amazing crowds and their area is hardly the hotbed of commercial activity. So why they now talked up as the divisions big dogs?
It’s good that plenty of people have provided some very good answers to this question already. But if I can have my say as a Fev fan: Firstly you say Fev don’t have a wealthy backer. How much has Mark Campbell put into the club during his time there? Perhaps a lot more than you might think. But more importantly: Fev own their own ground, which means not only do they not have to pay out rental etc on match days but also they have big income streams on the day from the bar etc. Then there’s the clubhouse, which, Covid permitting, is in near constant use for weddings, conferences, parties etc. It also stages numerous events such as an evening with Frank Bruno/Josh Warrington etc, comedians, all of which are moneyspinners. Then the club has a really impressive roster of sponsors which have been built up over a number of years. The chairman himself oversaw a huge ground improvement which included dismantling two disused stands from Scarborough FC, transporting them piece by piece to Featherstone and re-assembling them by using a group of volunteer Fev supporters who had a variety of building skills. He’s also built a top-class indoor training facility (which we hired out to Wakefield for a number of years). I think that the continues presence in SL of Wakefield, in particular, and Castleford has been a source of great frustration to Campbell in recent years as he has transformed the ground, had consistent success on the field, and views Featherstone as a much “bigger” club than Wakefield, at least, the only difference being the £2m handout every year that enables them to field a squad to keep them in SL, whist they and Cas have been allowed to continue to play in grounds that have been delapidated since well into the last century. And of course there’s one other reason why, as you put it, they are “talked up as one of the division’s big dogs”. Look at the table!
and yet Fev were propped up by Leeds for quite a few seasons.....
I don’t understand the position Feth have found themselves in. The two biggest clubs in the division by a considerable distance is us and Bradford. I am not suggesting that gives us a right to compete but Feth, haven’t got a wealthy backer, they don’t have amazing crowds and their area is hardly the hotbed of commercial activity. So why they now talked up as the divisions big dogs?
It’s good that plenty of people have provided some very good answers to this question already. But if I can have my say as a Fev fan: Firstly you say Fev don’t have a wealthy backer. How much has Mark Campbell put into the club during his time there? Perhaps a lot more than you might think. But more importantly: Fev own their own ground, which means not only do they not have to pay out rental etc on match days but also they have big income streams on the day from the bar etc. Then there’s the clubhouse, which, Covid permitting, is in near constant use for weddings, conferences, parties etc. It also stages numerous events such as an evening with Frank Bruno/Josh Warrington etc, comedians, all of which are moneyspinners. Then the club has a really impressive roster of sponsors which have been built up over a number of years. The chairman himself oversaw a huge ground improvement which included dismantling two disused stands from Scarborough FC, transporting them piece by piece to Featherstone and re-assembling them by using a group of volunteer Fev supporters who had a variety of building skills. He’s also built a top-class indoor training facility (which we hired out to Wakefield for a number of years). I think that the continues presence in SL of Wakefield, in particular, and Castleford has been a source of great frustration to Campbell in recent years as he has transformed the ground, had consistent success on the field, and views Featherstone as a much “bigger” club than Wakefield, at least, the only difference being the £2m handout every year that enables them to field a squad to keep them in SL, whist they and Cas have been allowed to continue to play in grounds that have been delapidated since well into the last century. And of course there’s one other reason why, as you put it, they are “talked up as one of the division’s big dogs”. Look at the table!
and yet Fev were propped up by Leeds for quite a few seasons…..
LOL, remember when everyone said before this season that Fev would struggle now DR had been abolished? How's that working out?
Fev were about the only team that established an effective working DR relationship with a SL team, most of the others ended in tears. But really the main effect was to enable Mark Campbell to save a few quid each year in terms of how big a squad he had to carry. The idea that Fev were "propped up" by Leeds is laughable; Campbell just used the system to his advantage. The fact that Fev have lost just one league game this year tells you how much we relied on DR.
(BTW most Fev fans are firmly against the concept of DR and are happy that it no longer exists).
tbh there wasnt much competition this year, fev have done well but apart from toulouse who hardly played the rest of the teams were pretty crap, wasnt a decent comp.
I don’t understand the position Feth have found themselves in. The two biggest clubs in the division by a considerable distance is us and Bradford. I am not suggesting that gives us a right to compete but Feth, haven’t got a wealthy backer, they don’t have amazing crowds and their area is hardly the hotbed of commercial activity. So why they now talked up as the divisions big dogs?
Is it any wonder Widnes are hated so much when people like you spout utter B******S
Widnes are not the "big guns* anymore,get used to it.
tbh there wasnt much competition this year, fev have done well but apart from toulouse who hardly played the rest of the teams were pretty crap, wasnt a decent comp.
I think this is fair comment, the overall standard this year wasn't that high. Dont know how much of that was down to the extended time off from Covid.
I don’t understand the position Feth have found themselves in. The two biggest clubs in the division by a considerable distance is us and Bradford. I am not suggesting that gives us a right to compete but Feth, haven’t got a wealthy backer, they don’t have amazing crowds and their area is hardly the hotbed of commercial activity. So why they now talked up as the divisions big dogs?
Is it any wonder Widnes are hated so much when people like you spout utter B******S Widnes are not the “big guns* anymore,get used to it.
Wow bit harsh isn't it? I personally couldn't give a stuff about what other people think.
Going off your previous posts I'd say you're either eternally miserable or just a trouble causing troll
Spike has already clarified his view in a further post.He worded his comment poorly and meant that if Featherstone can be competitive and one of the big hitters at this level then why can't we.Not that he needs me to speak for him.
Rovers are still feeling the legacy of Darryl Powell as well as the reasons pointed out by LL.He laid a good foundation which they still benefit from now.In my opinion.
Hindsight cannot be bought , all the posters coming out now saying I told you so !
well you are so right
I don’t understand the position Feth have found themselves in. The two biggest clubs in the division by a considerable distance is us and Bradford. I am not suggesting that gives us a right to compete but Feth, haven’t got a wealthy backer, they don’t have amazing crowds and their area is hardly the hotbed of commercial activity. So why they now talked up as the divisions big dogs?
Is it any wonder Widnes are hated so much when people like you spout utter B******S Widnes are not the “big guns* anymore,get used to it.
Wow bit harsh isn’t it? I personally couldn’t give a stuff about what other people think. Going off your previous posts I’d say you’re either eternally miserable or just a trouble causing troll
Not at all.
I just can't stand this mightier than thou attitude.
We are widnes?? What does that actually mean.
I watch home and away when I can.
I just get on with it without the attitude.