I think York are the most overrated and overvalued clubs in Rugby League, 2000 attendances, can’t even remember the last time they were in the top flight, they have been extinct more times than the dinosaurs, they’re just a have small purple patch on the field.
Think that's a bit harsh. The club was an absolute basket case for many years, for sure, but under the current management has done a remarkable U-turn and has been progressive for two or three years now. They have been making eyecatching signings for a while now and have done really well to establish themselves as a top-5 calibre Championship team, that's really tough to achieve coming from League One (other than for expansion teams like Toronto and Toulouse).
I suppose the thing with York is that they have gone from sub 1000 crowds to doubling and more their attendances, are ready to move into a new ground and have signed ambitiously. That's what makes them attractive. Are they bigger than Widnes? Of course not.
In terms of where we go, at least we don't necessarily have time pressure...
Obviously shocked when I first heard he’d resigned, but then initially thought it made some sense. 70 year old coach, about to restart training in November with a group of young lads in the midst of a pandemic estimated to last until April which could be very bad for his health. Such things can bring a new focus on life so maybe he wanted to go home? In my mind, this made sense and to be honest, who could blame him if this was the case?
Now, since the unclear club statement and the lack of any comment from Sheens, it’s pretty obvious that it wasn’t Covid, but some other reason. One RL reporter mentions that Sheens was told a few months back that his statistician wouldn’t be at the club and the assumption is that this is the cause. It could be, but as said previously the timing seems odd.
I don’t go for this thinking that the fans deserve answers, it doesn’t always help and HR matters can be sensitive, but at some point the reason will become known and we can look forward to the next round of finger pointing! As the old tv advert goes though, let’s not turn a drama into a crisis. The whole of RL is in trouble and we’ve hit a bump in the road. Sheens has attracted a good core team of players and we have five months until the season starts. Maybe this could be a blessing in disguise?
Think that’s a bit harsh. The club was an absolute basket case for many years, for sure, but under the current management has done a remarkable U-turn and has been progressive for two or three years now. They have been making eyecatching signings for a while now and have done really well to establish themselves as a top-5 calibre Championship team, that’s really tough to achieve coming from League One (other than for expansion teams like Toronto and Toulouse).
I am impressed with what they have done on the field, in fact, I wanted us to appoint Ford when they were in league one and they almost beat catalan in the challenge cup.
But a team who is doing well on the field, doesn't automatically make them this club that everyone should be learning from. Dewsbury under kelly in the 90's looked like they were the next rugby league bubble although they didn't have a stadium like Yorks granted and Featherstone under Powell, domestically a very good championship team but dews or feth were never going to take sl by storm.
I suppose the thing with York is that they have gone from sub 1000 crowds to doubling and more their attendances, are ready to move into a new ground and have signed ambitiously. That’s what makes them attractive. Are they bigger than Widnes? Of course not. In terms of where we go, at least we don’t necessarily have time pressure…
Impressive numbers but York 25 year's ago was attracting over 2,000, so I don't think it is anything new. Out of curiosity, can anyone name me a RL club who has grow their fan base exponentially in the last 20 years, I can't think of one. It seems like many clubs only retain but never attract new fans in great numbers.
Warrington have grow their crowds but they have always had a decent sized base and with success their crowds have just became consistent, Leeds have improved their attendances but again they had a pretty large base to start of with. Cas, would be an example but I think there crowds are solely dependent on them been around the top 4.
There is certainly no unfashionable club from 25 yrs ago that bas broken free and become a major addition. Bradford, ourselves, and Leigh have fallen out of the top echelons and will struggle to get back. Essentially the SL went for bringing outsiders into a smaller pool to increase the members cash share.
If that had been done alongside a better organised and marketed Championship the game could have been strengthened rather than enlarged. But we are where we are, the reorganised Champ is still an option which may become a necessity after Covid.
There is certainly no unfashionable club from 25 yrs ago that bas broken free and become a major addition. Bradford, ourselves, and Leigh have fallen out of the top echelons and will struggle to get back. Essentially the SL went for bringing outsiders into a smaller pool to increase the members cash share. If that had been done alongside a better organised and marketed Championship the game could have been strengthened rather than enlarged. But we are where we are, the reorganised Champ is still an option which may become a necessity after Covid.
I don't believe in the narrative about "sl should only be for big clubs or expansion clubs" it is bull but I will say this, Bradford are far more value to SL than every expansion team combined and they should be in Sl.
I'm a believer in you get promoted on merit, regardless of perceived 'stature'.
Same with relegation, people panicking like mad on various occasions when Leeds or Wigan were at the bottom.
Back to Tim, I reckon he will resurface somewhere within a relatively short period.
As for us, piece in the ECHO today basically saying Widnes should scour both sides of the World, mentioning how Featherstone got Ryan Carr from relative obscurity and he got them to the final.
In principle I agree, but in practice I doubt whether a NSW Cup or Country League Coach would up sticks to come to Widnes in Covid times.
Maybe more light will be shed on the situation in the Papers tomorrow...
There is certainly no unfashionable club from 25 yrs ago that bas broken free and become a major addition. Bradford, ourselves, and Leigh have fallen out of the top echelons and will struggle to get back. Essentially the SL went for bringing outsiders into a smaller pool to increase the members cash share. If that had been done alongside a better organised and marketed Championship the game could have been strengthened rather than enlarged. But we are where we are, the reorganised Champ is still an option which may become a necessity after Covid.
I don’t believe in the narrative about “sl should only be for big clubs or expansion clubs” it is bull but I will say this, Bradford are far more value to SL than every expansion team combined and they should be in Sl.
Agree entirely. How do you define a "big" club in RL terms. This would include Leeds, Wigan, St Helens, Huddersfield, Warrington (?) based on their history, but must also include Bradford and Widnes. If it is based on current attendances, the only "big" clubs in recent seasons (and I deliberately exclude TWP) would be Leeds, Wigan, St Helens, Hull, Warrington and Catalan. However, if you took away the investment by the likes of Moran, McManus and Lenegan to cover the a large part of their costs, would they be in a better financial position than the likes of Widnes based on their running costs ie player wages and income?
The sooner RFL realise that there is an option to expand the game in the UK and this would include the "big" clubs as well as the more traditional clubs like Bradford Widnes; and even looking to London, Newcastle, Coventry, Wales to at least consider the viability of a UK/European expansion, which makes more sense that the current NA expansion, based solely on a up to now empty promise of a future massive NA tv deal that shows no sign of ever materialising.
Highly likely that TS has had a better UK offer imo. Hull FC maybe?
Can't see us as international players atm, bearing in mind the general state of things an the likely drain on club funds. There will be coaches interested who are capable of taking us further at our price range. In truth, as a club, we are still learning to walk again and bearing that in mind we are doing OK. It will never be quick enough for some but we will survive while the TWP/OTTAWA fiasco gets ironed out, then there's a chance.
Think that’s a bit harsh. The club was an absolute basket case for many years, for sure, but under the current management has done a remarkable U-turn and has been progressive for two or three years now. They have been making eyecatching signings for a while now and have done really well to establish themselves as a top-5 calibre Championship team, that’s really tough to achieve coming from League One (other than for expansion teams like Toronto and Toulouse).
I am impressed with what they have done on the field, in fact, I wanted us to appoint Ford when they were in league one and they almost beat catalan in the challenge cup. But a team who is doing well on the field, doesn’t automatically make them this club that everyone should be learning from. Dewsbury under kelly in the 90’s looked like they were the next rugby league bubble although they didn’t have a stadium like Yorks granted and Featherstone under Powell, domestically a very good championship team but dews or feth were never going to take sl by storm.
Where has it been suggested that they are "this club that everyone should be learning from", or that they're "going to take SL by storm."? You said that they were "the most overrated and overvalued club in rugby league", as far as I can see they have just earned a bit of praise for doing well to pull themselves from almost going extinct to being a top 5-calibre club in the Championship in the space of about 3 years. Why do we have to be so scared of giving out a bit of praise when it's merited?
Who is supplying the cash? As long as there is a money tree it is perfectly possible to improve , and quickly. We are still building up something like a bank account, but with virtually no staff other than players and a coach we are nowhere near mounting a challenge for promotion. A good league position would be good, and with our self-funding method should be our aim.
Even before Covid we had about half of our ST holders on board in VIQI,which could well drop with unemployment on the horizon. Can't see any wealthy backers about either. The much vaunted Liverpool project has died and who knows what Beamonts business will do next year.
Survival has to be our priority atm and if we can keep our present playing staff we should be competitive.
Job advert in the League Express basically saying UK and Overseas applicants welcome, as are full and part time.
Further piece discussing the fact Long has applied for numerous jobs in recent weeks.
Seems to me that we will see what presents itself and move from there.
Job advert in the League Express basically saying UK and Overseas applicants welcome, as are full and part time. Further piece discussing the fact Long has applied for numerous jobs in recent weeks. Seems to me that we will see what presents itself and move from there.
The Head Coach will join the existing multi-disciplinary first team staff, made up of an Assistant Coach, Analyst, Strength and Conditioning Coach, and medical staff. ????
On the club website too. Who is the Assistant Coach? Even more intriguing why Sheens went without any explanation from him or the club.
That's two coaches upsticks and away with presumably no restriction by their 'contract' so you must doubt what the contract is for, just to say 'the club pays me until I sod off'?
If you want to be positive it looks like we are on the way to getting a more complete off-field set up. Of course we could all write our own script, optimistic or negative, but if Smithy really wants to get into coaching he could be a nap for player-assistant coach.