Quote: The Lucky Black Cat "If Widnes, Salford, Barrow, Batley or Rochdale have a rich chairman willing to bankroll them good. I hope they are successful and win things. But things usually happen in a circle.Good and Bad times come to all teams. I hope Widnes go in SL and win it soon as possible as for me it would be great for the game I love. Its boring that St.Helens and Leeds win everything despite watching the great brand of Rugby they play. Thankfully Fax are now playing that type of Rugby if not winning anything yet-but our time will come. We just need to be patient and build on and off the field. I personally think we are still some way off and would rather not be in SL if it saves us struggling near the bottom and coming on here and people bag the players and coaching team.
Its good that Quins have survived so far-even though unfairly helped. There are more people playing RL in London area than in Cumbria and East Yorkshire/Humberside. Much of that is down to the Bronco/Quins/Crusaders. Its great to see London guys playing SL and playing for England. I am likely in a minority because while I love my club and love to see them doing well, I love the game more. The game has so much potential both in Halifax, UK, Europe and the World. However its not the fans or the clubs at Quins and Celtic that are at fault for the way things are but the people running the game at the RFL and RLIF. Each club should be viewed and treated as the next club with no exceptions. Its this stupid idea from the RFL that we MUST have a team in Wales, france , London that has caused many divisions in the game. If Celtic, Widnes, Barrow, Rochdale have a rich chairman and have EARNED the right to play in SL-I doubt many people would have a problem. But its the way the game is run by people who have no idea that is slowly ruining the game.'"
Some fair points in your post and although the urban myth of us being finncially assisted by the RFL rears its ugly head, I agree with your sentiments (mostly).
The point of expansion is that the amateur code (yeah right) that turned pro have left league so far behind that its embarassing and that to try to catch up, the powers that be need to try new things. Believe me, RL in London is only strong because SLY TV and the RFL made the decision to bin Keighly for us in 1996. If they hadn't done this, then RL would pretty much be as it was over 100yrs ago.....a marginalised northern sport that nobody gives a toss about. Because of London, France and now wales, the RFU pay attention to what we are up to and as such, the british media have to keep an eye on us too. When I started watching Live RL (2001), there was little if any coverage in a Monday edition of the national papers. Now, there is coverage in most papers. Small, but it's there.
I am all for a 16 or 18 team league, with a Quota that is set in stone and young english talent coming through, but to look upon the "experiment" in London or France as failures is too myopic to be believed.
Rugby League is better for having a pro team in London and the French have really grabbed the bull by the horns.
Lastly, I agree with the poster about getting young fans to the game. Most SL grounds I go to have a predominently "older" crowd and for the game to grow, we need to get the kids in. The average age of a Quins RL fan is very very worrying!
