Can't fully remember as i wasn't so old enough but seem to recall a similar witch hunt of Tony Gartland who subsequently pulled his money out of the club.

Might not be correct and obviously dont know the full details but lets not push people away who have been investing money in the club.

Tony Gartland left as he was in favour of mergers and his wife was verbally abused during the protests.He left his money in the club as it would have folded otherwise.Always hoped he'd come back one day after the dust settled but it never materialised.

I remember reading Tony saying, as well as watching the match he had started to count how many fans were coming through the turnstiles for the games.
Obviously concerned about falling attendances even then.

You can't make money from running a RL club. It's hand to mouth. Breaking even is the best you can hope to achieve in most cases.

IIRC David Brook brought success and big crowds to Fax but it was all built on sand in the end. Bit like us. I expect most would rather keep the titles and see some success than be perpetually going nowhere but solvent?

Lack of money, age old problem with the game, I have watched and listened to a good few of the old legends talk about how many clubs were always near to the financial cliff edge as far as you can go back.

Slight correction. I wouldn't say that he was in favour of mergers. He was instructed by the RFL to discuss the "possibility" of a merger with Bradford and it all kicked off! He later said that it was never really on.

Heard tday Ian croad as quit from a good source?

Who is left ?

I have to say I am quietly confident in the changes being made, making a real difference off field and bringing back ambition and enthusiasm to the club once more. It's positive from me. In with the new now please.

OK OK, I apologise for the comment about Michael Steele. I was upset at the Swinton result, and my frustrations got the better of me.

And it's an accumulation of things ...... trips to the Shay have become more of a chore than an enjoyment. Struggling to get into the top 4 in a 12 team league says it all and I fear for the club if we fail again this season. 4 meaningless home games will see yet more fans not bothering and getting out of the habit of attending, and with the £17 admission putting off new fans, the spiral down will gain momentum.

I only attended last season's "league of death" games because I had a season ticket, and likewise this season. But this bonkers league structure will mean I won't be renewing my season ticket for the first time in 30 years in 2018, and even though I'll have the intention of attending all the regular season games, I'll probably end up picking and choosing. Don't blame me, blame the RL.

Why on earth can't we have the old style top 5 play off system (where the top team has 2 bites of the cherry at home) with the GF winner getting promoted? It's not too much to ask. Is it?

You have a point about the Shield if we end up in it as I won't be going to the away games apart from Odsal if we play there and the home games are not very appealing either playing the same teams again and not in a knock out game but I have a season ticket so will go.
We need to go back to something like the Northern Rail Cup and Play Offs with a Grand Final I agree

Good on yer Tony and I fully share the accumulated frustrations.
I'm just going to games on autopilot these days partly because of how we have being playing and partly with what's going on in the game overall.

Agreed.