Gotta love this thread
The Club I support know full well where they need to improve and so do the supporters. Our crowds are terrible and as a direct result of that, our chairman is picking up the bill every year (and long may it continue) As a result of this failure to attract fans we have long been the subject of "conspiracy theorists" along the M62 corridor, but these people have never provided any proof that the RFL were bailing the club out or providing any financial support. Harlequins Rugby League have NO DEBTS.....at all. They are reliant on 1 man, which isn't good, but they are financially secure (for now)

Now, the chairman, who owned 35% of the club but was footing 100% of the bill asked the RFL to clear up the mess created when the majority shareholder was allowed to buy Wigan....and immediately the 'conspiracy theorists' are out in full claiming bail outs....but again, with not one shred of evidence.
When these people then question the spread of the game in London, they are again put back in their place with statistics and proof of the level of participation in the south east........but still they come back with more unsubstantiated claims of bail outs or reminders of how terrible our crowds are.
L. McCarthy-Scarsbrook was 9 years old when SL started......he is now a cockney England international on his way to play for one of the big 4 clubs. The other 12 cockneys who have run out for the club this year were all between 9 and 5 years old when SL started......they are the tip of the iceberg. Rome wasn't built in a day...........it takes time to get these kids through, but London RL is starting to produce RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS....not Union converts. That's 13 lads, playing in the top UK league who would never have played the game if it wasn't for London Broncos being invited to Superleague......simple fact...but quite important.

What the conspiracy theorists fail to take on board is that you can't expect a team to suddenly be packed with local talent after 2 years of SL. Before SL, there was little or no amateur set up in the area.....and the work done by the community teams over the years since 1996 is the main reason that there are 25 amateur clubs in the area...the main reason there are 1,600 registered adult players....and guess who paid for all ths community work? Tell you what, it sure as hell wasn't the RFL.

I wish Castleford every success in 2011 and onwards. I like your ground as it is, but alas, all the clubs bought into the franchise thing and therefore, it needs to go, but I sincerely hope that you get everything sorted in time to get another 3 years. Your fans (in the main) are always welcoming and warm hearted and I think it would be a shame if your club was to be ejected......but threads like this one and some of the comments regarding quins really do you no favours.

Two things worth bearing in mind:

1) Not all Cas fans hate London or expansionism.
2) Other 'northern' clubs have just as many parochial fans as we do. Often more...

As a Cas fan living down south I'm very pro London. If nothing else it's a relatively easy away game to get to each year, but I also see the huge benefit of a top flight pro side in the capital. Having said that, stereotypes work both ways: Cas has about as many flat cap wearing, whippet walking nay-sayers as Quins have saveloy munching pearly kings and queens in regular attendance. Expansion of the game is a good thing, undoubtedly, but in the main what people simply want to assert is that you don't kill the roots to spread the tree. Carefully managed, the game can grow in an inclusive way without sacrificing parts of itself along the way.

"The RFL will help in the office, help in technical support and some financial support too, but that's in the long term, not a big cash pay-out now," explained Hughes.



Nothing explained at all !!

very well said gutterfax

and thats bang on Disco mi old mucker, another one is we all know Widnes have been given the green light (and i will show my ar$e in Cas market on a Monday morning if they don't) Now Ive nothing against Widnes, they will bring crowds, but to kill a well supported team to make way is ridiculous, add on like the Aussie system is the way to go

I need to lie down....we agree

Gutterfax you will notice its the same group of fans who constantly argue with anyone who will listen

Real fans are leaving this board because of the drivel and constant 'keep us in because they did that' twoddle. Its repetitive and tbh embarrasing sometimes.

I cant understand what goes on in there minds, i dont have any world domination dreams for RL but we do need to take the game forward. Some people are just scared of change and fair play to them its how they are. What i do object to is trying to deflect attension away from us by pointin out other teams shortcoming.

ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH i will prob get some pms threatening me again because of this but hey ho

Be Happy we all think differently thats whats good about the world (and whats bad lololololol )

By this i take it that the superleague brainwashing has worked on you or you havent been around long enough to see this london experiment go cap in hand every 3 or 4 years, London aint working , 30 years of failure should show you that and they should stand or fall on their own like the heartland clubs have to.
I dont recall the RFL riding to help Oldham, Wakey with the tax mess ,and more recently Whitehaven.

If they cant stand alone then. sad as it is they should go the way of the others (kent, paris,scarborough)

You know it makes sense, just wont admit it

If a club has been going for thirty years I would not call that a failure. Struggling, yes. But definitely not a failure.

Your right im brainwashed, must of been when i went out of cas?? that's why your still OK

We Can all make stats say whatever we want them to but the London thing was always gonna be long term. they haven't been bailed out nor will they be the RFL just helped with some legal stuff.

I personally think they need a true identity ie West Ham type an area of London, I really don't think Harlequins helps at all.

Again just my thoughts

Perhaps we should just accept that London has a modest amateur and Junior scene, but it's not cut out for top flight!

London has brought a few players through to top flight over the past 30 years....but so what??? I could name any one of 10 or 20 other teams or even amateur teams that have done the same or more during this period yet haven't recieved anything like the support or exemptions that London have. That's what annoys so many.

It's a bit like the situation people see with banks. If you are a long standing loyal customer you aren't entitled to anything, but if you are a new customer you get everything!! (Just think of how the Crusaders were fast tracked through the leagues, London's finances never adding up yet no point deductions or relegations, just think of Catalans 3 year relegation exemption). Their are potentially many NL1 or NL2 teams that have given so much to the game over the past 60+ years yet recieved nothing. With 20 or 30 years of RFL support and exemptions many of these teams could currently be bringing so much more to the game than the Quinns currently do. Why isn't the RFL supporting these long standing patrons of the game? When does some equality kick in??

In this London gamble, and it continues to prove to be a gamble, when do you stop throwing good money after bad?? In 10 or 15 years time what's the bets that the situation remains the same?.......and the same are saying that the RFL can't pull out of London now etc etc...all the same arguments will be put on the table as they are now, whilst these long standing NL1/NL2/amateur teams that have given the game so much will cease to exist!

Londons finances DO add up. David Hughes is writing the cheques that balance their books. If you are referring to 2005 when they fell foul of the Inland Revenue, I think you will find that there were no rules or regulations in place regarding points deductions for insolvency. As for relagation.....Londons representative team in Superleague have yet to finish in a relegation position...I think you'll find that's why they have never been relegated.

I don't know, maybe we should ask David Hughes as it's his money that's been thrown at the problem....not anyone elses.

...whilst you're doing your mystic meg impersonation, how's about throwing in next weeks lottery numbers.......

We get it....you think London shouldn't have a team, especially if it's at your teams expense and nobody can blame you for feeling that way....but if you are going to pepper your argument with theory instead of fact, maybe you should keep your thoughts to yourself

...whilst you're doing your mystic meg impersonation, how's about throwing in next weeks lottery numbers.......quote]

If there was 30 years worth of a repeating pattern, sure I'd give you the lottery numbers! LOL

Seriously, I surrender!! Let's re-convein in 10 years time. Or in the meantime, wear your Quinns shirt at the next away game at Cas, so it's easy for me to find you and I'll buy you a beer. LOL