I'm sure many future Bradford fans have been secured by their cup runs in the last 3 years. It's not however a sustainable model to bank on attracting fans through beating bigger sides regularly. Teams have to go about it in other ways, especially in our case when many of our fans not have an apathy towards winning caused by the incredible success over recent years.

I understand that, but if you have a couple of storming games every decade, that might be enough to 'win over' the young and impressionable fans, meaning they then are there through the abject decades that will invariably follow!

I know what made me a Newcastle fan was our swashbuckling entry into the PL in the 93/94 season. That won me over and has kept me attending (some years a lot more than others) since. I have watched us play guff across Europe and some random and obscure British towns and cities since. The side in the early 00's will have enticed the next generation of young kids in for similar life-long disappointment!

I take the point about young Rhinos having been spoilt in recent years - I have come on board just after that stopped - maybe what entices us as kids is in part the 'possibility' of achieving something whereas if the team is actually doing so on a regular basis, where does that let your imagination and expectation go, if you are already achieving all that you can?

I think inviting the kids on the pitch to do different things at half-time is a massive part of that - 'I played rugby / danced / walked round / waved a flag on the Rhinos' pitch!!!'

That is one advantage that the RL definitely has over football and should take credit for.

I agree with pretty much everything you've written. But I would argue we've had more a couple of storming games in the last 2 decades! As a teacher, seeing kids go onto the pitch, meet players, whatever else they can engage in is what is going to attract them to the game. The opportunities Leeds provide are second to none and we should remember that. The Foundation plays a huge part in this now and is trying to take out great game to more and more people. This should never be lost in discussions about atmosphere and bringing the teams out separately to please a couple of drunk men who want to make obscene gestures to the opposition as they run on!

Rugby league has always been a business, but nowadays it's more about generating income than ever before, and that affects the type of crowd you draw. All the gimmicks attached to the match day experience are for the benefit of less passionate fans. Passionate fans will be there week after week,gimmicks or no gimmicks, win lose or draw. The regular, longstanding attendees tend to have a better understanding of the game, consequently they see more, feel more and that is what generates passion thus the atmosphere. I've nothing against family groups being targeted and exploited for financial gain, but a lot of them are just bums on seats swelling the coffers, wearing the replica shirts from XS to XXXL. A large percentage of the crowd come for the "matchday experience" rather than the match itself. When I started coming as a kid i was happy with a 10p programme and a black and white picture of Neil Hague for 5p if I was flush. Rugby League nowadays is a perfect example of life in general, people need so much more in a material sense before they can even consider being happy.

Going to Odsal at the height of Bullmania and watching all manner of weird looking creatures and object parade around the speedway track was akin to an LSD trip.

We shouldn't forget that somewhere tucked away in a cupboard are 3 more Rhino mascot costumes - was it Rita, Ricky and Rosie?

To be honest I think we should forget that .

I thought they had been deported?

I agree. It was meant as a reply to the post about Bradford's farcical parade! We went too far occasionally too!

I think I saw some of those creatures in and around Valley Parade on Sunday!

Bloody UKIP.