The Reserves setup is obviously something the young lads and fringe players want and need. It's a travesty that other clubs choose not to have one. If we can afford it then anyone can. I hope it's something we continue with and benefit from enough to make others follow suit instead of throwing the towel in.

I too thought Stephenson was impressive, he backed up well too, the bit where he supported Andrade and made a 60m break being a highlight. Definitely one for the future in a couple of years. Rowan Milnes also looked a classy player.

In the forwards I think a reserves is even more important. It's a huge gap from 19s to Championship. I remember Liam Kirk looking v good for our 19s but it's a totally different kettle of fish playing with full grown men. He's going to take time to make the step up and that's for a big lad like him. The others will need nursing through gradually. The fact that clubs have to make a call on players at 19 is ridiculous for forwards.

There seems to be a lot more togetherness and players seem to be responding. Hopefully we'll build on it and resist the urge to recruit willy nilly, but I have confidence in Kear. There will be no Ferres vs Lowes player recruitment disagreements now.

On the side of affording it I've no clue what the finances are like but I think we only have about 7 or 8 fulltime players. The rest are part timers. I don't imagine they're on much. Even Keyes is part time (but if he carries on like he is he'll attract interest from elsewhere).

We're on about 3k season tickets sold. That's at least £300k. £75k from the RFL. I can't see us spending more than a few hundred grand on the playing budget. Definitely not more than half a million on all the players and coaches and staff. But this is just guesswork.

Feeling better now Mr Wildbull?

Last weekend 4 of us who went over to Keighley and have supported the Northern / Bulls for decades all believed the fans would return.
As far as what annoys fans I wouldn't blame the media announcements or lack of them from Mr Chalmers. Out of 4 ST holders 2 of them don't have a computer and the other one hasn't heard of this site or use any other. Only I come on here and don't give a damn about getting a young lad doing the press to save money to spend on the players and coach.
Chalmers and whoever is clearly helping him financially are doing the important things first. I am happy to see penny pinching being done. What a shame we didn't do it 10 years ago. It will get sorted when we can afford it.
I enjoy reading peoples thoughts on here but it is just a tiny handful of those near 3K ST holders. What happens on the field is what will enthuse the rest of the 3K and that is looking very encouraging to me.

Interesting quote in League Express a couple of weeks back. Sounds as if Kear's really had a positive impact since he arrived.

It's already feeling like it was well worth taking time over the coaching appointment

To be honest, I take no issue with just about all of that.

Where I part company with you is over the press/website statements. This is one area where, 'doing it on the cheap', to cut costs is self-defeating; the press/website is the business shop front, it is where initial judgements are made and first impressions of the club are formed. Misspelled and ungrammatical press releases and web pages are not the way to attract businesses to be sponsors or to give an impression of being business like. In general, to be blunt, it's fair to say most other businesses don't do it that way for a reason.

Thing is, it's not necessary. There is already a well-qualified journalist (Stu Duffy) at the club, though I confess he is busy doing other duties and may not want to go over old ground, he is though the perfect choice to mentor our, 'new recruit', and in the interests of the club, to just run his eyes over the stuff before it is published for the world to wonder at.