We seem to have the same Cup comments every time it comes round. But it's a fact that the crowds in the early Cup rounds are extremely low. For everybody. Whatever the fixture. This is because apart from each club's stalwarts, most of the rest simply do not connect with it as an occasion to spend their *T*I*M*E*. It isn't money. For a season or maybe two, the RFL tried including the first Cup game FREE with all season tickets. Think about it. Al season tickets could get in FREE. Not a tenner. Nothing. Zilch.

Did it increase early round crowds? No, it didn't. Which is why it was quietly scrapped.

Folk keep coming up with all these "should do this, should do that, or else the crowd will be crap" ideas off the top of their heads but you are wasting your time. You won't get a big crowd whatever you do because people don't see it as an event worth attending. Personally I'm sure the Cup began to be slowly strangled as a Comp as soon as the RFL/SL started messing about with its timing and it has never got that back. People will still go to the Final, as that is still a "must see" occasion for enough people but the earlier rounds, and even the semis if the wrong teams get to them, are no longer going to attract decent crowds. The CC Cup was wrecked by meddling, and it would be hard to fix it.

Workington have - Sheffield (H); Dewsbury (H)(the postponed fixture); Bradford (A); Bradford (A); Haven (H) and Leigh (A) in a 22 day period.

That is a testing run of fixtures, for any squad. 6 games in 22days. The 3 away games being us x2 & Leigh. Hopefully they can maximise their Dual reg players, but then that brings in the cup-tied issue for the SL club.

So, they've been directed to play the postponed game, as soon as possible. But its close to Easter. Would it not have been reasonable to delay that game (between 2 part time squads - with day jobs) until later in the season? Perhaps near a CC weekend when(if?) they've both been knocked out? Its a bit harsh from the RFL, looking at that.

Well I can only speak in relation to my own situation. And that is that we struggle to be able to afford £50/£60 (plus the extras at the ground)to go to Odsal as a family of 4 as often as I'd like, so a reduction in price would be directly relevant.

My time isn't the issue, but I accept that reasons such as my own can't explain the fact that the cup is largely seen as no draw whatsoever.

But you aren't exactly a floating voter, you're a moderator on a RL forum, which puts you in the vanguard of committed fans! You do help to explain though why not even all the diehard fans can or do attend every Cup game.

On that weekend I go away to Alnwick (I said that weekend the missus with it being a Challenge cup weekend) meaning when the Bulls roll out again Town I'll be sat in a hot tub drinking beer.

If the club aren't willing to get (proper) beer and hot tubs in at Odsal then they won't see me at challenge cup matches.

Mmm, where do they hide the [proper] beer and hot tubs for the league games, then Macbull? I'd definitely arrive earlier...

I've seen the real cider and sauna tent if that helps.

Play them both together. One game that gets you through to the next round and also gets you two league points.
Brilliant idea I thinks!

To be fair, I bet both clubs would go for that as the cup game is likely to be a money loser all round - probably won't even cover expenses.

Were you W.S. Gilbert in a previous life, FA?

I have no idea, but would love to take the credit for his masterpieces. I got hooked on them when by fluke when i was at Uni we were living near Sadlers Wells and someone got tickets for Pirates of Penzance, by yer actual D'Oyly Carte, for a laugh. I went expecting a joke, but came out hooked!

Your prose was heading that way, almost "the very model of a modern forum moderator". For me it was being dragged by my mum to the Alhambra or Leeds Grand when the D'Oyle Carte were in town, but as you you say, the very English eccentricity of it all stays with you forever.