The "spreading the game" argument is a little weak for the North East and it's a real shame. Newcastle / Gateshead was once a development area and then had it's own SL club in 1999 called "Gateshead Thunder" they finished 1999 above us coached by McRae. Anyone remember them?

Following season it merged with Hull Sharks, changed it's name to Hull FC and played it's home games in Hull...

Of course now we have the Newcastle Thunder who started again in 2001.

Apologies for going slightly off topic here, but Wires71's point leads me to one of my real RL irritations - that the present Hull FC seem to have had the merger wiped from their memory by the Men in Black. The present Hull FC has existed since 1999, when - as Wires71 rightly states - Hull Sharks merged with Gateshead Thunder to create a NEW club called Hull FC (i.e., NOT the same as the former Hull FC). The new club was even given a payment of £1.25m by the RFL to pay off creditors of both Hull Sharks and Gateshead Thunder. But the present Hull FC claim to have been founded in 1865, and won six Championships and five Challenge Cups. Their club badge even has 'Est. 1865' on it, for God's sake! It should actually say 'Est. 1999', and their achievements should be zero Championships and three Challenge Cups. They are living a lie and it just annoys me!

Blinking 'eck and breath!

It doesn't grind my gears, but on the other hand, and the merger malarkey might not be exactly the same, but Huddersfield do tend to get called out on it more openly/regularly Shudders...

Thanks for that only just got over it, had nightmares for years