Not good..

I am appalled to hear this news. Granted, it's not my club that is enduring a name change, but I honestly believe it would be best for the club to move forward. Andy Mazey and his fellow directors, (as well as the coaching staff and players) have made huge strides recently to stabilise the club off the pitch, and make significant moves forward, on the pitch. I believe that the Board had identified a shrewd opportunity to take advantage of any potential new TV deal for the Championship

I don't know the other Directors, but I do know Andy, as a passionate RL fan, of great integrity, who has been working tirelessly for the good of the club, and who should be applauded for his efforts. There is no place in life, let alone sport, for personal abuse and threats. Those making the threats should be ashamed of themselves, and ask themselves if they want a club to support, whatever its name.

If I were a Swinton fan right now, I would be gathering as much support as possible, to try and persuade the Board to withdraw its collective resignation.

A club's name is it's identity and heritage. I still hate the name "Wolves" stuck needlessly in the middle of Warrington RLFC and it's been there for over two decades. If we decided to take Warrington out of our name and replace it with, for example, Cheshire, to try and attract a wider catchment area, then I would see it as the end of the club. It would no longer represent the town if it no longer bore it's name. That's basically what Swinton are trying to do. I don't condone death threats and the like, but in principle my full sympathy is with the fans who are fighting the change.

They've 'bitten off' the hand that fed them....but becoming Manchester Lions I doubt would have increased sponsorship/attendances etc anyway. Turned out to be a win/lose situation for Swinton fans.

Thought the game would of learned from trying to convert the Wakefield area to rename it as Calder but obviously not

Swinton havent played in that town since 1992 so its a bit different to changing the name of a towns club.
If people genuinely believe that a name is more important than the club then good luck.

They don't play in Swinton, so if anything the Swinton name is the bit that does not hold true. Basically Swinton the club is on life support and you could call the Manchester club a successor club or the birth of a new club.

But if they keep their name but lose everything else how does that benefit them?

Other clubs have changed their name before now, manningham changed its name and its sport.

Or chorley to Blackpool panthers.

Even the northern Union changed the sports entire name.

Its a different thing to compare a stable club like Warrington, that have a stable fan base and suggests changing their name or moving location.

When you've got over a century of history, the name IS the club. Sale RU don't play in Sale, and probably have a far higher percentage of their regular home crowd that don't live in the town whose name they bear than any RL club does. They tried a Manchester rebrand a few years ago, but reverted back to Sale because ultimately that is who they are, regardless of where they play or where their fans are drawn from. Swinton are Swinton and that's that.

Swinton directors should have learnt off Salford when koukash tried the same thing 2 years back.Koukash had to leave after fans abuse when he wanted to change Salfords name

Well the fans can do what they want now they have chased away the only fan putting money in to the club.

I'm sure them fans who chased away the chairman will dig into their own pockets to make up the shortfall that the chairman was putting in before.

RL Supporters: "The game needs better marketing!"
Swinton Board: "OK, we're going to reposition the club and work hard to make it appeal to new markets that don't necessarily identify with Swinton"
RL Supporters: "No, not like that. We meant put some posters in the bus station or something."