I think what DM is putting too much of a divide between established top clubs and an emerging top club like ours.
Success in sport is primarily built from good financial backing, then the right people have to be put in place with that money. Look back through the history books of all sports and that is the start of every story for everyone who has succeeded and page one will show you a rich backer coming in to invest in them. Whether it's as simple as investing in facilities and coaches in a youth set-up or going as far as buying the best players at the elite first team level, it's all about the money.
Wigan RL were invested in in the 1980s and turned professional almost monopolising rugby for themselves before anyone else could get their foot in the door; from United in the 1950s to Celtic in the 1960s to Barcelona in the present day (investment in youth); from Arsenal in the 1920s to Real Madrid in the 1950s to Chelsea in recent years (investment in first team); "The Mersey Millions" that both Merseyside clubs benefitted from; looking at this Summer of the 2012 London Olympics (unprecidented National Lottery funding gearing towards medal success); the American dream is all about money, you get nowt over there for free; what City are doing right now...I could go on and on.
Everything about success is built on investment. Nothing just happens because a club is special or a manager works magic out of nowhere.
Until very recently Wire had little to no money. There was talk of us struggling badly at times. But investment came our way and since then it's been like we've been a completely different club to what we were in recent decades. For years we had an old stadium that needed updating, that's changed. For years we had fairly poor crowds, that's changed. For years we produced hardly any young talent, that's changed. For years we didn't win a trophy, that's changed. But before all those changes there were already clubs that had been in that position for years, some for decades. We're just getting up to that level and are only just starting to establish ourselves as a top club.
After a while of being established everyone forgets about that initial backing that dragged a club from wherever they were to where they're going or where they've ended up. Nobody has a Devine right to be a top club, nobody should have monopoly of success and history tells us that the same teams never stay at the top. There's always someone else. Swinton used to be a top club so did Salford, Preston used to be a top club is footy so did Burnley, but times changed. Wigan Saints Leeds and Bradford haven't always been the top clubs winning all the trophies. And look; Bradford haven't won a trophy in six years, Saints haven't won a trophy in four years...Wire have won 3 Challenge Cups and the SL LLS in the last four years.
We aren't the nearly men like some have said very recently. Catalans reached a Challenge Cup final and Grand Final Eliminator - losing both. That's what 'nearly' is. I'll say again, we've won four trophies in four years. The only clubs who match that are Wigan who have done the same and Leeds who are freaks and have reached something like 14 of the last 26 finals that are possible to reach (winning eight).
People need to get rid of this inferiority complex now. I'll say for a third time, we've wonhttps://www.therhinos.co.uk/images/news/challenge_cup_wembley_rdax_529x285.jpg" >
...in the last four years.
Come on lads n lasses...now the Wire!
