Starbug - I think everyone on here knows that you would never hide behind a pseudonym.

I always ignore long, critical posts by members who are making their first contribution to the forum ( Bungo) or their second contribution (Tin Tin) especially when their prose styles are so similar that they are quite possibly the same person with an axe to grind...

Also, any one who says that we should only have Board members who will put a load of money into the club is so far off the mark that their opionion is, in my eyes, totally worthless.

I believe that our Board have done a very good job in circumstances which I don't think most people quite appreciate - we were days away from extinction.

Of course things can be better but the interaction with customers (fans) is better than it has ever been and the club are willing to try new things and, hopefully, learn from them.

Finally, the LSV cannot control the price of food and drink in the stadium any more than the Club can. The licence to operate the refreshment franchise is owned by a private company and until the franchise in rebid then they can do whatever they like! Harsh but true....

Some of the posters points are valid ones re getting more fans through the doors.
If we want that SL place in2015 we HAVE to Increase our fan base.
This years been all about trying to keep afloat on a small budget and we have managed that and finished second, so a massive amount of praise for all those who have made this possible.
Next season will be one were we can try and build.
We have Richie in place now and part of his job will be to market the club, it's a massive task but with the right backing from the board the club can make it work.
I'm looking forward to next season already.

I totally agree that there are areas which need working on and I don't think anyone, including the board, would dispute that. But I also agree with toadstool and anyone who posts in this manner should be treated with the contempt they deserve.

So there you have it folks, make a negative or critical post and be treated with contempt.

Reffy, its the same time every year. Whoever it is not new to the forum despite the 1 post status. It has nothing to do with what is posted. More how it is posted.

That's exactly it Demon, the poster raises a couple of valid points but given that they haven't got the bottle to post it under their usual username, I question both their motive and their reason for posting in this manner.

If they haven't got the cojones to front it out, then they deserve to be treated with contempt like you would any coward.

The difference is that you and I post under our usual names and so people know who we are and what we generally post about - on that basis I would never treat yours or any other regular posters' views with contempt.

This, to me, is someone trying (and succeeding) to make waves.

Some good and valid points but…

What is the main reason for losing almost a third of our fans in a season where we’ve done pretty well in comparison with the previous season and miraculously so if you consider the starting position of the club off the field?

Fev has clearly managed to buck the trend and probably because they’ve marketed the super league aspirations really well. This is something that’s only just got going at Leigh, and unlike at Fev, we’ve been there seen that so a ‘super league drive campaign’ is, unfortunately, unlikely to bring the fans back.

Speaking personally, I have access to free tickets and it shames and pains me to say this, I haven’t used one of them. I’ve been away for many games, but for those which I have been around, I have given in to the many other family pressures. Why? I guess I’m just not excited enough to sacrifice a family day out for a meaningless game v Batley.

No disrespect intended. Batley is a great side, one of our bogeys and this is clearly a more competitive league than SL. Every fixture holds interest from a playing perspective, BUT the fact that the games are largely meaningless tips the balance in terms of whether I choose to go to a game above some other option.

I have also asked friends and family if they’d like to go and the answer is pretty much the same for the same reasons.

This dramatic reduction in crowds during a time of relative success is really worrying, and I agree with the O/P that the board needs to continue to work its collective butts off to try and reverse it.

However, I really do fear that they may be fighting a lost battle until P&R and, preferably, a return to the value of finishing top of the league is restored.

I have to agree with Waterfields Finest and re his summation it is something I have been saying since the idea of licencsing was first muted.

It has not worked and never will and if you have mates who are footie fans ask them what they would think of footie without promotion and relegation.







































7

Re the fans or lack of WF you almost answered the question yourself. As for the use of free tickets...............

From my point of view the thing the club does control is the kick off day and time when not on TV.
Its affected mine and my families financial contribution to the club and thats 3 down each midweek game.
It also effects long term though as I've surprisingly found its very easy to get out of the habit of watching live RL.
On Saturday I opted to stay in Scotland after a football match , last season I would have drove home knowing we had a match but this time I actually thought it wasn't worth it and as I was out the habit I didn't really miss anything (having not seen a game of RL on a sunday for a while).

The other major factors are not directly attributed to Leigh but DO have a big factor.
All our big games go to a Thursday night (how many times have Leigh been on TV this season ?), the Fev game Thursday if (rightly) played on Sunday would have generated huge interest in both towns and we would have seen a Big gate (I'd have hoped for high end 3-4,000), instead its a Thursday so in effect Leighs support will be a quarter of what you'd expect and Fevs home support will also suffer the effect.
Now lets throw in the Play off set up following this game - what other sport allows clubs to be MASSIVELY disadvantaged by not having the same amount of rest days before a huge game, in effect TV dictate who gets to a final - and yet this TV Channel is a Minority one amongst other Minority pay for view ones !
Time for the clubs to start bargaining as it cannot be left to the governing body alone (talking of which anyone after seeing SL Trucks will be pleased to note they can be found between Carlisle and Perth - I saw 12 - including 2 Wakefield ones 10 mins behind each other !).
The Championship clubs need a guy from the RFL who is in charge purely of Championship RL and that particularly brand with a remit to drum up interest in each town - the clubs however must drive this and not just sit back and do nothing, the gates are sliding across the board in this league.

Finally one thing that does effect gates, the actual importance of fixtures.
There is no getting away from it - it does effect a lot of peoples perceptions.
Whilst P&R won't be a back immediately I actually think in the Championship we perhaps need to look at what we have, is the play offs a help when calculating week to week attendances - do fans view a certain fixture pointless as 'we'll make the play offs in anyhow' ?
Should we go for first past the post as true Champions and maybe have the 'play offs' as a seperate competition but have the Top 4 from each Championship division (4 Championship , 4 Championship 1) with the Top 2 guarenteed a home tie in a random draw - perhaps then make it a true Championships play off day out , you'd still win a cup in the main event so it wouldn't be any different than the play off finals day IMHO.

I think RL is at a crossroads, I'm not convinced the sport is really moving forward at all levels but to be honest my major concern is purely Leigh Centurions and the towns local clubs, whilst this season has seen massive strides by our club both on & off the pitch I personally feel there is a lot of work to be done to stop the slide - and lets not forget next year the word on the street will be 'Leigh are playing in a feeder league'.....a very hard sell to get in new supporters and new sponsorship.

lets not forget next year the word on the street will be 'Leigh are playing in a feeder league'.....a very hard sell to get in new supporters and new sponsorship.

If the RFL and SL teams get their way i bet all of us in this league will become feeder clubs at some point.But with this bulls scenario it just shows its a closed shop would'nt we be better breaking away? Getting our own sponsorship,Tv rights etc i know darts isnt a big sport realy but it seemed to work their.What have we got to lose? IMO nothing unless something changes quickly which i very much doubt will happen and the SL and RFL will only get stronger feeding off our clubs at us fans expense.Just my opinion but surely im not the only one that sees where our game is heading.