It depends if we want to appeal to the kind of people who are likely to be attracted to RL or not! Let's not kid ourselves we never gave away 5000 tickets for a Broncos game at GP and ove been able to get countless friends in for free at the stoop with other free giveaways etc. Paying customers must be well down.

The noise from the home fans is nothing like what it was either. New players would often comment on the noise generated by Broncos fans, and ill never forget the look on NBQs face
when he first heard it from his wing by the main stand. As far as I'm concerned we've lost a lot more than just fans by changing our name. But if it is brought down to that level I'm certain we have lost a significant number of them.

Scary, being in agreement with GF does nothing for my street cred
You and Dave)the latter only at times} make yourselves look fools enough with the stupid name calling! and personal attacks, so why do I need to lower myself? or even worry any longer.

To see a single brand of a rugby league club in London with a good team and first class marketing.

Never liked Griffin Park! so looks like we may never agree lol, for me I enjoyed it at The Valley, which I presume you will come back and say you hated! lol

What a bafflingly vain point of view.

I've got no problem with associating ourselves with QRU - initially I did, its true, but I grew out of it - largely because I think the stoop is excellent and also because we've gained a few fans of the type described above, Quins RU fans who have either got STs or come to watch the odd game. What an attitude like this does is tell them that we think we're better than them and we want nothing to do with them. That's not an attitude we can afford with the club in such a precarious position.

On the other hand, I had to laugh when Andy Wilson wrote in his 'set of six' this week that being called Harlequins RL alienated fans of Saracens, Wasps et al. If its that much of a problem for these people, here's an idea - GROW UP! pmsl as well at the idea of such an intercine 'rivalry' in London club rugby union - I know of Surrey Championship cricket clubs who have greater rivalries than that. Its pathetic.

A change of name and ground can't be judged on 5 years, especially 5 years when we've had sod all money. I don't know how many times I can keep going over this.

What's 'bafflingly vain' about a fiercely proud RL fan wanting to support an RL club with it's own identity? All you guys trying to act like you're writing a thesis on metaphysical modernity in the modern sporting marketplace make me laugh. Get your head out of your backsides. We're RL fans and we're all entitled to an opinion. Mine is that I want to support an RL club not a union club.

I loved the Coke Pepsi analogy. It is true without RU co-operation at a local club level the Summer Conference would never have got of the ground to which we are grateful, they must have been grateful for the rent and bar takings, but good on 'em. But Union and League are clean separate things as King Charles once said, you can like either, neither or both, but it sure confuses a lot of people who don't know what rugby is. We should be targeting the soccer fans with whom there is more affinity that RU.

nb I have nothing against Union, as with tennis and golf, I just don't like it, and lord knows I have tried to.

I have no issues with your point about supporting a club with it's own identity, where I do have issues is that there is also a point being made that having done this, we would suddenly increase our gates from all those supposed stay away supporters who hate the current identity, and the facts don't support that thesis as for the likelyhood of loads of London Irish, Sarries et all supporters suddenly jumping on board cos we are not longer using their rivals tag..............well I am not holding my breath.

People, regardless of what primary or secondary sports they like, will come along if what is put in front of them is something they can enjoy & is value for money, much like a good few QRU supporters have done for our sport.

Well we are exactly the opposite then, I HOPED the change of name was going to work and I thought we would bring on board the same major sponsors as the RU Club, but it is has not worked, you say we have had little money, lets put it this way David Hughes and his Bank Manager will not agree when they look at his private accounts!

I rate Andy Wilson as one of our best rugby league journalists, he is from the younger end of the range and looks at everything with a real open mind, I don't always agree with him but that is the same with any sports debate.

IF more money is going to be invested and the RFL are going to put in even more output (depending on us getting another 3 year licence) then we have to get it right this time! we can't risk giving it five years with the Quins brand, we need a complete new re-launch. Yesterday it was reported that we are close to an agreement with Sky for the next period and it is even more money when I was thinking along with many others that they may have made a reduction like with parts of football, we don't know all the facts there may be some conditions?

We are not all going to agree whatever the decision is! but we have got to Unite and get behind the choice made as it could be the last throw of the dice for London with Super League!

Sorry mate but I've now got image in my head of Dave Lister marching up and down Oxford St with the sandwich boards like that bloke years ago (I think he's dead now) - do you remember him ? I think his problem was along the lines of 'less lust from meat , nuts and sitting down!' I remember going past him once while he was in full rant mode saying ' you taxi drivers know what I mean oh yes!'

It is good to see someone giving feedback the same view I receive from Union fans in the London area I know, regards the name Harlequins RL, no way would they appreciate being told to "grow up" as it is their personal feeling/opinion. IF we had converted just 10% of the regular Harlequins Rugby Union base/match attendees then perhaps we could have just said it is life we have alienated other rugby union supporters, but I would bet we are lucky if we have brought in many more than 100!

At the end of the day there is going to have to be some compromise and that may be staying at The Stoop until we can achieve our own ground or even as part owners which should be the aim for the next licence application submission.

Rob, were they attendees at Broncos games pre the 2006 change or would they be new supporters?

If I remember correctly, we shared the Stoop with the Irish and Quins during the last season of the first stay there, but I don't honestly remember many Irish supporters [or at least many wearing their colours] coming along at that time.

Trouble is thats moving the goalposts a bit............ changing the ground [for which I am in favour] is a different matter to changing our name and staying at the Stoop in the hope it beings in many more seat warmers.

In an ideal world of course we would own our own ground, be branded under our own identity and have enough investors on board in order to help fund a winning side, but all of those steps are unlikely to be achieved at once.

Ps, the Valley was souless.

I remember him well. I worked in Oxford Street for a couple of years in the late 80's and he was always there then. He had pamphlets for sale (presumably expanding on the theme of his sandwich board) at a really odd price, like 11p or something. Around the same time I remember seeing an old film made around 1970 with a scene shot in Oxford Street, and the same bloke appeared in the background at one point. I haven't seen him for many years now though.

That's right I remember - I also remember the missus actually going up and buying one of his leaflets just to see what he was on about! She was working at the old Middlesex Hospital at about the same time as you say, and often used to go to Oxford St in her lunch break. And it was an odd sort of price for his pamphlet! I'm pretty sure I read that he had died a few years ago.