The East stand just feels further away from the pitch (it is) and therefore, less a part of the game experience. Also, why should we be the only club that doesn't have sets of supporters facing each other. There were plenty of games at GP when it would have been easier to just close the terrace and stick the away fans in the west corner of the ground beside us, but we didn't, because that's the way sport is. Singing "top of the league, you're having a laugh" to St Helens fans sat 4 rows across, is not as much fun as singing it across the pitch at them.
It is utter bollox that the cost involved is the reason. The temp staff work the hours they are told to. The stewards would have no extra work load. 2 beer wagons and the west bar for home fans with the Kings open for all post game.
It just stinks of laziness on the part of the club. Nobody appears to be doing anything.
The idea of working for Quins RL should be the most important thing on the staffs mind, not how to do SFA and get paid for it. 1 ex-member of staff lasted 2 years and sold 1 box........a perfect example of the work ethos at TW2......in my humble opinion that is!

I actually found the request for this donation quite offensive. Maybe I'm just a tight git.

I also found it quite amusing, they should absorb it in the price of the season ticket. If that means they can't hit the magic £99 mark then so be it.

If you consider how few season ticket holders we have currently and take away those who won't renew (which I imagine will be significant after another dismal season) then take away those who won't pay the £5 and I don't see how they will get enough money to make any significant difference.

I, in all honesty, would charge £99 across the board unallocated. Then, £40 to get an allocated seat on a first come first served basis.
I would then offer an optional £65 charge for "club membership", giving you access to the players bar and a 10% store discount.
An additional £65 would get you pre-match meals in the "jesters club".

if you want to go the whole hog, you pay £20 a game, if you want just Rugby, £7.61 a game.

As for the development tax.........they really are taking the p155.

Less than 1,000 ST's in 2010......There's progress for you. In 2 years time we will probably have 12 London Born England internationals but no fans and no licence...t'riffic

So an extra 5 yards or so kills the atmosphere and you can justify opening another stand because of this small piece of concrete? You make it sound like you are miles away from the pitch like at Hull KR. The players can hear you.

I don't understand your point about GP. The situation there is the same as what it will be next season. For the teams with decent away followings, i.e the vast majority, the North Stand will be open so you can sing at them all you like.

You honestly think it is just because the club are lazy? I have often criticized them before but I do not see how this is lazy. This is logical and makes the most sense. Two stands is enough. Fill one or even think about getting near filling one before thinking about opening another of the same size.

You idea about singing across at other fans falls on its @rse somewhat. You think its better singing across the whole pitch than from one side to the other? Ever been to Leeds? Do those on the Western Terrace and those in the South Stand struggle to communicate?

Sorry, but I enjoyed the "cross field" banter in 2007.........and as I said, we are the only club to do this.

OK.....Let's try this one then.
A crowd of 4,250 will fill the east stand.

If you were a first time fan, would you think that:

a/ it slightly odd that there are 3 empty stands....do these guys pay rent on the stands if they open them?
b/ think....wow, that was great. I got to sit beside an 18 stone northerner who tried to set fire to his jersey because his team were losing.
c/ I wonder why the stewards didn't step in when that older couple pointed out that there were away fans sat in their £300+ seats
or...my personal favourite.....
d/ why is that 15 year old from Hull drunk, smoking and telling me his dad says London bring nothing to Rugby League.

All of these I have witnessed this year at the Stoop..........and none enhanced my enjoyment of the game (though the jersey one was funny after the game)

I am not talking about seggregation here, just saying that the west stand "seems" more comfy (for no tangible reason) and the club have taken the easier (but not cheaper) option with no consultation between them and the people who pay their wages.
I predict less ST sales in 2010....that's less revenue from life-long fans who have had enough.
As they say, it takes years to find a needle in a haystack, but a second to lose it......and that is the same for CUSTOMERS.

Fact is, the East Stand is 5yrds further from the pitch and for some strange reason, doesn't feel as comfy as the west. There is no logical reason for it, it just doesn't.
The cost of policing the west stand and east stand, would be no more than the East and the north.
The cost of opening the west bar for home fans only, having 2 trucks at the sides of the stand and then ....closing the west bar after the second half starts, moving the staff across and suplementing them with a few more at 4.44pm is negligable and therefore, I say it is logistically viable, but maybe just a tad too much work for some.

It doesn't feel as comfy? What a pathetic argument - I could understand some others on here coming out with that one but not you GF. This isn't down to your comment about you watching the game from the building site either, more down to the fact that is a very weak argument with no evidence whatsoever apart from a few people who enjoy moaning for what ever reason. The main problems people list with the east stand are:

The sun
The walkway in front of it

And

Erm

???

Its not comfy?! WTF? Its a plastic seat, sit on it!

To be honest I trust the people who run the Twickenham Stoop with regards to the costings and logistics as I am sure they have a fair idea what they are doing. What information do you have with regards to costs?

Plus, you keep mentioning 3 empty stands - there will be 2 empty stands and this is justified given our current levels of supports and I cannot see us getting to the point where we will need to open the 2 largest stands or even 3 stands.

All very subjective, I think we just have to accept that fans are divided in their East/West stand preference.......some may like the East, but I think the majority prefer the West (LV stand).........but I can`t prove it, as I have done about as much in depth analysis as the club have done in arriving at this decision.

Putting the £5 player tax aside .......The main drivers seem to be that by economising in our use of facilities and limiting our expenditure we will have more funds available for player development/better players.......but we have had much the same set up this season, nothing has changed and what did that bring......Mick Nanyn, Jonny G etc etc.

Plus of course the `Early Bird` ticket prices are cheaper than last year which provides less revenue = no improvement in player standard. Do the management team really think that the number of new supporters will grow just because seats are a little cheaper, when it is clear to see that the funds will not be available to improve the team. If we can`t compete on the pitch then it`s game over for Quins RL.

Thanks...I liked it too

I wonder if all these people moaning and threatening the club with the withdrawl of their season tickets will:

a) go through with it
b) do it because the team are doing badly.

I wonder if these people would be so hasty if were were challenging for the play offs? Me thinks not. So I wonder where the problem really lies? Its not about the stands or anything. The team are crap and people are throwing their toys about.

I am pretty sure the club know about the costings of how to run the Twickenham Stoop seeing as its been open a while and they know the costs of opening all 4 stands and the revenues coming into all 4 stands and surrounding concessions.

The only thing I do agree with you on is the fact that opening 1 stand is silly. Keep the North Stand open for all games.

I would also like to think cheaper prices would add numbers to the gate, but a sales pitch of `we may be crap, but we`re cheap` is not guaranteed to bring in the punters either. I come back to my original point.......if the restricted use of facilities again in 2010 is meant to enable us to invest in better players/development, then how come it made no impact this year?

How about the notion that the funds we had were terribly misspent?

I agree with your point about we maybe be crap but we're cheap, and a fine balance must be achieved. I don't think we can go selling our product as some sort of expensive niche item anyway.