I remember Neil Spencer was saying some nonsense to the Keighley News a few years back about how we would definitely be getting 1,000 attendances at the next game when in actual fact we would only be getting no more than 600 through the doors at the time.

I do think Gary Fawcett is talking nonsense about the attendance comparing to attendances in the Cougarmania days, but I definitely can't blame him for promoting the first game of the season in order to get more people attending?

Anyway, if we consistently manage to get 900 home fans through the gate at every game this season, that will be great. When teams with a decent away following are at our ground, we will definitely be getting over 1,000 that way.

He's trying market the club to the casual supporter, as opposed to preaching to the converted.

I can't see much of a problem with that.

It took us one succesful season, not 5.

We had big crowds towards the end of the 92/93 season, which was our first decent season.

Give the bloke a break nothing wrong with optimism whether it pans out or not would folk rather him say dont bother trying crowds will not get better.

As guess who indicated its clear some have axe to grind, why not approach gary direct instead of here.

I for one am looking forward to what the season holds no doubt highs and lows along the way.

We have home draw in northern rail v fev.

Quite agree.

Seem to remember [ithat[/i critical game against Batley in the rain having a huge crowd. I'm sure Mick O'Neil said we squeezed that many in they didn't actually know the true crowd.

The crowd was somewhere over 5,200.

A brilliant, but wet night. Didn't think we had a chance after 'Big Joe' (Grima) was sent off for 'stiff-arming' Grayshon in the first 5 minutes but then we showed our real character!

To win with only 12 men for over 75 minutes really is something both then and now. I can still see Joe's expression on his face when we were presented with the trophy and how he must have felt at letting-down his team-mates!

A video of the game should be shown to the curent squad so that they know what 'Cougarmania' was actually like and how they must perform to rekindle it!

The implication from Mick was that the true figure was quite a bit more!

I have no problem with him targeting casual supporters. Every club should be doing that.

I do have a problem with the way he's trying. The soundbytes he's coming out with are just starting to sound daft now. "We're going for a Super League licence" "We're going to Fax and win by 20 points" and now apparently we're going to some how more than double our attendance in a week? It seems he wants to sell the club to the wider general public by making wild assumptions.

What's wrong with something a long the lines of - "We're playing the current Championship title holders Featherstone, who are favourites to win the title. In the close season our head coach JD has done an amazing job to put together one of the best squads we've had in years with some great signings and I think we've got a good chance of beating them if we play to our potential. With lots of talented players on show, it bears all the hallmarks for being a really great game and a good advertisement for Championship Rugby League. Featherstone have a reputation for bring a large away following which will make for a tremendous atmosphere at Cougar Park. So come on down and sample some of the rebirth of Cougarmania."?

You're being far too sensible now. This is Cougars we are talking about - jump on the roller coaster and hang on

Message to Gary Fawcett,I have a tin hat and some sand bags I can lend you it looks like its open season on you.Come on Cougar fans we all think we know how the club should be run(me included)but we cant all be right and fair play to anyone who takes on that role.Anyone who knows me(not exactly hiding my identity)will know I have had my problems with a previous chairman but I always excepted that its a job that your on a hiding to nothing with,we are after all Rugby League fans and we are never happier than when we are moaning.

To be fair Shaun it's only [isome[/i Cougar fans who seem to have rather large dull axes

I don't agree with all his statements, but at least he is giving it a go. Every time I've been to the club during the day he's been there, so he's not exactly shirking.

Point taken Dreamer,the fans with the dull axes are few in numbers.Anyway as I said we all like a good moan me included.
On a more serious note I am hoping Rugby League pulls together this weekend and shows support and respect for the 6 soldiers killed this week.I note all were from famous Rugby League playing towns,It would be a nice gesture down at Cougars on Sunday if the local Cadets could lead the teams out and lead a minutes silence.

It would be nice to see some sort of a tribute to those soldiers.

I would have thought we would have already been holding a minutes silence for former player Michael Land who passed away suddenly during the week aged 28. No age.

If Leeds game is used as an example, we should be doing that tribute