Minards has said these first 4 games won't define the season. Surely they will because there's no quality to come in and no signings either. This is the worst squad in our SL history. Fact. Even the John Harbin team in the early 00s or Kears last team in 2011. We at least scalped a few and put points on the board. Poching wanted to rebuild and sign players after last year, we'd have gone if Toulouse hadn't run out of steam. He was promptly removed and replaced by Applegarth who obviously jumped at it and why not. A poisoned chalice with no money and no squad quality, but his only chance of a SL head coach gig. Realistically who can we beat in this division? We are so far behind it's ridiculous. Teams will raise the bar when playing us to avoid the ignominy of not only losing to us but letting us even post points. We offer nothing this season other than an easy 2 points and a good opportunity for teams to improve their points difference. Any team with a solid defence and a bit of zip and high tempo will comfortably get 40+ easily. How has the board allowed this to happen? I'm a season ticket holder and a die-hard but can't face much more of this. Funerals are not entertainment.

A lot of negativity on here with people pointing out the bleeding obvious - we haven't invested enough in players. But what was the alternative? Where was the money coming from? We've heard from Minnards. It's been a gamble and it looks like it might not pay off but the alternative was a dead cert - develop the stadium or get the boot from SL. All we can do is get behind the team every game especially at home. Boards come and go, so do players but supporters are forever. Fingers crossed for the Salford match that we can at least show improvement.

I have asked how can we survive if relegated because the revenue from the ground will not cover the loss of Sky money, reduced attendances, less sponsorship and the cost to service the ground loan. It is not much of a legacy to leave a club possibly facing extinction or years of ignominy in the lower divisions.
We all knew how difficult this season would be but how important it was to survive in SL, unfortunately those in charge decided it was not of overriding importance to them. The people in charge are transient but we have to live with what they leave behind. We are just an embarrassment this season which recently culminated in the RFL asking Sky not to cover our home game.

Do you just keep copying and pasting that?

I should do because I am still to receive a reply explaining how we cover the financial discrepancy.

For a start the cost of the squad will reduce. We won't be paying sl wages and contracts will be null and void. How does anyone else else cope outside SL? We would have 'mortgagae' payments but then we would've had rent had we not bought the ground. At least this way we're not at the whim of a hostile landlord. WAFC will be here next year and they will be paying rent, although I don't imagine it would be a large figure given the step they're playing in.

Scarlet - in your opinion.my opinion vastly differs.

I believe we are already down to our core base supporters after years of poor performances. If we were to be relegated I believe we would see at the very least the same attendances if not a small increase. People would come to see a team winning 9/10 at the top of the championship.

The sponsorship I would guess is one of the lowest in the superleague already especially considering that we have little tv exposure and success for a sustained period. I’d expect the drop tonne minimal.

Not all but some of the loss should be offset by the new stand. There will be 7 day revenue, there will be increased sponsor opportunities.

There is the money we will likely receive from our tenants Wakefield AFC.

In my opinion we could easily operate a ‘mostly’ full time team to challenge the top of championship.

It wouldn’t be the end of the club at all.

All this is subject to mine and your opinions though and it’s the club who will know what they can forcast and adjust on relegation should it happen.

You’re also fabricating and twisting media articles to suit your doom and gloom. You say the rfl asked them not to show our game on sky because we are an embarrassment this season (I assume you mean performances). But all the articles clearly state it’s precautionary due to the risk the game could be off (albeit small).

You’re doing it again - just repeating the same old thing. Try telling us something we don’t know. And then tell us, if you were in charge of the club, what you would have done differently and, most important, how you would have financed it whilst giving us at least a chance of retaining SL status.

Maybe you are asking the wrong people but if you want my answer
If we go down we will be paying championship wages so the costs are less. And the income from the stadium will be an increase of what we have this season.
And obviously they have your and my match day cost as we'll support them no matter what division they are in.

If you think attendances won’t drop in the championship you are deluding yourself i’m afraid. There is always a drop off after relegation in the same way there us an uplift when promoted. It’s the way of the world, Swinton, Whitehaven & Newcastle don’t have the same appeal sadly whether we are winning them or not. Add in the away support is nothing like as large in the championship and that 4000+ average will likely be comfortably under 3000. Also add in you can’t charge super league ticket prices for championship rugby and we lose the subsequent food & drink sales. Thats quite an income drop. And yes of course sponsorship levels will drop. Our current sponsorship is pretty decent, one of the first thing Carter ever did was put the price if that up and it has risen over the years. Companies sponsor for exposure and as it stands there is no TV deal in place for the championship either next year. Less eyeballs = less value = less income. Trust me the cost is much less in the championship, i know as i’ve been involved in sponsoring a team in both divisions. We will gain pitch rental fees and i am led to believe should we be able to sort the pitch issue others may well be interested to come on board which will help. But with that will come extra costs through maintenance which we will be liable for and the football authorities are very strict on this. Pitch rental alone won’t be the huge cash cow people might think but it will help pay some bills. Likewise the stadium facilities. They will in time provide valuable income but it won’t happen overnight, these things take time and to build up the business there needs to be a concerted effort to push them which will involve some significant promotion. The build it and they will come tactic alone won’t work, it will take a full long term business plan. Will the capital expenditure be there for this without super league income? There have to be some doubts. And without an external investor i doubt we’d be anywhere near being able to operate a full time squad next season without that £1.5m tv money. And if we do it would have to be the kids and that ain’t going to get us to the top of championship. And with the IMG grading coming in it would be a bad time to be on the outside looking in.

Is Max out for the season too ???

I don't think so. It was about 6 weeks.

Yeah, that's what I'd heard...Cheers PT

Who exactly have you asked?
Face to face or phone?

What a ridiculous question even for you. How do you think all the other none SL clubs survive?

It’s pretty obvious isn’t it!