I agree and have said several times the only way this club will bring back lost fans and add fans is not just a winning team but a team that has several star names
Nothing better in R/L than seeing fast elusive running from half back and backs that have the pace and strength to break the line and score from distance.
Albert Kelly,Ratu created excitement as soon as they had the ball.
Certainly wont do that with the signings currently made

I havent been to a game this season and dont give a if people say im not a supporter. Took my ex and kids to the home derby last year, we got tonked, took my kids to the last home game against Leeds last year, we got tonked, kids said it was rubbish, i agreed, club was a joke from top to bottom starting with Pearson. But hopefully hes on his way out now, Thirkills money seems to be getting spent well and we have finally rugby men at the club, im seeing a much improved squad for next year and hopefully improved performances with some grit and on that basis im coming back to the fold next year

I thought Ratu was brilliant. He switched to league at a relatively late age after only playing 7's union. I remember Radford saying how quickly he adapted to the league and was a dream to coach. It was a shame he went back to union as he was a seriously good player and getting better. Probably the fastest winger in SL at the time. I don't think he has had a particularly illustrious career back in union as he has been plagued by injury. Would have loved to have kept him but we can't compete with union as far as money is concerned.

Was our average crowd much better when we had Ratu and Kelky in the same side, didn't we have a record run of defeats in that time?

Really hard to sign star names these days I don't think a club in SL has signed a better and more influential player than Asista.

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Despite having a pass I’ve only been to a few home games this season.

I suppose the fact all games are on tv is an influence on that but the 2 biggest factors for me are the stadium and the day of games.

I just don’t enjoy us playing at the mkm anymore. It’s supposed to be a community stadium used equally by both professional teams. But all I see is City pictures and advertisements. It just doesn’t feel like home to me. Get our own stadium and I would be more likely to attend.

I’m also not keen on Saturday afternoon games. Traffic in the city on a Saturday is horrendous and when sat there thinking shall I go my thoughts turn to “I can’t be bothered to sit in traffic when I can watch it on tv”. Especially the way we were playing at the start of the season. Friday night or Sunday afternoon would be better as far as I’m concerned?

I noticed that the east stand has been re-named the Chris Chilton stand. Now I'm not disrespecting him as he was a City legend but if anyone deserves such an honour it is Johnny Whiteley.

I dont know but its players like Kelly and Ratu that provided the excitement.
Asiata is a good signing but as a forward he wont provide the excitement when he receives the ball like they did
You only have to look at Wigan when either French or Field have the ball it lifts the fans.
I know its difficult but its what we need if the club want to attract back lost fans or new fans to the game.

It was actually renamed a couple of years ago although to be be honest I'm not sure anyone really refers to it that way. Even on City's website there are mentions of "the East Stand ticket office", for example. main issue for me is the hideous Tiger print murals on the gate entrances.

It's just the fact that if you are joint tenants albeit in name only, if you acknowledge on of the clubs legendary players by naming a stand after him you should as a matter of respect do the same for the other club as well, especially after what Whiteley has achieved for us and the game as a whole.

I find that Tiger print just looks tacky and embarrassing.

This is a great thread and the feedback from those who really know what's needed, the fans, is brilliant and the club could do a lot worse than to read it. It's certainly not that we don't love the club or have fallen out of love with them because we know that's not possible they are always your club. For me there is another dimension though which is harder to fathom because there is the demeanour apathy and discontent of the public to consider particularly across the sort.

All Clubs are struggling to maintain levels of attendance year on year so what is the first thing the game must address? I would say it is restricting the amount of exposure on TV to get the interested to live games, look at football no games to be televised at 3-00 on a Saturday. So what do we as a game do ?? We change the tv deal to ensure that every game is televised so anyone who is disillusioned with their own clubs performances and efforts can sit at home and watch there.

Once you get out of going and other things take the place of doing that it very often never comes back. I know from experience because with illness, my own issues and family circumstances I don't go to away games anymore when for dozens of seasons I did that every game and miss quite a lot of home ones. I'll always pay for our two season tickets, I'm on my 63 and do it however hard it is, because the club has given me a great life and indeed the best day of my life, because that's my commitment to them and I feel better watching on TV when I do that. But everyone isn't as well placed as I am and I get it exactly when you not only see your team being stripped of its assets year after year but when you consider across the game the state of the officials the play acting and dare I say even at times the cheating that goes on, then its so easy to get disillusioned, and sadly I get that so well. So for me it's much more than just game days and pricing but across the game that certainly aint helping either however I hoped that IMG would be the answer but they have done nothing really besides restructuring the game again!! One things for certain though once you stop attending although you think its just for a short while it is often the end.

Who cares what the stand is called or whether there are a few pictures of tigers around? I don't believe anyone doesn't go to games due to that. Get thenproduct right on the pitch and people will come to watch. I've enjoyed the last few games, plenty of effort and commitment and the crowd has responded.

Talk of our own stadium is nonsense

To me it’s a whole host of things that need to be done to attract fans back many have been said already.

Personally, think it ultimately comes down to ‘Value For Money’. This is something we’ve not had as fans since 2018.

The disconnect from the club certainly hasn’t helped as it’s created a feeling of been taken advantage of to an extent, sort of a cash cow, match day ticket prices, constant sell sell sell of club merch again just add fuel to that fire.

The product has been poor and we as fans have been paying top dollar for a poundland product.

Like Wilf and Davey41 have said I have a pass and have missed a number of games as I no longer have the mindset of ‘got to go’ arranging everything around rugby to now doing whatever gives me enjoyment as the priority. If I’m not the only one that feels that way it’ll be a hard task to get people back but not impossible.

The match day experience is one that is frankly awful, outdated with little if any real thought gone in to it and kills the atmosphere rather than building it.

Match days I’ll admit I was a staunch Sunday afternoon fan but since moving from Friday nights, lockdown etc the loss of weekends to rugby particularly for the poop shows we’ve had I’d rather go back to Fridays and keep my weekends free to enjoy with friends, family and other interests I have, which to be honest I have done the past season and a half. If it was a choice between something enjoyable or trudging to and from the stadium the former wins.

I think a team that wins at home more often than not would certainly help but we also need some star quality/names. Let’s be honest the last real big name players we signed were Ellis & Pritchard, maybe Manu Mau. Clubs need at least one or two talisman but we have had non of note since 2018.

A real reconnect with the fans and a couple of star signings would certainly help short term going in to 2025 then add a brand of effort & entertaining and winning rugby would continue to build on growing the crowds.

Obviously nothing to do why people don't go to games.It's an example of our lack of status at our "home" ground when one of City's players is honoured and our greatest player isn't.

We also didn't fork out towards the £1m+ for a new pitch but no one seems up in arms about that

Don't get the comparison.