That's your coach

I have no problem with this at all - attendance wise. Our attendances are abysmal - they have been for a long time. This is why i constantly say we're not ready for SL and deep down the club know it. Things can change though, with the right marketing spend (by the RFL too*) people can be enticed - even if it costs a few pennies in promo deals as has happened at Huddersfield.


* [size(see Starbug's rant on many threads about this)[/size

I think the earlier post that talked about a 6K 'free entry' crowd was aimed at the Widnes v Gateshead match, played a couple of weeks after the mighty Raiders had put the cleaners through them at the Stobart.

The crowd that day was actually 5,236.

Widnes were well ahead in the attendance stakes this season, but I was pleasantly surprised at the almost 70% increase in Barrow's attendances. And that was from a position of best supported team in NL2 in 2008 (by about 400).

I was also very surprised at the amount of fans we took to Blackpool, but particularly Warrington, where we comfortably out-numbered the Halifax fans.

The RFL have hade it clear to the club that they have been mightily impressed with the Raiders both on and off the field. Just need to get the stadium up to scratch.

Watch this space

To be honest i didn't get that impression - i thought it was the other way round but there you go.

Me neither and most were all but silent til the last 20 as well.

(And I tried [iso[/i hard to stay out of what's descended in to bickering )

I think if you watch the Sky footage, it's clear that there are far more seated fans from Barrow (almost 3 full blocks to the right of the tunnel, compared with just over 2 for Fax to the left of the tunnel). Also, the Fax 'end' was far from full once the Cougars fans had gone home. The ends of the HJ holds just under 3K, so take away the Cougar fans and there was about 2,200 from Fax in that end I would think.

Of course, we'll never know the exact figures, but I'd have said several hundred more from Barrow.

Regarding 'silent' Barrow fans, that really is a silly statement. You were obviously stood amongst Fax fans so you can't really comment. From a Barrow point of view, you seemed to go very quiet after 30 mins

Barrow Raiders


The new Hull KR of the Championship!!

Yeh, you go for it!!

Can't see it happening though!

He doesn't need to contribute, he has put in enough money already. A combination of fundraising initiatives and grants will cover all costs.

There is a lot of work to do at Craven Park, but not nearly as much as some would have you think. A brand new stadium is definitely not required in order to get that SL tick. The club is in regular contact with the RFL with regards to SL requirements.

I see The Shay's new stand should be ready in February. It looks pretty impressive I have to say. I read that once the stand is complete the capacity will be 10,500. Just a question (I am genuinely interested), when will the capacity get upto the SL required 12,000 and are more seats planned or terracing ??

Well seemingly according to Des himself there is a significant amount of work to do and I can tell you now that fundraising from amongst the fans will leave you well short if we are talking about the serious investment needed that your Chairman has mentioned. What was the figure he gave out? It certainly sounds like it will need more than selling lottery tickets and using online shopping to get you anywhere near the mark.
It sounds like you are in need of quite a bit of corporate investment and in this climate I would say good luck to you.
2015 seems a far more likely target for Barrow.. but by then I think you would be far and away the natural choice for a franchise.

With regards to Fax, they are currently operating on reduced numbers in the North Stand due to the facilities available at that end i.e. toilets. It seems that they just need to upgrade these and the number of fans alllowed in that end will take them up and over the 12k number needed.