: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:18 pm  

a.n Other wrote:

Why not? We are comparing Quins crowd against a team that doesnt bring more than 20 away fans, to our attendence against the same team. I would suggest that the Quins fans who attend now are just as die hard as us who go to the Shay. I think all this talk about attendences for Quins and Celtic are pointless (even though i have commented on it!! ) I think we need them in the top league. I would even go so far as getting the RLF to fund them centrally and get rid of the owners that could at any minute chose to close em down.. Take some money off the other SL clubs and put it towards them both. We need to keep developing the kids from these areas to make the game stronger nationaly.

Now you are having a laugh, I nearly fell for this when I read it first time.
Good try.

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:01 am  

Cassandra wrote:

But not Rugby LEAGUE, unfortunatley!!

So what was Martin Offiah then?

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:11 am  

Haighy wrote:

So what was Martin Offiah then?

RAH-RAH.

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:30 pm  

Think you have no idea on Rugby League in London as this is whats happening and probably more people are playing League in London than many other areas like Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford/Keighley/Skipton, Huddersfield & South Yorkshire which have Pro sides in the area or are very neat to Pro sides. I guess because its not talked about especially in Northern League circles many RL fans are in the dark as to whats happening in London and just see Quins and Skolars struggling but do not see the work underneath that: LONDON LEAGUE 2009 In 2009 the following teams are scheduled to participate in the London League: Bedford Tigers 'A' Feltham Eagles Guildford Giants Hammersmith Hills Hoists Hemel Stags 'A' Kent Ravens 'A' Metropolitan Police St Albans Centurions 'A' South London Storm 'A' Southgate Skolars West London Sharks 'A' LONDON & SOUTH CONFERENCE DIVISION Above that is the London & South Conference Division London & South Guildford Giants Greenwich Admirals Kent Ravens Oxford Cavaliers Southampton Spitfires Swindon St George RUGBY LEAGUE CONFERENCE PREMIER SOUTH Then above that is the Rugby League Conference Premier South Bedford Tigers Elmbridge Eagles Hainault Bulldogs Ipswich Rhinos London Skolars A St Albans Centurions South London Storm Portsmouth Navy Seahawks West London Sharks Then there is a Junior League System running-: http://www.londonrl.com/tables/london-junior-league HEMEL STAGS Hemel Stags have been around for nearly 30 years and play in NL3.Hemel are currently involved with six schools in the Dacorum Borough. These are Adeyfield, Astley Cooper, Cavendish, JFK, Kings Langley and Longdean. Each of these schools receive coaching from the Stags both as part of the school’s curriculum and as an extra-curricular activity at lunch times and after school.Hemel Stags currently run three Age Groups for Rugby League: Under 12's, Under 14's and Under 16's SOUTH LONDON STORM South London Storm were set up in 1997 and in that short space of time have one of the best Junior set ups in Rugby League as they have basically have 5 different Junor clubs set up around South London! First Grade (Rugby League Conference Premier) Second Grade (London League) U18s (London Youth League) South London Storm run the following junior/youth clubs: Croydon Hurricanes:* U7s, U8s/9s, U10s/11s, U12s, U13s/14s, U15s/16s Brixton Bulls:* U9s, U11s, U14s Wandsworth Whirlwinds:* U14s Thornton Heath Tornadoes: * U11s, U12s Addington Lightning:* U9s, U11s, U12s, U14s South London Thunderbirds * A newly formed all-girls club.

Think you have no idea on Rugby League in London as this is whats happening and probably more people are playing League in London than many other areas like Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford/Keighley/Skipton, Huddersfield & South Yorkshire which have Pro sides in the area or are very neat to Pro sides. I guess because its not talked about especially in Northern League circles many RL fans are in the dark as to whats happening in London and just see Quins and Skolars struggling but do not see the work underneath that: LONDON LEAGUE 2009 In 2009 the following teams are scheduled to participate in the London League: Bedford Tigers 'A' Feltham Eagles Guildford Giants Hammersmith Hills Hoists Hemel Stags 'A' Kent Ravens 'A' Metropolitan Police St Albans Centurions 'A' South London Storm 'A' Southgate Skolars West London Sharks 'A' LONDON & SOUTH CONFERENCE DIVISION Above that is the London & South Conference Division London & South Guildford Giants Greenwich Admirals Kent Ravens Oxford Cavaliers Southampton Spitfires Swindon St George RUGBY LEAGUE CONFERENCE PREMIER SOUTH Then above that is the Rugby League Conference Premier South Bedford Tigers Elmbridge Eagles Hainault Bulldogs Ipswich Rhinos London Skolars A St Albans Centurions South London Storm Portsmouth Navy Seahawks West London Sharks Then there is a Junior League System running-: http://www.londonrl.com/tables/london-junior-league HEMEL STAGS Hemel Stags have been around for nearly 30 years and play in NL3.Hemel are currently involved with six schools in the Dacorum Borough. These are Adeyfield, Astley Cooper, Cavendish, JFK, Kings Langley and Longdean. Each of these schools receive coaching from the Stags both as part of the school’s curriculum and as an extra-curricular activity at lunch times and after school.Hemel Stags currently run three Age Groups for Rugby League: Under 12's, Under 14's and Under 16's SOUTH LONDON STORM South London Storm were set up in 1997 and in that short space of time have one of the best Junior set ups in Rugby League as they have basically have 5 different Junor clubs set up around South London! First Grade (Rugby League Conference Premier) Second Grade (London League) U18s (London Youth League) South London Storm run the following junior/youth clubs: Croydon Hurricanes:* U7s, U8s/9s, U10s/11s, U12s, U13s/14s, U15s/16s Brixton Bulls:* U9s, U11s, U14s Wandsworth Whirlwinds:* U14s Thornton Heath Tornadoes: * U11s, U12s Addington Lightning:* U9s, U11s, U12s, U14s South London Thunderbirds * A newly formed all-girls club.

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:36 pm  

There is more teams in halifax than the london league

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:47 pm  

houdini wrote:

There is more teams in halifax than the london league

But Halifax has more teams than most areas except maybe for Hull, Leeds, Wigan/ Leigh, Wakefield/Castleford, St.Helens areas. But London has still way more than the likes of Bradford, Oldham, Huddersfield, York/North Yorks which are strong League areas for decades if not Centuries.
The Point I was making was that there is alot of RL played in London but very few people know about it!

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:55 pm  

There is alot played in London and still harlequins cant attract fans

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:02 pm  

houdini wrote:

There is alot played in London and still harlequins cant attract fans

Probably due to London Transport system and road network being a pain in the booty especially on the weekend! It can easily take well over 2 hours from many parts of London including South London to Quins as its a hike from the nearest Underground and Bus Journey is a nightmare. Driving in London is a joke!That said Quins should get bigger crowds!

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:21 pm  

Doesn't seem to affect quins union crowds that. I suspect that many in london dont know RL exists, partly due to lack of effort by the club but mainly due to lack of interest by a union bias media down here

: Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:00 pm  

freddies wig wrote:

Doesn't seem to affect quins union crowds that. I suspect that many in london dont know RL exists, partly due to lack of effort by the club but mainly due to lack of interest by a union bias media down here

But how long have Quins been around and playing at one venue? The problem with Quins, Broncos/Crusaders/Fulham is that they have never really stayed anywhere long enough to build up much in the local area for a number of years. As far as I know they have played at Craven Cottage, Chiswick Tech, Barnet FC, Brentford FC, Charlton FC (Two different eras!), Stoop, Crystal Palace (2 Different eras!), Hendon FC as well as the odd game at Chelsea FC and Wealdstone amongst others. No team is going to properly develop under that-and I am surprised Pro RL has survived so long as it is a joke to attempt to run and develop a club when virtually every 2nd year you move to a new ground with no officies to properly run out of!
Really Pro RL in London and other "Expansion" areas has been done on a shoe string budget and run by a group of clueless people! Paris SG, Southend, South Wales, cardiff Blue Dragons, Mansfield/Nottingham for example. If the game and the RFL are going to do expansion it should be done properly-but never is sadly and why Expansion is often laughed at.