: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:54 am  

rugbyreddog wrote:

I think that the Cats was the worse defeat. Even this early in the season we were realistically looking at the Cup as our main chance of success. Now I am looking forward to next season because with no relegation there is little of interest for us now. This will also be reflected in the crowds. What we need is something to get the place buzzing again. We could do worse than follow Newcastle's lead with Shearer. For those old enough to remember Brian Smith did a similar thing when he first came. He brought in a lot of people, on short term contracts, and the crowds went up because people thought that at last something new was happening. CRowds are fickle and whilsta long term solution is desirable you need something short term to maintain the interest.

Trouble is, very unlikely now we could afford it. Its all hand-to-mouth it seems. Can't see we'd be able to borrow (even if we wanted to bet the house on the last throw of the dice) and there's no-one there to bankroll the costs until the rewards came in. And, of course, the income from fans is falling off and that was before Sunday's disaster. Think we are stuck in a catch 22 and I struggle to see a way out. The only obvious solution - loads more fans through the turnstiles in advance of significant improvement - will not happen.

I suspect that Sunday will prove the tipping point, probably for Macca and quite possibly for the club. Maybe an unexpected good result on Friday would change the situation - but I'd not want to bet the house on it.

[Bullseye]

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:57 am  

Adeybull wrote:

I suspect that Sunday will prove the tipping point, probably for Macca and quite possibly for the club. Maybe an unexpected good result on Friday would change the situation - but I'd not want to bet the house on it.

It was the tipping point for me. I think Cibaman hit the nail on the head when he said the club should be looking for a change in coach to start in the summer. This would give them time to get the right person. The present regime has lost the plot and has only succeeded in taking the club backwards. If that decline continues then the club's future is even more in doubt.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:02 am  

I agree with you Adeybull. I wasn't advocating that we do exactly the same as before I just think we need to do something short term to keep and raise peoples interest. I think half of our problem is that for too long we have tried to duplicate exactly things that have worked for us in the past instead of concentrating on the concept of them. For example; could you imagine the interest generated should we bring back Jimmy or Robbie in some position. And before everybody jumps on me I am not advocating them for coach.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:12 pm  

rugbyreddog wrote:

I agree with you Adeybull. I wasn't advocating that we do exactly the same as before I just think we need to do something short term to keep and raise peoples interest. I think half of our problem is that for too long we have tried to duplicate exactly things that have worked for us in the past instead of concentrating on the concept of them. For example; could you imagine the interest generated should we bring back Jimmy or Robbie in some position. And before everybody jumps on me I am not advocating them for coach.

jimmy as assistant coach would be a start, and would certainly demand some respect from the players having him prowling the touchline.

[Bulliac]

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:13 am  

rugbyreddog wrote:

I agree with you Adeybull. I wasn't advocating that we do exactly the same as before I just think we need to do something short term to keep and raise peoples interest. I think half of our problem is that for too long we have tried to duplicate exactly things that have worked for us in the past instead of concentrating on the concept of them. For example; could you imagine the interest generated should we bring back Jimmy or Robbie in some position. And before everybody jumps on me I am not advocating them for coach.

The big problem is finding something `new`. When you think that the club went from 1895 to the 1990`s just simply playing RL before we pinched the big idea from Cougarland it`s pretty obvious that big ideas don`t exactly come along in threes, so I`d guess it`s going to be hard to come up with something totally original.

One thing I would say is that we no longer seem to make the same effort on the kids at Odsal, and it`s noticeable that there aren`t the same numbers as a few years back. I know there are the family ticket deals and very cheap junior deals on offer but we don`t aim the entertainment at the kids in the way we did before.

The chief thing about attracting the youngsters is that it doesn`t need to be `different`, when you first go it`s all new, even if it`s been done for twenty years. Face painting, fairground rides, dancing competitions and something visual to keep their attention like fire eaters and people walking round on stilts.

It was clear a few years back that the match at Odsal was regarded as one of the `in` places for school age people. I`d guess that`s no longer the case. We need to get back to that because without an influx of new fans any club is going to be in trouble.

[Bullseye]

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:20 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

Face painting, fairground rides, dancing competitions and something visual to keep their attention like fire eaters and people walking round on stilts.

It was clear a few years back that the match at Odsal was regarded as one of the `in` places for school age people. I`d guess that`s no longer the case. We need to get back to that because without an influx of new fans any club is going to be in trouble.

I think things like these have been cut to save money by having them only through the summer months when more kids are likely to be coming.

Noticed that Cas do this sort of thing more than us now.