Received my 2025 application / begging letter this morning. The only difference between the past six years and this year is that it's now Myler telling us how we will be putting right the wrongs of past years rather than Adam!
Thought there is a heavy emphasis on the 'in any kind of weather' fan loyalty, in particular the little speech on the back of the pamphlet ('It's a big City out there..').
Thought there is a bit of an air of desperation about the 'stick with us' exhortations for the Faithful to renew, maybe a tacit acknowledgment that these past eight months have tried everyone's patience almost to breaking point, even those with decades of commitment behind them, as voiced at length by some posters on here.
For all that, I will be renewing my place, chiefly down to three reasons:
1. It's still relatively cheap for me, and well within my budget, working out at under £20 per game if I attend all 13 .
2. I don't have far to travel, so it's no great imposition for me and it doesn't take a large chunk out of my time on a weekend.
3. It's a fifty year habit that not even the, at times, traumatic afternoons we all had to suffer this year made me consider breaking. I don't know how low we would have to sink before my faith broke completely, but I guess we still haven't reach that point yet, at least not for me!
Those are my chief reasons for stumping up my money once more, although it's telling that there isn't a rugby based reason in there for my renewal. I remain to be convinced that we have reached the bottom of the curve regarding on the pitch, the answer to that question will be revealed through 2025, fingers crossed here.
I understand that my reasons for committing to the club (once more!!) won't resonate for others and I wouldn't bad mouth anyone who decided that enough was enough after the frankly unacceptable performance of the club, in every single aspect of operations, in 2024. Now matter how many years support you may have devoted to the club, they would only have themselves to blame for anyone who walks away, for good this time.
As for the three year pass, I'm unconvinced. There are too many unanswered questions, surrounding both the club and the game in general, to make the additional outlay tempting. Who seriously knows what may be happening in two years time (again both at club and SL level) to commit. For me it would probably amount to a saving of around £60-80 at a rough guess, spread over three years. I will almost certainly still be watching the club in 2027 (see reasons above) but the relatively small saving for me doesn't outweigh the open-ended questions surrounding the current direction of the club and indeed of Rugby League as a sport.
So, I will still be there in 2025. It has to be better next year doesn't it, surely to God it cannot be as bad as what we had to suffer over the past eight months (one afternoon versus Wigan excepted).
The only way is up, as someone once memorably said a long time ago!!
