A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:19 am  

Had a discussion with a mate - can anyone fill out the real story - we finished third in Super League with Pendlebury as coach - how did we then end up playing off to stay in the championship?

Cheers lads

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:26 am  

1998 third in super league.Money troubles ensued meaning that we only spent half our income on the players budget in 2003 and inevitably got relegated and struggled in championship in 2004 culminating in that win against york at widnes.

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:55 am  

What caused the money problems?

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:16 am  

Tony Gartland was funding the club but left over a dispute about mergers.The club was trying to compete against the top of super league and without his input it was running up debts.

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 2:42 pm  

I think Gartland was about 95 when the issue regarding merger question with Bradford? guessing the 99 season money problems was due to lack of money from sale of TH and then we kind of struggled until 2003 as said when we more or less gave up trying to fund a competitive squad and got battered

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:02 pm  

Wise Man wrote:

I think Gartland was about 95 when the issue regarding merger question with Bradford? guessing the 99 season money problems was due to lack of money from sale of TH and then we kind of struggled until 2003 as said when we more or less gave up trying to fund a competitive squad and got battered

Think your spot on with date of 95.3 years of no TG mean't debts built up and took the proposed shay money in 98 and we never recovered.I remember a director standing on pitch in 99 saying no players would be sold and within a week it was goodbye Clinch/Chester.21 years on from TG and i'm still glad i didnt have to endure the Bradfax Bluebulls even though both our clubs are now championship fodder.IMO Halifax ceased to be a rugby town after the decisions made in 2003.

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:15 pm  

Like many SL clubs we were simply living above our means.

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:47 pm  

also the ground capacity at the time limited the max gate - limiting big game receipts

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:05 pm  

harry1 wrote:

also the ground capacity at the time limited the max gate - limiting big game receipts

Not how i remember it..can't remember an all ticket game at TH.The capacity was 10k we let everyone in and give the attendance as 9800

Re: A bit of hel please? : Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:31 pm  

So what part did Big Nige play in it all (apart from the disastrous Blue Sox name)?

Was he around at the sale of TH and distribution of those funds? The year we finished third we were already at the Shay - was Wood in charge then?