Article in The Guardian : Thu Mar 06, 2014 7:56 pm
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It would seem that even though this "blogger" attacked us last week, he does see the bigger picture when it comes to the role the Capitals only Professional Rugby League outfit should be filling........but is not.
On a surprisingly and refreshingly uplifting afternoon at Odsal on Sunday, where the Bradford Bulls again showed their defiance as the financial saga rumbles boringly on, there was one sour note from a minority of home supporters. In response to the observation that the attendance of 5,410 was Bradford's lowest in the Super League era – still pretty creditable given the events of the previous week, months and even years – they pointed to the absence of any noticeable travelling support from the London Broncos. As noted in last week's Six, the Broncos have been an embarrassing shambles dragging the Super League competition down for too long now, so their lack of support is hardly surprising. But the relish with which some northern supporters dismiss them, and would apparently welcome their demise, is depressing nonetheless. For a start, it is precisely because of the sort of irresponsible economics that relies on travelling support that the Bulls have got themselves into their serious financial difficulties. But for a more positive response to the Broncos-knockers, we must thank Martin Coyd of the Medway Dragons. Coyd, a former Royal Engineer whose contribution to league both in the services and the development of the wheelchair game was recognised when he was awarded an OBE in January, took his Dragons under-17s team from Gillingham to Richmond for one of three Nines tournaments played in the south-east at the weekend. There was an under-13s tournament in Southend and the under-15s played in Newham. That makes a conservative estimate of 350 youngsters actively involved in the game this weekend – and at the other end of the experience scale, Coyd's Medway Masters ended the day facing their counterparts from the Sussex Merlins . The Broncos should sit at the top of a pyramid including those and many other junior and community clubs in the south-east, and which now includes three part-time professional teams, of whom Oxford made an encouraging start to the Championship One season on Sunday by beating the more-established London Skolars at Iffley Road, while Hemel Stags were nilled at home by Hunslet. Alas, it is some time since London's Super League club showed the energy or enterprise to activate so much latent support. .... HERE |
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It would seem that even though this "blogger" attacked us last week, he does see the bigger picture when it comes to the role the Capitals only Professional Rugby League outfit should be filling........but is not.
On a surprisingly and refreshingly uplifting afternoon at Odsal on Sunday, where the Bradford Bulls again showed their defiance as the financial saga rumbles boringly on, there was one sour note from a minority of home supporters. In response to the observation that the attendance of 5,410 was Bradford's lowest in the Super League era – still pretty creditable given the events of the previous week, months and even years – they pointed to the absence of any noticeable travelling support from the London Broncos. As noted in last week's Six, the Broncos have been an embarrassing shambles dragging the Super League competition down for too long now, so their lack of support is hardly surprising. But the relish with which some northern supporters dismiss them, and would apparently welcome their demise, is depressing nonetheless. For a start, it is precisely because of the sort of irresponsible economics that relies on travelling support that the Bulls have got themselves into their serious financial difficulties. But for a more positive response to the Broncos-knockers, we must thank Martin Coyd of the Medway Dragons. Coyd, a former Royal Engineer whose contribution to league both in the services and the development of the wheelchair game was recognised when he was awarded an OBE in January, took his Dragons under-17s team from Gillingham to Richmond for one of three Nines tournaments played in the south-east at the weekend. There was an under-13s tournament in Southend and the under-15s played in Newham. That makes a conservative estimate of 350 youngsters actively involved in the game this weekend – and at the other end of the experience scale, Coyd's Medway Masters ended the day facing their counterparts from the Sussex Merlins . The Broncos should sit at the top of a pyramid including those and many other junior and community clubs in the south-east, and which now includes three part-time professional teams, of whom Oxford made an encouraging start to the Championship One season on Sunday by beating the more-established London Skolars at Iffley Road, while Hemel Stags were nilled at home by Hunslet. Alas, it is some time since London's Super League club showed the energy or enterprise to activate so much latent support. .... HERE |
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and Pre-Gus 2010's average 4 years later 
