Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 1:28 pm  

Dave Lister wrote:

It takes less than ten minutes to reach the stadium on foot from a station directly linked to the busiest station in the UK and probably the busiest station in London. I can't think of many grounds in Super League that has better transport links than us. In fact I can't think of any.

The Halliwell Jones is a ten minute walk from the West Coast mainline, 2 minutes walk from the transpennine line, 2 minute walk from the bus station, bus services from Wigan and St Helens stop outside and it less than a five minutes drive from both the M6 and M62.

If transport links were so good you wouldn't be struggling so much. Surely a stadium close to a tube station would be better, as people can use their Oyster Cards.

Has the Fulham/Crusaders/Harlequins/Broncos adventure failed? I have to say, if I lived in London I would be far more inclined to lend my support to the Skolars.

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 1:40 pm  

Sorry, forgot about Warrington. Transport links have absolutely nothing to do with it. As many have pointed out, our landlords somehow pack their ground out every other week and they seem to get decent crowds across the road. People can use their oyster cards to get to Twickenham too, its in Zone 5. You can usually avoid paying too as the gates are normally open.

Skolars? If you think transport links are bad for us then you would be disgusted with theirs. Rough area of North London that takes ages to get to on the Northern Line and then you can either walk 25 minutes or get a bus of some description I guess. That is to watch a pretty poor standard of Rugby infront of a handful of supporters at a poor stadium. each to their own.

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 1:44 pm  

Ganson's Optician wrote:

As an outsider, it seemed to me that Twickenham is a poor location for you, the locals will always associate themselves with union, and it just looks like you are the poorer cousin. As London goes it is a bit of a ballache to get to, surely there are stadiums in London with much better public transport links. We always here about how many antipodeans there are in London, sounds like you could do more to get them in, maybe by opening early to show the NRL etc. I don't really see what taking the London brand outside of the city will achieve, it is like a Mancunian team taking home games to Liverpool.

Rubbish its 20 mins train ride from Waterloo. Great stadium and location.

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 5:19 pm  

Ganson's Optician wrote:

... If transport links were so good you wouldn't be struggling so much. Surely a stadium close to a tube station would be better, as people can use their Oyster Cards.

Folks who don't get to London often probably think that the tube is the way to get around, but London area residents are generally well aware of the other options. Many thousands travel daily on trains, buses and whatever else.

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 5:29 pm  

Dave Lister wrote:

Sorry, forgot about Warrington. Transport links have absolutely nothing to do with it. As many have pointed out, our landlords somehow pack their ground out every other week and they seem to get decent crowds across the road. People can use their oyster cards to get to Twickenham too, its in Zone 5. You can usually avoid paying too as the gates are normally open.

Skolars? If you think transport links are bad for us then you would be disgusted with theirs. Rough area of North London that takes ages to get to on the Northern Line and then you can either walk 25 minutes or get a bus of some description I guess. That is to watch a pretty poor standard of Rugby infront of a handful of supporters at a poor stadium. each to their own.

You make it sound like people from Warrington/Hull aren't an expert on London transport and/or our problems.

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 6:26 pm  

Ganson's Optician wrote:

The Halliwell Jones is a ten minute walk from the West Coast mainline, 2 minutes walk from the transpennine line, 2 minute walk from the bus station, bus services from Wigan and St Helens stop outside and it less than a five minutes drive from both the M6 and M62.

Twickenham Station is served by 24 trains an hour. The town itself is served by 18 different bus routes.

Ganson's Optician wrote:

If transport links were so good you wouldn't be struggling so much. Surely a stadium close to a tube station would be better, as people can use their Oyster Cards.

You're about topoint out why this is an often repeated misguided statement...

Ganson's Optician wrote:

I have to say, if I lived in London.....

Gotta love the beer mat musings of the norvun masses when it comes to Londons crowds......not a loving clue






Damn.....I fed you....now you'll come back

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 6:36 pm  

Lovely post.

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 8:07 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

Gotta love the beer mat musings of the norvun masses when it comes to Londons crowds......not a loving clue






Damn.....I fed you....now you'll come back

Not trying to wind anyone up, as you can see from my OP I had a brilliant time at the Stoop last August, I may have even spoken to some of you. I can only go off what RL fans I know in London say, who have cited transport as a reason for being unable to get to games. Of course there are numerous reasons why you struggle, which are no doubt discussed both on this forum and in the board room ad nauseum.

I personally believe London are a force for good within the sport and to lose the club would be a huge blow, but an average crowd this year of under 3,000 isn't good enough. I saw when I was there that you had a billboard outside the station, and if memory serves you had viyns put on a few taxis but clearly somewhere down the line it is going wrong. Huddersfield Uni recently carried out a survey on behalf of Leigh Centurions, maybe similar research would help. I would be on the phone to Wakefield, their crowds are up 25% which is a superb achievement.

Dare I say getting to Wembley would help more than anything? Of course easier said than done...

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 9:09 pm  

Ganson's Optician wrote:

Not trying to wind anyone up, as you can see from my OP I had a brilliant time at the Stoop last August, I may have even spoken to some of you. I can only go off what RL fans I know in London say, who have cited transport as a reason for being unable to get to games. Of course there are numerous reasons why you struggle, which are no doubt discussed both on this forum and in the board room ad nauseum.

I personally believe London are a force for good within the sport and to lose the club would be a huge blow, but an average crowd this year of under 3,000 isn't good enough. I saw when I was there that you had a billboard outside the station, and if memory serves you had viyns put on a few taxis but clearly somewhere down the line it is going wrong. Huddersfield Uni recently carried out a survey on behalf of Leigh Centurions, maybe similar research would help. I would be on the phone to Wakefield, their crowds are up 25% which is a superb achievement.

Dare I say getting to Wembley would help more than anything? Of course easier said than done...

The 'fans' that say its hard to get to are the ones who dont come to games. The only thing that will truly help is a consistently competitive side with some star names. We lack credibility, even with RL fans.

Re: 2013 'On the Road' fixtures : Fri Nov 30, 2012 9:51 pm  

Ganson's Optician wrote:

I can only go off what RL fans I know in London say, who have cited transport as a reason for being unable to get to games....

..These RL fans are, as a matter of course, mainly Northen ex-pats who therefore have no reason or desire to follow another team. I know LONDON based RL fans who travel for over 3 hrs each way for home games...I know of at least a dozen ex-pat northerners who attend 1 London Broncos game a year.....the one where THIER HOME TOWN TEAM come a calling.

For the 10 years I have followed this club I have heard every excuse rolled out for the lack of interest in the game down in the capital, from transport, Union tie ins, crap team, no atmosphere, the dog ate my homework, bad weather etc etc etc ...they are all points with merit in the eyes of those who use them as an excuse for not attending games, but in reality, they are not the reason that the club struggles with attendances......there is one and only one reason that the club struggles to attract interest from fans, sponsors and investors........and that is because they, for some unknown reason, refuse to promote, market or advertise themselves in any way....


...back on thread. The OTR games will be another waste of time, that unfortunately, if one of them gets a 5k gate, will see the management stick a pin in a map of that venue and move the club there, with the promise to the RFL that the fans will flock to Gillingham/Oxford/Orient/Brighton or wherever a failing soccer club needs a new tenant to pay its debts off