This 'working class' argument is horrible. There aren't any working class areas in London. Plus those that attend events at Twickers come from all over the South, even the country, not TW1.
Football and Rugby League are traditionally working men's sports and working class sports.
The Football League began in the Midlands and North of England with Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Rugby League began with the original clubs of Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Broughton, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Leigh, Liversedge, Manningham, Oldham, Rochdale, Runcorn, Stockport, St Helens, Tyledesley, Wakefield, Warrington, Widnes and Wigan.
If you were to overlay the origins of both sports you'll find a tremendous alignment in geography between the areas and a very strong correlation in proximity between football and Rugby League.
Football has been more gentrified in the past few years but the real long term supporter has many of the values of passion, tribalism and enjoys the 'blood and thunder' of a big tackle and can watch either sport with real meaning and this has transcended mere geography.
I don't think there is any Rugby League club in our nation that enjoys support from the burgeoning middle classes who have a predisposition to another code of Rugby.
Fulham would be fine because it is a middle class area but has football in it's heart and the two sports of RL and football are correlated - someone can and will enjoy both. Leeds, Hull, Bradford, Wigan and Huddersfield show this, whilst many others are only a few miles apart. The Pit Villages are perhaps the only ones less closely connected.
I would correlate Rugby Union with something like the Boat Race - the same types watch both.
Football and Rugby League are traditionally working men's sports and working class sports.
The Football League began in the Midlands and North of England with Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Rugby League began with the original clubs of Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Broughton, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Leigh, Liversedge, Manningham, Oldham, Rochdale, Runcorn, Stockport, St Helens, Tyledesley, Wakefield, Warrington, Widnes and Wigan.
If you were to overlay the origins of both sports you'll find a tremendous alignment in geography between the areas and a very strong correlation in proximity between football and Rugby League.
Football has been more gentrified in the past few years but the real long term supporter has many of the values of passion, tribalism and enjoys the 'blood and thunder' of a big tackle and can watch either sport with real meaning and this has transcended mere geography.
I don't think there is any Rugby League club in our nation that enjoys support from the burgeoning middle classes who have a predisposition to another code of Rugby.
Fulham would be fine because it is a middle class area but has football in it's heart and the two sports of RL and football are correlated - someone can and will enjoy both. Leeds, Hull, Bradford, Wigan and Huddersfield show this, whilst many others are only a few miles apart. The Pit Villages are perhaps the only ones less closely connected.
I would correlate Rugby Union with something like the Boat Race - the same types watch both.
This 'working class' argument is horrible. There aren't any working class areas in London. Plus those that attend events at Twickers come from all over the South, even the country, not TW1.
Quite. To suggest that the club should be aiming for a demographic that is the same as for a team in a northern post industrial town is nonsensical.
One might as well say that Catalan Dragons should be aiming for an English supporter base.
Football and Rugby League are traditionally working men's sports and working class sports.
The Football League began in the Midlands and North of England with Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Rugby League began with the original clubs of Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Broughton, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Leigh, Liversedge, Manningham, Oldham, Rochdale, Runcorn, Stockport, St Helens, Tyledesley, Wakefield, Warrington, Widnes and Wigan.
If you were to overlay the origins of both sports you'll find a tremendous alignment in geography between the areas and a very strong correlation in proximity between football and Rugby League.
Football has been more gentrified in the past few years but the real long term supporter has many of the values of passion, tribalism and enjoys the 'blood and thunder' of a big tackle and can watch either sport with real meaning and this has transcended mere geography.
I don't think there is any Rugby League club in our nation that enjoys support from the burgeoning middle classes who have a predisposition to another code of Rugby.
Fulham would be fine because it is a middle class area but has football in it's heart and the two sports of RL and football are correlated - someone can and will enjoy both. Leeds, Hull, Bradford, Wigan and Huddersfield show this, whilst many others are only a few miles apart. The Pit Villages are perhaps the only ones less closely connected.
I would correlate Rugby Union with something like the Boat Race - the same types watch both.
I agree with Mark! Just as there are predominantly middle class areas exist (see Twickers) there are also working class areas in London. Newham, and Barking and Dagenham to pick two for example. It is usual today to deny classes exist but the economic reality cannot be denied. Neither can the working class origins of RL be denied, and that is the perception of the population who are aware of our game. There are a number of reasons why the Stoop has not worked and the games perceived class basis is one of them. Wherever we end up, roots have to be relaid, and I am convinced that football supporters are a more natural fan base to target than Union fans.
Last edited by poplar panther on Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I agree with Mark! Just as there are predominantly middle class areas exist (see Twickers) there are also working class areas in London. Newham, and Barking and Dagenham to pick two for example. It is usual today to deny classes exist but the economic reality cannot be denied. Neither can the working class origins of RL be denied, and that is the perception of the population who are aware of our game. There are a number of reasons why the Stoop has not worked and the games perceived class basis is one of them. Wherever we end up, roots have to be relaid, and I can convinced that football supporters are a more natural fan base to target than Union fans.
Of course as you say there are working class areas in London, not sure what world some are living in, if they deny that!
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