Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:38 pm  

jaybs wrote:

Have you got any printed media or press release proof of this new edit from the RFL? I have checked and spoken this morning with several RL staff in media and clubs and they are not aware of this ruling.

Comes from our chairman, guess he should know. There was no two strikes and you're out ruling either previously so it seems like a new edict.

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 3:29 pm  

TaRL PaRL wrote: Press release from the legal firm handling the administration: http://www.legalweek.com/legal-week/news/2308490/locke-lord-tackles-rugby-club-administration A Texan law firm. Bet they don't come cheap.

TaRL PaRL wrote: Press release from the legal firm handling the administration: http://www.legalweek.com/legal-week/news/2308490/locke-lord-tackles-rugby-club-administration A Texan law firm. Bet they don't come cheap.

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:00 pm  

I was listening to TalkSport this afternoon and they were discussing London Broncos.

They seemed to suggest that the Barnet talks have broken down and no longer an option

Offiah was asked about our situation...he hasn't got any updated info but said Tony Rea was positive when he spoke to him a couple of weeks back.

I know we like to have MO as a pantomime villain on here, but he did speak up for the club and the importance of having a SL club in the capital.

Such a sad situation we find ourselves in when ,at last,our youth programme has produced results and flourished (and on the eve of the biggest RL event in London for years).

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:31 pm  

Dan Stains woz God wrote:

I was listening to TalkSport this afternoon and they were discussing London Broncos.

They seemed to suggest that the Barnet talks have broken down and no longer an option

Offiah was asked about our situation...he hasn't got any updated info but said Tony Rea was positive when he spoke to him a couple of weeks back.

I know we like to have MO as a pantomime villain on here, but he did speak up for the club and the importance of having a SL club in the capital.

Such a sad situation we find ourselves in when ,at last,our youth programme has produced results and flourished (and on the eve of the biggest RL event in London for years).

Yes i heard that as well. Of course losing London means losing a source of players for him so he has an interest in our future existence.

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:43 pm  

Dan Stains woz God wrote:

I was listening to TalkSport this afternoon and they were discussing London Broncos.

They seemed to suggest that the Barnet talks have broken down and no longer an option


Such a sad situation we find ourselves in when ,at last,our youth programme has produced results and flourished (and on the eve of the biggest RL event in London for years).

So if not Barnet where?

For some reason I have the opening lines of Blur's 'No Distance Left to Run' going round my head........'It's over, you don't need to tell me'

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:01 pm  

I feel for you guys in this I really do, it's always the fans that end up suffering. Hope something can be salvaged but it looking extremely grim at present.

Something must have happened in the last week or so which has lead to the speeding up of this process though. Talking to a 'member of the establishment' at the game last weekend last weekend it was the belief that the club had until the end of the month to sort the Barnet deal out (so after the world cup) before matters would come to a head in this way. David Hughes was to pay this months wages, along with the serverence agreements of those players released early, out of his own pocket and the RFL were involved as a go between in this and the Barnet negotiations. So I would have expected nothing to break for a couple of weeks yet.

It's this that worries me and maybe there is truth in the growing rumours that barnet have given up on the deal as that could well act as a catalyst for this action. If so then it probably is the end and I hear today from a third party (so uncomfirmed I grant you) that the clubs academy set up is to finish for good this week? What should happen is a statement to the supporters from your CEO outlining the true state of play should be released. I have a feeling we maybe waiting a while though. FWIW I think (maybe hope) DH will pay the wages one last time this month then call it quits. But believe me to those that think it is, this is no stunt to just clear the decks and start again, it is a serious situation and the club is staring into the abyss. I hope something crops up in the next couple of weeks that at the very least saves the club in some guise. Good luck.

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:24 pm  

sixtogo wrote:

I feel for you guys in this I really do, it's always the fans that end up suffering. Hope something can be salvaged but it looking extremely grim at present.

. FWIW I think (maybe hope) DH will pay the wages one last time this month then call it quits. But believe me to those that think it is, this is no stunt to just clear the decks and start again, it is a serious situation and the club is staring into the abyss. I hope something crops up in the next couple of weeks that at the very least saves the club in some guise. Good luck.

Well the very latest from "Sporting Life" issued just before 5pm


London talks continue

Last Updated: November 21 2013, 16:56 GMT

Talks are ongoing in an effort to save stricken Super League club London Broncos.

The clock began ticking on Wednesday evening when the beleaguered Londoners announced their intention to go into administration.

The Broncos made the move to protect them from any action brought by creditors but there are now just nine working days left to find a resolution.

Talks with Barnet FC chairman Tony Kleanthous, who has expressed an interest in acquiring a stake in the club, recently broke down but he is now thought to be back at the negotiating table with Broncos owner David Hughes.

It is thought Kleanthous is not the only other interested party but is the Broncos' preferred option since it would provide the club with a new home at The Hive.

The London club effectively became homeless when their rental agreement at the Twickenham Stoop ran out at the end of the 2013 season.

Hughes, who has personally bankrolled the club since Richard Branson ended his interest a decade ago, is thought to have threatened to withdraw his support after failing to receive guarantees over the club's Super League status, following the decision to reinstate promotion and relegation from the end of next season.

The Broncos' inclusion in this week's Super League fixture list for 2014 was seen as a positive sign but then came a new twist in the long-running saga.

Head coach Tony Rea and chief executive Gus Mackay are thought to be overseeing a skeleton staff after a raft of redundancies were made at the end of last season.

The majority of last season's squad have departed, leaving Rea with as few as five players left on the books, and the club would need special dispensation to exceed the overseas quota to enable them to put together a side in time for their opening match at Widnes on February 16.

If the club go into administration, they would be certain to start the new season with a points deduction, which would make them firm relegation favourites.

The Rugby Football League, who have seen Wrexham-based Super League club Crusaders go to the wall and Bradford, Wakefield and Salford all flirt with financial disaster in recent years, is said to be involved in the rescue talks.

An RFL spokesman said: "London Broncos have kept us abreast of developments and we are working with them to provide support and assistance.

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:41 pm  

The fact that there are two interested parties is interesting. That gives us some hope if the RFL are willing to give us assurances for those investors interested. I can understand DH's preference for the owner of the Hive as it means our owner has his own ground and can probably make it work financially as long as he doesnt have to worry about relegation and can get a deal from the RFL which ensures we can get a competitive team to get the fans in to pay the bills. Im baffled about where an alternative investor would want to play if they have to rent it. With our shattered fan base we will not be self sufficient if we have to rent and unless he has some very deep pockets id be surprised to find anyone around who would take us on.

I wonder why Kleinhouse is back at the negotiating table with DH? if they have not got some assurance from the RFL about what they need to make it worth carrying on then Im sure Kleinhouse would have not been interested and walked.
What has changed. Does he want some financial guarantee from DH to cover any losses from say 2/3 years if crowds don't cover the costs?

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:11 pm  

The Super League were set to buy Bradford last year. I wonder if they'll do the same for London.

Re: 10 Days to Save the Broncos! : Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:22 pm  

jaybs wrote:

Well the very latest from "Sporting Life" issued just before 5pm


....Hughes, who has personally bankrolled the club since Richard Branson ended his interest a decade ago, is thought to have threatened to withdraw his support after failing to receive guarantees over the club's Super League status, following the decision to reinstate promotion and relegation from the end of next season.......... the club would need special dispensation to exceed the overseas quota to enable them to put together a side in time for their opening match at Widnes on February 16.

Would I be overly cynical to see this as an attempt to secure the Broncos' future in SL by the back door?
Step 1 - let as many players leave at the end of the 2013 season as possible;
Step 2 - enter Admin/plead poverty to gain dispensation to recruit overseas players beyond quota;
Step 3 - put a squad together that's strong enough to get enough points to overcome any deduction and avoid any relegation.

I genuinely hope that London survive and can at least be competitive next season, but whatever the outcome it should be on a fair playing field across SL.