Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:04 pm  

Mackay, in the words of Harry Dunne to Lloyd Christmas, "Just when I think you couldn't possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this…and totally redeem yourself!"

Is this what circling the drain looks like?

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:21 pm  

Pretty shoddy stuff all round.

If The Stoop is unplayable after recent weather, what makes anyone think a third tier rugby union pitch is going to be any better?

I look forward to freezing my knackers off in that wretched looking venue.

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:29 pm  

Rob from Erith wrote:

Could you imagine any of the Northern clubs doing this?

Already done. Saints played for a full season at Widnes because we didn't have a home at all, much less one with a flooded unfit pitch.

At least you weren't in the position of Gateshead Thunder recently who, because work was being done on their regular ground, had to play their game against North Wales Crusaders at Hull KR because the RFL wouldn't approve any alternative local ground (the RFL should get its priorities sorted, it really should). However, for most teams Up North there is generally an alternative Superleague standard ground nearby simply because of the geographical concentration of the sport so there wouldn't be an issue.

Although the ground at Esher doesn't look very big it looks in better nick than the ground at Castleford, for example, which has sheds made of corrugated iron dating back to the second world war.

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:42 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Rob from Erith wrote:

Could you imagine any of the Northern clubs doing this?

Already done. Saints played for a full season at Widnes because we didn't have a home at all, much less one with a flooded unfit pitch.

At least you weren't in the position of Gateshead Thunder recently who, because work was being done on their regular ground, had to play their game against North Wales Crusaders at Hull KR because the RFL wouldn't approve any alternative local ground (the RFL should get its priorities sorted, it really should). However, for most teams Up North there is generally an alternative Superleague standard ground nearby simply because of the geographical concentration of the sport so there wouldn't be an issue.

Although the ground at Esher doesn't look very big it looks in better nick than the ground at Castleford, for example, which has sheds made of corrugated iron dating back to the second world war.

.

Oh come on, this is totally different , your club moved to a stadium that was up to SL standard while your new stadium was being built! If your pitch was unfit at the weekend would you be playing at a 3rd tier union ground? Would you balls! Would our landlords be doing it? Same answer! No our club is yet again falling over itself to become the laughing stock of SL. Game should have been called off, and in retrospect last Saturdays probably should have been too.

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:46 pm  

wire quin wrote:

The French may be here plus there fans may have flights booked-have you considered that?

It didn't stop them doing it to Hull FC at even shorter notice last year

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:48 pm  

Rob from Erith wrote:

Oh come on, this is totally different , your club moved to a stadium that was up to SL standard while your new stadium was being built! If your pitch was unfit at the weekend would you be playing at a 3rd tier union ground? Would you balls!

It's as I said earlier: due to geography we are spitting distance from SL standard grounds but because you aren't, you are being given special dispensation to play at a ground that wouldn't normally meet SL standards. I doubt very much that your Board would have played there if there had been a more suitable alternative and it is quite possible they were told they could not play at The Stoop. As Wigan constantly rediscover, the downside to playing in a shared stadium is that sometimes the tenant has no choice in the matter.

While I can appreciate frustration especially given the major hassle of travelling across London, some of the vitriol sounds really harsh, especially if people are not 100% certain who made the call and why they made it. Is everyone certain it was Gus? Is anyone aware of an alternative? Was there pressure from the Dragons who I'm sure will have already booked their travel if they aren't already here? Was the club backed into a corner through no fault of their own (ie The Stoop is not under their management and so they couldn't influence the state of the pitch)?

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:54 pm  

wantawin wrote:

tricky_dicky wrote:

Kingston isn't in Surrey, well not since about 1966

If you go on the Surrey County Council Website you will find that the address for County Hall is in Kingston Surrey

I live in Surrey, and whilst it is true that the council is in Kingston, that's a hangover from before the days of Greater London - so Kingston was absorbed into the Royal (London) Borough of Kingston. It is not now in Surrey

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:57 pm  

I dont see the big deal, ample room for a 1500 ish crowd, round the corner from Twickenham. What difference does it make?

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:06 pm  

Record crowd for Rugby League game in Esher! Expansion works.

Without me sadly, though I suppose my ST will be counted. Wouldn't have gone to The Stoop either.

Re: Catalans game moved to Esher RFC! : Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:11 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Is everyone certain it was Gus?

Tell you what......if this was the first instance of incompetence, then to a man, woman and Child, every poster on here would have 100% directed their ire towards the Landlords...but, it's not......not by a long shot!

14-01-11 / Gus Mackay Joins as CEO
20-02-11 / 1,766 witness the seasons opener v Crusaders a record lowest attendance for the club in SL
22-06-11 / Club announce they are investigating a possible re-brand
10-09-11 / 3,456 Watch the loss to St Helens, securing 12th spot ..average 3,124 down 7.5%
01-11-11 / Club announce a rebrand back to the Broncos name
19-01-12 / Season Tickets sent out to 859 people.
24-01-12 / Club dispatches Replica shits with the promise you can have the sponsor added later…when they get one
27-01-12 / Club Launch new Website nearly 3 full months after the re-brand
04-02-12 / 4,924 witness the first game as the London Broncos..the team has no shirt sponsor
17-05-12 / After only 2 league wins all season and declining crowds the club announce a review.
09-06-12 / 2,117 watch the team achieve their third win of the season to move off the foot of the table.
17-07-12 / The Club announce a temporary sponsorship arrangement with a local building supplies store.
18-07-12 / The Club, sitting bottom of the league, announce the return of Tony Rea.
18-08-12 / The Sun report the club is moving to Gillingham, The CEO does nothing on Live TV to dispell this rumour
18-08-12 / CEO states that is may be November before the new coach is anounced
21-08-12 / Three days later, Tone Rea is announced as the new head coach.
08-09-12 / 2,525 watch the Broncos win their last game of the season, finishing in 12th position with the lowest ever average for a season…2,808, 11% down on last year and 17% down in total since 2010
08-09-12 / No official announcements are made at the end of seasons awards……the home ground and info on 2013 ST's are still a mystery
19-09-12 / Club announce staying at the stoop for 2013
15-01-13 / Gus announces that London will leave the stoop at the end of 2013...no announcement on ST numbers pointing to a further decline.
09-03-13 / Bottom of the table with an average of 2,193, over 35% less fans and all the CEO can do is text NZ to ask me to stop picking on him....

Add to this the 2 days notice given....and we still have no proof that this was an RFL pitch inspection which any sane administrator would have declared.....because the Landlord decides to bounce us.

I've had 2 Missed calls from the UK so far...all I do is type either quantifiable facts or I express that it's MY OPINION.....in this case, My Opinion happens to be FACT.


In my honest Opinion, we could have employed co co the loving clown as CEO and we'd have been better run!