MattyB wrote:
We need a signing or two to get the fans back in the stadium. On match days the South Stand seems barely three quarters full.
Whilst the attendances given out state 11k or 12k some of those have been nowhere near, more likely the club have counted non attending season ticket holders.
It's been really poor!
I've had my worries for a while that Lenagans interest seems to be dying a death. When he first took the club over there was a good few years where we promoted games big time and he spoke about wanting to get our average attendances up to 20,000 by tapping in to Liverpool, Manchester etc. That was always a pipe dream but nowadays we just seen content to see who bothers turning up. Lenagan was very good at communicating with the fans via fans forums and even at the games and at times on here but again that looks to be fading. He spoke about things such as a fans supporters bar and a museum but again nothing ever materialised.
On the playing side he took opportunities to really improve the club. He took on Maguire and let him set up a great coaching staff. He took the opportunity to sign three Melbourne players when it arose and that got everyone excited. Nowadays we just make do with coaches/conditioners from within the club and don't look for fresh ideas, we just sign ex players and players who are out of contract at lower superleague clubs and unlike other clubs we don't replace guys who get long term injuries as the salary cap only really seems to apply to us and one or two other clubs.
The academy side is also a worry. The side is getting beat on a regular basis after dominating for a number of years and whilst that was always going to happen the big worry is our reliance on that academy to fill gaps in the first team when we continue to let players leave. There's talk that Crosby may follow Charnley and Sarginson out of the door at the end of the year. That's three good superleague players (when they can be bothered) and who will replace them? I'd guess probably Tierney, Higginson, Bretherton, Wells etc. All are good lads but the first one is no more then a squad player and the last three are kids and nowhere near ready.
We've had a good run since 2010 in general but in truth we shouid have won far more with the players we've had and produced but far too many have walked through the door.
We're getting towards a bit of a crossroads IMO.
