Re: Mike smith - league express : Sat May 19, 2012 2:29 pm  

On the terraces wrote:

Hi all it's boxweir, firstly thanks for trying to help guess who but the link you gave me was what I did on Tuesday and since then I have sent 4 e-mails explaining my side and asking for an explanation as to why they have blocked me and I still haven't heard anything. Mean while I have registered under the exact same name and contact details as my previous username the only difference been the username I am using now and they have activated me

Cant comment on this as i dont know anything about it. Apart from trying to help.

On the terraces wrote:

I personally think we have rattled someone's cage because when I posted on all the clubs forums everybody was talking about it and what a great article it was and how everyone nearly agreed that the franchise system in place is a joke and clearly isn't working as it should especially the super league clubs. The points made about spamming sites is rubbish because the amount of forums that I went on and there were the same stuff posted through out such as charity stuff, well isn't that spamming. The point made about copyright is wrong as we have had full permission from mike smith and league express to use it and so on, this isn't a pop at you guess who so please don't think that but it just seems someone doesn't want this debate starting because if it built momentum and clubs started to get on board with it then where would it take us, probably to a place someone doesn't want it to go.

You did spam sites. You put a post with the full article. Which had just appeared in League Express.

You say you had the, "full permission from mike smith and league express".

You did not say that in the post you put on here. The admins/mods are not mind readers, so how would we know that?

We have to protect this site. If that means taking posts down or banning someone. Then sorting it all out later. To stop this site getting into trouble, then i have no problem with that.

You also say, "I personally think we have rattled someone's cage".

Try started a topic on the issue whilst staying within the AUP and see if it gets taken down again. I bet you it wont.

Re: Mike smith - league express : Sat May 19, 2012 9:11 pm  

Let's face it - the governing body are all in it together, looking after themselves and not doing anything to promote any club outside Super League. After all, they're handsomely paid for doing what? They answer to no-one - especially the inneffective, so-called 'Controller of Referees' - Sturat Cummings.

The BBC (and let us all remember who pays for their employees - including Gobby Paul) couldn't give a damn. It's about time (as I have said before) that the Championship Clubs got together and formed a meaningful alliance, instead of looking after their own - never to be obtained - goals.

If the Clubs won't do it then the supporters and fans MUST!

Re: Mike smith - league express : Mon May 21, 2012 7:06 am  

Andy Burnham MP is writing an open letter to the new chairman of the RFL on this very subject, he too is dismayed at the way the game has gone and is going, and would like all Rugby League supporters to back him by signing said letter. Please follow this link and add you name to the list..... http://andyburnhammp.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... rugby.html

Andy Burnham MP is writing an open letter to the new chairman of the RFL on this very subject, he too is dismayed at the way the game has gone and is going, and would like all Rugby League supporters to back him by signing said letter. Please follow this link and add you name to the list..... http://andyburnhammp.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... rugby.html

Re: Mike smith - league express : Mon May 21, 2012 8:31 am  

forwardpass1 wrote: Andy Burnham MP is writing an open letter to the new chairman of the RFL on this very subject, he too is dismayed at the way the game has gone and is going, and would like all Rugby League supporters to back him by signing said letter. Please follow this link and add you name to the list..... http://andyburnhammp.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... rugby.html He is not the only one speaking out against it. Sam Tomkins has his say http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... mfort-zone Also Eamon McManus, chairman of St Helens has spoken out against it.

forwardpass1 wrote: Andy Burnham MP is writing an open letter to the new chairman of the RFL on this very subject, he too is dismayed at the way the game has gone and is going, and would like all Rugby League supporters to back him by signing said letter. Please follow this link and add you name to the list..... http://andyburnhammp.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... rugby.html He is not the only one speaking out against it. Sam Tomkins has his say http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... mfort-zone Also Eamon McManus, chairman of St Helens has spoken out against it.

Re: Mike smith - league express : Mon May 21, 2012 8:56 pm  

Here is the link to the full Andy Burnham MP Article, I didn't have it when I put my original post on.... http://www.andyburnham.net/ Sorry it's exactly the same......

Here is the link to the full Andy Burnham MP Article, I didn't have it when I put my original post on.... http://www.andyburnham.net/ Sorry it's exactly the same......

Re: Mike smith - league express : Wed May 23, 2012 10:19 pm  

I was interested to see Boots N All this week when Eddie posed the question to Paul Cullen and Shaun McRae. Understandably both supported the current system which will probably come as no surprise to anyone.

McRae talked about the current license system being about business sustainability. A nice word, but what does that actually mean. Money over an agreed period and allows planning and forecasting possibly. What about the Dulls/London who have all had issues?

I know on the Wire forum Mike Smith's article was discussed and to be honest got some disappointing answers from in my opinion short sighted fans. They talked about the jump from part time to full time. If I recall correctly the Cougars were in the main full time for a season to two prior to our grand final win. I'm not sure but I guess others in our league may well have players on retained full time contracts at that time. This outside SL is now unheard of. With that in mind, surely SL has created a gap in this sense.

SL clubs in the main would appear to be richer and the clubs outside poorer. Is that what SL was all about?

More money has to come into the Champ from SL to bridge that gap. Is that ever going to happen? Are SL clubs ever going to hand over £100K? I think we all know the answer to that.

Let's face it, RL is not football and does not have the same income stream or revenues. However, for me opening up P & R would involve drastic changes to the admin of our game. Widnes are a classic example of how this system does not work. I could be bias and probably am, but I'm not convinced the Cougars would have suffered the same issues Widnes are having now if we had been rightly promoted. Look at London who also got promoted from nowhere. Has that ever worked?

On Boots N All they talked about Catalans being an example of how the franchise system works? I'd first like to know how much money has been thrown at them by the RFL. Then I'd like to know how this corresponds to that being provided to the standard SL club to see if there is a clear disparity. I bet there is.

This post probably creates more discussion that answers, but I for one am disillusioned by the admin and set-up of this great game. I think now is the time to change for the better.

Re: Mike smith - league express : Wed May 23, 2012 11:44 pm  

I think the first thing that has to be addressed before P&R can be brought back is making the Championship a vibrant, viable competition that's able of producing teams of a sound footing that can be promoted in to Super League. The product on the field is superb, but who's turning up to watch it? There were 700 at our game last week, why? Is there anybody in the Championship at the moment that would add more to Super League than a current side?

Would P&R be purely based on League performance? Or should criteria need to be met? Personally I think you need criteria perhaps along the lines of.
- Minimum ground capacity of 10,000
- Average attendance exceeding 3,000
- Not been in administration in the last 10 years
- No salary cap breaches in the last 5 years
- Debt (excluding loans for stadium improvements) does not exceed £250k.
- No debt owed to HMRC, the RFL, other clubs, club directors or club staff including players.

Re: Mike smith - league express : Thu May 24, 2012 6:59 am  

Is there anybody in the Championship at the moment that would add more to Super League than a current side?

Though it pains me to say it ,Personally dont think you have to look further than Post Office Road to say without doubt yes .

I've visited Fev, as well as many other clubs a few times over the past few season not just as a speccie but through work and I've got to say on most occasions the professionalism of the place off the field shines through in comparison of most if not all Championship Clubs and puts a lot of the SL Clubs to shame as well.

Re: Mike smith - league express : Thu May 24, 2012 7:55 am  

Stealth Comic wrote:

I think the first thing that has to be addressed before P&R can be brought back is making the Championship a vibrant, viable competition that's able of producing teams of a sound footing that can be promoted in to Super League. The product on the field is superb, but who's turning up to watch it? There were 700 at our game last week, why? Is there anybody in the Championship at the moment that would add more to Super League than a current side?

Would P&R be purely based on League performance? Or should criteria need to be met? Personally I think you need criteria perhaps along the lines of.
- Minimum ground capacity of 10,000
- Average attendance exceeding 3,000
- Not been in administration in the last 10 years
- No salary cap breaches in the last 5 years
- Debt (excluding loans for stadium improvements) does not exceed £250k.
- No debt owed to HMRC, the RFL, other clubs, club directors or club staff including players.

I would tend to agree with Rach in that adding Halifax or Feav would add more than having London who in fairness would not meet the attendance criteria you outlined. The RFL have clearly tried to expand the game outside of the M62 corridor, but under several guises now has London worked? I think P&R has to be about the on field performance again, rather that off field capability. I agree there is a need for a minimum criteria but promoting any team who have not finished top or won grand final to me is ridiculous.

Re: Mike smith - league express : Thu May 24, 2012 11:51 am  

I spoke to a guy a last Thursday at the game,he said this time last year the excitment was there watching Keighley Cougars even playing so called lesser opposition,this year it all feels a bit flat.Why because there was promotion and each each game ment something,this season we are playing for,well maybe a chance to put your name on a list with 4 or 5 other clubs so in 3 years time some nameless group of people get to decide if you can join there gang,and people wonder why the crowd is not what it should be,by the way some of you may know the guy, Mike Smith.

By the way the Union game is just about to go through the same thing league did many years ago.With 2 teams who should be fighting it out to play in the top flight,being told no,I believe at least one of those clubs may take legal action,does that sound familiar.