Quote ="TonyGee"Please, if i may take that post apart and show you up for the idiot you are clearly trying to be.
Where do we start, hmmm.
Lets compare the two set ups shall we.
Stadiums. The shay: Nice new stand, One crappy stand, 2 average end stands.
The Stobart Stadium: All seater Stadium, used for internationals, Semi finals, And will be hosting SL next season.
Wow, you got us there.
Crowds: do i need bother, we are having a terrible season yet our crowds have not yet plummeted to the depths you are peaking at. Well done.
Finances, Fax: Reputed to be struggling and scraping by on poor crowds, No cup runs and just basic income. Nooooooo
Widnes: Multi millionaire owner, Best crowds in the division with probably the biggest shirt sponsor in the division. 2 Final appearances and decent showings in the C Cup. Running a successful merchandise shop in the town Centre. Approaching if not exceeding £1M turnover.
Damn got us again.
Youth. Fax: gotta admit when Stanley made his breakthrough for you i thought Wow, he's a big kid he will make an impact when he's not much older. Unlucky for you he found out you didn't run a proper academy set up and had no one his age to play with at the club. Its only right he leaves for pastures new.
Widnes: I admit we are struggling here, Only running teams in every age group and ranking above most SL clubs at all levels including being the current leaders of the 18's league i can see how we fail to impress you.
On the pitch, Fax: Wow, your great. All that silverware you have won over the last 3 years is enough to make anyone jealous. I mean there was the thingy win, oh and that famous night somewhere... And not forgetting the magic day at the nines!. Wow how can we compare.
Widnes: I have to admit here we are not worthy, only 2 cup finals appearances with one victory to our name. We should be ashamed, of the 3 finals we could have appeared in ( not including the CC final ) we have only managed to get to two of them. We are junk.
Then lets look at the general way our clubs are run. Widnes are a benchmark club that works exceptionally hard in the community. We run academies at all levels and all our players are taught about what to expect from life outside of Rugby league. We have a steady board and backroom staff with a chief exec and a rich chairman who loves us. We play by the rules and have not been expelled from any competitions this year, yes sir, not kicked out at all.
Fax: Lets see, we have players launching claims against the club, competition expulsions, no youth set up and a real lack of success on the park. Honestly?
I mean it can get tiresome defending Widnes on here for, in essence, doing everything the RFL expects clubs to do. We are bound to be running a small profit margin if any in this division, we're running how many full teams compared to everyone else in this division? if Fax were running so many academy teams it would destroy you with your current crowds. Im sure people post this crap without engaging their brains.
Name me one other club that has a national TV program Run by them for them? We have Boot's N Widnes every Wednesday on sky sport's.
So lets try this from another point, someone care to point me to a Current Championship club that can compete with what Widnes offer and are doing right now? Anyone?'"
No.
But lets get realistic.
Franchising has led to reduced crowds for practically all clubs. Not just for clubs who have franchises but even for Widnes.
Weekend before last Mr Lewis was crowing about record NON RELAGATION crowds for that particular weekend. Infact the highest crowds since Superleague was introduced. For the same fixtures before franchising those same fixtures where 20% down.
Last weekend we had lowest NON RELAGATION crowds EVER. Mr Lewis never mentioned that. Never mind them being the lowest Superleague crowds since it was introduced.
How does British Lawn Tennis manage without him ?
This is the guy who introduced Magic Weekend ignoring the ruinous costs and its' failure.
He is paid £209 000 a year.
This is the guy who introduced Magic Weekend ignoring the ruinous costs and its' failure.
