I think some fans are deluded about how big a club we are. We have been in the 2nd tier for 11 seasons and got nowhere near SL, we are pulling in less than 1500 fans (whilst doing as the fans wished, and not using DR) and don't have the financial clout to compete with 4 clubs in our division, let alone the 4 we would play against should we make the Mid-8.

Perhaps the club deciding to take us in to a DR agreement is more of a reality check of our circumstances, than a case of ignoring the fans.

If it worked out, and brought us success, would the fans whinge as much, supporting a winning team with DR players. Would they balls. We crave success. I don't see much difference in signing championship journeymen for a season and playing players we don't own. Our own player development path has hardly been a roaring success!

Defying logic and against instinct I actually agreed to go to a football match last Saturday. My grandson, Halifaxwilliam, on the right with Grandson Nottinghammatthew bought a scarf, half blue and white for Rochdale and half red and white for Forrest. Halifaxwilliam has agreed to lend it to me on Sunday (he will be wearing his full blue and white) so that I can be seen to be supporting both clubs.



Incidentally, my thoughts on the game of football? Picking up the ball and running with it would improve it no end.

By definition you already do "support both clubs" !

Yeah, picking the ball up & running with it would be such an innovation in the footy game, a bit like kicking the ball in RL, to score a try, rather like the modern game whereby approximately 50% of tries are scored from a kick.

Marvellous stuff, learning from other sports.

Rugby Union owes its current status thanks to the thrashing Wigan gave Bath.
It was a wake up call.

JD, not for the first time, this comment of your's has thrown me !

I don't understand where you're going with that, but if you firmly believe that, good grief !!!!!

Guscott refused to play in that game anyway....

Guscott did refuse to play, he didn't fancy playing against League men. He did however fancy beating up an old age pensioner a few years later (allegedly)
My point was that Rugby Union was light years behind Rugby Union in fitness, tactics and professionalism.
Until that game how many players had gone to Union from League rather than the other way round.
The pasting Wigan gave them made them sit-up and take notice. Do you remember the goal kicking duties were handed around because the score was not intended to go above 100 for Wigan in the first half.
82-6 with Offiah having one try disallowed.
16 tries, only 9 conversions.
Second half 44-16 Wigan 3 tries 2 conversions.
Don't forget that a few weeks earlier Wigan won the Middlesex 7's.
7 Years later Sale beat StHelens.
That was the point I was trying to get across.