What brand do they Smoke ?And I hope they Smoke outside

.

It's a good job we are here really, half of you would have nothing to talk about!

FWIW I think you'll win Friday, we've had a great season but we looked absolutely shot vs Doncaster. Think it's catching up with us.

See you Friday.

Special smoking pens Charlie, all funded by the RFL

I'd like to join the Sheffield bashing but I like them too much. OK, I don't like the hole they play in but I like them in general. I think Aston is a great coach and I have nothing but respect for their performances over the last 3 years.

Anyway, here's my attempt:
The whole of the Sheffield Eagles squad eat flies and throw litter from their team bus.

No, that's rubbish.

This is my favourite.

How can you say we've not developed over the last ten years?

Since the club was relaunched for the 2000 season, we've gone from the bottom of what was then the NFP, playing in borrowed kit with local amateur players, to being a well-run, financially stable club that are currently the Champions of the second tier.

We also have a full youth development setup from u16s scholarship through to Super League academy.

Granted the crowds aren't what they could and probably should be, given the on field product over the last couple of years, but to say the club hasn't developed makes you look a little bit silly in all honesty.

I honestly don't understand why so many Fax fans have a go at Sheffield! Who cares if they don't have any fans, I know I don't! Rugby fans seem obsessed with other clubs attendances when really it has nothing to do with them, the only people it should concern is the club and it's own supporters and the sports governing body!

If we are are going to have a go at anyone in South Yorkshire it should be Barnsley, they are a mining town without a semi-pro/pro Rugby League team = Weirdos!!!

Right. Now let's turn to how Fax's crowds have grown in the last ten years.........

You're right, pal.

What a stupid comment, prior to 85, 86, 87 our average crowd had dropped to 1400.
Succesfull years brought the crowds back, 88 we were relegated 89, 90 in the second division we averaged 6000.
We have had lean years since we were relegated from Super League but we still have the second highest gate
in the championship.
Fev, Leigh and us would see a significant increase in gates if those good years returned and saw at least two of us in SL
You would still only have 250 paying spectators if the unthinkable happened and the RFL continued with gifting you as a development area and promoted you..

All very well, congratulations, how about thinking how you can develop your crowds.
Because all the "fantastic" work your club is doing is not generating any interest in Rugby League.

So why doesn't it concern them, where is the money coming from?
RFL?

Barnsley probably saw the light and realised that with it being a football town there was no point.

Perhaps the RFL couldn't afford two development teams in one area.

Edited for Robins benefit

Barnsley a football town, not sure about that!





As for the RFL bankrolling us, I think most sane people understand we get absolutely zero extras by now, but keep believing what you want johnny boy.

Why do Sheffield Eagles play so many home league games on a friday night

do any of the sheffield haters know?

Griff himself confirmed that the sponsors prefer evening games irrespective of the fact that it inconveniences supporters of both teams and therefore the gate.
To be fair Griff has said that he doesn't agree with that sentiment.

Correct john and trust me i'm no fan of constant friday night games, so why do we bend over backwards for the sponsors when it really does affect the gate? What do they have that sheffield eagles need so much so that they will sacrifice a loss in gate money

its probably down to the lack of sponsors available. When you actually look at the numbers that may not turn up on Friday that would on Sunday and include away supporters in that, it could be 200-300 fans per match x £15 its £3k -£4.5k in Gate revenue per game not including other spends. times that by 15 games its £45k - £67k in lost gate money, plus a minimum of £15k on food drink purchases.
That's between £60k-£80k minimum in lost revenue. I know that main sponsors at this level probably pay between £10k & £20k as a main sponsor so really the club are cutting their own throats really if they are letting a sponsor dictate what night they play and they are losing nearly 4 times the amount that sponsor pays because of it.......Only in Rugby league

The point you miss is that we're all in the same ****.

We've never had a crowd. You had one and lost it. You should be more worried than us.

Strangely enough, my thoughts entirely.

Sponsors definitely prefer Friday nights. Straight from the office to the game, just in time for some snap, watch the game, job's a good 'un. Sunday - takes all day and they don't work Sundays.

Wouldn't argue with your 200-300 but there's VAT to take out, so it's more like £2.5k - £3.75k a game, say £40k over a season plus £0k for the burgers and beer because DVS keep all that.

Sponsorship is profitable but I just think you need to build a crowd if you're going anywhere.

More punters = more gate money = more secondary spend = more ability to sell yourself to sponsors = more press coverage = more punters = etc etc

I don't know where their money comes from, never really thought about it and in the whole scheme of things does it matter? I am more concerned about where Fax's revenue is coming from and how poor our gates are at the moment. How can Fax maximise their gates and all other streams of revenue to make sure that we, not only survive but compete at the top, that should be our concern, knowing where Sheffield get their money from is not going to change our situation!

One question we should be asking is, who are the player scouts at Sheffield??? I think their player recruitment over the last few years has been excellent both overseas and domestic. Picking up players like Menzi Yere, Quentin Laulu-Togagae, Misi Taulapapa but also players like Jack Howieson from Student Rugby League show they have some keen eyes on the player market. They really impress me in that respect.

No you. miss the point, we have had a crowd and we can get it back.

I will however hand it back to you as you always like the last word.
We have gone off topic so , over to you.

I would say less than 2.5k - 3.75k taking into account free kids season tickets etc
I agree they need to think about building a fan base for the reasons you've put but the moral of the story is sponsors are king at sheffield and are paying a large portion of our outgoings, Its no secret we've had good sponsors for quite a while it's catch 22 we're dependent on them

If anyone wonders where sheffield gets its money from this would be a good place to start

Have a safe trip down tomorrow night fax fans

Got to say Sheffield is a football city and whilst you have done brilliant on the crowds you have I can never see them ever getting big enough to justify a place in SL, it failed before even after a fantastic win at Wembley (I was there a great day that).
I think the reason you have done as well as you have is good management (Halifax take note) and a man who is Sheffield through and through in Mark Aston, when he goes you will drop like a stone I think.