I've supported Leeds RL for over 20 years now and, despite a few false dawns, we were crap for the first 15 or so ...it was the false dawns that really hurt...In the words of John Cleese "I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand."

I genuinely struggle to pick my worst moment...Offiah's 10 tries, The Jonathan Davies Regal Trophy (92?), the 1995 premiership final [size=50(Actually, I think this might be the one)[/size, the whole of the first superleague season...I could go on.

One thing I do remember though is how little most Wigan fans appreciated what they had back then - they'd leave Wembley after another win with barely a smile on their face...my one consolation was always that when (actually it was more if) we won something we'd really really appreciate it - and did we ever in 1999 and then even more in 2004.

Maybe its time we regained some perspective.

We've just seen the greatest period in our clubs history...ok it might now take us a couple of transition years to be back challenging but that's life and boy has it been worth it!

Well said mate.

nice one

Good post. Your time will come again in the future. I just hope that the rest of the Leeds fans think in the same way as yourself. What you don't want is the fans to stop turning up after a couple of seasons of not winning anything.

Cracking post Omar and spot on.
To be fair i think most are in the same line of thought but their emotions get the better of them when we perform like we have with a team that should be competing better.

Excellent post
I'm sure that most of the Leeds RL fans that have been around in the 80's and 90's prior to our recent SL successes will echo those sentiments

I can handle the thought of not winning trophies for a couple of seasons, but in an age of full-time training and with all the things at our players disposal, i find it frustrating and hard to tolerate that a group of obviously talented players clearly don't seem to have any idea on game day at present

I agree that we look pretty clueless...I'm far from convinced that we have the right coaching team in place to rebuild but the reaction on here has been way out of proportion

Good post but transistion is where older players are replaced and you rebuild. What's p!ssing people off is past it players are not being replaced. Next year will be worse than this one. Saints have got it right. Put the kids in, write off a year or two and carry on.

Well said Omar. This is a time for the loyal loiners pull together and give the lads some support, not to be talking about not renewing season tickets!



Its July. 2 out of 6 have been given a new contract. 6 (inc biff and cross) are still on course to be replaced.

I completely disagree - look back in fondness is great when you think about your kids. This is pro sport, just because the club was poorly run, underachieved - in part due to Wigan having a full time squad - in the past is no justification for what is happening now.

I bet Alex Ferguson doesn't look back and think we were crap in the 70's and the 80's but we have been pretty successful since let's accept a couple of lean years - his hunger for success will be as strong now as it was when he first started in management.

Top people drive for constant improvement - a lack of which is seen as failure.

As soon as the playing field was levelled out in respect of all teams being full time, it was only a matter of time before Leeds were at the top again, as it will be in the future given their resources. However that is not the case for most teams & fans, knowing they will never be able to compete equally in SL or achive SL.

Over 10 years, and near financial disaster in the middle.

I started to regularly attend league games in Jan '83. At that time Leeds were 4 points clear of Hull at the top of the table. I actually began to believe the following years were all my fault.

THis is new evidence. I now believe they were your fault too.

I started watching in '89/90, when we were already under-achieving. Which I now realise was because you'd already ruined it for everyone.

I don't understand how this was beneficial to Leeds given they were 1 of only 2 teams that was full time pre SL

Oh Dear.

I am the only person who finds the the heading "whinos or loyal loiners" a tad ambiguous?

The poster appears to be trying to make a bizzare statement that those who are dissatisfied with the current on and off field performances at Headingley are "whinos", and in his estimation not "loyal Loiners"

Since when was the length of time following a team any indication of a personal level of support? Does buying a season ticket rather than spending your money at the gate, as and when work rotas allows, make you any less of a fan? If you don't visit the Club shop and buy the latest away strip should you be publicly shunned?


I've been at Headingley since the 70's. Does that make me a "better" fan than someone who has only stood on the terraces in the good years? Does it Fuck. It simply means I'm most likely older than them, and their thoughts on the game/club have no more validity or less than mine.

I'll let you into a secret Omar. In the same way I wouldn't drink a bad pint in any pub, far less my favourite one, I won't be renewing my season ticket next season. Instead, I'll be picking the matches to watch, and yes, bitching on here when things are not going as well as I think they could.

And the reason for that is pure and simple. It's my money, and I'll spend it as I like.

As can you.

Someone with there head out of the sand and a sense of realism.

Great post Omar.

With a few exceptions who are generally just miserable old gits (hiya David and Batley) I suspect the loyal Loiners are those of us who remember the Loiners and the whinging Whinos are those fans who came on board when we were Rhinos.

After I moved away it took the club 10 years to recover, that's how much I messed things up. As for Gary Schofield, well the personal effect I had on him was even worse.

Are you a publican?

Oh the halcyon days when we rubbish - how can we possibly expect to join the elite - winning things was only a temporary blip and now I am back in my comfort zone!!

Gareth - your attitude stinks if I may be so bold - pity so many Leeds fans hold that same view, you can never progress if the idea of sustained success is an anathama.

Although the original post was a good sensible one and there have been some good replies too i think the point is we dont want to fall too far from grace as it is a hell of a way back.

Good post

Thing is we were crap for different reasons then. Back in those days Wigan had all the best players and we only got our hands on them when they were over 30. These days we have a pretty decent team who are generally putting the effort in but are let down by the coaching side of things (selection / rotation / management issues).

If we were putting our best team out ever week who were playing to their potential then I could take being beaten, but it's almost as if we don't want to win anything this year

I like it when the rhinos do well

If they don't........meh