at the stoop tonight

Not quite taking off this Quins thing is it?



is that the lowest SL crowd ever?

It's actually higher than Quins' previous two crowds.

didn't they have a warning from the rfl in the close season to improve their crowds too!?

Harlequins will relocate to Pontefract and hope tto steal a few cas fans lol

I didnt even look like there was as many as that, and they gave away free tickets via facebook apparently

What do this excuse for a club bring to super league?

I know I get slated every time I mention this but fekk it…

When oh when will the RFL realise that Rugby League is a parochial northern sport that will only ever be successful in its ‘heartlands’.

Every attempt to expand the sport outside the M62 corridor has failed – both the London and Welch follies are clogging up franchise places that need to be allocated to more deserving causes.

What does either of these teams bring to the party that Widnes couldn’t instantly trump?

Nothing… time the old farts at Red Hall got a grip and readdressed their engineered franchise criteria.

Teams should receive extra points for being close to another team – not lose points.

Dreadful, dreadful crowd. Still, only marginally worse than Salford get.

Why are Leeds fans even bothered? Do our attendances have some sort of adverse affect on your lives or your own teams performances or the sport as a whole? We get no supporters, we get no monies, its our problem.

Some supporters do actually care about other clubs and the game as a whole.Unfortunately it reflects badly on our game when Sky turns up and shows virtually deserted terraces.I for one would love to see successful clubs in other regions,but unfortunately the majority of rugby followers down south support the other code.
I cannot understand how you manage to survive financially.

Do you really think the attendance of a game has a major impact upon the thoughts of a viewer? Or do you think the actual game is more of a focus point? I can't understand it either tbh.

Well for starters I don't believe games are enjoyable either live or watching on TV when there is little or no atmosphere.Last nights game was quite entertaining but was spoilt with little atmosphere.
Rightly or wrongly some people will think we are a Mickey Mouse sport when playing in front of low attendances.
Red Hall must also be concerned(publicity/image of game ?) if it is correct they have officially told you attendances must increase.

Simple answer... Yes. I've seen more people at a tiddlywinks match than you get each week.

You're taking a spot in our top flight competition that you don't deserve (for both on and off the field reasons). IMO, Widnes, Leigh, Barrow, Halifax, Featherstone and Dewsbury are all far more deserving. In recent years before the franchise system Leigh and Dewsbury have been refused a SL place after winning the Premiership due to having 'less than adequate' stadia. Yet your club get in no questions asked. Just out of interest, did you earn your place or where you like Les Cats and just got it handed to you on a plate?

Leeds fans are rugby league fans.

I really wish the game would be a success in London. Harlequins have a very poor playing squad due to it having little investment. They struggle to attract new fans because they are rubbish to watch.

I don't believe Widnes, Leigh or any other club outside of Super League would attract significantly bigger crowds if they were in Harlequins position, but obviously they would be boosted by the number of away fans visiting.

What do they bring to Super League?, as much, arguably more than any other team would outside of Super League.

Which tiddlywinks matches have you been watching? I'm curious.

Do you not think a team in the South and developing Amateur RL in the South is a good idea? Do you think Amateur RL in the South would be so big without Harlequins? Genuine questions, interested in what you think.

I'm struggling to see the benefits to the game of Rugby League in having Featherstone in the Super League.

Our club earnt a place in exactly the same way as Leeds, Wigan and St Helens did, so I'm not sure which angle you are taking there.

I agree with what you say, in the short term things aren't great, but we have to start somewhere. Things can only get better from here. There was a lot of positivity at the ground last time, the first time I have noticed this this seasons. The crowds will come, they have been there before, and they are out there for the future, I am sure.

I know. So why the need to constantly jump on and criticize an important SL club? Our club are well aware of our shortcomings, but things aren't going to happen overnight.

Well said. Huddersfield only took around 150 supporters last night too which was a pretty poor show.

How long do you think it'll take to start attracting any interest in your club?

How long has there been a professional club (in whatever incarnation) playing under a ‘London’ banner?

Whilst the Quins crowds are poor and are an important issue, how long has there been a club in Featherstone, Halifax or any of the other potential replacements for Quins in SL? Because their crowds aren't exactly amazing either and don't offer the expansion and potential for new players that Quins do. Not to mention the incredibly important fact of having a presence in the only city the media give a toss about.
There is only really Widnes who are an even vaguely realistic alternative.

As you know, we have been shifted around all over the place and haven't had a chance to establish one single club. Like I said on the VT recently, I bet a lot of Leeds supporters got into RL through their family, something that is going to take years to happen for us.

Put either Halifax or Featherstone in the Super League with increased revenue from TV rights and a greater exposure and I’ll bet my left nut that both of them would exceed the current attendances currently being achieved by the Harlequins.

Compound this the fact the both these clubs would get a much larger travelling support and both become a more attractive proposition than the London club.

IMO of course.

If Halifax and Featherstone played the same standard of Rugby that we are playing at the moment, then I would happily take that bet.

I'm sure they probably would exceed Quins current attendances, but not by enough to make it significant. Having said that the last time Halifax were in SL they averaged less than Quins crowds last season.
(Fax 2003 - 2976 Quins 2009 - 3436)
Add in the expansion aspect, new player pool and the media issue and Quins win hands down every time in my opinion.