Leeds are lining up to trim spending to help pay for the new Southstand (no grants this time) and I would expect them to bring in another group of young players over the next couple of years. In a salary capped sport you simply have to do this if you want to have more than a "flash in the pan" success rate. We have done this before and the RL history books will look fondly on the outcome so I see no reason not to do it again.

Fair point, although much will depend on the young players' quality. If it's poor should we expect anything better than Harlequins' recent standard of results?

Agreed, but that IF is a mighty big one. We already have BJB, Watkins, McShane (and Hood), Ward, Ambler and Clarkson on the way through who all have a great deal of potential. That's without including the likes of Singleton etc who are also on the production line.

We need a coach who can turn these players into top quality SL players over the next few seasons, and I think / hope we have got one.

Touch wood we have, plus we have the likes of burgess ablett who will still be around

I'm not so sure you are correct with that first sentence. I don't think GH is trimming the spending of the first team in order to build the southstand.

I am confident we will still spend the salary cap as per the rules, which keeps in line with what we were doing. You also have to remember we finally got to a challenge cup final again this year, which can never be in the budget. It's been said many times before that for revenue purposes a Challenge cup final is worth 5 times more than the Grand Final is.

Reading it back, maybe I didn't put it too well. What I meant was I don't think we will see a Marquee signing for the next couple of years, as we will be looking to manage cost a bit better than we have been. GH has gone on record saying that the new SS will put the club back into debt, so he will be keen to repay that as soon as practically possible.

I agree we will spend to the cap, but I on't expect to see any transfer fees being paid for a while.

I would guess again that it would depend on whether we reach the CC final again next year. Like I said, the revenue from that is massive, and the club obviously do not budget for it.

They used to say that it was worth £500k to get there, and £1M if you win it. Only need to win it for the next 10 years and that's the new SS paid for then.....

Can't think why! We've been a shoo-in every year since '07!

True, but I was thinking more like we don't budget for it, but still get the stand. Therefore a trip to Wembley gives funds never expected, and therefore transfer fees could be paid.

Only a madman or a Saints director would budget for making it to Wembley every year...

Are you insinuating that we'll be splashing the £££ in transfer fees?

Yes, I was joking. Hence the



You know the old saying...

Not all Madmen are Saints Directors, but all Saints Directors are madmen.

No, Not at all. Just saying that if we earn money over and above the budget by CC finals then it might be that they do spend, rather than just assume we wont spend because of the new stand.

I agree and i'm sure if a top class player were available at the right price we'd be in for him irrespective of the planned developments.

That goes without saying as it'll undoubtedly be true.

McDermott has little to no credibility as a SL coach given his appalling coaching record at Harlequins in terms of both performances and results.

A dreadful coaching appointment by GH.

Quite.

If McDermott is in charge for the next 5 years, Leeds could well finish 6th, 8th, 8th, 10th and 11th.

I'm allowing for the fact that he has more resources available to him at Leeds than he did at Harlequins.

Well that's not saying much when he's taken a mid-table club with play-off aspirations and a propensity to beat any team on their day to a club of cellar dwelling no-hopers.

However, every £ saved is one that we don't have to borrow and pay interest on. Leeds could get by without a transfer fee signing, and the 100k would reduce future interest & repayments.

Not if they have a loan in place fixed term with no early repayments.

Thats true, but I doubt they would a full year in advance of the work starting

Maybe they have got their finance from the same people who do the finance for DFS, you know "no payments for the first year...".

Actually, scrub that, maybe GH has got a double glazing deal, you know the one, you buy one, you get one free. I said you buy one, you get one free....

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... 6605798.jp The above article doesn't suggest to me that there is a huge amount of unrest behind the scenes or that McClennan feels bitter about his departure. Quite the opposite. I know that it's dangerous to believe everything that appears in the papers but IMV Bluey had no need to say anything about the circumstances of his departure unless to refute any suggestions that he feels badly done to.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... 6605798.jp The above article doesn't suggest to me that there is a huge amount of unrest behind the scenes or that McClennan feels bitter about his departure. Quite the opposite. I know that it's dangerous to believe everything that appears in the papers but IMV Bluey had no need to say anything about the circumstances of his departure unless to refute any suggestions that he feels badly done to.

Always thought he was a top man and that's a great article . I think the time is right for a change. Thanks and good luck bluey

Quote ="Old Feller" www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... 6605798.jp The above article doesn't suggest to me that there is a huge amount of unrest behind the scenes or that McClennan feels bitter about his departure. Quite the opposite. I know that it's dangerous to believe everything that appears in the papers but IMV Bluey had no need to say anything about the circumstances of his departure unless to refute any suggestions that he feels badly done to. '" If what I've heard is true then McClennan's departure is definitely to do with his family and not any kind of fall out with Leeds or Hetherington.

Quote ="Old Feller" www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... 6605798.jp The above article doesn't suggest to me that there is a huge amount of unrest behind the scenes or that McClennan feels bitter about his departure. Quite the opposite. I know that it's dangerous to believe everything that appears in the papers but IMV Bluey had no need to say anything about the circumstances of his departure unless to refute any suggestions that he feels badly done to. '" If what I've heard is true then McClennan's departure is definitely to do with his family and not any kind of fall out with Leeds or Hetherington.