Sin Bin was a nice little bar. The only problem was its location in Leeds back in those days was out of the way of the main drinking areas so it didnt get the footfall it deserved.

I think if the a cafe bar was created along the lines of Toast. Even better would be for them to strike up a partnership cafe bar with Leeds Brewery. What they have done to The Swan is fantastic and the Brewery Tap and Midnight Bell are cracking

I'm very surprised a shop wasn't viable in the centre (given the amount of empty shops around and you would think therefore low rent), but then LUFC also closed their shop which you think would have even better chance of survival...

Perhaps given the supposed good links between the two, they could share floorspace/staff costs etc between the two clubs and make another go at it?... If Yorks Cricket were involved also then you'd think surely viable...

Never actually ventured in the old shop - was it possible to buy match tickets/ISC gear for amateur rugby players as they would be 2 points of difference to other sport shops...

All retail is very hard in a recession. A shop selling gear for a single team also means that they're only going to get Leeds fans in through the door. When I visited last year I wandered around the shop for about 20 minutes in the middle of the day and was the only person in the whole time. I can fully understand Leeds cutting costs and running the shop online and at Headingley only.

What I would suggest is that the club could do a lot better with the online shop - the range is poor, and its poorly presented (the website as a whole is fairly poor obviously, but the rest of it isn't eher to make money).

Especially when property landlords seem to be happy to let city centre shop units stand empty rather than drop the extortionate rents to a realistic level even on a short term let.

Also, its not like they will increase revenue from casual shoppers much. In general, if people want to get a Rhinos shirt they will get one at the ground, or failing that at the Webstore. Offering a shop in town just offers another outlet, but I doubt will increase the number of units sold across the business

Now I'm an out-of-towner, I found the club shop in the city centre very handy when I was in Leeds on business. However, I'm not sure my total spend over the last 2 years of 30 quid on a 2010 away shirt the week before the cup final and 40 on a JJB testimonial shirt in 2009 will have been enough to keep the business afloat...

A lot of sports teams struggle to make retail work. Let's be honest, apart from a replica shirt once a year and a bit of Grand Final / CC Final tat, what else do most people typically buy from the Rhinos shop?

The other big problem is that the shop didn't link in the Headingley ticketing computer ... How many times did you go in to the shop to try to get a ticket for an up-coming game, only to be told 'You've got to go to Headingley for that'

Once ?

and then you'd know in future ?

what are you, a goldfish ?

Nowt wrong with goldfish...they love cake if you break it into crumbs and sprinkle it on the water's surface.

I also thought that most of the stock - like on the website - is replica kits and generally cheap mugs etc after that. I'm surprised they don't try and sell more 'up market' items online, like signed and framed photos/shirts. So long as you don't overdo it, you could make a reasonable sum from 'limited edition' gear - especially if you add in former players (e.g. 1978 Cup Final signed gear and the like). Or you could just leave that space for punters on e-bay.

I seem to remember that the 1968 "watersplash final" shirt was supposed to be one of a series of 'limited edition' shirts that the club planned to launch. It certainly sold well but the idea seemed to get canned. Wasn't it one of David Howes' brainwaves?

Correct on all counts, at the price I do believe it was a slow-mover after the initial burst of interest, there still seemed to be stock on the shelves years after its launch.

My suggestion wasn't based on the city centre, but there is no reason for it not to be in the city centre malls.

It was to have a mobile 'stall' so to speak, doing the rounds at the local shopping centres, Crossgates, Owlcoates to name 2. Have it there a week and then come back around once a month, pick up custom from the old dears who cannot travel to Headingley for their Grandson's birthday present etc.

Oh and Damo's original idea was pretty good too. Just needs to be in the right place.

I may be wrong but when LUFC had the shop at the end of that alley next to topshop where everythings just been knocked down didn't Leeds RL have the tiny stock cupboard sized room upstairs for awhile, must av been dogs years ago though (early 90's) because I remember my little brother getting a ball for christmas but it wouldn't pump up and when I went with my dad to return it they swapped it for one signed by Goulding & Schoey because they'd spoilt his christmas.

Over here in the stores there is a sports section where all the Cities sporting teams are on sale together.Why not both the Rhinos and United get together and come to an agreement with one of the stores in town and sell and promote ther merchandise and brand in one area ,but have their seperate corners