Just being realistic Arthur.
The table doesn't lie.
And looking at how recruitment is going, I expect much the same next year.
Eseh will go to Saints. Why wouldn't he?

I'm not a season ticket holder, but I go to about 10 games a season.
Haven't really enjoyed any this year (apart from maybe Hudds at home)
So I probably won't go next year.
The club will survive without my money, but I doubt I'm alone with my sentiments.

Next season is different. It’s highly unlikely we’ll lose both starting half backs and starting full back, centre, prop and marquee forward all at the same time again.

We don’t know the relative quality of our 2024 squad compared to 2023 but we have clearly had huge disruption through injuries and weird departures and fall outs.

A few more smart signings and I think we should be reasonably confident of a top 6 finish next season. If we don’t get the next few signings right then yes we might struggle again.

I believe we have a clutch of future first team players coming through the system now: who knows which will make it but some will be knocking on the door even next year.

I admire your optimism, unfortunately I don’t share it. We are in a mess ,sadly this situation hasn’t come about overnight, we have been in a downward spiral for several years. Several posters on here have highlighted this situation, unfortunately they were accused of not supporting the club so by and large the downward trajectory continued. I have always supported Hethrington but it’s time for him to step down and a competent director of rugby appointed.

I think you're being overly pessimistic. Four, maybe more, signings of the right quality could make a huge difference. I wouldn’t get too hung up on Eseh. He's a good young prop but we are well stocked in that regard. I'd much rather have a proven senior prop, and as referenced at yesterday's presser announcements could be fairly immenent. I'll see what they come up with before writing them off as a bad job. Hopefully they do get it right, the team is competitive again, and you get tempted back to going to games again.

I’m just going on Friday to enjoy Headingley and a game and spend some time with the boy. It’s great if we win but that isn’t the main reason to attend for me.

Don’t get me wrong it puts a downer on my weekend if we lose but the club is overall sound - I do think GH’s time over the rugby operations might have overrun by 5 years but we have lots of good players and support staff.

It might not look like it after shaky performances this season but I do think we’re going in the right direction overall.

Heavy caveat to this: if we make 3-4 good quality signings now.

The problem with the likes of Wakey and Cas is the salary cap money is spent on ground staff and admin staff not on players. Time to introduce a minimum spend on the playing squad - if you can't spend to that limit then move over.

I agree I would probably go as far as to say the cap HAS to be spent and on the playing squad only, I wouldn't bother with a minimum requirement.

If you don't have a minimum doesn't that have the same effect?

One thing's for sure, we rally need IMG to magic up some extra money for the game as a whole.

What I mean is the clubs would have to spend whatever the cap is i.e the caps minimum is also the maximum

You could certainly do a window of £2.6-3.0m

Or get rid of the cap altogether but maybe still have an audit regime to avoid clubs going bust…

Bottom line is we do need more money in the game and that has always been the hurdle.

Drop to 10 teams, split extra money between them, no extra fixtures nonsense ablnd extra time for internationals etc.

Less teams and less games would lead to less sky money...

Yep, and there in lies a big problem the game has and why its just keeps going around in circles with no progress and eventually the product gets watered down and the money goes down.

The game has to find a way to increase the quality of the competition without the TV money going down. Most definitely we need to stop the repeat fixtures for one. its a very difficult challenge but it needs to be done. We must improve the product on and off the field so the TV companies will pay more.

The game as a whole should use its money where it is needed most, increasing numbers playing and watching the game.

Clubs should take a steady decrease in TV money and increase their other income streams, the "spare" money could be used to pay for development officers and setting up regional academies in areas where there are no pro clubs to attract talented young players. Long term that should give us a better chance to win internationally and draw in an audience.

This isn't intended as scaremongering! Heard rumours from regular Headingley goers that there might be some sort of protest outside the SouthStand before Fridays game? Anyone heard anything about this? Hopefully it was just sounding off after the Cats game.
I mean, I can understand people's feelings but ultimately it won't achieve anything!

perhaps if fans did protest the board might get off there complacent backsides!

The repeat fixtures impact on the integrity of the comp. For this reason alone they need to go. I don't know what the solution is but one needs to be found.

Round ball type, inane, meaningless "sack the Board" chants will not only achieve nothing but be actively counter productive.

Wait until they find out about the season ticket price increases for next season

Ill be utterly embarrassed if there's a protest to be honest, it'll just look like a bunch of entitled fans.

What honestly would it achieve?

Other than to give the Cas fans a good laugh

It may well be the last laugh any cas fans have for a while. My reliable informant tells me they are in serious financial difficulties. It’s been flagged before but since then the situation has worsened.

entitled to what?

the board to up their game after 5 years of substandard recruitment?

players who actually give a damn about wearing the shirt and putting a shift in?

I would suggest fans are entitled to a damn sight more than they have got in recent times

I’m pretty sure the entire Board at Leeds would much prefer the club to be winning trophies again than getting drubbed by 50/60-nil.

I'd be more embarrassed by the last 2 results to be fair

The two aren’t mutually exclusive, however, I’m not particularly embarrassed by the last two results, the players maybe should be and im sure are.