And not having their 'own' nickname hinders this?

Does it affect their awareness?

And what, exactly, does our nickname have to do with that? We could change colours to pink and green and become the Salford Meerkats or something equally stupid, but that doesn't mean we'd suddenly get 9,000 people coming through the door with the exposure that would bring us.

There is one of us missing the point here, but it certainly isn't me.

You're being overly defensive which is why you are suggesting ridiculous alternatives instead of rationale ones in trying to put your point across. You are still clearly missing my point, but I will discuss yours in relation to my point to see if it helps.

To be fair, changing your name to Salford Meerkats and playing in pink and green would probably get you a fair bit of awareness! Probably more so than Salford Reds, playing in red in a football mad area where two of the world's biggest sports teams play in red (one being called the Reds and the other being the Red Devils).

However, I can see the point you are trying to make, but it still doesn't go against the point I'm trying to make. Everyone is aware of the BNP, but would you want to join them? You've got to make people aware, but you've also got to make sure you offer them something attractive that they want to be part of (the other parts of the model I discussed). Would Salford Meerkats playing in pink and green appeal to people and make them want to be a part of it? I'd guess you think not. Ridiclous kits didn't do too bad for Stade Francais though, did it!

I see what you're trying to say, but our club's nickname and colours are still not part of the problem. The fact that RL is not fashionable in these parts, we play in a very old stadium and the team is far from successful - coupled with the fact that we've got, currently, the best football team in the world just over the border - are the problems we face.

We had a free ticket scheme that was run at various games last season - we got over 6,000 in for the derby against Swinton. If we can pull something like that off again a few times this year, coupled with improvement on and off the pitch, then the appeal of the club will grow. Changing the club's name and colours and practically forgetting the club's history will not.

In fact, in my opinion if marketed properly "the original Red Devils" could be a superb selling point. If more and more people became aware of where the name came from and that United took it from Salford, then it'd raise our profile more than any other name could.

Both entitled to our own opinions, obviously. Whilst I don't think your club's nickname is as significant a problem as the others you mention, I do think it does harm your clubs awareness.

"The Original Red Devils" may require a certain amount of awareness from the people you're trying to attract, as they may not have a clue what you're on about. But once they do, it could be an attractive selling point. You've got to be careful not to go to war with Man Utd fans though, otherwise you're alienating a large part of your market. It would be like trying to get union fans to come watch league by saying "our rugby's better" sort of thing.

Most regular United fans know their stuff about the nickname. And I bet you would struggle to go into the Stretford End and get a United fan who uses the term "Red Devils" as a term of endearment. That was a marketing ploy in the 80s, which the JCLs attached themselves to. In fact, I reckon if you petitioned the Stretford End you would get fans wanting the devil off the badge and replaced with the traditional stripes.

We should go back to our first nickname then — ‘the good old Turkey’!

What's the story behind that? Isn't your fan site called "Scarlet Turkey"?

i think the giants as worked really well for us at huddersfield, i have watched them for 40 years and like both names fartown and the giants a lot of people i know who arent rugby fans all seem to know who the giants are, but not so fartown. it has certainly helped younger kids become interested in rugby league, i know of 5 boys 12 and under who have all been inspired to start playing by the giants coming to their schools with the giants mascot, for me i like it.

Huddersfield Barracudas at Arena 84 and the rest followed!

did you have to bring that up

The club’s first colours were red, amber and black — Dewsburyesque. In the 1880s they changed to a solid red jersey, white shorts and black socks. The hue of the jersey was turkey red, hence some early nicknames being the Scarlet Turkeys, the Royal Reds or just simply the Reds.

Salford were a decent side in certain periods of the 1890s and early Edwardian era. So that particular nickname was an affectionate moniker rather than one that took the mick for being sh[ii[/ite — which is what Salford were in 1998 when the fanzine of the same name surfaced.

i agree. its about tribalism

remember in the world club championship many years .superleague down under . hunter mariners.they were based in the hunter valley newcastle area. simmo called them the hunters



there was talks of names for the merge of st.george dragons. illawarra steelers. the steel dragons

Now that would have been shocking! I think Wests Tigers was a good compromise for nicknames, though.

I think they're pretty lame to be honest. It's fine for the kiddies regarding the mascots and what-not, I think our Rufus the Robin is great in that respect, but I hate it when games are advertised as Rhinos vs Bulls, Wildcats vs Giants and all that b*llocks.

Yeah I'm not too fond if when they do that, either. Much prefer it when they say Leeds vs Bradford, etc. Think that's just a personal thing though and many have differing opinions. At a school I work in in Leeds, they always refer to them as the Rhinos.

I think Rochdale Hornets have it by some distance.

Take it to it's extreme and clubs could be know just by their nicknames and their city be secondary. That would make it a lot easier for franchises to be moved around the country like in American Football, eg. [size=75Birmingham[/size [size=150Bulls[/size, [size=75Dublin[/size [size=150Dragons[/size, etc...

I can't see that ever happening, but you never know...

niicknames are used to differentiate teams from different sports from the same city, Yankees, Mets, Knick, Rangers, Islanders.

Sport in the Uk isnt as diverse and there arent too many clashes.
Inventing nicknames for no reason is stupid especially if there are no major rival sports in your area.
In Hull you have FC KR and the Tigers, why the need to change any of them.

I think the British sporting culture will put paid to the idea franchises being able to chop and change towns or cities. British spectators tend to support either the successful teams of that era or their local side. IMO they are not one to support a side which has been thrust upon them with little heritage or with no ties to the place they are meant to represent. I dare say British support isn’t as shallow as American support meaning the chances of a relocated franchise becoming successful are slim in this country. MK Dons appear to be having some relative success in spite of this attitude but I think they are benefiting from the sport they are playing.

As for the club I support. I hate the name Wildcats, it represents everything that is bad about copying American sports, but as I wonder round with my replica shirt on the kids are full of enthusiasm and instantly recognise the top as a ‘Wildcats’ top. I suspect that these are the people the name is hoping to attract, not older, already converted supporters such as myself.

I hope you give them a proper talking to and point out that it's a Trinity top