I can see the headlines now.

Eton Mess at Red Hall

then they could get rid of that ridiculous shirt and logo!

London RL is at its last Super Dooper League home in TW2. If it fails there (which I believe it is doing) it will fizzle out and it will be 10 years before a "proper" London Club will have a chance of being re-admitted to the top table.
Whilst being dropped into SL 15 years ago with no business plan or infastructure can be blamed for the first 5 years of crap....the last 10 years is purely down to bad management and no marketing activity to speak of. The 1,000's of kids playing the game down in the south (which I used to refer to to diffuse the weekly attendance bombs on this forum) are no good to anyone without a strong, financually viable and well supported professional team to aspire to. In Quins RL.....we have a rudderless ship that is being skuttled by it's owners unwillingness to spend any money on marketing.

I have nothing but admiration for David Hughes......but I do question his business planning for Quins RL. He is a wealthy man, so why the hell has he not seen this coming? Yes, we have had 3 of the lesser supported/lesser draw teams to visit and Hudds are up next, but a 2,800 average is a in9 disgrace and with the team heading for the wooden spoon, who's going to bother rolling up for the so called bigger draws......

I have said it elsewhere, but I will repeat it again...the RFL need to take over the club NOW and insert their own back office management team..........otherwise it's all going to end in tears.

How will that work? Can you imagine the shouts of "favouritism"!!! and "fix" !!! whenever anything positive happens therefater. The RFL's little pet project? That would be unpallatable to other clubs who do it on their own.

Oh, I agree with you 100%, but the alternative is even worse. 15+ years of development work to get kids playing the game down the drain and Union picking up these kids just as they are about to come good?
I would suggest the RFL buy Ian Lenagans shares with a view to keeping them for sale at any time. If they believe (and mr lewis does) that it can work, then they can help build the fan base and therefore the financial stability therefore making the club an attractive proposition. I am not saying they invest money for no return, but instead that they put their money where their mouths are.......and maybe even make a profit.

As it is, DH will in all probability walk away at the end of this season (if not before) and Londons Pro RL team will fold.....and the people I really feel for are the 500 or so HARD CORE league fans who have followed the club from craven cottage all over the city.........

Hughsey wont go-He has said he will stay with the club whilst his heart is beating.(the way we are playing that will stop soon)

Erm...



* Competitive in '96
* SL Runners-Up in '97
* CC S/F in '98
* CC Final in '99
* Higher crowds (on average) then now

What went so wrong?



In any case, I still say you wrongly got Cougars place.

If the RFL did get involved it would be interesting to see if they could entice Sky into investing in the London team, in whatever guise. I believe the Melbourne Storm are currently underwritten by New Ltd and the arrangement could follow a similar model over here.

Much of the criticism from the supporters is the lack of promotion of the club around the local area. In jumping into bed with Sky they can utilise their extensive experience in this subject. They need no lessons in the field of marketing, despite knowing nothing about cycling, I know Sky now have a team and that it recently won a race, just from watching Sky Sports News.

I also agree with the poor choice of name, but I also understand this was the only option for the London team when they changed from the Broncos. Harlequins is purely Rugby union, it always will be, and League will forever be the forgotten man in this arrangement. I suggested some along the lines of West London Rangers a while back but got pillared for it.

A simple name change alone will not make a huge difference so it needs to be in conjunction with another major off-field development such as the one I mentioned.

They tried to buy into Manchester Utd so they are not averse to investing into sports clubs, although I accept that the reasons for investing in the London RL side would be quite different from their Utd proposal.

The constant moving around, Charlton and The Stoop first time around. We'd just build up a head of steam and then we'd move, sometimes right across the city. It rendered any work done useless.



But for one drop goal that would have been history...

when did Richard Branson / Virgin get involved - and then get un-involved?

I dont really know the exact circumstances of why the Virgin Group got out of RL - but letting a high-profile billionaire with a passion for wasting money on pet projects leave the sport was a complete disaster for the game in London.

research always helps: The Virgin Group was the majority shareholder in London Broncos between 1996 and 1999.

=#8040FFWhat's worse is before he took over London the idiots in charge of Cas told him to naf off when he tried buying the Tigers! they did the same with Caddick too, and look at Leeds now

Barry McKenzie is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring for the soon to be vacant Harlequins RL coaching job.

It's well known that Barry McKenzie has forgotten more about footy than most mere mortals will ever know.

I could have Harlequins playing in the SL grand final within 4 years

No risk.


I would start off by relocating the club away from the 'Moon' and get them set up at Loftus Rd.

I would rename them, get 3 high profile Aussie players in the side and encourage a 'them and us' situation... an 'everyone in SL hates us, we don't care' type mentality.

Team to be sponsored by Qantas, Walkabout, TNT Magazine, VB, SANZA and Jumbucks

Change the team strip to be modelled on the Kangaroos green n' gold.

Yep.

Barry McKenzie would go down in history as the legend who finally made London RL winners.

Barry McKenzie should seriously consider throwing himself off a cliff.

i'm not totally sure but i seem to recall reading somewhere that he wanted to move them up north to another city as that would be the only way to make them worth while and the RFL told him no so he sold them.

or did just imagine that?

Dear god, Scooter Nik is wondering why are you still talking complete bowlocks and trying to get others to refer to The Moon but failing miserably? Furthermore, Scooter Nik knows that you really are a troll from your alias on the Leigh forum (and presumably others) and loves reading the crap you endlessly come out with.

Carry on dear boy, carry on...

Barry McKenzie has never even HEARD of Leigh so consequently the chances of posting (or even visting) their forum is about as likely as England being crowned 2010 4 nations champions

We know your RL knowledge lacks any depth Barry. Tell me, why does Barry feel the need to express this fact on a forum?

Take your time Barry.

As Barry McKenzie stated on an earlier post he has forgotten more about Rugby League than most men will ever know.

When Barry McKenzie (from here on in this thread known as the Dalai Lama of footy) TALKS people LISTEN.

The Dalai Lama of footy has spoken regarding his plans to sort out the problem of Rugby League in the capital of England.

By god he will make them work.

The Dalai Lama of footy believes he OWES Rugby League supporters in the South East that much. The game is dying on its clacker down here.

The Dalai Lama of footy has come up with the chemotherapy that the terminally ill London RL scene so desperately needs.

Colourful, if not bollax. I'll have to start referring to you as Narcissus from here on in.

Narcissus was a MYTH.

Barry McKenzie is REAL.



On a serious note though how could anyone disagree with my ideas to save London RL?

Change the name.

Change the ground

Get sponsors relevant to the Antipodean community in London

Get a decent looking playing kit

Get some 'named' players from Australia

All so simple.



Oh and ban Gutterflax from having ANY input whatsoever into the marketing.

By god Barry McKenzie has done it again

Antipodeans don't want to go and watch the NRL so what chance Aussies watching SL and big fat zero!!!

London works if it spreads the word and it gets a load of youngsters playing the game - if that is proven then OK - otherwise forget it

Barry McKenzie will forgive your ignorance on this one occasion.


As an Aussie living in London I can confirm we WOULD like to go and watch footy over here.

Sadly all we have round here is the Harlequins.


To make footy work here in London you need to make it more attractive to Antips. The way to do that is to;

Relocate to Loftus Rd

Sell VB and New at the ground

Have a playing kit that is similar to the Kangaroos (green and gold chevvys)

Get sponsors like Qantas, TNT mag, VB, Walkabout and Jumbucks.... with offers on these products or services for season ticket holders)

Get some big name Aussies (players like Mark Gasnier)

Get a big name Aussie coach

Play home games primarily on a Sunday arvo unless Sky are covering them


Forget the Pommie supporters in London. They will come anyway. The ones you need to attract are the ones who arent coming now.... the Antips. There are thousands of us here living and working in the capital who would love to come and watch the footy


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Get real this isn't PL soccer - look at the crowds in the NRL - Aussies don't even want to watch the best rugby in either code anywhere in the world - RL is not Rules where spectators actually attend live games in reasonable numbers - Aussies are very unlikely to come and watch a very poor imitation no matter who is the side or even if Jack Gibson coached it - you truly are deluded.

Get back behind the bar

Barry McKenzie was prepared to forgive your ignorance the first time.

But whereas it might have been best to put your keyboard down and go and watch TV you unfortunately replied and made a goose out of yourself again.


Aussies in London like to drink and have a good time. The 4 nations match between Australia and NZ down at the 'Moon' last October pulled in over 12,000 people. The vast majority of those were Aussies and Kiwis. I would strongly suggest that most (if not all) reside in the London area. Although the footy was a big reason for going, the event was also treated as a p i ss up ... a place to meet up with your mates and other fellow Antips and have a few cold ones.

This is the type of thing that a Superleague club in London need to work at.

Crowds like that would be the norm in West London if my suggestions were adhered to.


Sergestorms.

You are probably best not replying to this one anymore. Why not click on that 'X' in the top right hand corner of your screen, log off and go and do something else for the rest of the evening.