I take it that your sig is a search for team mates?

Not exactly the attitude you want youngsters to be around eh?

I think this is probably a more important signing than Rangi Chase (should that happen). We've lacked two things this season: some oomf in the pack and someone to guide the team around the field. This ticks the second of those boxes.

Very impressed.

Yes Smith is a very good player and if it is him and Chase great. But I do not think anyone named so far will had any spectators at Barton so lets hope there is a Rabbit still in the hat for Thursday.

A winning team ,playing good rugby,will add spectators

That will add a few bonita but will take time.

They key to wakeys crowd rise to 8000+ has been two reasons mostly.

1- the cheaper season tickets - not a bad idea for 1 season for Salford with a nice looking squad lined up to bring in more ST buyers. Then increase to full/ near full once they are hooked.

2- Wakey had massive presence in the town last year pushing ST sales and in the community for weeks and weeks. Trinity walk, ridings, town centre. Posters, players out. And it was daily. A few tv adds and positive releases. This really brought in the increase initially I feel and a buzz.

Maybe a little reduced ST like 33% off this season only and really drive it home would be massively beneficial in the coming years.

Hope it all works out (and I mean that sincerely)

Another excellent post from another Wakefield fan. Crazy to think they live in the same City as the Cas lot, they're worlds apart when it comes to class.

Aye: the only issue is that the cheap season tickets are precisely what's put them back in the position of having to sell one of their prized assets.

We (wakey) don't have a dr k to subsidise the deal properly nor the money to assemble a team that Salford will be running with next year. I think it would work for Salford in the short term and good luck to them

That's true fully but it has set out a stall of 8000 + attendances from a recently out of admin and struggling club.

Ticket prices are rising and now at £150. There may be some drop out but ultimately it could still be hugely beneficial in the next 2/3 years if the majority stick with ST at a higher rate.

Salford as said have a wealthy owner and are putting together a good team. If he can subsidise a discount in tickets and its heavily advertised then they could potentially raise attendances well for coming seasons when season tickets rise to full price.

For Salford next year should be about getting alot of feet through the gates and putting up a respectable mid table finish and hoping to nip the playoff spots. Alot of hard work in 2014 could set up Salford for years to come.

I'm slightly envious of the backer Salford have but good luck to them. I'm hoping my own club with a chairman now who has come in and actually made decisions to rectify things that we too can kick on.

Off field for wakefield we have seen some success in ground investment, ST sales, attendances, improvement to match day amenities. The playing side this year we have suffered a little with injuries and close defeats aplenty but there is still something there to work on.

Newmarket will be a big billy bonus for us if/whe it arrives. I can see new investment, growing crowds all over it. It may be a slog till then but we persevere.

Anyway, Salford have signed some old heads yes but maybe that is just what they need. Players who know their roles and will do their jobs. Solidarity with aspirations of a good mid table finish is exactly what the Dr ordered for Salford in 2014.

After a few tough years much like my club can only wish them well.

I feel for Wakefield or any other club with financial problems, Wakefields loss is Salford’s gain…but before the Doc took over Salford was in a similar state! For those who continue to knock the Doc remember his Money could be the difference between survival or death for clubs like Wakefield

The difference between the two clubs is that Wakefield have always had a fanbase there to at least attract back, just a very apathetic one.

I don't see it at Salford, sadly so I think cheap season tickets would be futile IMO. It may attract a few but I don't think they'll suddenly get 10,000.

And then you get the Ken Davy effect. You devalue the product a lot, fans expect things at lower prices. Price rises then mean people don't buy into it. Precisely what Wakefield have done and it will be interesting to see how STs hold up after last season.

I wish Salford well in their endeavours and I have no real beef with the majority of fans or the club. I just hope they do things in the right way without trying to break the cap.

I can agree that there is a risk of fans expectations relating to price rises. But that is where some management is needed. Wakefield dropped to £100 and then £120 this season with still 8000 coming through.

In hindsight the £120 should have been £150 after the feel good playoff effect. That's the power of hindsight.

In Salford case though if managed right say 25% drop for one year only that's about £150 and they can really push this with abundant (and I mean heavy presence) to really get the benefits. Rising from £150 to £180-200 is much easier than what Wakey did rising £100-£200 (target).

Using the wakefield model of our 2012 season off field but making more shrewd financial pricing could potentially be massively positive for Salford.


What wakefield have done is dug a hole but I can see a way out still. I am hopeful the majority take up the £150 ST as I too am interested to see the number come 2014.

Target places, schools, events, busy outlets, shops, town around the stadia with the massive 25% off ST one year only will draw crowds if its aggressive marketing directed at the right people/areas and with some resources put in to lift it off.

You're lucky you didn't have to sell your prized assets! Erm.

I disagree. Cas as a team, fan base and a general entity are deserving not of being treated decent human beings.

vitriolic is not good look.

D

xXx

waking up today trying to find a way of feeling bitter this morning to whats happened in the last few days but if anything has made more resilient and focused for the coming season.

pleased in a way to see the name Salford regenerating just hope that the public will now respond in the same way

I'd have seen if Tuson was available too, good young British forward who I'm amazed Wigan are selling.

Tuson is no better than Dixon, he's just fortunate to be a small cog in a well oiled Wigan machine.

Chris Tucson signed for Wakey next season..

Yeah that's what I meant.

I was surprised when Wakefield signed Taulima Tautai as he for me if Nobles perfect prop being both massive and pretty mobile.

A question for the Wakefield fans: do the club own the stadium, and will they own (or have a stake in) Newmarket?

The reason I ask is because Warrington use the Halliwell Jones to generate income for the club, and with the money Marwan is spending, we need all the sources of income we can get. I wonder if there'll be some announcement about the stadium on Thursday.

No we rent belle vue from bank of Ireland and although I don't know exact figures, it has been said before it is somewhat of a millstone round our neck.

We also seem to have a fixed monthly income from food and drink sales which I believe we outsourced.

We will be anchor tenants at Newmarket with a lower rent than applicable at belle vue. Not sure re revenue from food and drink sales if and when we get there

Cheers. The lesson to be learned from your (and our) experience, then, is to own the stadium. Renting appears to present huge problems, unless you can get crowds the size of Wigan's.