No....because it wasn't the RFL that told them at 4pm on Monday that they couldn't play this game...it was the Landlords. Unless you, in all honesty,believe that the RFL sent someone to check the pitch 3 days before a scheduled game for the first time in SL History.......be honest RB.....it was Quins and you know it was. If it had been anyone else the Gus would have said so on SKYSPORTS....he didn't.

Maybe it is all part of Gus's masterplan to turn us against The Stoop.

Gus's master plan??? You do the man a great favour by assuming that there is any sort of plan





There's NEVER been a precedent set like this in SL.....NEVER. The club were awarded 3 years based on DH funding us, having a stable ground and building up our attendances. 2012, 2013 & 2014 were the years we received the licence for....potentially 39 "home" games.

We applied in 2011 with the news we were going to rebrand and kick on with the task of adding fans...someting we had failed to do in 2011......where we in fact lost 7.57% of our fans.

2012...we started the licence period as London Broncos .V2. This was supposed to sort out confusion over who we were and what we played.......and resulted in 10.14% LESS fans in attendance than 2011 when we were the oh so confusing Harlequins Rugby League

Rob Powell had been mistakenly retained as coach and we were told that we spent to the cap yet even after Mr's Hughes MacKay admitted This mistake and replaced Powell, we finished in 12th place. 2012 ended with the news that it wasn't actually the confusion over our name and what sport we played that was the problem, but instead it was where we were playing our games.

...2 Year in and it's everything elses fault that we have lost 16.9% of our fans


2013....the season starts with the news that Gus's #1 priority is no longer increasing attendances, it is now finding anywhere else for us to play that isn't Twickenham...because we've never got crowds of 9k, 8k, 7k, 6k...in TW2....



There are 22 more home games left in this licence period.....but in reality, given March was the deadline last year, there are only 13 before we submit an application for a further 3 years......based on the performance of the club and its administrators and management thus far, who here is confident of another 3 years?

Halifax averaged over 2,500 last timeout and didn't get in....we're currently on 2,111......This year Featherstone Rovers are currently averaging 2,450 after 4 home games....16% more than US



Dead man Walking

Barley Mow, Moseley Rd from 5 if anybody fancies it, left out of Hersham Station then about half a mile walk. No idea what its like but the closest to the ground. If its crap, clubhouse from 6.

trains - leave Clappham 18.29 hersham at 18.51
18.59 reaches Hersham at 19.21

Barley Mow is quite a hike from the rugby ground about 25 mins each way but they do good pub grub.

Sod that, I'll have to drive in from berkshire

It's not so much the getting there it's the getting back using public transport. This'll be the first 'home' game I'll have missed in 5 seasons. Stuff 'em.

We know the club has been asked to move the game. That is fact. Clearly by the owners of the ground who said it was unplayable. What isn't fact is your implication that we are moving because they are playing a QF Union game there. Let's just wait and see. If they move the Bradford game, then your theory and all the constant coating off will be true. If they don't move the Bradford game, then what you've implied, is complete pie in the sky stuff and another attempt to bag the club for something that isn't actually happening.

Just relax GF. We'll wait and see.

In them meantime read Nudenut's comments about how we have actually had to move games in the past which shows some of your previous comments to be wrong. And that is was part of the contract at Charlton and Brentford.

Quite amused by the contrast between this ground ad the next time we play - Esher to the Etihad!

First up....regardless if Quins told us "no" because of their QF or not, the still told us "no"...this was their call and nobody elses and the people who signed acontract to use their ground with a clause to them ing us should be "coated off".....

econdly, Brentford, Charlton et al...we KNEW it was happening and had months to plan ahead as it was part of the contract.....our landlords this time gave us 3 days notice!

Apologise for the idiots in charge of this nuthouse all you like....Londons only Pro RL team are playing park footie this weekend....the image ofthe game has hardly been advanced, has it.

As for bagging the club...no need for me to post the stats again......you know it, I know it and anyone with half a ing brain cell knows it....they are reaping what the failed to sew in the last 7 years and are scrambling around like the embarrassment they are begging for someone to take us in next year....professional? Professional my !

But you suggested it was because of the Quins Quarter Final. Have you changed your mind now? You may well still be right. We'll just wait and see if the Bradford game is moved also.

Apologise for the idiots? Me? Where? For what? When? Stop making stuff up.

the pertinent point of my post wasn't a QF, SF or ing final.....as well you know. If Gus had stood up to Harlequins and been beaten down, I'd have recanted all my previous "coatings".........guess what, he didn't!

He is DH's yes man sucking it (use your imagination) up for a salary.....he has no.... and I wil add, (IMHO) has no.... RL pedigree and does not desire one..... me, he didn't have a cricket pedigree before us....

Dead man Walking

Not much different than driving to the Stoop to be honest

Does anyone who went last Saturday feel that that game should have gone ahead. In my opinion the only reason it did was that the pitch inspection was at 9.30. The pitch continued to get soaked for another 51/2 hours after that. If the inspection had been at 11 or 12 I doubt if we would have played.

The rain / sleet wasn't that heavy. Not sure why the pitch was so bad.

As I said earlier one of the community coaches told me that a drain had burst, even said then (after the game) that Thursday might be iffy. If that is the case though tell us.

I was quite surprised that Boots n'all didn't make a big fuss of this, just a brief mention.

I thought the pitch held up very well given there were parts with standing surface water and as it turned out was playable. Seems very strange indeed that we now have to move and only told it is now unplayable.

Yet you clearly implied that




So, we'll just sit and wait and see if the Bradford game's cancelled so we can ascertain if you are correct in your suggestion and then you have a go at the club anyway, or to see if we aren't moved for the QF, which will just go to show you up with your sweeping statements and to show us what a vindictive person you are who makes vile statements about individuals.

But we'll wait though, before mouthing off and passing any judgement. Maybe you should try that in future?

To be honest I was surprised the game went ahead seeing as the pitch looked so bad on Saturday from where i was sat in the stands - when I saw the highlights on tv, which gave me a much better overview of the pitch I really couldn't believe it was passed fit!

With respect GF you were not here and therefore did not see the state of the pitch at the weekend. I am amazed it was played on. They were still pumping water off as the teams came out to warm up. I should think every player on the pitch is now a qualified aquaglider and has beautiful skin...... Maybe the drain burst and made it even worse, maybe they thought the drain could be repaired in time and when professional drainage workers came along on Monday they infomed the club the drainage wa a muuh bigger job than first thought. Whatever I firmly believe we should not have played on it on saturday. Maybe as landlords so much damage was done they can't financially afford anymore damage and money for repairs. Whatever it is, there is no getting away from the fact there are problems with the pitch. Second point - the club tried everywhere to get a late date because THE PLAYERS wanted to go ahead, respect that and stop blaming GUS he manages to get into enough trouble on his own without this lot. Thirdly I think it is dreadful that all that is happening is that a small local rugby club are willing to help us out and all we do is slag it off. That is totally unfair to Esher. By the way did you not realise this is the area RL in the south east started from. Read the programmes and you will realise this is the very area 30 years ago that RL became a sport and a number of the youngsters we have coming through the ranks of Elmbridge Eagles etc atarted off here and at Thames Ditton which is a couple of miles down the road. I hope everyone gets behind the club and turns up - small club hosting - big party atmosphere if we allow it to be so. It's up to the fans to make the most of this - and no I am not for games on the road I hate them and wont go to them when they are premeditated but this is something which is forced upon us by circumstances beyond the club and fans control and I for one will support the team. I hope the players give the fans the game they deserve as it is their idea and their wish to play

Elmbridge Eagles are based in Claygate, about 2 miles from Esher RFC. In fact the club first started out as Ambleside in Walton - which happens to be less than a mile away from the ground, so I think this really counts as a Surrey heartlands game.

Let's get a good turnout, and hope we can pick up 2 points - fair play to Esher for helping us out I say!

While Esher's efforts are indeed laudable, the bottom line is that top-flight RL is being played at a ?third tier RU ground - not only does it make us look two bob but also it makes the entire sport look like it!



If we have to slum it then what about putting it off a day and doing a double header at Skolars? We always get a crap crowd home to Catatlans, we always get to play them at Easter so why not try and make the Easter home games double headers? Or has the London double header idea gone out of fashion?

How about the Catalans wanting to get back ASAP to prepare for Leeds on Monday. All their flights would have been booked. As I said earlier Wiggy didn't make a fuss on b and all last night. What could be embarrassing is if there is bad snow up north today and the airport derby is called off so they switch the sky cameras to our game to fill the tv slot



From Esher to the Etihad

If Catalans are due to play us here would it not make more sense for the RFL to have them play a second game in England over the Easter weekend? Rather than having them fly over for an away game and then back again for a home one in a couple of days?

Still think the game should have been postponed.

At least we have a bit of time to find a half decent venue for the Bradford game!

Sense and the RFL

.

Like let's have the 2 teams furthest away from Manchester kicking off the Magic weekend at noon.