Could do worse!

No-ones using Leyton FC's old ground at the momment, can hold just on 4000 at a pinch. Bromley FC's retro Courage Stadium can hold 6k. Chesham Utd 5k, Dagenham & Redbridge holds over 6k too.

Actually forget Leyton FC, I doubt theres room for any in-goal area or run-off. Theres loads of smaller grounds and given how much DH has alreay "spunked" on the club you'd think he'd get his act together over a home.

Only if you're prepared to shift the posts - done my share! On a more serious note, the owners (Westminster University, to give the name the Regent Street Polytechnic's currently lurking under) were trying to offload it on a leasehold basis a while back - it'd make a marvellous HQ for developing the game in general in London, if it's still available and the dosh could be scraped together.

The reality is, as jolly old Gutterfax the former pro union playing netball marketer from new zealand says, we may well finish in the top 4 next year, we won't get promoted, our team will then be weaker the following year with the reduction in central funding, crowds will go down, and we'll find ourselves at the same level as Hemel / Skolars only without our own stadium.

Does anybody seriously see any brighter prospect than that as it stands?

So why will we not get promoted?

Because there's no automatic promotion, and our squad will be a lot weaker than the bottom 4 of SL, and we'll have been playing against weaker teams all season than the bottom 4 teams of SL who will be used to the speed, intensity and physicality of playing the likes of Wigan, Saints, Wire, Leeds all season long....and we won't.

No chance, absolutely no chance.

Don't forget as well its a once and for all chance for Bradford, and the one off parachute payment both the Broncos and the Bulls will be getting next year is more than they have received in Super League in the last two years! There may be a chance of one of the bottom four Super League clubs imploding, but two?
Interesting piece today that Karl Harrison and Lee Greenwood (ex Bronco) have left as coaches at Halifax because they missed out on a top two place this year and hence will get £250k less than Leigh and Fev. The shape of things to come?

What he said.

Never say never, but odds certainly don't favour the four lucky championship clubs that get the chance. And beyond the first year for us the odds diminish further.

Mind you given the leadership at the RFL 2016 may well be a different format once the other clubs realise the reality.

Spot on
I want good enough to be a paid amateur rugby player.....so not pro!

nothing like optimism is there boys!!!
That's it we are doomed!!!! doomed I say

Michael. I would love the London Broncos to win promotion to SL by finishing in the top 4 of the Championship then by finishing either in the top 3 of the middle 8, or at least 4th or 5th to be involved in and then win the million pound game.

The Problems I have with this optimism are:

The name "Million pound game" should give you an idea of the gap in finances between the team from SL involved and the team from the championship.
Income wise, the SL lot will be on at least 60% more than ourselves.....that gap widens further in 2016.
The Team from the SL will have a bigger cap by some 800k or 55%......bigger cap = better players
The Team from the Championship will have less overseas imports.....we've a retired player turned miner on our books for next year.
The Championship team will be made up of players not good enough for SL.....I am struggling to think of 1 player we have signed for next year that a SL club has "missed out on".
The team from SL will be battle hardened from faster and harder challenges against top teams.
The weather has less chance of playing a part in the "results" of the middle league or million quid game as it's late summer/autumn.
The last championship side to defeat a SL one was HKR in 2006' challenge cup. They then got nilled in the next round.....a Championship side will have to win 2 of 5 games against SL opposition to go up......we have currently won 1 of 25.
As it stands, this year Leigh and Fev would join us and Bradford in taking on The Hulls, Wakey and Salford.....this year to date in the 7 games v these teams we've shipped 312 points and scored 92. That's 44-13 loss. And then we've lost to Bradford already away too.....so that's 0 points with a -233 points difference from 8 games v potentially 5 of next years middle 8 opponents.. AND THAT'S WITH A SL STANDARD TEAM. We could murder Leigh and Fev.....it won't matter.
Did I mention finances? Salford (4,741), Hull FC(10,989), Hull KR (7,96icon_cool.gif and Wakefield (4,340) with half a stadium closed have between 9,700 and 3,050 more fans, 13 times a year to sell shirts, beer, food and other stuff to AFTER they have paid for their tickets. Next year, London's average will not be boosted by the visits of Wigan, Leeds and Saints......we will struggle further to match these SL teams financially.


You mistake a healthy dose of Realism for negativity.

HIVE UPDATE: Interesting that this weeks e-mail from the club was entitled "We'll be back".....but didn't divulge "back where" or "when".......Given it's the last Home game of the season they are promoting, surely confirmation of ticketing etc will be forthcoming soon??????

Always though it to be a membership rather than a season ticket and prices were already set. With regards promotion to SL at the end of next season we can't do any worse than in the past six years being optimistic.

Is promotion to SL the only way to judge whether the season has been good or bad?

I'd like to see Broncos win some home games and look competitive against the opposition for a whole game. Top 4 in champ and a few home fans coming back sounds pretty good to me right now. I don't care whether the away support is lower (Was it that much fun being surrounded by away support while the team was battered?) and I'd suggest watching a demoralised Broncos get battered each game turned some fans off coming in the first place.
They may never get back to SL but I still think you can enjoy watching them try to achieve it and who knows where things will be in another 6 years time. If the claims about the middle 8 turn out to be true then I can't see it lasting as a system for very long.

Season tickets for the Crusaders next season on sale from the Leigh game on Sunday, with £5 off if you pay on the day. Given that we know where we are next season, surely we could manage the same thing? Er, on second thoughts.......

Unless something changes then there is no Season Tickets to sell. Any more news on Members being told their direct debit are being cancelled and the Hive are not accepting new memberships GF?
I've already suggested to the Hive that they need more of a push on memberships on match days and to waive the joining fee on production of a full price ticket, the response was favourable but I haven't heard\seen anything since (For Bronco or Barnet games). I certainly think it would help persuade those who come to games to consider joining up as I see the joining fee as a major stumbling block to the scheme.

Obviously, we are very much up against it re. promotion. However, the point of being a fan is that you suspend realism. I do. Every game I attend, I think the Broncos are going to win.

Clearly, realism is important for those running the business. But nobody on these boards runs the business so why anybody would come on here and try to correct *fans* because they overrate the team's chances on the field is slightly bizarre IMO. The more hopelessly optimistic fans we have, the better. I see absolutely no value in dosing these people - like me - with reality.

I don't expect us to be in the 'Million Dollar Game' next year because we'll be top of the middle 8. COYB!

There might not be season tickets to sell but there certainly are memberships for the Broncos season next year to be sold to people. Whether you call them memberships or season tickets is irrelevant what people actually want to see is the price of membership for next year, price of individual seats or in standing areas. Is it going to work out cheaper or more expensive as a member for example? Will the issue raised previously about point at which OAP became available, will that change. How much will it cost s junior member as they transfer into a full member? The usual launch at a club of next years season tickets and ground prices usually answers all these questions.

And the whole thing is not just to those currently coming through the door but starting to sell next season to the wider world, to the corporates and the public. If you joined now before a certain date for next year do you get an attractive discount ie no joining fee perhaps?

That is probably what most people want to know.

Those are questions I cannot answer except by telling you what happened this season for Barnet Members. I don't agree that memberships and Season tickets are the same. You don't need to push people to rejoin a membership if they are already signed up. That changes the dynamics pre season where most clubs are desperate to get everyone they already had back on board.

For Barnet memberships, there was no change in price for new members, the OAP age didn't change, Junior members that upgraded went to the concession price as you would expect. There was no waiving of joining fee or special offer for new members to join. Those who had joined and remained a member for the whole previous year were given an 8% reduction on the membership price. I would say the focus was on retaining existing membership rather than looking to sign more up and about showing those considering joining that their joining will be rewarded if they stick with it.
So last year I paid £29pm for me, £15 for father-in-law and £7.50ea for my kids. This year I pay £26.70, £13.80, & £6.90.
All of this was announced about 2 months before the new season started.

Yes. 2005 we almost folded and 2006 was a rebirth. Since 2008 the club has spiralled downwards and I for one (one of many......one of far more than are left) refuse to accept the lower targets.....we were a SL team and we should be one again. Beating Halifax or Leigh and feeling good about it is short termism....if we don't go up in 2015 we may well fold before 2016......we aren't Barnet and we don't play soccer. .....as for fans coming back? What fans?

Mel, I'm not suggesting you can answer everything on behalf of the club and the info on Barnets pricing structure is useful guidance. But when people say they want to see some evidence of next season at the Hive you can sort of understand it, given our nomadic existence and the last few years of turmoil. Also many are very used to old style season tickets and the annual 'sell'/information towards the end of the season.

you talking in circles again Gutters, thought you said that was it we are done and dusted as a club?
Ok the 1500 ish fans that you mentioned disappeared last year could quite easily come back you know, or are you suggesting that people who stop coming never start coming again.

SR why do you need evidence that we are gonna be at the Hive! The only person that has suggested we will not be at the Hive is some geezer who has been nowhere near the place.
The news is there is no news!!!

My point is more the evidence of promoting next year. Also making the sell to current walk up fans wouldn't go a miss, nor to the wider world. The squad being put together is evidence enough of intent for next season on the playing front. Some evidence of life off field wouldn't go amiss.