I suppose it makes no difference if the club swing an exemption to relegation. Can't see myself supporting a club that wants to define its own rules as a solution to its incompetence.

As I said on another thread - We're not in admin, 9 working days away from it, so if we get sorted in that time then no deduction.... maybe?

Anyway, I'd take a 4 point deduction and playing matches in Croydon at the mo.

What would they be buying exactly?

Broncos have no home, few fans, few players and no assetts. The only thing they have of value is their SL licence (which the RFL gave them).

Looking back at past examples (Wakefield, Salford and Bradford) there are signs to suggest something positive will happen. I haven't seen anything yet from any former players regarding the running of the club as there was with the whole Crusaders debacle so thus far, I wouldn't like to compare the two situations.

In Wakefield's case, after a year of consolidating in 2011 (when they won 7 games), they finished in the play-offs in 2012 in 8th place and finished this year in 11th, a finish that most Broncos fans would snap your arm off for.

Salford have had a turbulent year and did finish bottom on a technicality but they have signed some very good players for 2014 and although it remains to be seen how well they do in 2014, they've signed players that London could only dream of.

If Bradford wouldn't have had points deducted in 2012, they'd have finished in the play-offs. Even in 2013, they've not had a bad year on half the salary cap and weren't far off the play-offs.

However, it will remain very hard to sign players to London even more so than past years because of the money issues but there is light at the end of the tunnel. It's just reaching the end of that tunnel that is the hard part at this moment at time.

There's also an argument that now isn't the worst time to go bust because of the fact that we're having a World Cup that is catching the imagination and with 70,000 due through Wembley's turnstiles, maybe there will be a Marwan Koukash watching that wants a route in.

I thought the same......although I don't think the "fans" were part of the Bradford proposal last year...nomatter how many of them there were



Have to say, it would appear that the RFL spent more time and effort in attracting a 7k crowd to Bristol than they have done in promoting RL in the nations capital over the last 18 years.....and I hold out little hope of them doing anything of substance to help London Broncos in its current guise.

The RFL have done quite a lot to assist. Some of the exemptions we asked for required the backing of the other SL clubs. There was a majority for the initial proposal, we then asked for more. At that point there was a majority of SL clubs against us. Not much the RFL can do about that.

The RFL were heavily involved in our provisional recruitment and helped broker a deal for the man who would have been our player coach had the AGM gone ahead and voted for us. What they haven't done, and probably can't do, is sink in the sort of money we now need.

What the RFL should have done is face the IL rebellion head on and deal with it straight away. As a result of their burying their heads in the sand during the RLWC (except when it comes to Bradford....we can't odsal empty) they have caused London to force their hand or risk losing investment.

The RFL have had pretty much FREE expansion in London for 18 years...it really is time they stepped up to the plate........because without a pro team in the region, RL development is as dead as a dodo!

Mr Hughes has pumped millions of pounds into the club over the years so to be slaughtering him now is absolutely ridiculous...what else do you reckon he should do ? drive round the streets of London dragging people out of their houses to go to the games.....The Mackay guy I agree is a complete clown but David Hughes you are having a laugh...would you continue to throw away millions as he has done for more than 10 years ? Get real

Julie Stott raises her head once more in The Daily Star! again she is so bitter against Rugby League in London, she seems to suffer amnesia about failure in Bradford.


[uEnd fiasco of London Broncos[/u

EIGHT years ago London Broncos avoided extinction with just hours to spare

By Julie Stott/Daily Star Published 22nd November 2013

HOMELESS: The London Broncos are currently without a home

They were saved only after the RFL persuaded enough rival Super League clubs to support them.

The fact that London got away unpunished for writing off £3m of debts left a bad taste in many people’s mouths.

The various companies which supplied the Broncos are probably still sick about not being able to get their money.

Fast forward to today – and several seasons of dire ­performances on the pitch – and London are in the same position, heavily in debt and prepared to go down the administration route once again to save their skins.

Barnet FC owner Tony Kleanthous is understood to be ready to buy a stake in the club – but only if it is debt-free..

SHAMBLES: London are in the same position they were eight years ago

“The fact that London got away unpunished for writing off £3m of debts left a bad taste in many people’s mouths”

I’m sure the debtors are dancing in the streets at the news that London may be allowed to escape their creditors again. And for what exactly? Even if they do survive, under a new debt-free company, they will be the league’s whipping boys next year.

Coach Tony Rea only has about half-a-dozen players left, after the rest jumped ship, appalled at what was happening at the club.

The Broncos do not have a home and, worryingly, with the season less than three months away, most of the backroom staff have been made redundant.

The situation couldn’t be a bigger mess.

Surely it’s time to admit they are failing Super League and say enough is enough.

If you read RLW, the RFL seem to have little to do with the marketing of the Bristol game, in fact, them making Joe Cacheside redundant almost scuppered the whole thing as the council were interested in "legacy".

Now the whole event was a huge success but that was largely down to Bristol Council being pro-active in promoting the game.

I think you're crediting the people who run our club with more savvy than they deserve

Slaughtering Hughes?

Yes he's pumped his millions in but for God's sake you have to admit he's made some spectacularly rubbish appointments and then compounded things by stubbornly refusing to move them on when it's become apparent they were crap!

I would imagine the debts are mainly to Hughes, IIRC it was Hughes and HMRC who actually lost out last time we folded too.

Someone thinks we will be saved (northern RL journo) on twitter:



Trevor Hunt ‏@TheTrevorHunt 2h
London won't go into administration but will be saved mark my words- at least for 2014.

All speculation. If he's wrong no one will remember and throw bricks at his window. Same with HKR owner who said the same a few weeks ago!?

London Broncos as we all knew it died in 2005........this version isn't even a pale comparison of that club and as much as I will defend it from the northern Hordes and flat earthers, I really see no benefit in dragging it on much further.

67,500+ people at Wembley and the RFL will have us believe that 50% of them are southerners......yet we struggle to get 6% of them to games







Development of players is a luxury...self sufficiency through attendances, sponsorship and corporates should have been key.....the cart before the horse is one way of putting it.

Unfortunately most people in Leigh, where TH is from, have little faith in anything the bloke writes. Hope he's right on this occassion though.

You don't need to imagine. Broncos financial return (London Rugby League Limited) up to end November 2012 published last week, signed off by D. Hughes on Nov. 12, show total liabilities just over £13m, of which £12,294,283 is down to subordinated loans from Hughes (£10,202,076) and Lenegan (£2,092,097). Lenegan's loan dates from the setting up of Harlequins RL. DH's increased from £7,707,275 during 2012, an increase just short of £2.5 m. Loss for 2012 is £2,289,975.

Financial results for 2013 are surely even worse given our dwindling attendances, so DH would have needed to pump in probably about another £3m. this year to keep the operation afloat. Little wonder that he's had enough.

He agreed to bankroll a 3 year licence period application......he has carried out 2/3rds of this and the reason he is "wavering" is because the people he employed to run the club and the team have failed catastrophically....he was warned on multiple occasions that financial stability would be delivered through increased attendances yet he blindly ignored these warnings and has driven the club to the edge.
£3,000,000 a year of £30,000,000 a year...he stood in front of the fans and told us he was backing us for 3 more years......his failings and those of his key staff have resulted in us being flogging boys in 2014 at best......or a dead club at worst.
I still say that if we survive and somehow eventually own our own ground, then name a stand after the man, but make no mistake, he is more than partly responsible for this farce........

Gus should also be recognised.

I propose a urinal named in his honour.

Which begs the question what’s the point of administration? To clear the debts the major creditor looks likely to write off anyway? It just seems like a threat to get the RFL to agree to the dispensations allegedly wanted by Rae.

I’ve always though RFL should take an more active role in the London club (I’m not sure Wood et al would be of any use) or at least try and tempt Sky to take an interest in the club and at the very least use their promotional expertise to boost the attendances and awareness of London RL.

The Angus James McKay Memorial Khazi - got a kind of a ring to it don't you think??

The one outstanding debt we seem to have will be with the training/administration office facilities that we use, we have another season agreed, and it would be too far to travel if we move to The Hive, also we may have some outstanding money due to HMRC.

Agree with thoughts on The RFL, but it never seems to be more than words, not actions?

Hetherinton is raising his head again, always seems to need to have his opinion and express it, he said at the recent meeting we made a presentation and it seemed to be assured, so he is surprised at last week's events.

I am praying this is just a scheme for Kleanthous to own 100% of the club and lose the club's obligations to Hughes, Lenagan, HMRC, Harlequins RU and everyone else, else we are done.

To be sure he wont take us on with any debts. I just don't see how even with the dispensations we are seeking that without a competitive team we can generate enough income at the gate to cover our costs. And his motives are only to generate money to make his soccer clb more viable - not less. Cas own their own ground and have decent crowds but are still losing money?