You still appear to be under the illusion that our location is a problem. In reality, we would face the same issues anywhere else.

Not sure how you come to that conclusion? I'm open minded, but I do have doubts throw all the money in the world at TW12 and I am not convinced we will ever be anything but the poor cousins. If we ever find another ground we can part own in London if it still does not work it is time to call it a day!

I still see Super League? going back to be perhaps a semi professional sport in the end, unless the game itself is run by new and fresh blood who will do something spectacular to attract major sponsors,

Its not just amateur clubs though. Wherever the club plays, it will suit some people better than others. For me, Twickenham is a 4 hour round trip via public transport and for others on here it will be a five minute walk to and from the Stoop. That's where London is different from Wigan or St Helens for example. Both have moved grounds but both grounds are still in their respective town's whereas if the Broncos moved to Leyton for example, thats like St Helens moving to Stoke as its a similar distance between Twickenham to Leyton.

The Skolars are the model despite being a teenager in comparison with the thirty-odd year old Broncos. They moved to North London and have set roots in that community. The Broncos have never pitched their caravan up long enough to get into their immediate community.

Which is why, until such a time as we can have our own ground, The Stoop is the next best thing.

I'm so tired of this debate....

I wasn't insinuating that another move was what was needed. I don't think its the answer but those at the club look likely to leave the Stoop at the end of next year so that is when the Skolars model would need to be put in place.

Off the field, are the Skolars really doing that well? I have only been to one match this season and there can't have been many more than 150 Skolars fans, vastly out numbered by Doncaster, in what was Skolars biggest match of the season. I'm not bagging Skolars as I would love to see them do well and succeed, but are things going that well?

I would say so. On the field they boast a large amount of London born players & have a handful of players that have come through their academy. They have a coach that is not just young and British but is also hugely talented.

Off the field they have stayed in one place and built roots in the community. They have entered into a number of schools, both Primary & Secondary, and the participation in the game has increased. The club also has links with Southgate College and are linked with a subject taught there. That course is linked with the Middlesex Uni and a number of players are in further education through the club. Fan wise, it has increased heavily since I first watched them in '07.

There has also been rumours of development of the New River and that can only be good for the club.

Small steps to achieve a greater goal is a nice way of describing Skolars.

1. Make yourown bloody tea.
2. Gus stated that the teams lack of performance was "one of" the reasons for the crap crowds.....the re-brand, which he stated in the article I linked a while back, was his idea. The point of the re-brand was to "clear up any confusion" between us and the landlords and attract RL fans baclk to the game......he 100% failed in that aim ...we have less fans now than we did as Harlequins RL.........and when questioned about the crowds, he clearly stated a "winning team" would help.....ergo, he is asked why we have less fans, he replies by blaming team.


Split hairs if you like, but the fact is there was no plan B......he believed that the re-brand and the offer to ST holders would pack'em in......it didn't.....both were his ideas and if I am honest, he seemed clueless there after......anyone else in the REAL world would have been polishing their CV after a performance like that......there's missing a target and then there's 2012......we LOST fans.

And we left vouchers un-used in the ST books which could have been used to bring a mate.

Big spend is now needed to get crowds up.....if we are still faffing around on 3,000-3,250 averages next year, then I can see the London Licence being a hot topic come 2014. I am confident that a move to a new stadium for the 2014 season (where we will pay rent like we currently do) will be used to yet again cover the failings of the club.....unsurprisingly, averages will creep up in year 1 before spiralling downwards....by which stage, those responsible will have scarpered claiming that "they increased crowds" at the Broncos



I would be looking to the RFL to take the controlling interest at the club for 3 years, possibly 6,with a view to making London Broncos a viable proposition for investors and sponsors........the current set up is going nowhere and going there at an alarming rate.

As for the ST vouchers......like viral videos and ing oyster card holders, they were about as much use as a chocolate tea pot....and I doubt an Intern and a cricketing CEO will come up with anything much better for next year



Most of the stuff in the post below is still valid......first posted 2009.........we've had 2 marketing managers since....both as useless as each other IMO.
[urlhttp://viewtopic.php?f=27&t=430103&tsmp=1335136331[/url

I think you need a lesson or two in logic.

Meanwhile - back on topic. We're still looking for somewhere to play from 2014 onwards: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/19703458

Meanwhile - back on topic. We're still looking for somewhere to play from 2014 onwards: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/19703458

So the club seemingly has a year to exit the Stoop as a longer deal was not on the table. The question is are they capable of finding an alternative ? I'm no chess player but this sounds like Zugzwang.

Perhaps some loyal fans will get their heads out of the sand and at least accept it, the ground Has to be in London.

Thats not what Gus says on BBC sport. He made a point of referencing that 4 of the London RU teams play outside of London.

He keeps harping on about Gillingham. One of the OTR games will be there

Gillingham has a large catchment area, but starting up from there would be like starting up in Brighton. Almost no fanbase at the begining meaning that even if its a winning team it means nothing to the locals. Very much a long term strategy which is strange if DH is retiring soon?

Amazed if we do go down there especially as the average gate for the soccer is just a notch over 5K, so I'd suspect we'd average 1.2K, if that, once the novelty wears off. Goodbye Broncos and hello Hemel Stags (who have just got Haven Holidays as their main sponsor for the 2013) for us if it happens.

Will someone tell Gus how big a rugby pitch is for heavens sake. All this rubbish about having to move to increase crowds!!! Lets get a team that wins more than it loses have some sensible marketing and see what happens. Name and location are complete smokescreens IMHO - what the hell did the "rebrand " achieve - bugger all apart from throwing money down a big hole.

Rant over.

Hemel is a ridiculous suggestion for a SL club. No stadium, no money, no fan base. Why does everyone hold them up as the next big thing on the back of building a 400 seater stand after being in existence for decades?

Gillingham seems to be the only serious option, on the back of Medway Dragons heavily promoting a one off game. I have no faith in us making it work, although it probably could under the right management.

So could the Stoop!

It seems to me to be apparent that no matter what we think of The Stoop, fact is that the current Quins management don't want us anymore.

I also think it's quite likely that they denied us continuing use of their brand. Nobody's going to give us the inside facts, at least while we still have a business relationship with them, so we just have to guess based on what evidence there is.

And those are my guesses, FWIW.

Or that is what we are being told as it seems to me the Prison Warder is hell bent on moving us before he moves on!

You might well be right, I've always felt that once Mark Evans left we didn't have a lot of support left at QRU. It was no co-incidence I feel that we arrived at the Stoop(broke and homeless!) as QRU were outside the top flight of RU, I think we looked like a possible new revenue stream in case their gates(and income) dropped in the second tier. As it turned out they bounced straight back after 1 season, and have gone from strength to strength on and off the pitch - we didn't take off as QRL (let's not get into that now, we'll be here all night!) and I don't suppose they need our money these days.

As for the brand, were we pushed or did we jump? Frankly I don't care, I'm just happy to be rid of their name and colours. I'll always think of the H********s years as being those of seemingly terminal decline, but if we were denied continuing use of the brand then it probably will follow that we'll be asked to look for a new home. As you say, it's just guesses but I don't think you're too far from the truth.

The RU side do not make a heap of money despite recent success. From what iI hear they need all the income they can get which is why it is surprising if they want rid of us.