Haven't posted on here for a while and many on here am sure are very happy about that. I hated the way London Broncos turned from an exciting club into the disgustingly named Harlequins and became a ploddingly dull outfit with less characters and excitement than even the likes of Wakefield.

I no longer wish to watch a club I dont feel part of. I am not a disloyal person - I have watched Watford for 25 years through mostly thin but that is because that club has an identity and I feel part of it. We need to go back to London Broncos, get rid of the filthy Union shirt, sign some really exciting players instead of nothings like Williamson et al and get some excitment back.

Abuse me all you like, but I represent the thousands of people who used to go and have no interest in going anymore but could and want to come back.

Good riddance. Please don't return. The club and Rugby League in general don't need moaning, clueless muppets like you.

Don't you ever wonder why people stopped going?

Yeah, but its certainally not because everyone is so ignorant like you are.

I don't consider it ignorance. Do you not think the thousands of other people who used to go hold the same opinions or is it all down to reasons like moving jobs, families, leaving the country?

Face it, there are thousands of people who think the product is sub-standard and don't want to watch it anymore. Why is that ignorance?

You are ignorant as to the situation the club is in. You are pathetic - it is still a professional rugby league side who represent the South of England in a national sport. You consider yourself loyal



We can all tell you have a problem because of your archaic attitude where a rugby league club should never associate with rugby union, which is quite frankly laughable.

I love it "sign some really exciting players"

How old are you, 5? With the intelligence of a sheep? Its that easy it is, just "sign some exciting players"? Who would you suggest then? Bear in mind the quota rules have completely changed since we were London Broncos.

And for the record, your cluelessness is further highlighted by your bagging of Williamson who IMO is shaping up to be a player as good as Steele Retchless, one of your precious "characters" I imagine.

I would go as far to say the atmosphere at the Stoop before/after the game is much better than it was at Griffin Park too. Try it, you might enjoy yourself. Although I imagine from your posts on here that you are a bitter recluse with no other purpose in life other than bleating on about a return to the "good times".

We've survived as long as we have on hope. We have faith that we will still have a team in the future. We may not set the world alight but it's OUR TEAM! We have come through all manner of storms and survived, we have had bad runs of losses and survived. We have good and bad
days on the pitch and off. It's all part of the game. Thankfully we have a company that is not faceless like some of the big clubs, Leeds, Saints Wigan etc who totally disregard their fans.. Sure we are disregarded too but we can go up to Paul and Petra and even David Hughes and have a civilised conversation with them. And where else can you see the players and enjoy their company off the field? If this is not what you want, don't stop - don't worry - you won't be missed. We're happy (or not) in our rut without you.

I don't think we ever had "thousands" of fans...let alone having lost that many!! Broncos were dying...constantly scrapping for money..playing in a horrible ground like Brentford...getting changed in some horrible shed.

Quins is the best way forward mate..I'm not saying you have to agree...and I'm trying my best not appear rude! But seriously, we're more financially secure now, have a brand many thousands more will recognise, have superb training facilities....I mean be honest here - how have you now been made to feel like an outsider? What did the Broncos offer that Quins don't? As a fan, you go to the game and drink afterwards...then go home...what did Broncos offer officially that betters that?

I personally have great memories of the Broncos and have great memories from Quins...you've got to try and lose the blinkers mate and enjoy the future of RL in London! We've got the most amount of youngsters playing RL in the South East than ever....we've got the most amount of English players in the squad ever....and probably the best academy squad ever....its only going to get better!!

It's going to take atleast 5 years I believe before we challenge for anything properly..you just need patience.

But hey, if you want to leave and stop supporting the team because they've "hooked up" with a Union team then so be it. Ask yourself, what has the current Harlequins Union set up ever done to "con" or "abuse" the league team? We can't hold grudges....seriously, this is an issue that's gone on so long now....the Quins RU in their current guise have done nothing to belittle our team. You may not like their code of the sport....but honestly, let it go...that goes for everyone!!!

Apart from being a hopeless fishing trip, exactly what was the point of your post?

Welcome back Rupe-y. We always need the other side of the coin, otherwise the site becomes sterile.

Well said.

agree with some of yr comments mate
I hate being called the harlequins and have still not brought myself to shout that from the stand!!!
Yep its me that still calls em London

BUT!!! look at what we have gained!!
A much better ground! Not as friendly as the old ground and not as close to the action
BUT it is a better facility
We are still a funtioning business!! Dont forget we went bust as Bronco´s

Its yr choice mate, will put money on you comijng back if we start winning again which is fair enough
But personally i would rather watch any rugby than non at all

Exactly.

You fail to answer my question - why have thousands of people stopped going? If the product is as wonderful as you suggest, why have people STOPPED GOING?

We haven't met so why hurl out abuse such as 'bitter recluse' simply because I post something that you disagree with?

I don't think theres anything wrong with league and union groundsharing, however our transformation into Harlequins is an insult to League and all it stands for. I suggest you read 'The forbidden game' by Mike Rylance to understand that point of view - you consider it archaic, I consider it a betrayal of history.

As for 'really exciting players', I would consider, with the exception of Salford and Celtic for obvious reasons, that every other teams recent recruitment has been more 'exciting' than ours. Even in comparison to clubs like Cas and Wakefield our signings are dramatically less 'exciting'.
We have become a club renowned for playing the dullest RL in Super League - thats not coming from me, thats coming from many voices within the game.

Williamson is half decent, I wasn't 'bagging' him as you suggest but there are hundreds of players like him and to use a quota spot, which you will be happy to know I am well aware of, is in my opinion a terrible waste.

I have already stated to you I do not know. I have not said the product is wonderful either - it hasn't changed as drastically as you make out. Thousands of people have not stopped going either so I have no idea why you think that. Look at our crowds at GF and you'll see we certainally have not lost thousands but don't let that get in the way of your pathetic little argument.



No denying it then. I see.







I am very familiar with the Forbidden Game thanks. Do you really think it has any relevance to our situation at all? Get over it, move on, everyone else has. Both RL and RU are completely different now and why you think comparing us taking the name of Harlequins has anything to do with the actions of the Vichy government i'll never know.




Please inform us all of the "exciting" recruitment other teams having been taking part in. Which "exciting" players have we missed out that we could have signed? I'm looking forward to this.



Steele Retchless used a quota spot. He became a London legend and was as unspectcular as they come. I know of few players like Williamson in the league. Please, name a few that compare.

Some of us look forward, not back.

I even played rugby union for a few years. And watched it on the telly once or twice. Please forgive me rupe1

Absolutely agree with you Micky,it took a hell of a lot for me to swallow Broncos becoming the 'H' word, which incidentally I can't bring myself to chant either! Nor can I bring myself to wear an 'H' shirt or other merch (apart from a 10 quid stake in the flag). I went to the 1st game at the Stoop after Griffin Park mainly because where else was I going to go to watch top level RL without driving up to the M62, and although the colours they were wearing were vile, the players still were largely those of my old team ie London. So I kept coming back. Maybe some would think I'm missing out by not getting fully into the swing of things and becoming a fully fledged 'Quin'. In reality I don't know if there would have been any other way for RL to have carried on in the capital without this change. I wish there had been but I don't think that there were any other options available. I never have ,and probably never will, like it but I'm realistic enough to have accepted that this is the way things are. Being Harlequins may not be 100% to my liking but I'm a season ticket holder for the first time this year. We need a top level club in London for the other clubs to aspire to / feed in to and for the game in the South to have a focal point. If it has to be done under the 'H' name then so be it for the greater good. I still wear old Broncos shirts to matches, so do many others and I've never been slagged off for it. I'll continue to do so and to watch RL at the Stoop - I think its a bit more constructive to be a supporter than have a hissy fit just 'cos were not entirely getting our own way!

rupe finds it hard to look anywhere with his head stuck up his 4rse.

Rupe, you sound like the kind of guy who still drives around in an old morris 1000. The pro game in London nearly went under and if we hadn't moved to the Stoop, there would be no game in London. In "your" era, we had a bunch of Australians who did a job, low crowds (average 2000 = 3,429/average 2009 = 3,430) and no place we could call home. We took games on the road because the landlord wanted to re-seed the pitch and had no infastructure at most levels.
Now, we have a home, a community team that wins awards and 2 cockney England internationals. We have possible the best, but at least one of the top 3 Number 13's in the League and a reserve grade team that is giving us a certain amount (not enough) of strength in depth. Regardless of what in your opinion the RFU did or still do to League, your standpoint is irrelevant and myopic and again point to you beeing no loss to our club.

Lastly, you refer to buying exciting players

Yeah........right. We have financial stability at the moment, but you wan't us to go down the old route of going bust? Are you a Halifax fan worried about a SL licence in 2012? Get real pal and stick to sickeredge road! They are welcome to you.

Surely this thread title should be called the misery that is rupe ?

My view is that I was really pleased when we became Quins and I still am.

We have a good team, great facilities and some fantastic fans new and old.

Win or lose, I enjoy every matchday and but then life is what you make it (and this is only a game, after all).

Get a grip rupe and stick to your wendyball.

Woah! That's some back track r/e Williamson - going from calling him a "nothing player" to being "half decent".

A common error young ben. People think rupe has something to say but in reality...IT has said it here only 290 odd times and it's all garbage......IT will soon retreat to the safety of ITS sanctuary under ITS bridge.

I've been around since 1980 and I'm not that bothered what the club calls itself or where it plays so long as it's still around and spreading the message in London and the SE. Mind you, Trevor Towner (BG knows who I'm talking about

) does seem to have left an awful lot of love children around before he departed to NZ (and if you're reading this Towner, you still owe me a pint from 1990!).

Right.....can we arrange for a SAGA version of this site because it's starting to smell like asparagus