Well I have not posted for a while. But it’s time to come out of hibernation. I have always tried to be positive on here, But that’s about to change, I went down for the first visit and game of 2015, I didn’t expect much and wasn’t disappointed, plenty to work on, defence especially looked shaky.
What I did note and more worrying was the air of gloom around the place. Fans (the few who were there) looking and sounding downbeat, which may have been down to the team not at their best. But for me it was the general state of the ground, the terrace at the top end covered in litter safety barriers rusting, the fence and the hoardings around the pitch in a state of dis-repair, the post's even looked like the were ready to topple and in need of a lick of paint. The entrance at the bottom, just shabby and tatty, and rusting cougar vans parked up, the list could go on, it all give the air of a place on its last legs.
Solution I haven’t got one, it takes money time and labour to spruce the old place up a bit, and all 3 of those are in short supply down there. I am pretty sure efforts have been made, it just doesn’t look like it the ordinary fan who stands on the terrace. The only hope is those 17 players on the field, and the backroom staff, can get the results on the field in the next 7 months, and get promotion, then maybe the money situation will improve and maybe even the fans will return somewhere along the line. Otherwise come September I can already hear the first note of “The Last Post” sounding for the Cougars.

Sadly,at the moment Yes!!
That doesn't mean things can't improve but it takes teamwork to get things done.
The directors will have a strategy, that is their role. What it is,how it will be implemented are what they expect their employees to undertake.
I would suggest that getting people on board and getting the right thing done is the biggest challenge.
Not easy as things stand but then doing anything well takes practice.

Some years ago Helen got a team together and we painted the crash barriers then two seasons ago we got a team down to clear the pitch of snow to get a game on Good Friday. All it needs is for a few hours one Saturday morning. As the ground is now it is putting people of coming down and - yes adding to the general feeling of despondency. "If we clean it they will come!" (Apologies to Kevin Costner!)

Look at what Batley has achieved with their ground with volunteers Their Chairman is a leader and talks direct to their supporters on their forum and at regular board/fans meetings. Cougars Chairman should come on this forum directly. If he said we need painters, joiners, and general helpers. etc Meet 10am Sunday. Work til 4pm, the board will provide paint, materials and lunch at McDonalds, there would be plenty of enthusiastic helpers turn up!!

Yes! fan-tastic ideas. Just been and swept the scoreboard corner. Took me 10 minutes and though not great a LOT better! The ground is, after all our (second) home and would you invite people into your home like that?

Rightly or wrongly, I am a big believer in that to move forward you need to be professional On and Off the field. It's clear the majority of the budget goes on the playing squad which to a certain extent I agree with, but that is to the detriment to the off field professionalism of the club. I'm not saying that the club should employ a plethora of full time staff, quite the contrary but we have to strike that balance. Personally, I'm not sure we're there. I am concerned at the playing squad and whilst on paper were all allegedly the "favourites", in reality I think we're not near. We should have a ground that we and the players are proud of. That does not mean a 60,000 all-seater, but a tidy, well maintained ground. I know Len has done hours upon hours of work and he is a "clubman" in the truest sense of the word. In my opinion, the board could do more to assist this process and whilst it's commendable a group of fans can suggest and make a motion to make this happen, the club could and should be doing more. There are near 5,000 followers on Facebook and I would suggest that this site doesn't get 10% of that number as hits on here. I see the Cougars appealing to businesses via Facebook, but not one post asks for help. Truth is, some fans unless invited or suggested won't think about helping, but there is some goodwill out there, we just need to reach out to it.

If I was to be really honest I think we have a certain amount of apathy in the boardroom and they just expect things to happen. They lack innovative thinking and make big PR comments such as Super League and new ground etc, but these are just words and there is nothing to back it up with. Fans at the end of the day "buy in" to the process but there is nothing at the top driving this Cougar Train forward.