I reckon the club has reached a plateau. We can go one way or the other from here. To go downwards we can just do as we are doing - reduce the price of beer again; get a medium sized telly in; release our 'better' players (arguably, but I just don't buy the clubs reasoning with Jefferies when we didn't have someone else to take his place); re-hash the same TV advert another 5 or 6 times, etc, etc.....

Or, if we want to move on upwards - and keep the early momentum brought to the club by the change in ownership, we must make some serious improvements and work another 20% harder than we (the club) are right now. These are some of the areas in which I believe we should change - and these are just my opinions....:

1 We MUST sign a playmaker - you can graft forever, but without someone to move you around the park / create opportunities it is futile and, quite frankly, not entertaining to watch.
2 The TV advert, which was brilliant when it was first launched, needs refreshing with new clips etc if it is to continue to capture the imagination.
3 Forget that little screen - it's irrelevant IMO - unless we can get one 50% bigger at least.
4 Why have we forgotten the great days like we had against the Crusaders when Diversity were at BV? Surely if we had paid £10k for someone on Sunday, and if we only got 2,000 more in, it would have netted a profit and made for a rather more vibrant experience for all of us. The place was as flat as it gets on Sunday - lacking any away supporters - and yet we know how to put a show on for these days.
5 I agree with Bren - particularly as there seems to be so much stock at the club - hats, scarves, bags etc - perhaps a lucky dip bag for everyone who comes - so that you could win anything from a replica shirt to a pencil case - the excercise being the same as 4 above - give 'added value' to the matchday experience rather than just trying to make things cheaper.
6 Do 4 and 5 together for the Crusaders game. This is the one which could help reduce our averages and is played when conditions should be warmer and there is more chance of a shirt-sleeve type of day.

I went on Sunday expecting to get beaten - the fact is that we managed to compete in 80% of the pitch for long periods, but were lacking in penetration in the last 20%. Again, as a business, there is a risk involved in spending money on players, but we must surely be running on the lowest budget in SL right now and I honestly believe that not to invest on the playing side is a completely false economy for us at this point.

I raise all this in the knowledge that there is an announcement around the corner that we don't know about; that we are operating within all sorts of constraints regarding our SL position and that there have been some significant steps forward for us as a club in a very short time, but I also believe that the honeymoon period may be coming to an end I genuinely hope that we can regain the momentum that we had up to around a month ago!

I agree with TRB on points 1,2,3 and 4 but I am not sure 5 is a good idea because to me you are giving things away. Maybe we could entice people by saying that a match day ticket entitles you to 30% off in the shop or something like that then at least we are still bringing money in rather than just giving stock away.

I would say that the most important point is number 1 but what I will say is that it hard to get quality players in at this point in the season but I have the feeling that if we manage to stay in Super League next season then we will see quite a bit of investment in upping the quality of the playing staff.

Spot on TRB. The rest of this year risks drifting away unless we can spice it up somehow. Lets see what the 8th brings and take it from there but the whole matchday experience needs to be kept fresh.

Agree with all these points for sure. I just don't understand exactly how the advert works in terms of getting people in the ground, just seems like doing it for the sake of doing it at the moment. Same football jarring into the Dolls not doing much.

The only way to get more people into the ground is by having a winning team.

It's important but it's not the be all and end all. Stuck with the ground and small support we have how can we ever fund a "winning" team. It's catch 22, chicken and egg, pick any cliche. As Hudds stand joint top with what is basically a team produced care of John Kear and in a top stadium they still don't get the crowds by winning alone.

The have dragged themselves up from gates of 4-500 20 years ago to average gates of 8000 - a tremendous effort. But it's been funded by one man and not the Huddersfield public. One day should Hudds win silverware consistently over a generational period they may be in a position to depend on crowds to drive them forward. For now it's a combination of things, things we simply can't afford but we must at least try to mimic.

The main thing we can't afford is to buy a potentially winning team and more importantly retain it until it's fit for purpose. To think Trinity as we are can produce a winning team capable of attracting significantly bigger crowds is naive IMHO.

It could also be argued that it is naive to think that we can have significantly bigger crowds without a winning team - which will be the case if we do not address the play-maker role quickly. Spirit and endeavour will get us so far, but even these brave players who have given us so much to cheer this year will know that we have to recruit to improve and that we have to improve to compete.

From the start of this year several teams - Hull FC; Hull KR; Crusaders; Catalans have made strides forwards. 3 of those have been our victims, but they will all be very different when we next face them, whilst we do not appear to have improved our level of play accordingly.

Both on and off the field issues need to be improved from where we are now if we are to prove worthy of our place at the top table.

That's not what I meant I was clearly saying it's naive to believe that a winning team [ualone[/u would do it for us because we couldn't sustain it long enough before having it ripped apart to make a significant difference, you confuse me.

I thought you were of the belief that only a move from BV and the opportunities that would present would significantly improve our chances of creating a winning team, why the change of heart



It was always the excuse used to defend the old regime, in fairness I think it applies to the new lot.

Yes I agree short term it's obvious where we need to improve to at least compete and I to was staggered by the ease we let BJ go and no serious investment to replace him has occured. I'm far from convinced about this lot and the motives involved. However I contend that currently where we are we cannot build a winning team capable of bringing in the crowds as demonstrated by the last regime.

Hopefully the most important meeting of all time part 20 will help.

As always!



No change of heart - the only furture we have is in a new stadium away from BV and NM presents the best opportunity (possibly the only one) that we have ever had. However, we are in the same boat as we have always been, with a new captain, but if we are to survive the armada then we must have the weapons to fight back - and IMO that means improvements on the pitch and some creativity off it - additional to the already in place improvements made.

One thing that disappoints me still is our weakness in the art of spin. The honeymoon period has helped enormously, and the adverts etc have been very positive, but neither James nor Andrew seem keen to really push themselves personally - to be the Pied Piper if you like. I'd like to see Andrew on the pitch telling us what we are doing and leading us from the front. At the moment we rely heavily on JK, and with his contract up at the end of this year we perhaps need to be careful not to become too focussed on what John thinks. Perhaps I want for too much, but then I only want the best for our club.

This seems to be a weakness in terms on marketing and media relations we can never work out, whomever is in charge (and the last regime really cocked it up royally with people in roles they were nowhere near qualified nor experienced enough for.)

With how media savvy Mr. Glover seems to be, being front and on his ads for West Yorkshire Windows, and had a full episode of an ITV series based on his business (although no-one saw it) I hope things will improve.

The only worry for me is that the pair did come across last Tuesday, and I'm trying to think of the right way of saying this, not disingenuous, but, very much 'playing to the crowd' who aren't looking beyond cheap beer and other such gimmicks. Where is the substance? That said, the constant mentions of 'this is the man who saved our club from oblivion' will always give him credit for a long time to come with some, in the say way Kear has that.

And I know I bang on about selling matchday more about the 'sizzle' than the 'steak' but for those who go week in, week out, and will forever, too many false dawns and big announcements still leave a lack of faith when nothing of substance has yet happened since the purchase, or at least it seems that way.

Been saying this for ages but you just get shot down by those who simply want AG to be the messiah and treat any questions as heresy.

AG has done nothing wrong, problem is he's done nothing very much despite what his followers say.

Cheap beer, a lick of paint, TV ads and a TV are window dressing - most or similar has been done before by the previous regime, people just choose to forget. It's important and it's needed but it's really routine maintenance IMO it's not addressing the fundamentals.

The two main issues that face the club, stadium and team have not moved forward at all. In fact most of the fluke young players who have come good were already on the way before AG took charge. As indeed was NM which has nothing to do with any initiative by the new regime.

Now before I get accused of being a blasphemer I'm not having a go. Perhaps all will be resolved next month. Perhaps nothing has happened because the mess left behind has taken so long to sort though I'm not sure why - new club and all.

One things for sure, getting rid of 6 (I believe) staff without following due process is not a great start in rehabilitating the clubs image. Despite our resident gurus opinion (clearly a man in a safe job, probably a teacher) as regards employment laws, ACAS seem to see it otherwise and the club has a case to answer.

Its fair to say that the feelgood factor is now on the wane and now is the time that our new owner will prove his capabilities. There was no doubt a lot of bridge building to do after the last regime left and a lot of what has been done up to press is cosmetic. Yes things have improved in just four months, now a new, more significant, push is needed. Hopefully details of this will emerge next week. I have no doubt that AG is now fully aware of the task he has taken on and its vital that he gets the next move right.

Are you referring to Slugger? He gave the most informed opinion on the matter and if I recall correctly, he's a CPS lawyer, so is probably in a decent position to do so.

As for ACAS - they're a conciliation service (that's what the 'C' stands for) and part of their role is attempting to resolve employment disputes before they go to tribunal - their involvement gives no indication as to the merits, or otherwise, of the claimants case; that's the job of the tribunal.

Given your relationship with the old regime, I can only assume that you've been fed some information by one or more of the claimants, hence your confident statements that a) the new owners have unfairly dismissed people and b) there is a case to answer?

For all the 'feel good factor' 'honeymoon period' 'gimmicks' we still got 4.5k on Sunday which I imagine would have been roughly the same had we still had the old regime at the helm. Seems to me a number of peoples opinions on these matter are shaped by who is in charge more than anything else. I still firmly believe that the interest is not there from the Wakefield public and I'm not sure even a new stadium will rectify that. We have lost a least 2 generations of support we have to be doing our best to get the kids in. I know the community team are doing great work but they should be in every school in Wakey and those on the border East Ardsley for example free coaching sessions, free tickets selling Wakefield Trinity and rugby league to these kids. Then, as I said the other day, when they come on their free tickets make sure there is a proper matchday experience something that the kids and mum/dad/grandad whoever thinks is worth the money next time, magicians, free sweets anything that will appeal to kids and get them, wanting to come back. The general public of Wakefield have been lost and for me they aint coming back so the next generation is the key before they all become Leeds fans.

Is that UTD or whino ?

If its the latter then we must provide them with an overall product that can match what they get at headingley I would have thought

Someone with the wide business experience of AG should be able to deal with such matters quite easily. I can't really see him slipping up with something basic like this.

Sunday was the first time this year that even the regulars were voicing their discontent with the fayre being served up on the pitch. Yes the players have tried hard this year but for premium prices you want a premium product and we are nowhere near that. This season is in danger of going the same way as last without a major momentum shift but I can't see where that would come from with the position we find ourselves in. Nobody with the ability we require is going to join us now and in fact I wouldn't be surprised if one or two others leave the building before the season finishes as well.

Quote ="jack in the box"Someone with the wide business experience of AG should be able to deal with such matters quite easily. I can't really see him slipping up with something basic like this.'" Really, I worked for a very big company with a full HR department and my Union caught them out on a technicality and netted me an extra 2k. Compared to them Yorkshire Windows is a minnow. I don't see any reason at all why Mr Glover would have any special knowledge in this area, it's a minefield - I think you give him far to much credit on that one. I knew this would upset but if as I've heard ACAS (feel free to visit www.acas.org.uk) have accepted the case I'd be concerned especially as they have the final word. No guarantees as to who will win obviously but the fact it's been taken on.

Quote ="jack in the box"Someone with the wide business experience of AG should be able to deal with such matters quite easily. I can't really see him slipping up with something basic like this.'" Really, I worked for a very big company with a full HR department and my Union caught them out on a technicality and netted me an extra 2k. Compared to them Yorkshire Windows is a minnow. I don't see any reason at all why Mr Glover would have any special knowledge in this area, it's a minefield - I think you give him far to much credit on that one. I knew this would upset but if as I've heard ACAS (feel free to visit www.acas.org.uk) have accepted the case I'd be concerned especially as they have the final word. No guarantees as to who will win obviously but the fact it's been taken on.

That is why we have to get in as early as possible so that Headingley is not even an option. Once you've got them in and hooked then it doesn't matter what else is on offer elsewhere. If the rugby isn't good enough to get them hooked then we have to provide other things that will.

Quote ="vastman"Really, I worked for a very big company with a full HR department and my Union caught them out on a technicality and netted me an extra 2k. Compared to them Yorkshire Windows is a minnow. I don't see any reason at all why Mr Glover would have any special knowledge in this area, it's a minefield - I think you give him far to much credit on that one. I knew this would upset but if as I've heard ACAS (feel free to visit www.acas.org.uk) have accepted the case I'd be concerned especially as they have the final word. No guarantees as to who will win obviously but the fact it's been taken on.'" Not doubting what you say, but the fact that he fired 6 all at once is quite a bold move to make if you're not on very solid ground. I would have thought he would have made sure he had all the cards in his favour before he took action. Like you say its a minefield and 6 at once may cost him a few bob if he's slipped up. Having said that Di must have had a lot of expereinec firing quite a few staff herself whilst at the club and she probably knows the laww pretty well

Quote ="vastman"Really, I worked for a very big company with a full HR department and my Union caught them out on a technicality and netted me an extra 2k. Compared to them Yorkshire Windows is a minnow. I don't see any reason at all why Mr Glover would have any special knowledge in this area, it's a minefield - I think you give him far to much credit on that one. I knew this would upset but if as I've heard ACAS (feel free to visit www.acas.org.uk) have accepted the case I'd be concerned especially as they have the final word. No guarantees as to who will win obviously but the fact it's been taken on.'" Not doubting what you say, but the fact that he fired 6 all at once is quite a bold move to make if you're not on very solid ground. I would have thought he would have made sure he had all the cards in his favour before he took action. Like you say its a minefield and 6 at once may cost him a few bob if he's slipped up. Having said that Di must have had a lot of expereinec firing quite a few staff herself whilst at the club and she probably knows the laww pretty well

Its makes me cringe just hearing that name, she may know the law but she knows nothing about Salad.

Quote ="vastman"I knew this would upset but if as I've heard ACAS (feel free to visit www.acas.org.uk) have accepted the case I'd be concerned especially as they have the final word. No guarantees as to who will win obviously but the fact it's been taken on.'" Can you explain that vastman - who told you that ACAS have decided the claims have merit and what, exactly, do you mean when you say that they've 'accepted the case' and 'taken it on?'

Quote ="vastman"I knew this would upset but if as I've heard ACAS (feel free to visit www.acas.org.uk) have accepted the case I'd be concerned especially as they have the final word. No guarantees as to who will win obviously but the fact it's been taken on.'" Can you explain that vastman - who told you that ACAS have decided the claims have merit and what, exactly, do you mean when you say that they've 'accepted the case' and 'taken it on?'

No I won't tell you who told me, why should I know one else on here does yet feel they feel they have instant credibility.

I'd say it was obvious. However here goes, the famous six go to a brief, he says yeah you may have a case, the individuals fill in the forms, ACAS look at them and say "yeah" we'll investigate your claims and get back to you if there is a claim and we'll go to the next level.

What I'm clearly not saying is that the famous six have won their case or even taken full legal action yet. What I'm saying is that they are over the significant first hurdle, in which ACAS one would assume use to sift out the no hopers..

What I'd like to know from you is do you want to see justice or have you only the interest of the new club at heart. You made it very clear on your last post that for you employment law or justice as I call it only applies if it's convenient.

You should get someone you trust to read the first three paragraphs of that, so they can tell you how petulant it sounds.

Meanwhile - it reads like it's been regurgitated from something one of the claimants has told you; it doesn't actually contain any substantive information about the processes that would have to have been followed to get a claim in front of the tribunal. I'm still confused about the statement that ACAS have decided there is a case to answer, unless it's gone straight to arbitration rather than before the tribunal?

It's true, I am very cynical about employment law and the tribunal system - that's because it's far too easy to bring a vexatious claim in the first place, and because there's an army of no-win no-fee vultures waiting to exploit the fact that most small to medium employers can't afford to defend a claim, regardless of its merits.

In this instance, if the claim is from family members who were on the payroll, it doesn't feel like justice will be served by an award for being dismissed from a company that their old man ran into the ground.

Either way, if it does go to tribunal it will be in the public domain, so I suppose we'll know soon enough.

Spot on