Some major over reactions. Quite a few of this years signings aren't Agars, yes on paper they may well be good players but the balance of the squad isn't right for all these players to be able to perform to their potential, too many fancy dans and not enough big men who don't mind getting their hands dirty. At the end of the season I'd expect a few more changes however this will depend on players who aren't deemed good enough or fitting in with what we are trying to build gaining contracts elsewhere or agreeing to a release, some might not and we may have to pay them decent money for playing under 20s rugby. Sit back try and enjoy the ride a little and relax a bit. When we're at this stage of the season next year then thats the time to make judgement, this year the club were forced to make wholesale signings probably having to offer more money than players were worth in order to convince them to join our club, the majority signed whilst we did not have a coach in place. As said Elston made some good signings (on paper) but he got the balance completely wrong, however in his defence maybe the couple of big rough and tumble forwards we need weren't available or weren't prepared to sign for a club with lets say a bit of a chequered recent past. When we get the good news in June then things will become a whole lot easier for us as a club.

You make some good points...mind you it's a bit hard to sit back and relax sometimes. I'll try gtting to the Cats bar earlier, that may help

Exactly my feelings; so frustrating. 8/10 off the pitch, 2/10 on it.

This is why my enthuisiasm for the game is fading fast. With pretty much nothing to play for the most exciting/important moment last year was a bloke reading out a list of teams who had got a franchise and this season will be a fat tory saying yes or no.

Think it would be a good time for another one of those evenings if you ask me. To put a few minds at rest and for people that maybe a have a problem to voice their opinions. Also for the club to say exactly where they see the club going and in what ways they're going to improve on the field next year. This will no doubt happen in the next 7 weeks or so when we get the decision on Newmarket.

Agreed - its getting duller by the season - if i didnt have a season ticket i certainly wouldnt be going to every home game for the rest of the season because
1.) they are underperforming and lack desire
2.)theres nowt to play for in all honesty - RA cant get this bunch to perform and before too long we will be so far adrif we'll need a telescope to even see 8th.

CBA

you've got webster waiting in the wings to take over he coached us to a cup final and a long unbeaten run in the league while he was caretaker coach and he was only about 25 at the time

Can't believe all this negativity - yes the results and performances havent been as good as we'd hoped but we are in a year zero, this time last year we didnt know if we'd still have a club to support. Im writing this year off as a learning curve, if we are still facing similar problems this time next year, then is the time for negativity.

I think part of the negativity/concern is the loss of casual support during this this season, you and me will turn up but the floaters will probably jack it in. Thats not to say they won't return next season if things pick up but its a worry.

If attendances tail off then cash flow becomes a problem.

Apart from Ted out and Glover in, nothing much really changed. We had well over half a season to bed in last year.
We should not need a learning curve

This lot cost nearly double last years bunch and its looking like they will win less games. You may wish to make excuses for that but to me its unacceptable

Oh yes and tell all those new season ticket holders that they've blown their money for nothing as we are writing this season off.

Well said. I hate to think what Agar would have done with the squad we had last season, but i doubt if we would have managed a single win and our franchise would have not been granted regardless of the crusaders pulling out. I bet JK and PB must be completeley gutted at not being given a chance with this group - does anyone actually believe that they would not have done significantly better? 3 year contract is utterly ridiculous.

In my eyes this season could have been one for the ages but realistically we are a club with new staff at every level playing in a league where the majority of the squads and indeed backroom staff have been settled for much longer.

Give them at least one full off season to prepare properly and then let's judge, admittedly I will be disappointed and surprised if these performances haven't improved by the final third.

Agar as coach was mutted long before it was announced so was some of the players we signed before Agar became the coach his recomendations.Him being made coach appeared so much cloack and dagger at the time.There will be some casual fans not coming back and some who bought season tickets this time who wont next time on the performances so far.Its about time this lot rolled the sleeves up and had a real good dig for the full 80.Mind it dont help playing out of position like has been asked at times.

This is another of this things that's getting banded around as fact, where as this come from, can you show me or point me in the direction of who said this originally.

I suspect a cunning but flawed business plan: sell season tickets at half price in year one, only win first half (applies to home games only) then, when season tickets go to full price in year 2, fans wil pay double in anticipation of us winning all home games !
You may think this is daft, but it fits what we've seen at BV so far this season.
Joking aside & repeating more knowledgable folk than me, let's let some of our young lads have a go: drip-feed them into first team, in ones & twos at a time ( & in their best position) at home.Shouldnt dirupt team too much if we're building an integrated squad & should pay off by year 3 ( I'd be prepared to delay success to year 3 to achieve long-term team centred on Homegrown talent)...& it would take advantage of the sterile environment of a no- relegation league

Season tickets can't possibly rise after a hit and miss season so far all the floating fans will not return, I have spoke to quite a few folk who invested £100 and don't even attend now after the start we have had, we have no chance of shifting 4k season tickets next term meaning lost revenue. Awnser me if I worked for Mr Glover got payed for 8 hours but actually did 2 hours work how long would I continue to work for him a 25% success rate with the heavy investment in the current squad is not good enough I'm afraid simple as that. Sort it Agar

If you call calling the dross that we've seen at times this year as acceotable then I believe that is the most negative thing that anyone can do.

Standards should be higher than this. We have improved significantly off the pitch in so many areas, brought in new coaching staff and a much improved playing roster (yes - these players are better - it says so on their CV's) and yet we languish at the bottom and say it's acceptable - and that anyone who says otherwise has an agenda or is just plain negative - no we're not - we're just more demanding!



Love this club, but boy that is being tested to extremes right now!

Reality check time guys.

We are above London and Widnes
We are 2 points off Cas and Salford (with a game in hand - yes I know it's against Leeds but it is still there)
Attack has not been good enough (we are 2nd worst in the league for points scored)
Defence although it has been shaky at times still measures up fairly well (we have conceded less than the 4 teams around us anmed above and only 6 more than Hull KR)

When we get Lauititi back I hope we will see some improvement - I think we've missed him in attack recently (although would still rather see him come off the bench than start)
Southern has been a bit of a strange situation with plenty of rumours around as to why he has been out. I'd like to see him come back in at his natural position and see what he can do.

I would like to see some of the youngsters given a chance but they need to be brought in one or two at a time. Slater looks a really good prospect defensively (much like his dad) but I've not seen much from an attacking point of view. Lillycrop has shown up well at prop when I've seen him but it's a big step up for him. Annakin can be devastating at times but always seems to spend a lot of time on the periphery of games and not get massively involved apart from the odd burst.
Wildie at least got a chance last week.

We are competing in the bottom 3rd group and that is realistically about all we could expect from this season IMO. We need a minor miracle to make the top 8 but we still have a very good chance of finishing 3 or 4 places above where we were last season which would be a clear improvement.

This

Who you calling stupid???

Not giving you alift anywhere again....

It was more about the arrow pointing up, than the stupid.
But as it got a response!!!!!!


I am of course for ever in your debt!!!

I wouldn't either, it'll ruin the fuel consumption

Oi!!!!!!!!

Well said, especially the last paragraph.

So are you guys saying that what we've seen this year is acceptable and that people will pay to watch it?

I don't as yet see how we're going to end up any higher than last year, which seems to be a travesty to AG who's money has helped to recruit a significantly better squad than last years.

The other problem being that our crowds are noticeably thinning out - and will continue to do so if we fail to pick up the tempo on the pitch. All this will eventually mean that investment in the side will shrivel and die and we will be back where we started.

The only people that I have any issue with are the players and coaches - they need to get their sights focussed and get some results on the board - and quick!

A win against Wire - daft as it sounds - would end this debate almost overnight (for a while at least!)