Agree on the stadium, as I said on x, the Wakefield new stand cost 14m alone, it’s just not viable in the current climate

I think this investment puts the likes of Salford, castleford, and even your higher teams like saints on standby, clubs are sorting themselves out and if you don’t jump on and join in you’ll be left by the wayside

The small term fixes have plugged a gap, but if money solves everything wire would have won the league every year since the birth of SL, right people right time is the key along with the £

Hard to be objective when you're papping yourself

Exciting news as everyone has said. It really does have an air of a fresh start for us; new owners, new coach, and there feels like a change in attitude throughout the business.

There is still a lot of work to do and a lot to put right after recent mistakes, but it really does feel like the fightback starts today in earnest.
Those in charge (Thirkill, Hood, Myler, Cartwright) still have to make the right decisions at the right time around the right people (as all sporting clubs do) but I sense an air of optimism suddenly bursting through the grey clouds, a ray of sunshine that we haven't felt for quite some time.

As I said, we still have some way to travel before we are back challenging for honours once more, but I'm feeling a damn sight more chipper than I was six months ago, when I was genuinely fearful as to where we were heading. Reading everyone's post above, I reckon we're all in the best mood we've been in for quite sometime!

Onwards and upwards as always, the fightback is on for those who keep the faith(ful)!!

, rovers got a couple of lucky breaks which have made a major difference. One is the idiot radford choosing his future best man over Hull FC supporter Mikey Lewis and the other was smith spitting his dummy resulting in peters being brought in.

I'm hoping we have the same fortune with a couple of prospective coaches turning us down but cartwright coming in who I think is exactly what the club needs right now. He probably won't oversee us winning anything but will definitely help turn around the Hull FC oil tanker

On the stadium front I'd take the opposite view to many and say we have 15k empty seats to fill let's try and fill em as best we can.

It's been years since we've consistently played well at home, even 2016 started slow and 2017 saw a drop-off. You've got to go back to 2012 for a great home record. The stadium has been busier and nosier before we just need to get the product right on the field.

Be worth having a break clause in a new stadium lease so that we can depart in the future though. The only downer here is the SMC/City/Council will know we don't have time to build a stadium even if we wanted to and started right now. Lease renewal is the only viable option as far as I can see.

Absolutely fantastic news and what a relief! Looking forward to listening to a very positive Radio Humberside at 6!

Speaking of positivity... where's Bonaire?

This. 8-9K crowds and the team getting hammered every week in a 25K stadium looks empty and the atmosphere is poor. We’ve proven we can attract nearer 15K regularly if we have a play off standard team and who knows what the ceiling is if we ever have period of real success. The crowds and atmosphere will sort itself out if the playing side does.

The stadium has looked less like home in recent years but we’ve been unable to pay for some of the stuff City do. Don’t see why we couldn’t name a stand and have more influence on the little things if we can afford to do so.

Don't worry he will pop up like a bad egg finding something to whine about . He never fails us

Had to bite!
Even more difficult when someone chops your quotes to suit an agenda

. Money coming into the sport is good..for the sport. There's no "papping" ourselves from our side when you bare in mind the levels Rovers have reached. I was complimentary to Hull today by saying they can't fail to get it right in the end, moreover there's scope for mistakes too now with money in the fact you can pay players off and pay fees potentially for others. Our board (Sewell in particular) very clearly stated at the end of 2022 that investment in the sport to a lot of teams is important, he and the rest didnt want Rovers to be top 4 or top 2 in a pish poor financed competition, the sharpen of the focus would be if Hull and others got investment on board.

I'd love a good debate on here, rlfans has died a death basically since it's hey day hasn't it?! But one of the last times I came on here COYH (the quote chopper themselves)saw their Iestyn Arris' cos I commented on an FC friendly defeat wondering why I was on here. (It was a quiet game day elsewhere!) Bizzare comment but hey ho.
Do browse here and there and theres been some royal entertainment over the past year. Bonaire is an absolute corker of positivity!!
Bring on the Derbies, i hated the idea of being undercooked for the rest of the season


We'll beat you and you'll beat us in years to come, but thank God it won't be 8th v 9th or something!!

No one in their right mind is spending £50m+ on a new stadium when you can probably subsidise the club for 100+ years for the same amount

For starters I'd be offering the SMC a sweetener of some nice new IMG spec TVs in exchange for rent terms. The TVs aren't far off being 10 years old and likely need renewal soon anyway.

How much have sewell and Kilburn put into rovers and who owns the stadium and the surrounding land?

Liking that both Cartwright and Thirkhill seem straight to the point talkers

Pearson not unduly worried about the stadium lease. On good terms with the SMC and Council.

Fully agree that this has been overlooked. The stadium is too big but I'd argue that the lack of atmosphere is mainly due to how terrible we have been in recent years. 14/15k could easily be achieved if we seriously start challenging for trophies. That's a long way off and we all need to be patient.

Look at Rovers. The atmosphere is good because they've come a long way from the years in the doldrums and are now near the top. It's a whole new experience for most of their supporters. Not so long ago they had crowds of 5/6k and the atmosphere was terrible. And the stadium still is.

Enjoyed that, all the panel spoke well. Good questions in the main too.

I thought it was good but you do get some idiots like the guy asking what the first choice 17 would be.

Pearson saying what I did about the stadium. We ain't getting our own, not even a consideration

Good to hear thirkill is a RL man through and through watching games back to the 80's

Hosted more professionally as well. Unlike the one's in the past for one obvious reason.

He’s a good bloke is Steady had a few beers with him in Catalans

I can't quite believe the difference a few months can make.

My hopes and expectation for the club tonight against that of 6 months ago...

Not sure I completely bought the sequencing story of Myler's appointment vs Thirkhill's interest, but was a pretty good forum.

Great to hear we'll quickly reclaim an A grade, and thought Cartwright came across very well - mature, experienced and got the sense his clarity of direction and expectation with the players will be light years ahead of Tony Smith's.

Impressed with Thirkill. Seems a genuine, down to earth, RL fan and not getting carried away with expectations. Think he'll be a cool head and not rush things.

Kudos to the other members of the panel too and was pleased that AP was acknowledged for his time and part in achieving the Wembley wins which will be forever be his lasting legacy.

I agree. I still think it's too much of a coincidence given their connection. But I doubt we'll ever know what really went on here. The HDM article earlier said that talk of a full ownership only started about a month ago and prior to that it was only investment. I wonder if things were so protracted due to Pearson wanting to keep some stake in the club initially but Thirkill only wanted full control? Could Pearson's recent investment loss resulting in that Linkedin rant have been the swaying factor?

When it comes to presenting such events he makes Alan Partridge look like a consummate professional.

Having said that although I've never met him I hear he's a decent fella and hope he's enjoying his retirement.