The club says that it appreciates the support that the team receives and all that but I dont think that they appreciate quite what a resource they have at their disposal. I they are taking record figures on shirts and merchandise and are getting consistent 5 figure gates, think what they could do if the actually fundamental product, the reason the fans go, was actually remotely entertaining? Im not being disrespectful to Huddersfield, but if we were in there position and had an away game against 11th in the league, there would be 2500 there. If we were St Helens, we would have 15,000-20,000 gates every week. I dont think that that is an exaggeration at all. This club has a goldmine at its disposal but seems to be turning its back on it.

Good post. Obvious, but someone is oblivious to that.

great post

the potential is there waiting to be tapped

but this time the 'loyalty' is running out, I just can't see 8,000+ buying passes again next season, especially since its not hard to get a ticket for the KC anyway, I feel many will just pick and choose games if the quality improves again.

Good post and i agree, the board are missing an opportunity here, we have a core of support as all clubs do, second only to Leeds in my opinion, if we were entertaining and even winning games those attendances would be way above what they are now.....that alone (for me) would be enough to signal the end of the coach and get someone in to turn this ship around.

Its all well and good people saying that true fans never abandon their team and all that, which is true, but we are human. We can only accept so much garbage before we want to complain. Its typical of our society though, people accept second-rate nonsense. They might grumble, but they will get on with it. All that the franchise system has done for our club is provide a solid foundation for the business to make money, safe in the knowledge that it is safe for 6 years at least. If only they could see that a decent team would make their money for them

i said in another post we could have being the biggest club after that grand final but for mistakes by the board and peter sharp a big mistake

The competition is a level playing field in terms of player wages as most clubs spend around the full cap. The only way to differentiate from an on the pitch perspective (assuming you spend the full cap wisely) is to invest in a top class coach. To fail to do so is madness at a club of FC's size, where it has been proven that, when we do get some success we put loads of cash back into the club in terms of increased gates and huge merchandise sales. It's [uso[/u obvious.

We could. I dont think that it is being arrogant to say, we could be the biggest club in Super League without a doubt. Unfortunately, the team is the bit we are missing. and as St. Helens have proved, thats really the only bit you need to get right to be regarded as a great club.

A good coach may well have done that.

the team is the bit we need but in 2006 we must have being three players short of pushing on and then 1 or 2 every year after that to keep it going look at man utd in 1992 when it started for them and look at them now i wish we was man u but we are hull and usually proud it

It seems that we have taken a team on the verge of great things and gradually taken it apart. Id love to be a fly on the wall in our boardroom.
I think for me at the minute I just wish the club could find somebody that possessed and showed the slightest bit of charisma and passion for Hull FC. I dont see it in Sharp, Agar, Hetherington or Rule. Im not saying that they dont care, but the fans need someone, now more than ever, to act like they are bothered, someone to believe in. Look at Bobby Robson (RIP), the guy went through tough times as a manager, but never did anyone doubt his passion and commitment. What I would give for someone of his stature

well said

The irony is that although we are utterly useless on the pitch, the commercial merchandise operation is going great guns. Shop was heaving tonight and had a fantastic range in. Lee Jenkinson looks to be doing a great job. The opportunity in this area is massive and constrained only by our performances on the pitch IMO

Yeah but that was fans getting "We're a" lettered before and "sh*t" lettered after the name on their "Crocker" shirts

No doubt jenkinson will end up at the dobbins because they'll offer him more ££££££'s

Great Post they don't deserve 11 thousand a game, we get more than Saints and they have had year on year of success.