Ideas for planned amalgamation

[cbandg01]

[Boxer]

Personally absoloutly not in favour of any form of merger no interest to me.  Prefer to watch Whitehaven in NL1 / championship than a merged team at Lillyhall.  Actually think
a team playing  in Allerdale / Lillyhall  may flounder anyway.  You would be surprised how many walk to the gaame both at Town and Haven.
 
Dont forget Whitehaven may have its own stadium withuin four years.

[random2]

the only alternative to Lillyhall is alternate games at Recre and Derwent Park?

[havenbeachbum]

Like I said on another post Boxer you seem to be from the same generation as me but you've got a totally different outlook you are a bit of a dinosaur. I bet you spat the dummy out big style when they introduced the 4 tackle rule ( later to become the 6 tackle rule ) which made the game faster and more entertaining but didn't suit the likes of Haven with their big pack and  up the jumper style of rugby. You don't like the idea of change and can't see past your nose. The subject of merger is so sensitive that it takes a brave man to even raise it. You are that man cbandgo1 I take my hat off to you. Lets debate it

[Keith]

Boxer, if the fact that Lillyhall is one metre inside the boundary of Allerdale, lets find somewhere inside the Copeland side of the boundary.   I know why you raised the Allerdale point but lets move on.   

People walking to games, well seeing as Town only get 400 - 500 that will be all of 200 or so people and similar at Haven maybe.     There are more people watching Kells and Seaton on Saturday afternoons that don't go to matches because they see no future for either of our clubs.

You probably won't accept the fact but unless SL comes to west Cumbria in the next 5 - 8 years semi-pro rugby league will be finished here and we will all be going to watch Kells and Seaton.

Cbandg01, I like your plan with one or two slight alterations mainly the one about both clubs must be in the Championship.   Why not make it when one club attains Championship status otherwise we would be back to the same old argument of "we are higher than them so why should we get together" etc.

I would also like to see a full market research carried out not amongst current fans but of all the area of Allerdale and Copeland to get the views of all those people who have walked away from both clubs over the past 10 - 15 years.

[chocbluegold]

keith that quote of if sl isnt in cumbria in 5-8 yrs semi pro rugby is finished here is absolute garbage,or is it maybe you were just on about town.whitehaven have just regrouped and i dont for one minute think dick and co intend to let it fold again   

[random2]

I don't believe the 'NewHaven Buccanneers' will get involved in any of this because the pow beck scheme seems to be cental to the re-forming of the club and the future business plan. As I said on another thread it will take someone to go it alone and set up the West Cumbria Crushers (I prefer Crushers to Panthers, maybe this is a thread all in itself) before this happens.

[whitehavenRLforever]

I would also like to see a full market research carried out not amongst current fans but of all the area of Allerdale and Copeland to get the views of all those people who have walked away from both clubs over the past 10 - 15 years.

Its like any sport Keith, many fans only want to be associated with a winning side. I can remember the fantastic support Town got during the early 90 to mid 90's. Even away games you lot took 1000+ fans with you. During your 2 yrs in SL gates were over regulary over 5000.

It was a similar story for us during our 2 GF years. We had a number of games were we topped 3000 and the Cas semi was watched by 6500.

Its a sad state that both clubs find itself in and it doesn't help much when you see non heartland sides going into SL whilst rugby in the true RL areas gets the brush off

[harbouragrudge]

I've got to say I do find it a bit amusing that on Friday night we were all jubilant at the fact that the club had been saved and now (admittedly after the momentous occasion of Sunday) we're now planning the demise of the club in favour of a West Cumbria SL outfit.

That said, I do think it should be up for discussion and also a new, competent, BOD should always work with Town, the RFL and the fans to ensure the option is there, if need be.

Because, like it or not, with the end of promotion (ground permitting) into SL from the lower leagues has been a real body-blow to Championship / NL teams. Not only is there a lack of focus from most of the clubs, but there is also a lot of disenchantment from the fans now that the 'dream' has been snatched away, and this has probably contributed to lower gates in the last few years - amongst other things! It might be the case that it is a choice between a merged side in SL and the innevitable slow decline of both ourselves and Town in the lower leagues and, if this does turn out to be the case, we need to be able to act and act fast.

[Davey]

Cumbria display provokes SL talk

http://www.lasttackle.com/blogpost_291-cumbria-display-provokes-sl-talk.html

A very good read with alot of good/interesting points.

[Keith]

keith that quote of if sl isnt in cumbria in 5-8 yrs semi pro rugby is finished here is absolute garbage,or is it maybe you were just on about town.whitehaven have just regrouped and i dont for one minute think dick and co intend to let it fold again

choccy turn the clock back 2, 3 or 4 years and you were saying the same thing then and look where you are.    When we came out of administration we hoped for the same success that you are hoping for but you will see how difficult it is on the budget you will have to work with from lower crowds and unable to pay what you may have paid in the past to players.

The board of directors at Town have been sensible keeping within their budget over the past 3 years or so but we are still mid table in Championship 1 which is not where people want to see them playing.   They then find other ways to spend their tenner entrance fee rather than watch some of the matches that don't exactly shout out for you to come and watch.

You say it is garbage but lets see where we are in 5 - 8 years time if we don't move with the times and the tide.  Without that move, I predict that more people will be watching CARLA games than at both our clubs.

[chocbluegold]

just coz town havent dug themselves out of the hole they fell in all those years ago doesnt automatically mean haven will be the same,things will be different this time round

[havenbeachbum]

And is that the thrust of your argument knowitall. If that's the only obstacle I'll be a happy man. What about the half way line of a new stadium being on the boundary between Copeland and Allerdale, do you think that would solve the problem?

 And things are gonna be different this time round are they chocbluegold? Is that just a feeling you've got in your water or is it based on anything other than hope.

[DonkeyParker]

Personally absoloutly not in favour of any form of merger no interest to me.  Prefer to watch Whitehaven in NL1 / championship than a merged team at Lillyhall.  Actually think
a team playing  in Allerdale / Lillyhall  may flounder anyway.  You would be surprised how many walk to the gaame both at Town and Haven.
 
Dont forget Whitehaven may have its own stadium withuin four years.

Some clubs are forward thinking enough to run free buses to the stadiums...

just coz town havent dug themselves out of the hole they fell in all those years ago doesnt automatically mean haven will be the same,things will be different this time round

What makes you think things will be different. Haven didn't learn from Town's mistakes in the 90's.

[cbandg01]

There is absolutely nothing to be lost in looking into the mechanisms, options and support systems, (RFL for example), available for merger / amalgamation.

On the other hand, there is an opportunity to loose everything in both camps if those who run our clubs choose to ignore the obvious. The obvious being that West Cumbria is recognised as a hot bed for RL, but also as an isolated, insular, tribal and closed minded RL community.

The evidence of the recent past, (haven), and longer term past, (town), clearly shows the existence of two singular clubs is an unsustainable option.

That evidence was amplified on Sunday, when and England team turned out against Cumbria in what was an emotionally charged community occasion, supported by fans from all three clubs, but mainly I suspect the two West Cumbrian ones.

While the attendance of 5200 was magnificent, it also indicated to me the true limit of potential for support in West Cumbria.

One joint club drawing on such support could survive, two struggling clubs will never galvanise such support and will struggle, and eventually fall again into the financial quagmires of the recent and longer term past.

Do we really want to see history repeating itself, time and again, until closures are inevitable, OR should we do something positive to build a more secure future for proffession RL in West Cumbria.

I know where my heart is, (haven), but my head and common sense tells me the only future lies in amalgamation, and sooner rather than later.