Yes indeed.



As usual, thread started off well with JFF but then as usual, descends into "cackling old women mode" and then cherry topped with personal insults towards a board member - again - someone sinking his time and money into the club. Mind you, i'm sure as hell none of them do it for the plaudits.

I read a Tweet from Tony Abbott the other day that someone in his development dept said the Halifax RLFC Phone App was taking over their lives, so something is in the pipeline

Im not sure it really started that well tbh.



I couldnt tell if the OP`s comment was genuine or a dig so i chose to answer it thinking it must be genuine.



I can never tell what the story is. Is the club been run as a business or a hobby? If its a hobby then fair enough the odd cock up due to been run by `un-paid` volunteers is probably acceptable. If its a business then they should try and take the criticism and try to turn it in to a positive and maybe even try and learn something from it. Maybe the next time theres a game that the club are involved in they could let people know where and at what time it takes place more than a day in advance. Do that and we have already seen improvement and a step in the right direction.

They are volunteers trying to run a business as well as they can. There's a couple of employed office staff.



It may not run like a business should - although let me tell you, in 25 years of working for so-called professional businesses what does/does not happen at The Shay pretty much mirrors everywhere I've worked.



What's the ultimate aim of the club? Be successful? Win trophies? Have the Board not delivered on that front? What would you have said to the Leigh Board had you been a Leigh fan this year? Financial meltdown and points deduction - but wait - they've won a trophy and have performed admirably this year. So how do the "cackling old women" play that one? How about a professional set up then? Castleford maybe. You'd think the administrators of that club would at least turn up with the right kit, wouldn't you? Crusaders then? Nope. Catch my drift?



I guess it's not in my nature to pick holes in an organisation I feel loyal to and to lay the boot into a board member so easily, especially knowing the reason why they put their time and effort in. In case you hadn't noticed, money and resources are finite. We do well with what we've got. I will always defend those that run the club and I appreciate that some people - like yourself -will always be at the front of the queue with your pitchfork and burning effigy. At the risk of reviving the "Dare not criticise" thread - some people should "put up" or shut up.

The ultimate aim of the club changed with the introduction of Franchising and everything the club has done since then has been geared at winning a Franchise, well it certainly appeared that way anyway. Unfortunatley a catologue of errors made in the run up to the decision probably didnt help our cause and the bid was ultimatley a failure. Our bid was so `good` that we all know what transpired after the results with all the bitching and crying and was also deemed to be so `good` that the people who actually keep the club afloat, the fans, have no idea why the bid failed.



The only other points that i brought up in this thread i thought were valid. Internet access, obviously it dosnt matter if they have it down at the club because work needed to be done can be done elsewhere cant it? Letting fans know when a game is taking place should be done well in advance shouldnt it? Both valid points i feel.



People have offered constructive criticism on here that seems to be ignored quite a bit, infact there was one thread not so long ago where quite a few people including myself offered up ideas to help the club after they posted about people whinging. I seem to remember one of the things i mentioned was about advertising games, catch my drift? Its hard to help people who seemingly dont want to be helped.

We don't have a cash rich backer. Ultimately that's why the bid failed. That's an easy one and Michael Steele made that apparent shortly after the license announcement. If you want a waffly diatribe of other irrelevant excuses as to why we didn't get a license then i can send you an RFL style bu[illsh[/iit script about licensing requirements.



The club are about to announce various exciting things about 2012 and beyond. Perhaps we should wait for these before we stab forth the pitchforks and set fire to the effigies.

Isnt that what the supporters of the club do as well rich? Put their time and money into the club?

We will never know the reasons as the club have not released any info on the feed back they received. One thing that stands out to me though was what you previously said, the club is run by volunteers, good ones yes, but how could the RFL replace a club that appears to employ professional people to run their operation, with one run by a handful of volunteers?

And therein lies the problem. Look at the Widnes set up:



Steve O'Connor - Chairman

Julie Gaskell - CEO



Chris Shirling-Rooke - Head Of Commercial

Janet Pheysey - Football Secretary

Alison Quinn - Accounts Administrator

Mark Naughton - Media & P R Manager

Michele Carter - Lottery & Ticket Manager

John Foran - Community Co-ordinator

Paul Hansbury - Office Administrator

=#0000FFInteresting that these last few have sponsors!



They also have 4 matchday staff (i assume these are volunteers though) and 10 coaching staff.



When Wakefield went into administration, 28 members of the back-office staff were made redundant. 28!!!!





You need brass for a professional back office.

Getting back on the original topic.



Do Leigh East play at the LSV?

It's a cracking facility next door to the LSV.

You would think so. Over the last 25 years ive been involved in various schemes and sponsorship etc and missed at most a handful of home games(and away games for that matter). Yet even the slightest criticism of the most basic errors is attacked by the clubs fanboys who are blinded by the "well they are volunteers, what do you expect" line.(I believe theres less volunteers than what is made out on here anyway) The only thing i now get involved in is paying on the gate at every home game, believing the club get more money from me this way rather than me purchasing a season ticket and in all honesty i may purchase a season ticket next year to save myself some money. It seems any advice that is offered to these people, who must be struggling considering the errors that are made, is ignored or taken as having a go. I think the fans that do so much good work for the club like JFFC, Chris Smith and FBAW etc deserve a medal for helping the club out, Linda especially for the way she has been treated in the past. Lets hope the some of things mentioned in the Blog become a reality and the club collectivly start upping their game.