Big Dave is clearly not stupid otherwise he would not have made multiple millions in his day job. You would think being a successful gas/oil Broker or whatever, you have to be competent at data analysis & be able to manage risk. I appreciate those skills don't necessarily mean you are good at appointing the right coach or CEO but over the years he should have done better than he has.



I would love him to explain on the club website why he thought playing a Championship team, less probably their best player, was any way to avoid the team being relegated. You would hope there was some sort of master plan. From where we are now though, clearly we need one of Baldric's cunning plans. I don't hold my breath.



I can only think of two things, firstly, as jbuzza said on another thread, that he was anticipating one team imploding financially. Before the start of the season there was a lot of talk of Salford's financial position & maybe Toronto or Widnes being tapped up to replace them in SL. Secondly, with funds apparently limited he has decided not to improve the team, wait until the last 6-10 games to see if we were all but relegated anyway then keep his money in his pocket. Alternatively, if we were in with a shout of staying up, then bring in a few that might just make a difference. With 10 games to go it's now or never.



The 2 remaining games against HKR look vital.

We have made a total pigs ear of this season, on and off the pitch. We did not need to spend ridiculous amounts on the squad, we just needed to bring in some sensible bodies in areas we are obviously short. That would have given us a chance to stay up and grow slowly, year on year. Continue to develop the academy etc. Instead we will go down, lose our better players, have to rebuild and try to get back up (no doubt to repeat the shambles of this season again). Said before, I have heard to two people I trust that Ward asked for more funds for players and was told no. Rumour was he is not the first coach to ask this and get the same response (and that coach decided to ply his trade elsewhere). Would not surprise me to see Ward follow out the door next season.

I actually think better players were let go

Just out of interest Honkytonk did Ward as Hughes for more money or that Lobster chappy?

Neither, it is a load of cr@p.

Hmmmmmmmm. Yes you are right, Ward is totally happy with the squad he has assembled and under no circumstance did he want(s) to improve it.

At least we have put that one to bed.



Next time get your info from someone more credible

hmmmmmm, if you say so

Still waiting for that game at Loftus Road you told us we were playing.

Are you sure I didn't say 'discussing' should there be a need to shift a big game?

Yep. That's not how you phrased it at all.

Ah well, what do I know. It's now safe to presume Wardy has asked the club for money for 12 new players and each time he was told to get back in his office and carrying on trying to make wine out of water for the bar downstairs.



Crack on lads, hopefully Hughesy will walk in the next few weeks and then Danny can sign anyone he likes

MonkeyLover you appear to a man in the know, as you can so confidently refute observations on this forum.



So I ask you, did Danny and David truly believe that the Championship squad, less a few seasoned heads, plus 'SL experienced players' Mason and Richards, an NRL fringe fringe player and a man on the outer at St Helens, a half back who had no where else to go, and the one shining star Abdull, would have enough to keep us up ? Come on, there is no way on earth that can be the case.



The pack is small, the bigger units are just plodders and lays no platform for anything. The academy promotions with the exception of Walker are currently no where near good enough. Two of them we released and resigned !!! I could go on but its too depressing

I know nothing I'm afraid, you're best off asking Honkytonks two mates, they seem to have it all figured out.

Dont bring me into this mate, ive said my piece, take it as you will, really makes no odds to me.

There is no plan. There is never a plan....



Hughes has eased his conscience by getting us back up after his dummy spit of 2013 sent us down, but he is no longer prepared to bankroll the side, but instead just get warm fuzzy feeling when watching HIS side.

When we go down, he will gradually remove any funding and we will become a mid table 2nd tier team relying on the aging and shrinking fan base and our own academy products.



As other posters are often heard to remark, the mistakes of the past cannot be changed, but they should never be forgotten or excused just because he bankrolls us.......he has gone on record as saying his skillset doesn't include the attributes conducive to running a club, but has simply employed people who told him what he wanted to hear.........

Well if you spend time on forums doing the whole ITK thing then you can't really complain when people pull you up on stuff you've said.

Really sorry. You're all right, Hughesy is a ****.



Hopefully he walks at the end of the season and then someone can come in and sign NRL players to ensure the club is challenging at the other end of the table. That is the wining formula, just ask Gary Hetherington. Forget about Academy products and living within your means.

Nice response, but it has nothing to do with the post you quoted.

It has everything to do with the fact people are quick to criticise yet have no answer other than 'we need more investment' or 'we need to spend money on marketing' which are the exact same things being thrown at Robert Elstone and the RFL.



Let's not forget the fact it is a minority sport which is potless outside of Australia and 99% of the British population don't give a monkey's about.



Harping back to days when 5000 were watching Rugby League in London is like harping back to the days when there were a dozen pubs on a high street all full of men. Every club within the game is struggling to get people through the door, the difference with most of the clubs in British Rugby League is that they are in areas where the game is commonly known and played in schools and at community level so have half a chance that generations of a family will keep supporting.



People keep telling me David Argyle is a genius yet their ticket revenue is peanuts as most people there are on freebies. He has failed to get the side into Super League and it is far from certain they will go up this year whilst racking up more debts and ripping off more companies along the way. They have no business plan, Noble is about to jump ship and the players are once again getting fed up.



The Broncos have seen their attendances double if not triple this season with the vast majority paying to get in. For around 5 years the investment required has reduced and the clubs academy is getting stronger and stronger.



That may not seem like an improvement to some people or better than the Toronto business model however I know which club will still be around the day the wealthy owner passes the role onto someone.

How would spending big money help the club in the long run.

We have jusr been promoted the team is bottom by two points.

And we could/should have won the hudds game.

I do feel were desperate for a with size and another prop but so is half of super League.



What did people actually expect?

5000 gates, 3 NRL players and a Challenge Cup Final appearance innit.



Forget the fact every promoted club will struggle due to the way promotion is left until the very last minute when players are pretty much already signed up elsewhere. Forget the fact you have to be careful about how you use the additional cash to ensure if you do go down you don't do a Leigh, Widnes or Bradford.



Just splash the cash Hughesy and let's have a big marketing party with Richard Branson as guest of honour.

This is getting a bit silly. No need to splash hundreds of thousands on NRL players looking for a quick buck, there is the need to invest in the squad sensibly in areas that it was obvious we were weak before the season started. Said before that there are plenty of decent players knocking around in the Queensland/NSW cup that would improve our squad easily. Luke Yates has been one of our best players this season. Our squad this season, IMHO is weaker than last year.



The marketing, well basically there isnt any. That does not have to cost the earth but it does have to be clear and thought out. CMG (in various guises) has come up with some very good ideas. Everything about the club seems reactive and scattergun. No real cohesive sense of planning. All this talk of spending millions is exaggerating what people people are saying.



Why gain promotion and not give yourself the best chance to stay up?? What will the club actually achieve this season if we go down again. Any chance of keeping players like Cunningham and Walker will go IMHO. Attendances, yes they are up this year, they would be due to one main factor, away fans. Do you expect to keep the same numbers coming in if we go down???



Only my own view of course but I think Hughes main hope of survival for us was another side going belly up and the hope for getting numbers in was Away fans and lapsed fans suddenly coming back in their droves because we are in SL. Even if they did, what happens when we go down due to an under powered and under strength side. will they keep coming.



The one shinning light for us in the academy but you cant expect these players to keep us in SL as it stands. Some would still struggle to get into Championship sides.



The big question for me is what does Hughes want for London, does he want a side in SL with a decent fan base, or is he happy to have a champ club that will occasionally win promotion?? If he does want a SL side he will have to dig into his pocket, not to waste on NRL journey men, but to try and build a side to hold their own in SL while the academy continues to grow and provide players, while the attendence grows with London fans. I doubt anyone care a toss really but Ive said I will not be back till there are changes, and I am not the only one I know but the club should care, as our fanbase in tiny as it is.

Does not need to spend big money, but I would expect a squad stronger than last season

A much more logical response than others and you're opinion is valid. I'm sure many share your view. However, this time last year nobody gave the club a prayer for promotion and some were bemoaning the lack of quality in the squad.



Had the team won last week at Huddersfield, something they were very unlucky not to do, people would be quite rightly predicting them picking up a couple more wins and being safe. This team has a togetherness that is remarkable and whilst it is being tested at the moment 3 more wins including at least one against Hull KR keeps them in the top flight for me.



Prudent spending could in fact see them stay up with cash in the bank and people will be praising the sensible approach taken.



It may well end in disaster but that is a conversation for the end of the season where regardless of the outcome the club will be financially sound and will go again with confidence.



Bickering is pointless and you will never get everyone to buy into your way of thinking however it cannot be denied that there has been some slow and steady growth in all areas in recent years which will continue.