i've just come in, put the radio on and heard something about Rob Crossland claiming that rovers fans support, although well aclaimed could be better.
I wonder just what he expects, perhaps he could come in to the East stand and be a cheer leader.

Are you on hullkrfans?

Post from Rob himself

You've got to love a rant on half a story haven't you

No, not been on there but he's on sports talk tonight so i will listen to what he has to say on there.

Just received this via e-mail...

Afternoon everyone.

I hope you are all looking forward to our first home game of the season and beginning to see the fruits of the teams hard work in the pre-season.

I wanted to take a moment to present a personal view on where we are in regards to developments and funding.

Firstly the reaction by the vast majority on here to the continued delays and challenges is very positive. The impromptu ideas and concepts are pleasing to see and perhaps with some organisation it could to very helpful. Perhaps a reformed RSG type organisation could be the platform?

Dealing with the bigger issues are fundamental to the future of the club:


1. To reduce losses we need an average attendance of 10,000 and a mix of playing and non playing improved commercial solutions ( corporate, retail and non match-day usage)
2. To achieve same we need better facilities
3. Funding which is pivotal to nearly ALL ground developments is close to fruition but is a mixture of local and EU money. It's not been easy in the current climate to deliver that.
4. Funding SHOULD come through but we are not there yet.


It is impossible at our level (even with new facilities) to make money in professional rugby league. The game as a whole loses money and if the game was a business the salary cap could be no more than £1m in my opinion to stand a chance of breaking even. We choose to underwrite a bigger investment in this and other areas to give us a decent product on the field and to try to challenge.

What this does mean however is that "investment" largely goes into running costs and not just on salary cap, the football budget as a whole is a significant part of our turnover. The commercial income lines have been incredibly difficult to deliver and against that I think the club has done well in many respects. Unlike other RL areas, Hull has two pro clubs chasing the money and competition from football. We work really hard at delivering this but there can have been no worse time than in recent years to achieve this.

So many of the areas we would all like see improving get delayed or de-prioritised for the sake of youth development, sports science and generally keeping the club going. If the improved facilities can deliver more income then that investment can be made in longer term stuff.

We know we have to improve in many areas but the stadium development has been critical to those decisions. For example should we invest in a new lease for a better retail position when the design of the new North has been known to change?

It took St. Helens close to 9 years to sort a ground move, and that's in a single team, closely linked community/council and commercial partnership.

My own view (and this is all my view) is that we have a duty as the current custodians to review all options for the true LONG TERM future of the club. The outcomes from that ongoing review may be unpalatable to many but surely the long term survival of the club is better than a relatively short term amount of pain. My preference is of course for us to stay put and develop our stadium but as much as it pains us, all options have to be considered.

What can we do then?
I may be unpopular in saying this but I think supporter complacency has settled in a bit. Who remembers the first game in SL v Wakey? The away win at Salford same season? Great times but since then I feel the atmosphere at home has dropped off in my opinion. I also notice the amount of self-congratulating that goes on about our support. Yes. it's awesome (at times) but real fans know we can be better. I could ask you to buy more stuff, sign up to hullkr.tv but my challenge is simple. Show you want a high performing Hull KR side through your verbal support this Sunday and at every home game. Sure, the team will do it's upmost to entertain and deliver but imagine if the two were in sync!

I really do appreciate your support as do the rest of the BoD, players and coaches. It's time to show your support in the best way you can.

Rob

Honest and a little brutal but thats how I'd prefer it. More of it I say.

one massive area we are failing at is to provide facilities for the away fans, this would boost attendances. i don't think we will achieve 10k on rovers fans alone.

short term IMO, we should have extended the east stand to accomodate away fans (we house home and away fans together in the north) and give the away fans a bit of cover.

i would have thought this would have been a relatively cheap project.

The advert for sportstalk as i was on my way home tonight put my back up a bit with the comment about Rob Crossland, then I got home and read his post on the unofficial forum and realised that once again RH had sensationalised a very small part of what he had said.

Seventies red wrote:i've just come in, put the radio on and heard something about Rob Crossland claiming that rovers fans support, although well aclaimed could be better. I wonder just what he expects, perhaps he could come in to the East stand and be a cheer leader. Suggest you register on www.hullkrfans.co.uk before you have a go at him. The only reason where afloat is because of his and a few other board members generous nature.

Seventies red wrote:i've just come in, put the radio on and heard something about Rob Crossland claiming that rovers fans support, although well aclaimed could be better. I wonder just what he expects, perhaps he could come in to the East stand and be a cheer leader. Suggest you register on www.hullkrfans.co.uk before you have a go at him. The only reason where afloat is because of his and a few other board members generous nature.

Easty wrote:Suggest you register on http://www.hullkrfans.co.uk before you have a go at him. The only reason where afloat is because of his and a few other board members generous nature. Where did he have a go at him? Suggest you stick to http://www.hullkrfans.co.uk before you turn all Nazi on RLFans members.

Easty wrote:Suggest you register on http://www.hullkrfans.co.uk before you have a go at him. The only reason where afloat is because of his and a few other board members generous nature. Where did he have a go at him? Suggest you stick to http://www.hullkrfans.co.uk before you turn all Nazi on RLFans members.