Based on the "atmosphere" point, how much atmosphere do you expect in one sided games that are pretty much won by half time??



It is not just in RL. In every sport atmosphere can be a big problem, particuarly for the more successful clubs. You go to Anfield or Old Trafford to watch a normal premiership league game and you'll hear a huge roar when the teams come out and within 30 seconds of kick off it is almost a deadly silence.



Some games create atmosphere because they become classic games, wheras other games create atmosphere because of what is at stake such as knock out games (challenge cup, play-offs etc).



You tend to find that once fans get used to success and expect to win games, the atmosphere is never as good, especially in those run of the mill games that you find yourself miles ahead early on.

Mark, I share your views. I haven't been to the Stoop (hoping to remedy that this year), but I do have experience of watching a club outside the heartlands, and at one time being involved in that club. London can no longer be called an experiment. It's been around for 30 years and I firmly believe that it should get more active support from the RFL.

The team I watched was Gateshead in 1999. In just one year the club went from having 1000 supporters to a hard core of over 3000. If the experiment had been allowed to continue I have no doubt that the Thunder would be well supported and a Rugby League success. The problem was that the whole thing was badly under-financed, and when things started to go wrong the supporters were told blatant lies by the Management, who then upped sticks and went off to Hull, leaving debts and seriously disgruntled sponsors behind.

The RFL's role in this was initially to sit back and do nothing, then actively encourage the 'merger' by throwing money at Kath Hetherington and friends, leaving the fans at Gateshead with absolutely nothing. The RFL were then rewarded by the absolutely disgraceful scenes at a Rugby league Cup Semi Final some months later.

The new club that was formed afterwards got absolutely nothing. We raised money ourselves, and on reflection we should have waited a year before re-forming, and tried to build up more capital instead. We had no sponsors, basically because no-one would trust us after the SL fiasco and it is only now that the club are slowly recovering.

The point I am trying to make is that if the RFL wants clubs like London and Gateshead, then it has to actively encourage them financially or they haven't got a hope of success.

There, that's got that off my chest.

I came down last year, and posted thanks on your forum for what was a fantastic day out. I haven't posted on this thread yet, as I'm not sure what the answer is, and I'm not going to pretend I do.



Perhaps part of the answer would be to make it compulsory for any RL fan who has sold thier soul and moved to the capital to go and watch the Broncos at home. I spent some time living in Huddersfield, I used to go and watch them when I could. How many RL fans in London support the expansion?

I go occasionally, if i can't make Wire due to work and finish early enough to catch them i go.

Ive stood on the terraces at Wilderspool wearing primrose and blue in abysmal crowds and that wasnt to long ago-Warrington nearly died as a club, dont ever forget that.

I've no doubt you stood in crowds of two or three thousand at wilderspool in the 80's. But they would have been average attendances for the league at that time.



London's attendances have not moved on from that 2-3k average, all other clubs have.



You can argue loads of reasons for London being in the league but attendance figures can not be compared with any other club.