super league team in cumbria

[Panchitta Marra]

As an Old Marra frae Whitehaven, 1941 vintage, I have over 50 years experience of both Whitehaven and Workington. Not recently I may add because I have lived in Germany thses last 8 years. However, I keep in touch with events.
In the late '40's and '50's both Clubs were sucessful - Workinton having the edge.
In the last 15 years or so both Clubs have seen a decline in fortunes, particularly Workington.
Cumbrias' biggest problem is location. It's "off the map" so-to-speak. Neither Club have access to big populations, unlike most of the Lancs/Yorks Clubs.
Inevitably, revenue is always going to a Big Issue.
I honestly don't believe Super League is a viable option for either Club.
I think there is life outside of Super League and if I was a Director of either Club, I would concentrate on being a very sucessful Championship Club, get sponsors, develop their grounds and facilities, etc.
The only potential Super League is Barrow because of their greater population access and locality.
A shame really, because I always thought they were a Lancahire Club! Well, they were when I was a lad!

Bri, Barrow is now in Cumbria, and they hate to be called Cumbrians.
I know Tonyidol wont appreciate this, but the only cups Whitwhaven have to show are still in the canteen cupboards, being washed daily by the cleaner.
As for the Jam Eaters well thats a long going saga, but to put the story straight, as I have been told by my grand father, who was a miner. The Jam sandwhiches were given to the coal miners for their lunch bate taken into the mines. It helped comouflage the taste of the coal. Both Allerdal & Copeland had coal miners so maybe we are all Jam Eaters in West Cumbria.

[cpwigan]

If some rich Arab wants to spend a few million a Cumbria SL team would work IMO but it would take somebody with lots of money and no historical hang ups. Not sure about Barrow but Workington and Whitehaven are relatively young RL teams being formed in 1949 and 1951 IIRC. Cumbria had several other clubs before them. It is just a fabulous RL area.

[BriH]

Panchita Marra, you are right about "jam eaters". I think it was a derogatory label implying that's all they could afford! My Dad was coal miner (37 years) and I can't remember him taking jam sandwiches in his bate box. Their were other moners in West Cumbria - iron ore miners in the Egremont area.
Another expression I remember was coal miners were known as "Black arsed Colliers" and the iron ore miners were "Red arsed miners" because of the red colour of the ore they mined.
CP Wigan you are absolutely right: West Cumbria needs a backer.

[jaws1]

The Cumbrian clubs will have to amalgamate and form a team like CATALANS did where they play is a different matter.It is up to the clubs themselves to do this.

[GeoffN]

The Cumbrian clubs will have to amalgamate and form a team like CATALANS did where they play is a different matter.It is up to the clubs themselves to do this.

Yeah, and that's about as likely as us merging with Saints or Leigh...

[cpwigan]

It will not happen in RL but if somebody came in with lots of money and simply ploughed ahead with a Cumbrian team whilst keeping the original clubs as feeder it would eventually be accepted but its a forlorn hope.

[Panchitta Marra]

The Cumbrian clubs will have to amalgamate and form a team like CATALANS did where they play is a different matter.It is up to the clubs themselves to do this.

I am a Cumbrian Jaws, and would love to see it for the good of the Superleaguge game, with the addition of the best West Cumbrian amateurs having an option of not having to travel too far to play local games, when they are signed up.
My concern is the quality of leadership both stes of directors have to offer (especially Town), as irrespective of good backers (sponsors), there is no one to take the "merged" club forward.
There is also a big logistical problem of where to position the stadium, as fans of Haven would refuse to come to Allerdale to watch the game & visa versa.
The last time one of these teams was in Superleague was witness to 8500 fans at top home games, Whitehaven are regular getting 1500 to 2000 for home games in NHL1.
The fan base would be there for to suuport a successful team, if they could get beyond being so fickle against eacxh other.

[cpwigan]

Like all things it is a shame re timing. Whitehaven for example were a top division team in the 80s and signed people like Rob Ackerman and had the bald headed Norman Lofthouse. The best Cumbrian team in recent years for me was the Peter Walsh coached Workington team that got back to the top flight in the early 90s IIRC. Had that team been in the era of franchises and had 3 years etc in SL they would have made it. They had quality players, cult players like James Pickering and a very good coach. I had high hopes for Whitehaven when Harry Edgar became involved but ill health and mainly politics seemed to defeat him.

[Panchitta Marra]

Like all things it is a shame re timing. Whitehaven for example were a top division team in the 80s and signed people like Rob Ackerman and had the bald headed Norman Lofthouse. The best Cumbrian team in recent years for me was the Peter Walsh coached Workington team that got back to the top flight in the early 90s IIRC. Had that team been in the era of franchises and had 3 years etc in SL they would have made it. They had quality players, cult players like James Pickering and a very good coach. I had high hopes for Whitehaven when Harry Edgar became involved but ill health and mainly politics seemed to defeat him.

Whitehaven have directors with clever heads on their shoulders CP, Tim Knowles for one, who is a former British Nuclear Fuels commercial director.
They just dont have the finance.

Workington's directors are a total waste of time, they have no go forward and finances are dire.

With Peter Walsh, Town had a front row of Jimmy Pickering, McKenzie (ex Widnes hooker) and Rowland Phillips, as good as most front rows in SL at the time.
There is a rumour in Workington that Peter Walsh is looking to come back to Workington Town.

[jaws1]

The Cumbrian clubs will have to amalgamate and form a team like CATALANS did where they play is a different matter.It is up to the clubs themselves to do this.

Yeah, and that's about as likely as us merging with Saints or Leigh...

I know that Geoff it was more tongue in cheek when i posted that .However there could be a possibility that the Cumbrian clubs could keep there own identities and jointly form a SL for franchise using their clubs as feeders as Catalans did and call the club Cumbria.Location wise Sellafield right in the heart of the County with a rail link little used to connect from Lancaster to Carlisle all the RL clubs in Cumbria are on this line.Barrow ,Workington and Whitehaven.As Northern Rail have a big say in NL1 AND 2 shuttle trains from Carlisle to Ulverton and from Ulverston to Carlisle.Special trains when Wigan,Saints,Warrington and Salford .Likewise for the SL from Yorkshire using the Settle to Carlisle link and then down to Sellafield.
Know this will never happen but i would honestly like to see a strong Cumbrian team in SL.