Fat Gary Schofield at it again

[jobo]

Merging clubs to come up with regional franchises makes perfect sense to an adminstrator sat in an office, moving clubs and numbers and projected incomes around a map like chess pieces on a board. The reality however is just marred at a fundamental level by tribal issues.

It would be to all intents and purposes be like liquidating Leigh and St Helens and expecting Wigan to assimilate all of their fans. It just wouldn't happen - at least for a generation and longer because of the percieved petty jealousys, losing face and terrortorial issues. It might make sense, but when has that ever been a part of supporting a club?

I have family members who even now refuse point blank to go to watch Wigan play at the DW becuase of the sleight they percieved when we moved from Central park. It defies logic and reason - but that's the level of stubbornness you're up agaainst.

The only way to merge in Cumbria would be to keep all the remaining clubs as a feeder to a Cumbrian SL Club. Personally, I believe Cumbria is fine with or without a SL presence.

Agree with the first part here CP. As for Cumbria being fine without a SL side, disagree. Sure, RL will survive in Cumbrian towns but at what kind of level??

[cpwigan]

Jobo the heartbeat of Cumbrian RL is amateur. We need to move away from this idea that every RL area has to have a professional presence and try to match Union where people from area X play the game at an amateur level but attend professional games anywhere/everywhere particularly the key fixtures such as international RL.