Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Tue Feb 19, 2019 8:17 am  

Frank Whitcombe wrote:

He was spot on about Sheffield, they contribute nothing to the sport

They could easily argue that we've been a massive negative on the image of RL for ten years or more so have definitely taken more than we've given in all aspects.

Maybe we should leave our high horses in the stable for a good while longer?

[Bullseye]

Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Tue Feb 19, 2019 8:45 am  

Scarey71 wrote:

They could easily argue that we've been a massive negative on the image of RL for ten years or more so have definitely taken more than we've given in all aspects.

Maybe we should leave our high horses in the stable for a good while longer?

Exactly. Couldn’t have put it better. Chalmers needs to wind his neck in.

Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Tue Feb 19, 2019 8:53 am  

Agreed with all thats been said. I think Chalmers just needs to button it. The detail in his "outbursts" i rarely disagree with. Lets be honest, while the Eagles chairman saying his comments are unacceptable etc, its also unacceptable playing at that facility. Its no better than a 4g fields you get at schools. This is the second tier league and its the third season they've been at a facility like that.

BUT

Theres a way to do it. Bring it up at a meeting or in private. Not in the local paper where his point gets lost because he just looks like a rent-a-gob.

The sport probably does need someone like Chalmers with the power grabs going on. Despite Elstone saying there's "accountability" on his team, if attendances drop this year, hes not going to re-sign from his very well payed salary and the SL chairman aren't going to let go of their new found power. For too long the sport has had no one to stand up and challenge things in the sport and we probably need it now more than ever. But there is a way to do it and they way he snipes in the local paper isn't the way and unfortunately the points he's making gets lost.

Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Tue Feb 19, 2019 7:33 pm  

Perhaps his real frustration is the ruling body and it's unfairness in dealing with their responsible outlook to different clubs?
See the 2018 Statement from Sheffield and see the article AC used in the T&A about Sheffield. I feel he leads with the chin with many of his controversial comments, but it's difficult to deny the credibility when the evidence is put before you! It's often said that for injustice to prosper it takes most people to brush it under the table? Incidentally in 2018 Sheffield put out an appeal for £20,000 to ensure they could carry on with presumably the plans outlined in the statement reproduced below! (We actually donated to that appeal)

Here is the report (or the most relevant):

Last October, Club Chairman Chris Noble MBE and Chief Operating Officer Liam Claffey met with leaders from Sheffield City Council, Legacy Park Limited, Pitch Operators Pulse & Richard Caborn.

At this meeting, after detailed discussions Sheffield Eagles were asked what it could afford, it was explained to the meeting, the club could meet the same amount of funds stated it had to spend whilst the club were facilitated at Wakefield in 2017, circa £27,500, per annum for full use of facilities.

A figure was given of £30,000 to facilitate the club at the Olympic Legacy Park in 2018 (more than the club has spent on any season, adding inflation whilst were at Don Valley Stadium which also included first team training and the clubs offices both of which are now separate additional costs).

No parties suggested this was untenable and would require more investment than this however at this time, costs will stand nearly four times this by the end of the 2018 season. During certain meetings we had representation from The RFL who approved our 2018 budget based on this information. These costs are not only far more than what was budgeted but also in excess of what other clubs in our league pay to their local authority for use of facilities.

Higher costs for facilities than agreed along with other costs not anticipated are now strangling the club and its future existence which is even more heart breaking after the hard work gone in to ensure the club returned to the city after our home was taken away from us in 2013.

During our four-year life on the road the club never requested any support from Sheffield City Council or other parties associated with the Olympic Legacy Park and when the decision was taken to award the site to Sheffield United and Scarborough Group the club handles this decsion with dignity and respect to ensure a smooth and as quick as possible development of a suitable stadium on the site.

The club has now requested financial support from the City Council through a repayable loan (with interes) to bridge the gap until a stadium is built on the site but, disappointingly, there is “Little Appetite” from Sheffield City Council to grant this, even after a senior council official described the Olympic Legacy Park when handed to Sheffield Eagles to play as ‘ we are renting to you a stadium not fit for purpose’ and strongly implied £40,000 of the costs towards temporary seating and toilets would be covered. Again, this support hasn’t materialised, and no assistance will come.

The club and all those involved with it will continue to work extremely hard as they always have done to ensure the best future for Sheffield Eagles and Rugby League in the City but the odds, through no fault of our own, are sadly stacked against us once more.

#TheEaglesReturn

Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Wed Feb 20, 2019 9:03 pm  

I'm perfectly fine sat up here on my high horse, we may have been bad publicity for the sport for some time, but through it all we used our central funding and our own money to continue to contribute to the sport.

We run an academy giving young men opportunities to play professionally, we run a women's team giving young women an opportunity to play the sport , we run a reserves team, we continue to work in the community and we take hundreds to away games - giving some clubs their best pay day of the year, and whilst we were/are rebuilding we didn't pull the draw bridge up and hoover up central funds to merely survive by running a single team built by picking off other clubs better players to play at a high school 4G facility - how on earth are they contributing to the sport, and how long is it since they did?

I'm not questioning their right to exist, merely supporting a view held by our chairman - I think it's still okay to have an opinion?!

[Bullseye]

Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Thu Feb 21, 2019 8:40 am  

Frank Whitcombe wrote:

I'm not questioning their right to exist, merely supporting a view held by our chairman - I think it's still okay to have an opinion?!

Certainly fine with me but it's also fine to be called out on it.

Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Thu Feb 21, 2019 5:33 pm  

Frank Whitcombe wrote:

I'm perfectly fine sat up here on my high horse, we may have been bad publicity for the sport for some time, but through it all we used our central funding and our own money to continue to contribute to the sport.

We run an academy giving young men opportunities to play professionally, we run a women's team giving young women an opportunity to play the sport , we run a reserves team, we continue to work in the community and we take hundreds to away games - giving some clubs their best pay day of the year, and whilst we were/are rebuilding we didn't pull the draw bridge up and hoover up central funds to merely survive by running a single team built by picking off other clubs better players to play at a high school 4G facility - how on earth are they contributing to the sport, and how long is it since they did?

I'm not questioning their right to exist, merely supporting a view held by our chairman - I think it's still okay to have an opinion?!

Well put Frank Whitcombe, Its totally frustrating that the "Halo" surrounding them, is disproportunate to anything they have achieved that has benefitted the sport in general. But I'm glad they had the opportunity to survive. Although looking at the injustice we had with Green dismissed for nearly all the second half, and then to be found not Guilty (Red Card sufficient punishment is the result, I understand) after watching the video of the incident, I wondered why he was sent off.
It looked very much to ordinary supporters like a hidden agenda or sheer incompetance by the officials.
Now who's being contentious?

[Bullseye]

Re: Andrew Chalmers and his social concience : Fri Feb 22, 2019 8:32 am  

Rarebreed wrote:

Well put Frank Whitcombe, Its totally frustrating that the "Halo" surrounding them, is disproportunate to anything they have achieved that has benefitted the sport in general. But I'm glad they had the opportunity to survive. Although looking at the injustice we had with Green dismissed for nearly all the second half, and then to be found not Guilty (Red Card sufficient punishment is the result, I understand) after watching the video of the incident, I wondered why he was sent off.
It looked very much to ordinary supporters like a hidden agenda or sheer incompetance by the officials.
Now who's being contentious?

Green wasn't found "not guilty". The sending off was deemed sufficient punishment and they judged there was no need for a further suspension.