Supporters Branches : Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:06 am  

Leeds currently have 21 Supporters Branches in the Leeds area, 9 from elsewhere in the UK and two 'International' branches. http://www.therhinos.co.uk/ambassador/s ... H3amhESGM8 A friend of mine is part of one of these branches, and couldn't speak highly enough of it. They organise shared travel to each game (even if a home match and that's only 5/6 miles away), they meet regularly, they have access to special offers, and they get a couple of player visits a year. For him, it's the social aspect with other fans as well as feeling part of the club itself. It's a great way for a club to engage with the fans, with little administration or cost required, most of which will be recouped in one way or another. Is this something Hull could be doing, and is there an appetite for it? Reading the boards over the years, there are plenty of FC fans dotted around the place. There must be a few based in London, who struggle to afford getting to games, or don't want to travel on their own, who could pool resources? There are plenty of us based in West Yorkshire. Then places like York, Driffield, Goole/Howden, North Lincolnshire etc. Even closer to home in places like Withernsea, Cott, Hessle etc, then in Hull itself. I know a few people run their own coaches and have their own 'bases' already, so there are a few potential ready made branches right there. Just an idea anyway, I'm bored. When does the season start

Leeds currently have 21 Supporters Branches in the Leeds area, 9 from elsewhere in the UK and two 'International' branches. http://www.therhinos.co.uk/ambassador/s ... H3amhESGM8 A friend of mine is part of one of these branches, and couldn't speak highly enough of it. They organise shared travel to each game (even if a home match and that's only 5/6 miles away), they meet regularly, they have access to special offers, and they get a couple of player visits a year. For him, it's the social aspect with other fans as well as feeling part of the club itself. It's a great way for a club to engage with the fans, with little administration or cost required, most of which will be recouped in one way or another. Is this something Hull could be doing, and is there an appetite for it? Reading the boards over the years, there are plenty of FC fans dotted around the place. There must be a few based in London, who struggle to afford getting to games, or don't want to travel on their own, who could pool resources? There are plenty of us based in West Yorkshire. Then places like York, Driffield, Goole/Howden, North Lincolnshire etc. Even closer to home in places like Withernsea, Cott, Hessle etc, then in Hull itself. I know a few people run their own coaches and have their own 'bases' already, so there are a few potential ready made branches right there. Just an idea anyway, I'm bored. When does the season start

[Karen]

Re: Supporters Branches : Tue Jan 17, 2017 10:19 am  

I think a West Yorkshire one would be great. The problem is, I don't think we'd get much help from the club as they're running on a shoestring as it is. There simply isn't the resources.

Re: Supporters Branches : Tue Jan 17, 2017 10:29 am  

They started to do this a couple of years ago as my Dad attended a meeting that James Clark arranged. Dont know why they stopped

[Karen]

Re: Supporters Branches : Tue Jan 17, 2017 10:31 am  

Wilde 3 wrote:

They started to do this a couple of years ago as my Dad attended a meeting that James Clark arranged. Dont know why they stopped

It was yet another thing that Clarky was expected to do. There are only so many hours in the day and the set up at Rhinos meant they have the staff available.

Re: Supporters Branches : Tue Jan 17, 2017 12:45 pm  

Some of us tried to set up a Manchester one a while back but didn't know how to get started.

If it was going to happen I reckon you'd need help from the club to promote it. Put something in the programme maybe or use the mailing list to send a targeted message out.

Re: Supporters Branches : Tue Jan 17, 2017 12:49 pm  

C for Cuckoo wrote:

Some of us tried to set up a Manchester one a while back but didn't know how to get started.

If it was going to happen I reckon you'd need help from the club to promote it. Put something in the programme maybe or use the mailing list to send a targeted message out.

Yeh, that's pretty much what Leeds do for theirs. They help get it set up (or at least provide a process for fans to set one up), they update the directory on their website I linked to earlier, and then arrange a player visit every now and again, and special offers. It doesn't sound like a particularly arduous process.

Re: Supporters Branches : Tue Jan 17, 2017 4:07 pm  

Wilde 3 wrote:

They started to do this a couple of years ago as my Dad attended a meeting that James Clark arranged. Dont know why they stopped

Yeh I was there with him that night and it was a good idea it was to be pub based and there was interest from Market Weighton Cottingham, Brough and Beverley, but as Karen says the Club has trimmed the resources within the budgets of everything except the playing side. James Clark does a great job with absolute minimum resources but has so much ground to cover its not really a starter I guess. On that occasion Tony Roberts was a big driver of the idea but it then fizzled out! It a great idea but tough to deliver without the necessary staff.

Re: Supporters Branches : Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:18 am  

In the 80's had one in West Riding use to bring 4 bus loads to home games.
They just vanished as our field for the Westies to train on did at Dewsbury when club went in to decline.

Re: Supporters Branches : Wed Jan 18, 2017 1:08 pm  

The Dentist Wilf wrote:

Yeh I was there with him that night and it was a good idea it was to be pub based and there was interest from Market Weighton Cottingham, Brough and Beverley, but as Karen says the Club has trimmed the resources within the budgets of everything except the playing side. James Clark does a great job with absolute minimum resources but has so much ground to cover its not really a starter I guess. On that occasion Tony Roberts was a big driver of the idea but it then fizzled out! It a great idea but tough to deliver without the necessary staff.

The drive and resource should come from the fans with the club only providing enabling input IMO. If Clarkey's had a go once and it's not taken off I wouldn't expect him to be offering up material further resources unless presented with a compelling reason to. I personally think we get unprecedented access to the club and players through shop events, annual barbecue, giving our passes etc, there's open training this week too and we have regular fan forums. I get the geographic group point though l and probably West Yorkshire could be a goer, but to get the club engaged beyond posting contact details of an organiser and ad hoc advice would be a call on finite resource.

Re: Supporters Branches : Wed Jan 18, 2017 2:26 pm  

Wilde 3 wrote:

They started to do this a couple of years ago as my Dad attended a meeting that James Clark arranged. Dont know why they stopped

I was at this same meeting and asked the club to let me know the names of fans who lived in my area as I was willing to do the legwork to find out how many people were interested. I'm still waiting to hear from the club.