Re: Manchester Lions : Fri Sep 13, 2019 10:16 pm  

A club's name is it's identity and heritage. I still hate the name "Wolves" stuck needlessly in the middle of Warrington RLFC and it's been there for over two decades. If we decided to take Warrington out of our name and replace it with, for example, Cheshire, to try and attract a wider catchment area, then I would see it as the end of the club. It would no longer represent the town if it no longer bore it's name. That's basically what Swinton are trying to do. I don't condone death threats and the like, but in principle my full sympathy is with the fans who are fighting the change.

Re: Manchester Lions : Fri Sep 13, 2019 10:27 pm  

They've 'bitten off' the hand that fed them....but becoming Manchester Lions I doubt would have increased sponsorship/attendances etc anyway. Turned out to be a win/lose situation for Swinton fans.

Re: Manchester Lions : Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:23 am  

Thought the game would of learned from trying to convert the Wakefield area to rename it as Calder but obviously not

Re: Manchester Lions : Sat Sep 14, 2019 9:10 am  

Swinton havent played in that town since 1992 so its a bit different to changing the name of a towns club.
If people genuinely believe that a name is more important than the club then good luck.

Re: Manchester Lions : Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:05 am  

Dropkick Murphy wrote:

A club's name is it's identity and heritage. I still hate the name "Wolves" stuck needlessly in the middle of Warrington RLFC and it's been there for over two decades. If we decided to take Warrington out of our name and replace it with, for example, Cheshire, to try and attract a wider catchment area, then I would see it as the end of the club. It would no longer represent the town if it no longer bore it's name. That's basically what Swinton are trying to do. I don't condone death threats and the like, but in principle my full sympathy is with the fans who are fighting the change.

They don't play in Swinton, so if anything the Swinton name is the bit that does not hold true. Basically Swinton the club is on life support and you could call the Manchester club a successor club or the birth of a new club.

But if they keep their name but lose everything else how does that benefit them?

Other clubs have changed their name before now, manningham changed its name and its sport.

Or chorley to Blackpool panthers.

Even the northern Union changed the sports entire name.

Its a different thing to compare a stable club like Warrington, that have a stable fan base and suggests changing their name or moving location.

Re: Manchester Lions : Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:29 am  

When you've got over a century of history, the name IS the club. Sale RU don't play in Sale, and probably have a far higher percentage of their regular home crowd that don't live in the town whose name they bear than any RL club does. They tried a Manchester rebrand a few years ago, but reverted back to Sale because ultimately that is who they are, regardless of where they play or where their fans are drawn from. Swinton are Swinton and that's that.

Re: Manchester Lions : Sun Sep 15, 2019 12:21 pm  

Swinton directors should have learnt off Salford when koukash tried the same thing 2 years back.Koukash had to leave after fans abuse when he wanted to change Salfords name

Re: Manchester Lions : Mon Sep 16, 2019 6:19 am  

Dropkick Murphy wrote:

When you've got over a century of history, the name IS the club. Sale RU don't play in Sale, and probably have a far higher percentage of their regular home crowd that don't live in the town whose name they bear than any RL club does. They tried a Manchester rebrand a few years ago, but reverted back to Sale because ultimately that is who they are, regardless of where they play or where their fans are drawn from. Swinton are Swinton and that's that.

Well the fans can do what they want now they have chased away the only fan putting money in to the club.

Re: Manchester Lions : Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:26 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

Well the fans can do what they want now they have chased away the only fan putting money in to the club.

I'm sure them fans who chased away the chairman will dig into their own pockets to make up the shortfall that the chairman was putting in before.

Re: Manchester Lions : Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:37 am  

RL Supporters: "The game needs better marketing!"
Swinton Board: "OK, we're going to reposition the club and work hard to make it appeal to new markets that don't necessarily identify with Swinton"
RL Supporters: "No, not like that. We meant put some posters in the bus station or something."