New players (possibly) : Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:32 pm  

According to League Weekly Panthers hoping to seal deals for 2 new players today.
"The most significant signings in the club's history" per Mr Crompton.
Intriguing! As long as it's not Terry Newton and Gareth Hock.

Re: New players (possibly) : Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:40 am  

No mention of this in League Express.

However, it does mention that our away game against Oldham has been put back until June due to Oldham's ongoing ground saga...

Re: New players (possibly) : Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:46 pm  

Being reported on Wigan forums (not this site) that Tuson (second row) and Holland (prop) have signed on dual contracts for us...good stuff if this is so.

Made sense that some Wigan youngsters should come to us with our links to Wigan.

Guess Holland will be cover for Best and Tuson will bring extra competitionin the second row, but I do feel we already have quite a few decent second rowers...

Re: New players (possibly) : Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:33 pm  

We may already have some good second rowers, but I have seen both these players in action, and believe me they are better than what we have already, if this is the case that we have signed these guys on dual registration it will be huge for us as they will add some real steel to the pack and tuson is a real workhorse with a good passing game actually.

Re: New players (possibly) : Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:36 pm  

Confirmed on the match previews page on the RFL website and also in a decent sized write up in the Gazette: http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Warriors-join-in-as-Panthers.6142207.jp It does read though that it's promotion or bust and whilst I would agree that crowds probably would rise a bit if Panthers were in Blackpool, there has never, in the long history of RL in the Town, been any great level of support for RL. Borough rarely made four figures even when getting promoted in 78/9 and the fine side of the mid 80's was rarely watched by more than 500/600. With more alternative entertainment than ever on offer, will people back the club to the level required? My heart says "I hope so", but my head has big doubts.

Confirmed on the match previews page on the RFL website and also in a decent sized write up in the Gazette: http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Warriors-join-in-as-Panthers.6142207.jp It does read though that it's promotion or bust and whilst I would agree that crowds probably would rise a bit if Panthers were in Blackpool, there has never, in the long history of RL in the Town, been any great level of support for RL. Borough rarely made four figures even when getting promoted in 78/9 and the fine side of the mid 80's was rarely watched by more than 500/600. With more alternative entertainment than ever on offer, will people back the club to the level required? My heart says "I hope so", but my head has big doubts.

Re: New players (possibly) : Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:56 am  

Yes it is a bit worrying the amounts of money being pumped into the club by Hope. I don't know much about the guy, but he doesn't strike me as being super rich- if he is putting money in (and he can afford it) knowing he won't get much of it back then fair enough, but if he expects to see it come back, then I think he is a bit misled. I was hoping that he was aiming to recoup his money by offering cheap deals to visiting clubs fans to stay at his hotel & make a 'weekend of it', but I haven't seen much of this going on... if we were to get up to Champ level, then this would be a good option for Hope as some of the teams up there have good away followings who would travel for a weekend in numbers- Widnes & Leigh for example...

I think the club really need to sell it to the footy club that using Bloomfield Road all year round is a bonus to them- we should aim not to pay rent, but to give the footy lot a cut of the match revenues.

Re: New players (possibly) : Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:02 am  

I agree with much of what you say; especially re recouping the investment, in that it's most unlikely anyone would ever recoup any level of investment in RL in the area, let alone what Mr Hope is seemingly putting in.

If his reasons are purely philanthropic then great, but if he, or anyone else, actually expects a return on their investment then they are at best very naiive.

Personally I've seen too many attempts of a similar ilk fail in the past to get remotely excited (Ferns/Hart/Sherrat/Rowland and others have all tried and failed over the last 30 years) so whilst I will enjoy it whilst it lasts and support the team, I rather feel that Blackpool RL is once again sitting on a ticking time bomb.

I genuinely wish Bobby Hope and the club well, I just hope they are prepared for the almost inevitable outcome.

(and yes, I REALLY would LOVE to be proved wrong! )

Re: New players (possibly) : Fri Mar 12, 2010 11:21 am  

Ask any Leigh fan about Mr Hope and you will struggle to find any that has a good word to say about him

Re: New players (possibly) : Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:57 am  

good to see holland getting on scoresheet on friday, anyone know how tuson played, for that matter how did the team play, couldnt make it as was watching wigan batter hull fc

Re: New players (possibly) : Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:01 pm  

What is the point in a dual registration if it is then torn up when a SL team wants to take them on loan http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 585466.stm

What is the point in a dual registration if it is then torn up when a SL team wants to take them on loan http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 585466.stm