Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Sat Sep 24, 2022 8:46 am  

Hey all

Just was wondering with news that both Wasps and Worcester could go into administration in which case both would be relegated from RU Premeriship. I wonder if Ealing would get to fill to fill one of those spots, as one of the reasons DH moved to the Dons was because of the limited as he saw it potential in Ealing... But if Ealing make it to the top division of RU, then you might see trailfinders go from strength to strength

Makes it all the more important that 2023 works at PL, as if not we could be playing in 2024 in a worse stadium that trailfinders was.

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Sat Sep 24, 2022 9:37 am  

crashmon wrote:

Hey all

Just was wondering with news that both Wasps and Worcester could go into administration in which case both would be relegated from RU Premeriship. I wonder if Ealing would get to fill to fill one of those spots, as one of the reasons DH moved to the Dons was because of the limited as he saw it potential in Ealing... But if Ealing make it to the top division of RU, then you might see trailfinders go from strength to strength

Makes it all the more important that 2023 works at PL, as if not we could be playing in 2024 in a worse stadium that trailfinders was.

Ultimately we’ll see but, whilst I accept Trailfinders was tin pot, it was a good fit for where we are and where we are likely to be a couple of years down the track. With some notable exceptions many of the lower tier grounds are a bit tin pot.(As an aside bunged right in the corner by a khazi and a coffee stall and a taped off area-possibly structurally unsound, at Trinity I wasn’t thinking this is the model for the new White Hart Lane...and they are in Superleague). There was room to build at ET, parking was decent, I suspect, but don’t know, that the journey from the North might have been easier by car, i accept by public transport maybe not but not sure PL is better. Then there is the match day experience. More toilets, but are the concessions stalls better. Is playing in a big barn with 3 sides completely empty and one side patchy? What about corporate/ hospitality. I haven’t been in the much feted Gold Lounge but from the few photos we’ve seen it seems pretty standard to me. Was ETs corp. facilities much worse?

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Sat Sep 24, 2022 10:43 am  

As I understand it, where it comes to leaving Ealing. We did not jump, we were pushed.
Trailfinders suited us for our situation at the time. I think that after a season in Super League there
The club were told by the league that if they ever aspired to return to the top level, they needed to find a more
suitable stadium. Thus the deal with Wimbledon.

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Sat Sep 24, 2022 11:00 am  

Victor wrote:

As I understand it, where it comes to leaving Ealing. We did not jump, we were pushed.
Trailfinders suited us for our situation at the time. I think that after a season in Super League there
The club were told by the league that if they ever aspired to return to the top level, they needed to find a more
suitable stadium. Thus the deal with Wimbledon.

Perhaps the RFL should also suggest to DH that, if we want to return to the top level, we need to fund a better team.

Any argument the RFL might have had about Ealing is moot while we are part timers.

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Sat Sep 24, 2022 12:00 pm  

jbuzza wrote:

Perhaps the RFL should also suggest to DH that, if we want to return to the top level, we need to fund a better team.

Any argument the RFL might have had about Ealing is moot while we are part timers.

Very true. Also the fact that the people that run a sport where 8000 is considered a really big crowd might want to de-prioritise worrying about the quality and size of grounds and start worrying about attracting people to come and fill them.

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Sat Sep 24, 2022 12:20 pm  

Any right minded person would have realised that moving to a new stadium and putting out the worst team in the clubs history, was not a very good idea. Also that they were never going to bring in the crowds, by getting spanked every week.

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:34 pm  

If and I know is a large if batley somehow make Prem, will Mount Pleasent be SL standard? We running up that hill

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Mon Sep 26, 2022 9:14 pm  

crashmon wrote:

If and I know is a large if batley somehow make Prem, will Mount Pleasent be SL standard? We running up that hill

It was ok for the grand old Duke of York.

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Mon Sep 26, 2022 9:16 pm  

Victor wrote: As I understand it, where it comes to leaving Ealing. We did not jump, we were pushed. ....as I understand it, we AGAIN soured the relationship by not reading the small print in the contract. Trailfinders were told to "step up" by the RFU. They countered that they'd make it a 5k seated arena for 2022/23 and grow it "as and when it was needed", but refused to live beyond their means........which of those 2 sides of the argument currently holds more water? No danger of Wasps going under, but Gus's other side project are toast. I would absolutely love Batley to win promotion. Nevermind the RFL and SL clubs.....it would be the look of horror on the faces of the IMG board that would be priceless EDIT: I've been banging this drum for 2+ decades now...... seems I am not alone in thinking FANS are more important than TV cash.....It's a mystery as to why someone would want to Buy Worcester RFC but we can't attract anyone....unless the problem isn't the sport, our name, where we play or the colour of our shirts, but say....the owner?

Victor wrote: As I understand it, where it comes to leaving Ealing. We did not jump, we were pushed. ....as I understand it, we AGAIN soured the relationship by not reading the small print in the contract. Trailfinders were told to "step up" by the RFU. They countered that they'd make it a 5k seated arena for 2022/23 and grow it "as and when it was needed", but refused to live beyond their means........which of those 2 sides of the argument currently holds more water? No danger of Wasps going under, but Gus's other side project are toast. I would absolutely love Batley to win promotion. Nevermind the RFL and SL clubs.....it would be the look of horror on the faces of the IMG board that would be priceless EDIT: I've been banging this drum for 2+ decades now...... seems I am not alone in thinking FANS are more important than TV cash.....It's a mystery as to why someone would want to Buy Worcester RFC but we can't attract anyone....unless the problem isn't the sport, our name, where we play or the colour of our shirts, but say....the owner?

Re: Ealing Trailfinders in the Prem? Did DH jump too soon : Tue Sep 27, 2022 2:03 pm  

Deadcowboys1 wrote:

It was ok for the grand old Duke of York.

Did it make him sweat?