Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:46 pm  

Don't think it was a bad following to be honest. A lot of fans are still a bit angry and upset but many will come round by the time next season starts. I'm sure there are some who won't go and that is there choice. Don't think this attendance gives much indication at all for next year.

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Sun Aug 18, 2019 7:51 pm  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

Don't think it was a bad following to be honest. A lot of fans are still a bit angry and upset but many will come round by the time next season starts. I'm sure there are some who won't go and that is there choice. Don't think this attendance gives much indication at all for next year.

I would have expected a decent above average crowd tbh. Given it was an ideal opportunity for s t holders and others to check out where they are ending up next year

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:25 pm  

I think most of our supporters are familiar with the Dewsbury ground given the amount of league matches and friendlies in recent years. There will likely be some drop off in support, but I’m confident the club can achieve around 3k at Dewsbury if the team continues to improve.

[Bulliac]

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:29 am  

Yeah, agree.

If the savings on the ground mean a stronger squad then I'd have expected higher attendances at Odsal. Whether this translates into increases at Dewsbury we'll have to see, but I doubt it would mean fewer. (assuming RFL permission and actual performances, of course)

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:12 am  

Myself and two friends didn't go yesterday.
We didn't need to check it out as we know the stadium already and quite like it.
We are all buying STs again and yes we think the gates will drop but not necessarily plummet.
For us it is about 25 minutes added to our journey but may look at the cheap bus transfer.
Fans will get used to the idea after the initial uproar on here but this place is just a very, very minority of fans.
It was interesting to hear yesterday that a well known stadium developer who has already built stadia in Yorkshire is the one Chalmers and the council are working with.
If people can be convinced a new small stadium will be built in Bradford then fans will put up with 2-4 years at Dewsbury. If fans feel they are been lied to then they will drift away.
The next few months from Chalmers is vital if we are to keep our fans on board - but he must surely know that.

[Bulliac]

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:16 am  

woolly07 wrote:

Myself and two friends didn't go yesterday.
We didn't need to check it out as we know the stadium already and quite like it.
We are all buying STs again and yes we think the gates will drop but not necessarily plummet.
For us it is about 25 minutes added to our journey but may look at the cheap bus transfer.
Fans will get used to the idea after the initial uproar on here but this place is just a very, very minority of fans.
It was interesting to hear yesterday that a well known stadium developer who has already built stadia in Yorkshire is the one Chalmers and the council are working with.
If people can be convinced a new small stadium will be built in Bradford then fans will put up with 2-4 years at Dewsbury. If fans feel they are been lied to then they will drift away.
The next few months from Chalmers is vital if we are to keep our fans on board - but he must surely know that.

I do think a 'serious' tilt at promotion with an older squad, with a few better players added would tilt the balance on numbers.

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:42 am  

Reading AC's Q&A in the LE, it strikes me that there has been a bit of toy throwing on his part.

He might as well have said, my very good offer to buy Odsal from the council and the RFL and to extensively redevelop it, was rejected, and then they invite Hudgell, Carter and Davy to make an offer, so I'm not playing out any more and I'm taking my bat and ball with me.

Not saying I blame him, but suspect that's a big part of the reason we're leaving Odsal.

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:54 am  

Frank Whitcombe wrote:

Reading AC's Q&A in the LE, it strikes me that there has been a bit of toy throwing on his part.

He might as well have said, my very good offer to buy Odsal from the council and the RFL and to extensively redevelop it, was rejected, and then they invite Hudgell, Carter and Davy to make an offer, so I'm not playing out any more and I'm taking my bat and ball with me.

Not saying I blame him, but suspect that's a big part of the reason we're leaving Odsal.

Carter and Hudgell would only buy in if it was guaranteed the Buls were there IMO, that tells me knowing the costs they would be happy to see the club fall to pieces. Pair of idiots who need to concentrate on their own clubs.

Also if they were invited by the RFL it shows their panic about getting the money back.

[Bulliac]

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:54 pm  

Whilst I've some respect for what Carter has done at Wakey I don't like, or trust, Hudgell one bit and certainly wouldn't want him anywhere near the Bulls. For the RFL to invite them to Odsal seems weird and quite counterintuitive to anything which could possibly help the club so what, I wonder, was their motive?

Re: Not playing at Odsal next year? : Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:21 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

Whilst I've some respect for what Carter has done at Wakey I don't like, or trust, Hudgell one bit and certainly wouldn't want him anywhere near the Bulls. For the RFL to invite them to Odsal seems weird and quite counterintuitive to anything which could possibly help the club so what, I wonder, was their motive?

I read the piece in the LE as saying that the RFL only invited Carter, Hudgell (and Davy was also thrown into the mix) once it become clear that Chalmers wasn't going to play nice.

So I suspect that it was desperation born out of 'Oh crap, it looks like we are going to be left with a crumbling stadium, with no tenant, on our hands'

Quite what value Odsal has without a tenant is the really interesting question. Assuming the gang of three are still interested, what would be the point of them buying the lease? It's only the lease that the RFL has to sell, of course. The Council still holds the whip hand with the actual land. I'd always worked on the assumption that the rumoured interest from Carter and Hudgell was predicated on a desire to 'put one over' on Chalmers, and end up with him as their tenant - but who really knows?