Toulouse and Super league

[parker]

if I was a betting man and I am, I'd put my normal fiver on a certain team called Quins withdrawing from SL.

[mike]

if I was a betting man and I am, I'd put my normal fiver on a certain team called Quins withdrawing from SL.

will they be replaced with harlequins 2011  (or some other reincarnation) I just dont see the rfl 'letting' them drop out 

[parker]

Its costing David Hughes £1m a season, believe it or not theres no history of the RFL pumping money into the Quins.

[mike]

Its costing David Hughes £1m a season, believe it or not theres no history of the RFL pumping money into the Quins.

i was thinking more along the lines the lewis vote of no confidence last time they were in trouble helping them out

[reg warner]

will they be replaced with harlequins 2011  (or some other reincarnation) I just dont see the rfl 'letting' them drop out 

As Beano pointed out to me on here a few months ago the decision whether Harlequins stay or go will not depend on the RFL but on whether anyone is prepared to keep backing them finacially.  As Parker says in his post their backer is having to pump i n a lot of money  season after season.

[mike]

As Beano pointed out to me on here a few months ago the decision whether Harlequins stay or go will not depend on the RFL but on whether anyone is prepared to keep backing them finacially.  As Parker says in his post their backer is having to pump i n a lot of money  season after season.

None of us will ever know for sure but I would not be surprised if the rfl had a hand in helping crusaders find a new backer and I also feel they would help quins too

[parker]

Mike - its  known fact that Maurice Lindsay helped to bring Branson to the Broncos and I suspect if David Hughes has had enough they, the RFL  would do their utmost to find other backers, but thats different from putting money in. History suggests that backers will be hard to find.

[mike]

I didnt mean the rfl would be putting money into quins, just that they would offer help that they never seem to offer to northern clubs.


 I hope they find a backer that will enable them to survive, its not a good day when any club folds.

[reg warner]

To get back to Toulouse there is a thread on totalrl.com suggesting that French players could be designated as "federation trained" as regards British clubs in SL.  If this was correct then it would appear there would be no need to have Toulouse in SL.

http://www.totalrl.com/index.php?showtopic=206351

[RB]

Mike - its  known fact that Maurice Lindsay helped to bring Branson to the Broncos and I suspect if David Hughes has had enough they, the RFL  would do their utmost to find other backers, but thats different from putting money in. History suggests that backers will be hard to find.

Ian Lenaghan still owns Harlequins and has been trying to find a buyer for more than 2 years.
He was given 2 years to find a buyer by the RFL - but it has gone very quiet their about an infringement of RFL Rules (somebody owning 2 clubs at the same time).
I heard somewhere that David Hughes has indicated he is unwilling to continue backing Halequins at the same level (down from £1 million to £500,000 a season initially).
It must be very disheartining for David Hughes that Harlequins still cannot draw a crowd. They have had success on the field in their time (in some of their many re-incarnations) reaching Wembley and finishing 2nd in the League and they have been going for more than 30 years but still have a home support of maybe 2000 in a city of 10 Million. David Hughes is obviously no mug in his day job (being self made).
If their financial backing is reduced and their team correspondingly becomes a team finishing near the bottom year on year it is difficult to see how they can move forward without new financial input.

[J20]

Problem with Quins is too show off they bank on about all local lides in the squad (no more than any other side though really) and also 'there are thousands of kids playing league in London'.

That's all well and good but then... how bad is your marketing? Your in the biggest city in the UK reckon their is great interest in the game yet have the lowest gates in the league... they can't have it both way's sorry! Same for Cru with on field & junior development! And same goes for Toulouse... you have to provide the full package not just one / two bright areas!