ViQI stepping in to help retain Thacks

[06moran]

http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=2505

VIQI in talks with club over services of Anthony Thackeray

 

VIQI has held in-depth discussions with the Widnes Vikings Club with respect to helping to retain the services of Anthony Thackeray.  A way forward has been proposed by VIQI that will hopefully help the club retain Anthony's services over the coming years whilst ensuring further youngsters within the club and Halton area benefit from his skills, knowledge and passion for the game.

VIQI has put forward a proposal whereby they would sponsor Anthony to secure his signature and for him to also become a Widnes Vikings Community Development Officer, placing him within the Youth Development structure at the club in a coaching / mentoring role, assisting the Scholarship and/or u16's within the clubs coaching structure.  Anthony would also become the ‘front man' for the VIQI scheme helping to raise its profile and increase its membership numbers.

Lots of fans have already expressed a desire to help the club retain the services of Anthony and ensure that he plays a key role in the coming seasons.  Should the Vikings secure a Super League licence he is exactly the type of player VIQI is here to support and we believe it is essential that we do all we can to keep him at the Stobart Stadium Halton.

For this deal to be made available and confirmed to the club, the scheme is taking the unusual step of advertising the details to help recruit more members in order to make this happen.

The cost of the sponsorship package at this moment is to remain undisclosed, although it will be disclosed if/when Anthony's signing is confirmed. What we can reveal at this stage is the fact that it is a five-figure sum and the scheme is in need of a membership increase in order to be in a position to confirm support for this proposal.

Now is the time for all fans to fully back this proposed scheme and prove that we can make a difference and in doing so, once again demonstrate that VIQI can play a key part in retaining the best young players at the club, even when under intense pressure from several Super League clubs.

Jason and Joanne Shaw from VIQI and Anthony himself will be making themselves available in order to help recruit new members.  Having taken into account current funds and membership numbers the scheme would need to sign up a significant amount of new members in order to put the deal forward to the club. Obviously this needs to happen in a very short space of time, so we are asking anyone with a minimum of £1 to spare each week to come along and sign up to make this deal happen. There is no limitation to the number of times you can sign up for the scheme.

We genuinely believe that this scheme we have set up really can make a difference, whereby a small monetary amount from fans can help make a huge difference in retaining one of our most consistent performers.

A target date of 6th September has been set in order for the scheme to confirm to the club that they can support this proposed signing.

 

Dates and venues to sign up at: -

Widnes Vikings Sports and Social Club - Date to be confirmed in the next 48 hours on the official Widnes Vikings website: www.widnesvikings.co.uk

O'Neill's Sports Shop - As above.

 

We will also be asking for application forms to be made available on each of the Supporters coaches travelling to the Play-Off game at Barrow on Sunday 5th September 2010.

Those interested should bring their bank details (Sort Code, Account Number, Address etc) along with them.

Forms can also be downloaded by clicking on the VIQI tab above and then selecting ‘Standing Order Form'.  Once completed please send or hand in to the Widnes Vikings Club clearly marked F.A.O. VIQI.

 

Don't delay, do it today!

 

Although Standing Order membership is our preferred method of signing fans up, in this instance we are also looking for any donations to the scheme.

However, these can only be accepted as cheques made payable to VIQI - NO CASH donations can be accepted.

 

Hoping you can help play your part once again and thanks for your continued support of the scheme.

 

Jason Shaw - Vikings Quids In (VIQI)
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[King Viking]

To keep Thacks is a must for me, particularly owing to the growing concerns over the departures of others.

Well done to VIQI for their actions with this, and hopefully it is a success.

[vikinggriff]

well widnes fans now have a direct way to help keep one of if not our best player this season,

lets see if they take it,

[King Viking]

Can't help but wonder why in this day and age our respective fan groups/initiatives haven't figured out a way of enabling people to contribute online. I'd have done it right this second if there had been an online option. It's the same reason I've not joined the Dream Ticket, I keep putting it off. Call me lazy, but online is more convenient and is the way forward!

[J20]

Reading this and with Thacks involved (wanting to stay I take it) i'd say the only issue bar money *(surely could of had Websters wage if need be) would be full time work!

You join a SL club that's your job and your full income in our league your only part time rugby player part time something else... even community work may not have covered it!

So guess it was a case of listen lad next years gonna be tough but 2012 we'll have a full time deal for you... problem being if Thacks went down on his knee and career over he'd be a lot better off with a SL pay / insurance packet so you need to think long term... this deal I guess would make him a full time WV employee and I hope it works out for sure 110%!

[mick george]

Is thacks good enough to be our playmaker in SL, sure he is outstanding in this league and i know he has had to play without a specialist scrum half. Off late all he seems to do is "show and go". I for one expect Widnes to have a better stand off for SL

[King Viking]

Is thacks good enough to be our playmaker in SL, sure he is outstanding in this league and i know he has had to play without a specialist scrum half. Off late all he seems to do is "show and go". I for one expect Widnes to have a better stand off for SL

And where are we going to find all of these new players miraculously in time for 2012?

We're only allowed 5 quota players, and quality English players do not come cheap, hence why we need to be bringing on the ones we have with the potential.

Hull KR are a decent example. They gradually built over a few years before competing at the top. You cant expect to get a whole new 25 man squad for 2012, so we have to be looking at probably forming a group of about 10-15 players from this division and academy players ready to step up and then looking at 10-15 new signings. When you look at 10-15 that we're taking up, then Thackeray must be one of the top ones we have available.

[J20]

Is thacks good enough to be our playmaker in SL, sure he is outstanding in this league and i know he has had to play without a specialist scrum half. Off late all he seems to do is "show and go". I for one expect Widnes to have a better stand off for SL

IMO Thacks @ 6 with an experienced NRL 7 to guide the side... Thackery is arguabbly the best half in our league one belwo SL and still only 24 so he more than deserves a FULL shot at SL!

[mick george]

And where are we going to find all of these new players miraculously in time for 2012?

We're only allowed 5 quota players, and quality English players do not come cheap, hence why we need to be bringing on the ones we have with the potential.

Hull KR are a decent example. They gradually built over a few years before competing at the top. You cant expect to get a whole new 25 man squad for 2012, so we have to be looking at probably forming a group of about 10-15 players from this division and academy players ready to step up and then looking at 10-15 new signings. When you look at 10-15 that we're taking up, then Thackeray must be one of the top ones we have available.

We need SL class players in our key positions obviously we will keep alot of players to make up the squad and sucess for us will mean not finishing bottom. Have people stopped to think or asked the club if they want to keep Thacks

[J20]

We need SL class players in our key positions obviously we will keep alot of players to make up the squad and sucess for us will mean not finishing bottom. Have people stopped to think or asked the club if they want to keep Thacks

I doubt this would of got this far if club didn't want to keep him! Also he turned down a contract so they obviously do want to keep him!

[Peter]

Is thacks good enough to be our playmaker in SL, sure he is outstanding in this league and i know he has had to play without a specialist scrum half. Off late all he seems to do is "show and go". I for one expect Widnes to have a better stand off for SL

I am not sure Mick, but if there was an outstanding scrum half inside him then I think he would show his paces a bit more.

[TheGoldenBoot]

Thackeray's show and go option is down to the lack of options he seems to have around him. When Webbo was here he was free to do what he did best. I've no doubt that he deserves a full shot at SL and has proven time and again that his reading of the game is top class.

Finally a bit of good news this week. I'll definitely be signing up to VIQI.

[GLENNBVIKING]

Yes great idea,If we could get like 1,000 to sign up at say a fiver each= 5000 or even 2,000 = 10,000.But wouldent that effect our salary cap?

[efcviking]

Well done ViQI, hope it works!!

[mick george]

Finally a bit of good news this week. I'll definitely be signing up to VIQI.

And your season ticket ?