To go to the game or not to go to the game, that is the question.

End of the day, it's down to choice, and it doesn't make you less of a Supporter if you choose not to go or can't go due to other commitments.

You can still support from the comfort of your Living Room or support by going to the pub and watching it there.

Others support the club financially through buying items from the Club Shop.

It's down to the individuals choice and they shouldn't be made to feel bad because of it.

I can see both sides of the debate. Personally I no longer bother with a season ticket, in large due to now having shift work. Other reasons being preferring Sunday afternoon games, winter rugby & a league where coming top makes you champions.

That said I'm still as much of a fan as anyone else. I was supporting Leeds way before GH or any of this current set up were involved and I'll support the club well after they've all moved on.

I can see both sides of the argument on this.Andy Gilder makes a good point, and his probably resonates with me most these days as i have been in the same position down the years of going to home and away game religiously even when we were pants because it was all about the event and the coming together of like minded people.I loved those days and buying a ST would have happened no matter what even if we were we likely to finish bottom.Having been through all the garbage years through thick and thin though, it is ironic that in recent times, when we have had our success i have not been able to commit to a ST due to Work and starting a young family of my own but have still been able to make it to finals and big games here and there which has been enough for me with everything else going on in my life.Fair weather fan? maybe, but i would i like to see it as having paid my dues!

If Southstander had been going in the early 90's i would be on here with a totally different view though.I would be taking the stance of the likes of Leedsdave and Rhinoshound.ATEOD the rugby part of game day is only a slice of the reason a lot of people commit to buying a ST.

I too did the home and away thing through some of our most atrocious years. But, to put it bluntly, there are some things I find more enjoyable than watching RL these days. This isn't the fault of the RFL, our signings, our players, Brian McDermott, alleged meaningless regular season games, bloated play off formats or anything else. There are just certain times when I've better things to do. I pretty much enjoy the games I do make it to, whether it be a grand final or a trip to widnes. But if you'd asked me late 70s/early 80s, I'd have sworn I'd be attending pretty much every game I could until I became too old. But perspectives change.

getting on in life, my wife is getting me a shackleton's high seat chair to watch the games next season - She has just sent off for the brochure !

YOO knoo

I don't think buying a season ticket or any number of shirts makes anyone a mug.

You make a choice about your disposable income. If you're happy with your choice, it's the right choice.

People who claim they "had" to buy one or the other even though they didn't like what they got in the transaction would be mugs. But I am not convinced these people really exist. I think most people are capable of making these choices, and I imagine the people who feel like the club are trying to treat them as mugs won't buy the product. If you are sold a product by someone who you think is treating you like a mug, you're a mug. If you buy the product with full awareness of what you are (and are not) getting, then I don't see why anyone would feel entitled to call you a mug.

Interesting. You're making me draw comparisons with sex after 15 years of marriage. I don't find it as exciting or entertaining and I'm less enthusiastic about doing it. Nor do I find, when doing it with the wife, that it represents value for money.

But I haven't stopped doing it even though neither of us get much out of it.

Anyway, back on topic, I often wonder why so many who choose not to renew their season tickets feel the need to broadcast their decisions on here. I've yet to see a thread from someone saying "just bought my new season ticket" with an explanation of why. I'm not sure what it says about those who do this. Maybe miserable old farts like everyone to know they're miserable old farts.

FWIW, I think we have to recognize the tribal element of sport that differentiates it from other pass times and interests. There is a "loyalty" element, to a point, and this is exploited by clubs and rightfully so.

Still. if one person chooses to invest their disposable income and free time on a season ticket, replica shirt, whatever then it makes them no superior or inferior to someone who doesn't. After all, what is that discerning consumer doing with his leisure time instead, watching and tweeting about X factor or celeb big brother?

I will renew my season ticket but not because of the quality on the field. The slide to mediocrity that has been evident since McDermott took over will continue. The squad is the weakest it has been since Murray. The coaching structure and expertise is also very poor for a club of this stature and financial strength.

I am in a fortunate position where I can afford the £600 it will cost and not impact any other activities I want to do but its a social event and you will some good rugby - unfortunately most will be played by our opponents. If, as it appears, Hetherington has forced McDermott's hand in having to play the youngsters then there will be the added interest of seeing how the youngsters cope and develop. The fact that Keinhorst has made it into the top 20 suggests the club has some real strength in depth issues.

However for the club the wage bill will be probably the lowest its has been since Powell was in charge. Every cloud has a silver lining eh Gary?

I agree with G1 about the sex - the days of outdoor fun!! are a distant memory

Out of the darkness comes the dawn. One can only hope

Except in this case, the darkness has been caused by the club drawing the curtains on a sunny day.

Ditto the attendances.

This thread makes me feel like ending it all

I must have nodded off for the last 35 years when every game was a classic, with at least 8 evenly matched teams full of world class stars. Next season will be such an anti-climax.

You think it's bad now, apparently on a YEP story about Aiton, GH reveals that McDermott won't be hiring an assistant.

Got to admit even I'm disappointed with that.....although not quite as much as the wrist slitting misery brigade will be.

There are a handful of world class players in SL and even that is stretching the imagination - who would you say is world class at Castleford?

Do you honestly think you are evenly matched with Wigan, Saints, Warrington?

I'm not sure what your point is in relation to my post. I was suggesting that over the 35 years I have been watching, & for the last 15 that has been Leeds more than any other club, there has never been a golden period of RL. There have obviously been dominant teams with a host of WC players - Wigan, Bradford, Saints, Leeds - during that time, but usually at the expense of other clubs chances of making a fist of it. If that's your bag, fine. But we have a more level playing field now than any other time in that period. And I don't buy the claim that a number of clubs are cruising or not trying until the end of the season. The standard of RL in late 70s, early 80s, was absolute garbage in comparison. But I still loved the game as much as I do now.

Your post said "Eight evenly matched sides full of world class players" - I simply asked who the world class players were you had at Castleford?

I wouldn't consider Leeds evenly matched with Wigan, Saints, Warrington so I am struggling to see how you would consider Castleford to be on a level with those sides?

1) If new signings is all you care about, jog on to football. There is plenty of new signings, twice a year in fact that should capture your attention span.

2) If you drank less at games, maybe you could concentrate more on the on field action.

3) The shirt a team plays in influences your season ticket decision? Then why don't you just support a different team each year based on who's shirt you think is the besterest!!! Then you will never be disappointed.

4) This has nothing to do with the regular season. This point is redundant.

5) Stop drinking at the ground then, you might be able to concentrate on the rugby that's going on in front of your face.

Southstander.com is becoming a place of moaning old farts so you fit in perfectly. Why bother picking and choosing your games at all? Just don't go and watch from your armchair while drinking cheap beer and shouting at the telly "t'wer better in my day!" "call that a shirt" "why's he still playing he's crap?" Sound's like you'll have much more fun.

Southstander is simply reflecting the frustration of fans who are experiencing a significant dilution of quality whilst still being asked to pay the same price if not more. What should have happened was a building on a foundation created from 2003-2012 with standards increasing - sadly the reverse has happened.

I disagree and think the quality is increasing and it's becoming harder to win every game. With top class players being enticed to Australia and NZ (when in the past have we had so many go over and play at the same level as our antipodean cousins?) our pool of talent is growing every year.

10 of the 12 Super League coaches are British, where as 10 years ago it was 2. Building quality takes time and I believe we are now seeing the benefits of the last 10 years with more clubs producing players, some even coming from the championship and making it.

I for one will be renewing my season ticket and enjoy the rugby on show, win lose or draw, because I'm a fan of Rugby, England and Leeds. Yes there are problems to work out. Yes every game is not edge of your seat, going down to the wire, mouth watering style on display stuff, but what sport offers that week-in week-out? If you think that's sport then your are deluding yourself.

You must be watching a different game to most of us - the general view was that 2014 was the worst season for quality for many years - I don't see standards rising - I am also failing to understand why having British coaches without any experience of the best competition in the world is a good thing? Losing our truly elite players to the RU and the NRL and an inability to recruit quality players from the NRL has impacted the quality on the field - even you must see that?

I'm sorry but Southstander does not represent the whole of rugby. Go do some scientific research on public opinion and I might agree with you. But, if your formulating your general view from people on the internet, you must also believe the moon landings were faked and that 9/11 was masterminded by the United States government.

Also, if you're comparing 10 years of data to one then this is not a logical comparison. Come back in 2023 and compare 2003 - 2013 and 2014 - 2023, this would then be logical. Yes, I do see having more British coaches as a good thing as it means they get experience of coaching at the top level.

My point is we shouldn't recruit more top quality players from the NRL, we should export them as we are so they gain experience of playing in the best RL competition. They then return home and share said experience and increase the quality of our own competition.

I think you will find there is one "truly elite" player that has gone to RU, not players. The rest of the players that have gone to RU have been chances taken by the RFU and most of them have failed. What other "truly elite" British player has gone to RU in the last 10 years?

The only way you increase quality is increase the pool of talent you select from. In 2003, only a few clubs had academy's feeding their 1st team. Now there are more. These lads are not going to be world class now but if the increase in academy products continues, I believe in 2023 we will be looking back saying "Wow, what a 10 years of amazing sport we've seen and that player and this team and England are now competing on a world stage". If I'm wrong, may you quote this post in 10 years time and prove me wrong.

That was my point. There aren't, & never have been 8, or even 4, evenly matched teams full of world class players. Last season was the most even season I can remember with Leeds having dropped to the level of the rest. I'm still struggling to see the relevance of how many world class players Cas have though. But seeing as you seem to be fixated on it, at the moment only Shenton is arguably world class.