research always helps: The Virgin Group was the majority shareholder in London Broncos between 1996 and 1999.

=#8040FFWhat's worse is before he took over London the idiots in charge of Cas told him to naf off when he tried buying the Tigers! they did the same with Caddick too, and look at Leeds now

Barry McKenzie is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring for the soon to be vacant Harlequins RL coaching job.

It's well known that Barry McKenzie has forgotten more about footy than most mere mortals will ever know.

I could have Harlequins playing in the SL grand final within 4 years

No risk.


I would start off by relocating the club away from the 'Moon' and get them set up at Loftus Rd.

I would rename them, get 3 high profile Aussie players in the side and encourage a 'them and us' situation... an 'everyone in SL hates us, we don't care' type mentality.

Team to be sponsored by Qantas, Walkabout, TNT Magazine, VB, SANZA and Jumbucks

Change the team strip to be modelled on the Kangaroos green n' gold.

Yep.

Barry McKenzie would go down in history as the legend who finally made London RL winners.

Barry McKenzie should seriously consider throwing himself off a cliff.

i'm not totally sure but i seem to recall reading somewhere that he wanted to move them up north to another city as that would be the only way to make them worth while and the RFL told him no so he sold them.

or did just imagine that?

Dear god, Scooter Nik is wondering why are you still talking complete bowlocks and trying to get others to refer to The Moon but failing miserably? Furthermore, Scooter Nik knows that you really are a troll from your alias on the Leigh forum (and presumably others) and loves reading the crap you endlessly come out with.

Carry on dear boy, carry on...

Barry McKenzie has never even HEARD of Leigh so consequently the chances of posting (or even visting) their forum is about as likely as England being crowned 2010 4 nations champions

We know your RL knowledge lacks any depth Barry. Tell me, why does Barry feel the need to express this fact on a forum?

Take your time Barry.

As Barry McKenzie stated on an earlier post he has forgotten more about Rugby League than most men will ever know.

When Barry McKenzie (from here on in this thread known as the Dalai Lama of footy) TALKS people LISTEN.

The Dalai Lama of footy has spoken regarding his plans to sort out the problem of Rugby League in the capital of England.

By god he will make them work.

The Dalai Lama of footy believes he OWES Rugby League supporters in the South East that much. The game is dying on its clacker down here.

The Dalai Lama of footy has come up with the chemotherapy that the terminally ill London RL scene so desperately needs.

Colourful, if not bollax. I'll have to start referring to you as Narcissus from here on in.

Narcissus was a MYTH.

Barry McKenzie is REAL.



On a serious note though how could anyone disagree with my ideas to save London RL?

Change the name.

Change the ground

Get sponsors relevant to the Antipodean community in London

Get a decent looking playing kit

Get some 'named' players from Australia

All so simple.



Oh and ban Gutterflax from having ANY input whatsoever into the marketing.

By god Barry McKenzie has done it again

Antipodeans don't want to go and watch the NRL so what chance Aussies watching SL and big fat zero!!!

London works if it spreads the word and it gets a load of youngsters playing the game - if that is proven then OK - otherwise forget it

Barry McKenzie will forgive your ignorance on this one occasion.


As an Aussie living in London I can confirm we WOULD like to go and watch footy over here.

Sadly all we have round here is the Harlequins.


To make footy work here in London you need to make it more attractive to Antips. The way to do that is to;

Relocate to Loftus Rd

Sell VB and New at the ground

Have a playing kit that is similar to the Kangaroos (green and gold chevvys)

Get sponsors like Qantas, TNT mag, VB, Walkabout and Jumbucks.... with offers on these products or services for season ticket holders)

Get some big name Aussies (players like Mark Gasnier)

Get a big name Aussie coach

Play home games primarily on a Sunday arvo unless Sky are covering them


Forget the Pommie supporters in London. They will come anyway. The ones you need to attract are the ones who arent coming now.... the Antips. There are thousands of us here living and working in the capital who would love to come and watch the footy


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Get real this isn't PL soccer - look at the crowds in the NRL - Aussies don't even want to watch the best rugby in either code anywhere in the world - RL is not Rules where spectators actually attend live games in reasonable numbers - Aussies are very unlikely to come and watch a very poor imitation no matter who is the side or even if Jack Gibson coached it - you truly are deluded.

Get back behind the bar

Barry McKenzie was prepared to forgive your ignorance the first time.

But whereas it might have been best to put your keyboard down and go and watch TV you unfortunately replied and made a goose out of yourself again.


Aussies in London like to drink and have a good time. The 4 nations match between Australia and NZ down at the 'Moon' last October pulled in over 12,000 people. The vast majority of those were Aussies and Kiwis. I would strongly suggest that most (if not all) reside in the London area. Although the footy was a big reason for going, the event was also treated as a p i ss up ... a place to meet up with your mates and other fellow Antips and have a few cold ones.

This is the type of thing that a Superleague club in London need to work at.

Crowds like that would be the norm in West London if my suggestions were adhered to.


Sergestorms.

You are probably best not replying to this one anymore. Why not click on that 'X' in the top right hand corner of your screen, log off and go and do something else for the rest of the evening.

He has a point. The crowd for the Aus/NZ game last year should be what a London based RL crowd should be like. Plenty of happy, smiling, board short and flip flop wearing blonde haired bar workers watching a game of footie together, beer in plastic cup and a foam hand with TRY on one side and Strewth! on the other.

Hey, fancy that, a load of Aussies & Kiwis turning up for a game between - wait for it, the Aussies & the Kiwis

.

Proves there is an interest in league in London. Proves people are willing and able to attend the games there. The rest is about marketing and effort, neither of which Quins seem to do much of.

I'll give you that much but they wouldn't turn up to watch a SL side week in week out. They were there for the international occasion between the two best sides in the world.

Don't get sold on the red herring of the Aussies coming to watch RL in London, Aussie RL fans are just as parochial as our own flatcappers, they've never been a major part of the supporter base in London no matter where the club has been based, that's not to say we don't have some very dedicated Aussie fans, we do, but it's deluded to look to the Aussie population in London.

As for marketing it costs money, especially to make a dent in London, and we have no money and that's that!

Serious question.

WHY should Aussie RL fans come to watch your club?


You have got

A coach... who can't

No big Aussie/NZ names playing for you.

You don't sell VB anymore (some Poms who don't appreciate a good drop might say thats a good thing)

You lose most of your games

Hardly anyone turns up so there is no atmosphere (Hence 'The Moon' nickname)

There is NOTHING going for your club to get the Antips going along regularly.


Other points

Your kit is appalling. Who would want to buy a replica jumper from Harlequins??

You only have one stand open on matchdays (usually)


A mate of mine went along to see one of your games at Brentford FC. He said it was far better than where you are now. And back then the 'Broncos' shirts were quite eye catching if I do say so myself.

If an RL club in London wants to flourish they need to TOTALLY rebrand themselves.

Harlequins RL are on a life support machine and someones hand is hovering over the plug just waiting to finally pull it out of the wall for one final time.

Fact.

It's a pity you're not in the same position - there'd be a queue to be that someone who owns the hand.

Bazza, I don't have anything to do with the marketing of the game at the moment.....and never will either whilst the management at the club are still in place. Might have something to do with me pulling no punches whan I call them crap ALL OF THE TIME!
Anyway, I liked your idea about Walkabout sponsoring the team......except for a few minor things.

1. Managers at each Walkabout are given a budget to spend each year on sponsorship and marketing. It is not a central budget held by Regent Inns....but an individual one for each pub based on the previous years performance.
2. The Current Manager at Walkabout Bush is an ARL fan...he sponsors the local ARL team and pretty much eats, sleeps and shi7s ARL.
3. Last year, Manly Sea Eagles made an appearance at the Walkabout Shepherds Bush.....and no f()cker turned up apart from about 20 Quins RL fans.......
4. The Aussie thing was done to death...TNT were shirt sponsors as was METRO.......neither of which added fans to the base.

Anyway mate, carry on.......you make League Freak seem like a Mastermind Champion

Why the f**k are people responding to that hat stand? Ignore him and he'll go away.

That's a bit unfair on hat stands isn't it