I'll grant them that, it is impressive. I had the misfortune to read a few of these documents Smokey thinks are so good - I'd have been told to clear my desk had I written that stuff. It's pretty much beyond my comprehension how and why people defend them, but I guess it comes down to people not being able to seperate the specific ( the RFL ) from the general ( the sport of RL in the UK ).

I expect there is a lot that is beyond your comprehension (with your propensity for building straw men I expect one of the things beyond your comprehension is, well, comprehension) and considering you don’t know what something as basic as a statement of strategic aims is I can't imagine anyone asks you to prepare documents of any kind on anything never mind your role being dependent on doing so.

I think the person in charge is the wrong one, and not nearly up to the job. I would like to see him removed. Still not sure why that's a personal vendetta. I've no reason to believe that he's anything other than a perfectly nice bloke outside the office. In work, he's paid a lot of money and doesn't (IMO) deliver. Plenty people do that in life, nice work if you can get it. I don't even hold that against him as a person. If he was doing it at the RFU I couldn't give a monkeys. But I love RL, and I think he's bad for the long term future, so it happens to annoy me. Simple as that.

Most of your alternative opinions I can accept as a perfectly valid viewpoint. There's really only one thing you keep saying that is ridiculous - that's when you keep accusing people who disagree with as hating rubgy league. I could turn around and say "you want to keep Nigel Wood, because you don't care about the future of Rugby League". But I don't. Because it would be a ridiculous way to argue. You know, dismissing somebody by making unfounded assumptions about their emotional relationship to RL. It would be pathetic.

Just in case you were wondering, your straw men are boring, thats why I ignore them.

And if you are right about Nigel Wood. Your argument can stand and fail on accurate information. You wouldn’t need the made-up, inaccurate, cherry-picked, misleading and just plain nonsensical information peddled in threads like these.

My argument is mostly based on the picture of the bloke stood outside Red Hall in a terrible suit. Much easier than reading boring numbers.

As I said. We would be better off without you.

You'd miss me (us) really. Who would you rant at?

He wouldn't need to rant if you and your mate Bill cleared off.

I tell you what - if you start a "Talking Up Rugby League" forum, I *promise* not to sign up. You can chat away without ever risking hearing a question, criticism, or anything at all to interfere with your enjoyment of watching the way this sport is run by its talented leaders.

Seriously though - that's the bit I don't get. I happen to find your relentless positivity - in the face of what I perceive (rightly or wrongly) as dreadful leadership - annoying. But so? That's my problem, not yours. Never once have I asked for (or even desired) that you lot shut up or get off the forum. There's something oddly defensive about people who seek to shout down an opinion by accusing the poster of hating the game or making pronouncements that the game is better without them. It's a defensiveness that could even suggest you might not quite believe your own positivity. When people aren't sure of themselves they tend to want the questioners to shut up and go away. Get a thicker skin, or have others assume you're not so sure about what you say.

your straw men really dont do your argument any favours.

You're obsessed with them - do you keep them with your Toy Story figurines?

Its you who keeps building them, im just pointing them out.

Please explain why you've come out with this diatribe in response to what I consider a reasonable answer to a point that was raised, ie the ending of someone ranting.

OK: you implied ( by any normal English interpretation of your words ) that we should 'clear off'. What you 'consider a reasonable answer' is what I consider a pathetic request that anyone you disagree with should shut their mouths. I thoroughly enjoy reading Smokey's comments despite vehemently disagreeing with them. I would no rather he 'clear off' than anyone else. If you want me to clear off, tell the moderators why, and you might get your way. Simple, innit.

Mr William [i'I was always picked lasted in P.E'[/i Eve has got his numbers wrong,

Actually the CORRECT numbers are

2013 = 220,648 (9,194)
2011 = 227,468 (9,477)

And Bradford home games account for more than that difference

vs Wakey (10,263) - (12,835)
vs Cas'ford (7,724) - (14,34icon_cool.gif
vs Saints (8,203) - (13,224)

Their's 14,217 accounted for right away........now we just have to work out why? Have Bradford had some off-field problems in the last 12 months that we've not heard about?????

Firstly please don't try to put my words into my mouth. Nowhere did I say you should clear off (I offered this as a solution to the "rant" issue). For what its worth I don't disagree with you about the efforts (or lack of) by those in charge at the RFL, but they are not solely responsible for the state of the game. Much of the blame should also lie with the men in charge of the clubs, who seem to have a very parochial view and don't appear to have the greater good of the game at heart. Perhaps you should take off your "angry" hat and chill out a little. This is just a forum and whatever we say here will have little bearing on what actually happens.

I remember the the Crusaders straw man. Oh and the Bradford one. Both burnt to a crisp on Wicker Island.

Was that the ' South ' Crusader or the ' North ' one ?

Salford are doing a deal - buy one ticket get one free and Hull are doing a deal - bring a friend for a fiver.

Perhaps the clubs are more worried about attendances than the usual VT mafia are.

There are more reasons why this comparison is absolute nonsense other than Mr Eve not being very good at maths.

Such as the most obvious one of deciding to pick two clubs and remove their attendances, because when those clubs are added back in we will see quite obviously that SL crowds have risen in the games played this year compared to 2011

Also the fact that the first four rounds of SL havent been played yet.

the fact that round 1 of 2011 was actually the magic weekend which means this isnt even a comparison between rounds 1-4 in both years but a comparison between what i assume are parts of rounds 2-5 in 2011 and part of round 1-4 in 2013.

There is no point let alone validity in Agent Provocatroll's figures, he may aswell have just picked numbers out of the air, which is pretty much what he did anyway.

At least it got the morons a bit giddy for a while and gave them a leader for their charabanc of idiocy.

Wow!!!!!!!! Clubs doing deals like buy one get one free or bring a mate for a fiver. Christ it must be bad, these are brand new campaigns, imaginative and innovative, i have never heard of any RL club doing anything like this ever before. This is unbelievable, they really must be desperate, they have never had any offers on tickets before, certainly not like this definitely not in the last few years. It really is the nuclear option, Crikey moses something has to be done.

You alert the papers, ill get on to the tv networks.

How very cruel you are. Do you not realise that young Billy Eve will now be tucked up in bed, hugging his pillow and sucking his thumb whilst thinking evil thoughts of Printer and Smokey who have exposed him for the fraud that he is.
Shame on you both. The NSPCC will be informed of your actions.

The most giddiest on here is you. Don't be too hard in yourself - moron is too strong a word.

Christ thats a poor attempt at insulting someone.

I'm trying to help you.