Quote ="isaac1"Thanks seb, I get your point, and I was in no way trying to be negative towards Warrington as a club or town. BUt I think you've kind of agreed with me. Its the financial stability that Moran has brought that has enabled the club to do the right things. Your term was that it underpinned what was going on. could this all have happened without his cash with the same effect? I dont think so.'"
I suspect the answer to that is probably yes, but it would have taken a lot, lot longer.
Some people tend to think that all you need is a rich benefactor and all is solved. Sadly that is not the case though. A strong club looks like an ice berg with the benefactor sitting at the top. But there is an awful lot that needs to be done 'below the water'. The town / city need to be on board and recognise that the club is part of their heritage. This helps in hundreds of ways, not just grants, but planning permission, business contacts (property leasing), club profile, partnerships (world cup) etc etc. Then there are the networks that SEB mentions, all doing their bit to bring in money from individuals, to very small business sponsorship, to the larger business (corporate hospitality and perhaps discounted services eg building !). Then the school networks, where a healthy system provides not just juniors, but also potential supporters from the parents and staff. Finally a club youth system and strong scout network for the different RL regions. As SEB points out, a large amount of work went into these areas both prior to, and during the Moran era.
I dont know exactly, but I suspect it was primarily Moran's money that paid for our big signings (including TS). That I would argue, accelerated the speed at which Warrington became a major club in RL, but I would like to think they would have got there eventually because of the focus of running the club in a professional way (Andy Gatcliffe) and treating it as a business.
Finally, Moran is not just a money man. He is a skilled negotiator and is involved in selling the club to prospective new signings (players, coaches, staff). Much of his business is based around marketing, a skill that is sadly lacking from many RL clubs (and organisations) and that is a core requirement for a rugby club these days. And of course he will bring a wealth of business contacts that end up supporting the club via hospitality suites, sponsorship, discounted products and services. So yes, Moran's money is very important, but he brings an awful lot more to the party than that.