33 headteachers should be ashamed of themselves

Been thinking about possible reasons for the low uptake of the offer, now i'm not saying it's a valid excuse, more just playing devils advocate. The Widnes match is an evening game, what time will it finish considering it is primary schools that have been invited?, who would accompany the children?, if teachers would they get paid overtime?, who would pay to transport all to and from the match?, are all parents in agreement at the children being out late at night at what could be a very vocal, tribal and passionate game?.I think the 2 main factors are that it's an evening game and it's primery school children. I think if it were a daytime game more would take up the offer, even though teachers don't usually work weekends. What does anyone else think ?????

I will say it again the Wish FM roadshow is not free it has to be paid for, it could well be somewhere else on Saturday, but then again why let that get in the way of the usual moaners, and I thought the trailer was LISA's not the clubs? perhaps a quid each more for the travel to Bradford may have gone a long way to having it finished?

The take up by the schools is abysmal it would seem you cant give anything away today, and people still want kids allowed in free? well they were invited through the schools and look whats happened.

The scheme was 'promoted' to ALL schools as they were the 'target', what else could have been done an advert in The Times Education supplement?

Apathy rules in Leigh re pro sport.

Seems to doesn't it Fred, i was just trying to think of possible reasons as to why only 10 could be botherd, got to admit i was struggling a bit other than teachers not willing to do a night shift or the kids being young lol

I didn't say THIS Saturday - just a date that could have been planned ahead for a town centre push. I don't see the point of paying for Wish FM to be at the ground before the game to be honest as it will not generate any extra income. Out of a few thousand fans how many will get to the ground and just enter without even noticing any attractions outside?
I don't think it's a case of moaning, to me it's a constructive idea to get a few extra fans to games. We are told by some that the club have no money for marketing yet we waste some on stuff like this. It would have been better in town during the afternoon pushing "TONIGHTS BIG GAME" - "get down to the LSV and cheer Leigh to the top of the league - it's live on SKY". Ok it may not have been available Fred but then again it may have been.

I largely agree with you. You need staff who are bothered to organise a trip on their night off. How many of you would escort 50 kids to a rugby match or a netball match on your night off with no over time? Some would some wouldn't for many reasons.

It's a good initiative from Leigh and 25% take up isn't bad for a first go. 50 kids each school would add 500 to gate. That sounds like some form of success.

There have been lots of good ideas coming out of the Leigh marketing team this year. It is a learning process, possibly an expensive process. I hope Arthur has enough money and patience to keep trying and learning.

Well done Leigh.

Great post I actually said before, one of the reasons the Amateur night was took up so well IMO was because the adults with them are volunteers who are use to giving up their time for their kids.

But 10 schools is more than there would have been without this incentive, and from small acorns and all that, we have to keep trying the answer is out there somewhere.

Well done to the schools taking part, hope you all have an enjoyable evening.

The community dept/club couldn't have done anymore with regards the Widnes game and the uptake is very poor IMO. There won't be 50 kids per school if what i've been told is true and the 'apathy' point that Fred makes is true and not just for RL. The RFL had a meeting at the Reebok last week with regards to poor uptake/participation of RL in schools in Bolton/Bury and the point was made that participation is low for most sports not just RL.

I hope the club and community dept keep chipping away and that those 1800 hardcore fans get behind them, it will take time to undo 3+ years of poor performance on the pitch but we will get there.

i think the change of date to next tuesday for the featherstone match will affect crowd figures for tonight. i for one cant afford to go to both after just forking out to go to bradford. i am obviously going to go to the match that isnt on telly. the rfl really screwed us again.

25% uptake of this offer this week is not a bad return, hats off to the club for going with this initiative and it should carry on and be built on.

This week is a very busy and important week for schools as it is SATS week, would I let my kids have a late night midweek during their exams? NO!

School trips like this take some organising and carry much responsibility, with more time and on a better day I am sure that more schools would take part.

Well done to the 10 schools who are coming and big thanks to the staff who are willing and able to give up their free time.

Actually Fred, Director Phil Coffey bought th trailer for the club to use he got some sponsership towards the coast from LISA, Burt, ourselves and a few other small sponsers, however the majority of the cost was meet by Phil, all it needed to be used was logo s done and when my Steve costed these up it was approx £1000 to be done, theres no one out there who ll pay towards it being completed ,also it needs a bit of tidying up done to it, my steve was going to do it but hasnt had the time due to work commitments.
LISA members said that LISA money couldnt be used for paying for logos so thats why its not been used .

big well done to the schools attending, hope the club state the schools which have showed the club some loyalty!

the clubs marketing this year has been much better than the last few years, hope they carry this on. maybe we could offer participating schools our players for a day of coaching!

or cheap children season tickets. Im sure the club will show the schools who have attended their appreciation.

well done Leigh

Sat s are all done by end of today

Maybe so, do they mark themselves, do they review themselves are action plans done themselves, do staff use teleporters to get themselves from one place to another when they do not live in the area, do they drop all other commitments they may have, how many kids or their parents have shown an interest, how many parents want their kids out late on any school night. you pick up on one point when there are many.

25% is actually not too bad really, I also think that even if the club just dumped 3000 free tickets in the middle of the town hall square ,they will still not come.

10 schools isn't bad going as a starting point, I reckon. Even if you only get 20 kids per school (not unachievable, surely?) then it's another few hundred when they bring their parents etc.

I dont think its all doom and gloom, its a good start to something new and this can only get bigger and bring in the kids as new fans for the future.......which is what everyone on here wants....

My kids are at Leigh CE Infants and Juniors. Juniors have 360 kids alone and we have had no correspondence from the school about this whatsoever.

Fortunately we're all season ticket holders anyway, but, my thoughts are

1) It's SATS week
2) Teachers, assistants etc. who aren't rugby fans already couldn't be d passing the info onto the kids as they'd have to give up a few hours a night (unpaid) to support the town team.

all children doing SATs should be taken by their teachers as a WELL DONE! ..... will they be put in the south or the west stand?

The way I read the promo was that kids would have to come as a school group. Can't blame any teacher who doens't want to be stuck with the kids any longer than necessary - I think the primary schools should have been given family tickets to distribute. A ticket to a primary school kid on their own isn't much use when they can't go on their own!

East stand

i think they have tried distributing tickets before, they either dont get handed out or parents dont take them! i agree with you that the teachers sont want to be stuck with the children. Maybe we could offer volunteers obvs with CRB check and all that gubbins....this is something we could look at doing? working with wigan and leigh college. lots of students doing this would have something unusual to put on their CV.

when i was there, we organised a childrens event, was during the day though

I think some leythers are being over-critical of this promotion. 25% take ups pretty good on a weekday evening in the middle of SATS if you ask me.

One way of cutting out CRB checking is to give out tickets to the kids and the ticket states 'take a parent to the game for a pound' this way the kids are supervised.

In my sons school there is only 1 male teacher, and as far as I know he does football for years 5+6.
My sons are 7 + 9 and would love to do "out of hours" sports but the school is unable to provide staff to participate in after school sporty activites or many other activities - I guess as the teachers will not be paid for trips/activities out of hours then they can be justified at not organising them.

They have just started a 30 minute football training for younger pupils at lunchtime and they are being tought by years 5+6 to help with their coaching skills

We have had visits from both Leigh + W*g*n rugby clubs for a few taster sessions for certain age groups and my sons loved them.
I wonder if the decline of male primary teachers is affecting the numbers - I cannot see any of the female teachers at my sons school being interested in watching rugby.

My 7 year old starts his SATS next week so that wouldnt be a problem for him

Get the rugby club to work with wigan and leigh college, im sure they would love to help! one of their actual modules are plan and carry out an event!

1 tour of the ground for the students , have the club to arrange coaches or even the schools . funding for a coach wil come through school funds or goverment bodies

The college will benefit from having their name mentioned, have allan rowley sign certificates for the students! it looks good going to uni. Increase in crowd, Then were all winners